CELTA vs TEFL and more
CELTA vs TEFL and more
Hi everyone,
I've been lurking for a few days and doing searches but still have a few simple questions I hope people can answer.
A bit about my background; I'm 38 and want to start teaching English in Cambodia. I've only been there a couple of times for visa runs but I have been hopping between Thailand and Australia for the last 9 years. I am engaged to a Thai girl who I will marry later this year (been together 8 years, no problems). She lives not far from the border of Thailand/Cambodia.
I don't have a university degree and appreciate I'll probably end up working Phnom Penh. However this is still 5,500km closer to her than Australia so I'm semi-happy with that. I do have a number of years of experience teaching piano and drums, and over the last couple of weeks the director at a local Thai school invited me to sit in on some classes and also take part in an English camp so I have some idea of what I'm getting into. I don't really drink these days and don't use drugs. I realise the salary is about 1/10th of what I earn in Australia but I have a bit of money behind me and I don't need to rush into anything.
My questions are;
1) Should I do the TEFL or CELTA course?
2) Is anyone able to recommend a decent provider in Cambodia? (I assume it's better to do it there than Thailand?) I read plenty of places to avoid but few recommendations (I'm considering International TEFL Academy)
3) Is finding a job a case of cold canvassing schools? The number of teaching jobs I've found on Google seems sparse.
4) I believe if I gain employment, the employer will organize my work visa. However the tourist visa available is only for 30 days which is co-incidentally the length of a TEFL course. Is there a longer visa available or can I extend my tourist visa somehow?
That's all the questions I have, any other advice would be appreciated.
Cheers, Neil
I've been lurking for a few days and doing searches but still have a few simple questions I hope people can answer.
A bit about my background; I'm 38 and want to start teaching English in Cambodia. I've only been there a couple of times for visa runs but I have been hopping between Thailand and Australia for the last 9 years. I am engaged to a Thai girl who I will marry later this year (been together 8 years, no problems). She lives not far from the border of Thailand/Cambodia.
I don't have a university degree and appreciate I'll probably end up working Phnom Penh. However this is still 5,500km closer to her than Australia so I'm semi-happy with that. I do have a number of years of experience teaching piano and drums, and over the last couple of weeks the director at a local Thai school invited me to sit in on some classes and also take part in an English camp so I have some idea of what I'm getting into. I don't really drink these days and don't use drugs. I realise the salary is about 1/10th of what I earn in Australia but I have a bit of money behind me and I don't need to rush into anything.
My questions are;
1) Should I do the TEFL or CELTA course?
2) Is anyone able to recommend a decent provider in Cambodia? (I assume it's better to do it there than Thailand?) I read plenty of places to avoid but few recommendations (I'm considering International TEFL Academy)
3) Is finding a job a case of cold canvassing schools? The number of teaching jobs I've found on Google seems sparse.
4) I believe if I gain employment, the employer will organize my work visa. However the tourist visa available is only for 30 days which is co-incidentally the length of a TEFL course. Is there a longer visa available or can I extend my tourist visa somehow?
That's all the questions I have, any other advice would be appreciated.
Cheers, Neil
- Hot_Pink_Urinal_Mint
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I think you need to come up with a better plan.
With no degree you'll always be working at the lowest paying, scummiest schools. Can you do that for the next how many years. You may be able to get a work permit with no checks and no degree at the moment in Cambodia but there is no guarantee that will always be the case. As you know, Cambodia is one of the few/only countries in SEA that doesn't require a degree for a work permit.
IMHO you will use all your savings trying to maintain even a modest lifestyle while at the same time trying to support two.
Is there something else you can do to make a living besides teaching English? Think hard about that because I don't think it's the right path. You will be competing for lowly paid jobs against the many kids leaving the west who have degrees and teaching certificates.
Sorry...
With no degree you'll always be working at the lowest paying, scummiest schools. Can you do that for the next how many years. You may be able to get a work permit with no checks and no degree at the moment in Cambodia but there is no guarantee that will always be the case. As you know, Cambodia is one of the few/only countries in SEA that doesn't require a degree for a work permit.
IMHO you will use all your savings trying to maintain even a modest lifestyle while at the same time trying to support two.
Is there something else you can do to make a living besides teaching English? Think hard about that because I don't think it's the right path. You will be competing for lowly paid jobs against the many kids leaving the west who have degrees and teaching certificates.
Sorry...
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Why would you want to come over and make 1/10th of your current salary? Why? Ok, so then what? Find a place to live in a foreign country try with your Thai wife (who probably won't like being in Cambodia) and work for peanuts? Save nothing? I don't get the rationale behind people's motivations sometimes... Especially considering you'll need to support your wife on top of yourself. Sounds like a plan doomed in advance. Stay in Australia mate.
Sorry...
Sorry...
Not that I can think of unfortunately. I did consider opening a small restaurant in Thailand but would probably also be making a shitty wage.Hot_Pink_Urinal_Mint wrote: Is there something else you can do to make a living besides teaching English? Think hard about that because I don't think it's the right path. You will be competing for lowly paid jobs against the many kids leaving the west who have degrees and teaching certificates.
No that's good, I need people to be honest with me if they think it's a fucking stupid idea.LexusSchmexus wrote: > Why would you want to come over and make 1/10th of your current salary? Why? Ok,
> so then what? Find a place to live in a foreign country try with your Thai wife
> (who probably won't like being in Cambodia) and work for peanuts? Save nothing?
> Sorry...
My thinking was she would stay in Thailand and I'd just work over the border in Cambodia. At the moment we don't get to see each other much because of my work in oz and her work here (she has a good job as a teacher at a government school near the border). I just need to find some job here so I'm not so far away. We don't need much for ourselves honestly.
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Have you considered working for "1/10th your current salary" *in Thailand* ?? (Specifically, some location towards where she works)
You say you have already conceded that teaching in Cambodia likely = Phnom Penh. In that scenario, how often are you anticipating getting to 'just the other side of the TH-KH border' to visit your wife? (Which border crossing is she closest to? There are half a dozen crossings TH-KH)
You want to take a bus ride from PP and cross the border and get to where she is?
You want to fly PNH-BKK and then take a bus ride from BKK to her town?
(I don't know how you see the relationship. I know some folk *don't actually want to* live 7d/wk with their partner. I'm NOT saying that's you - I don't know you and am making no assumptions. )
You say you have already conceded that teaching in Cambodia likely = Phnom Penh. In that scenario, how often are you anticipating getting to 'just the other side of the TH-KH border' to visit your wife? (Which border crossing is she closest to? There are half a dozen crossings TH-KH)
You want to take a bus ride from PP and cross the border and get to where she is?
You want to fly PNH-BKK and then take a bus ride from BKK to her town?
(I don't know how you see the relationship. I know some folk *don't actually want to* live 7d/wk with their partner. I'm NOT saying that's you - I don't know you and am making no assumptions. )
- vladimir
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Do the CELTA.
Then start an online BEd/ basic degree. BEd will guarantee reasonably/well-paid work for a long time compared to no degree/certificate.
Don't waste money on a TEFL, perceptions are that a CELTA rules.
Then start an online BEd/ basic degree. BEd will guarantee reasonably/well-paid work for a long time compared to no degree/certificate.
Don't waste money on a TEFL, perceptions are that a CELTA rules.
ירי ילדים והפצצת אזרחים דורש אומץ, כמו גם הטרדה מינית של עובדי ההוראה.
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Then learn to do something new. Seriously, these days you can make much more money online. There are lots of things you do - provide a service or selling something. Learn to build cheap websites, sell stuff on Amazon, affiliate marketing, Youtube channel.sweatalot wrote:Not that I can think of unfortunately. I did consider opening a small restaurant in Thailand but would probably also be making a shitty wage.Hot_Pink_Urinal_Mint wrote: Is there something else you can do to make a living besides teaching English? Think hard about that because I don't think it's the right path. You will be competing for lowly paid jobs against the many kids leaving the west who have degrees and teaching certificates.
You don't even need to spend any money learning these new skills as there heaps of free stuff online.
Check out warrior forum or fiverr. com to get some ideas. IMHO, become a digital hustler instead of an EFL serf.
Last edited by Hot_Pink_Urinal_Mint on Tue May 24, 2016 12:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Typically if you don't have a degree you won't be accepted into a CELTA course...
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Thanks for your reply. I would love to work in Thailand but it seems to be impossible without a degree and at 38 years old already, I don't think I can put aside another 3 years of my life with no income. We are going to marry this year and I really don't want to have to go back to Australia to keep working full time after that.Stagger Lee wrote:Have you considered working for "1/10th your current salary" *in Thailand* ?? (Specifically, some location towards where she works)
You say you have already conceded that teaching in Cambodia likely = Phnom Penh. In that scenario, how often are you anticipating getting to 'just the other side of the TH-KH border' to visit your wife? (Which border crossing is she closest to? There are half a dozen crossings TH-KH)
You want to take a bus ride from PP and cross the border and get to where she is?
You want to fly PNH-BKK and then take a bus ride from BKK to her town?
(I don't know how you see the relationship. I know some folk *don't actually want to* live 7d/wk with their partner. I'm NOT saying that's you - I don't know you and am making no assumptions. )
The closest border crossing to here is Chong Dong. I anticipate we would probably only see one another a handful (4?) of times annually. Of course this is far from ideal but it's a better situation than the one I am in now. (1 months paid annual leave from my job in Australia). I could either fly, bus or drive across from KH-TH, I'm assuming the regulations haven't changed too much since I last crossed.
Thanks for your advice, I will take this into consideration along with all other suggestions so far. You guys have been a huge help already, thanks.vladimir wrote:Do the CELTA.
Then start an online BEd/ basic degree. BEd will guarantee reasonably/well-paid work for a long time compared to no degree/certificate.
Don't waste money on a TEFL, perceptions are that a CELTA rules.
Thanks for the suggestion, I've been considering this although all I could come up with myself was pimping myself out on upwork.com for $3/hr. I'll definitely check out the forums you suggestion although I'm a bit in the dark about online work. Website building seems like the way to go as writing content pays pittance. Thanks again.Hot_Pink_Urinal_Mint wrote: Then learn to do something new. Seriously, these days you can make much more money online. There are lots of things you do - provide a service or selling something. Learn to build cheap websites, sell stuff on Amazon, affiliate marketing, Youtube channel.
You don't even need to spend any money learning these new skills as there heaps of free stuff online.
Check out warrior forum or fiver. com to get some ideas. IMHO, become a digital hustler instead of an EFL serf.
Stay in Oz so you can still earn ten times what you will here.
Organise and manage your annual holidays around Easter and Christmas so you can take advantage of extra public holidays.
Now you have about 5 weeks PAID annual leave + LOADINGS.
I realise that's only 2 visits per year (you want 4) but if you put your head-down/bum-up for few more years in Oz, then no doubt you and your new wife will enjoy a much better lifestyle.
Organise and manage your annual holidays around Easter and Christmas so you can take advantage of extra public holidays.
Now you have about 5 weeks PAID annual leave + LOADINGS.
I realise that's only 2 visits per year (you want 4) but if you put your head-down/bum-up for few more years in Oz, then no doubt you and your new wife will enjoy a much better lifestyle.
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Don't be a clown. You're 38 and in your prime earning years. Stay in Oz, bring the missus to Oz. If you have a kid, the kid will have millions more opportunities than they would if you were a broke guy in Asia. If you don't have a kid, your missus can work too. Either way you'll save your money and can then retire in Thailand.
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All this talk of kids Pelican, and ne'er and egg to be seen!
To the OP if I were you I'd Learn a trade. Not too old to do so and a shedload to be made in Aus. Can't you do night classes at TAFE these days ?
There is plenty of work for foreign tradesmen in SEA too - especially if you can stomach least developed Asia and a posting to some far flung corner thereof.
To the OP if I were you I'd Learn a trade. Not too old to do so and a shedload to be made in Aus. Can't you do night classes at TAFE these days ?
There is plenty of work for foreign tradesmen in SEA too - especially if you can stomach least developed Asia and a posting to some far flung corner thereof.
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