Moving Phnom Pen, is this a terrible idea?

Ojr · Post by **Ojr** » Sat Dec 17, 2011 10:08 am

First of all, hello 440!

I want to move to Phnom Pen to try and get TEFL work however I'm not sure when would be the best time to arrive, or whether it really makes a difference. I have one of those 4 week TEFL course certs btw: Trinity CertTESOL. No other experience though.

I've heard the likelihood of finding a teaching job can depend on the time of year. Apparently it's harder in January due to term dates but different sources tell me different things so here goes.

Here's my options -

a) - Turn up in January, $3500 available to live off until I get a job.
- Uni degree in English Lit won't be confirmed till march.
- The longer I spend unemployed the more of the $$ I spend, and since it's a very nice interest free loan from some relatives the less spent the better.

b) - Turn up in March/April, $2000 - ??? available, in the interim I'll have to spend some of my loan on food but there's an empty flat I can live in for free, depends if I can find a job over here - humanities vs recession ain't a hopeful prospect.
- Have my degree in hand.
- Have to put up with living in this shitty little place for another three months (Such a lame first world problem I know, but screw it I want out).
- Possibility that the schools will be on the prowl for tasty white fellas that wear slim red ties exclusively for some reason.... At least more so than in Jan anyway.

I ain't a particularly high-cost-of-living kinda guy. Give me a hole with a beanbag, a little internet, weed, some depressing French novels and some local cuisine and I'll do nothing for years. Fantastic attitude courtesy of Britain's 92nd best university. Not giving a great impression I know, but I work my ass off when I want something and I love teaching. What do you think, will I be okay/survive if I turn up in January?

Captain Bonez · Post by **Captain Bonez** » Sat Dec 17, 2011 10:23 am

Ojr wrote:I've heard the likelihood of finding a teaching job can depend on the time of year. Apparently it's harder in January due to term dates but different sources tell me different things

not really

viewtopic.php?f=21&t=18763

andyinasia · Post by **andyinasia** » Sat Dec 17, 2011 10:38 am

Where are you? UK? I just spent the last 4 depressing months there - my advice: get the fuck out ASAP. USA? Same advice. $3500 is a nice sum to bring. So long as you don't fall in love with a whore and blow it overnight (it happens a lot), it'll do you until you get a teaching gig. Your qualifications are minimal but more than a lot of others have who have the same idea as you. There are openings all the time - you'll get something in a few weeks; then, after you build up experience, you might get better paid work. So just get here, take your time, settle in, and take things one step at a time.

kinglear#1 · Post by **kinglear#1** » Sat Dec 17, 2011 2:09 pm

Ojr wrote:First of all, hello 440!

I want to move to Phnom Pen to try and get TEFL work however I'm not sure when would be the best time to arrive, or whether it really makes a difference. I have one of those 4 week TEFL course certs btw: Trinity CertTESOL. No other experience though.

I've heard the likelihood of finding a teaching job can depend on the time of year. Apparently it's harder in January due to term dates but different sources tell me different things so here goes.

Here's my options -

a) - Turn up in January, $3500 available to live off until I get a job.
- Uni degree in English Lit won't be confirmed till march.
- The longer I spend unemployed the more of the $$ I spend, and since it's a very nice interest free loan from some relatives the less spent the better.

b) - Turn up in March/April, $2000 - ??? available, in the interim I'll have to spend some of my loan on food but there's an empty flat I can live in for free, depends if I can find a job over here - humanities vs recession ain't a hopeful prospect.
- Have my degree in hand.
- Have to put up with living in this shitty little place for another three months (Such a lame first world problem I know, but screw it I want out).
- Possibility that the schools will be on the prowl for tasty white fellas that wear slim red ties exclusively for some reason.... At least more so than in Jan anyway.

I ain't a particularly high-cost-of-living kinda guy. Give me a hole with a beanbag, a little internet, weed, some depressing French novels and some local cuisine and I'll do nothing for years. Fantastic attitude courtesy of Britain's 92nd best university. Not giving a great impression I know, but I work my ass off when I want something and I love teaching. What do you think, will I be okay/survive if I turn up in January?

OP, I reckon Trinity College's Certificate (as do many others) is better than CELTA. 'Depressing French novels'? I like this guy! 'Pere Goriot' by Balzac is one of my favourites! You're too clever for most of Cambodia (boy, am I gonna get some stick for this)! OP, the wave of abuse will come, but I'm betting you will ride it out. Cheers!

andyinasia · Post by **andyinasia** » Sat Dec 17, 2011 3:14 pm

barforsalecambodia wrote:Anyone can teach English here, you don't even need a certificate. $10 / hour, and extra points if you're white.

Come on down, and enjoy the scene

Hint: never take advice from an ignorant pimp who can't even sell his own business

EDIT: Sorry, had a moment. I'm just a bona fide teacher who actually takes a pride in his PROFESSION. What the fuck do I know?

vladimir · Post by **vladimir** » Sun Dec 18, 2011 8:13 am

barforsalecambodia wrote:Anyone can teach English here, you don't even need a certificate. $10 / hour, and extra points if you're white.

Come on down, and enjoy the scene

Sad, but true. BFSC will show everyone how easy it is

ken svay · Post by **ken svay** » Sun Dec 18, 2011 8:44 am

This is a serious question-which schools can you teach at with no qualifications?

andyinasia · Post by **andyinasia** » Sun Dec 18, 2011 9:14 am

ken svay wrote:This is a serious question-which schools can you teach at with no qualifications?

Zaman are currently asking for 'qualifications and experience preferable'. That's the only one I can think of at the moment.

giblet · Post by **giblet** » Sun Dec 18, 2011 10:09 am

kinglear#1 wrote: 'Depressing French novels'? I like this guy! 'Pere Goriot' by Balzac is one of my favourites! You're too clever for most of Cambodia (boy, am I gonna get some stick for this)! OP, the wave of abuse will come, but I'm betting you will ride it out. Cheers!

FFS, even I've read that and I'm a moron (according to Hanky)

Ojr · Post by **Ojr** » Sun Dec 18, 2011 10:24 am

andyinasia wrote:Where are you? UK? I just spent the last 4 depressing months there - my advice: get the fuck out ASAP. USA? Same advice. $3500 is a nice sum to bring. So long as you don't fall in love with a whore and blow it overnight (it happens a lot), it'll do you until you get a teaching gig. Your qualifications are minimal but more than a lot of others have who have the same idea as you. There are openings all the time - you'll get something in a few weeks; then, after you build up experience, you might get better paid work. So just get here, take your time, settle in, and take things one step at a time.

I fell in love with a whore and blew it overnight once, kudos on the gender neutral pronoun, they deserve their own linguistic category, and toilets

But seriously thanks, January is starting to sound doable! I can't help but agree with the get the fuck out sentiment. I guess I'll just put my degree on my CV with (classification pending) next to it and hope that helps.

kinglear#1 wrote:OP, I reckon Trinity College's Certificate (as do many others) is better than CELTA. 'Depressing French novels'? I like this guy! 'Pere Goriot' by Balzac is one of my favourites! You're too clever for most of Cambodia (boy, am I gonna get some stick for this)! OP, the wave of abuse will come, but I'm betting you will ride it out. Cheers!

I'm slightly embarrassed to say that I've only read a few from Balzac so far and Goriot ain't one of them. Just finished my trawl through Houellebecq so I might pick that one up soon. Incidentally, is there much in the way of book stores which cater to the English speaking market? There were a few places in Thailand when I stayed there (Hua hin) but I always had to pay like 500baht for some dogeared thing if I wanted anything other than the detritus left at the guest house by well intentioned backpackers.
Also, I did find the qualification fairly decent for the time and money, but from what I've gathered one's overall experience of the TEFL certificate hinges on the establishment actually teaching it. The people administering my course seemed to have quite a bit of creative freedom as far as delivery was concerned so I imagine the students' experience could have gone either way. I've haven't spoken to many CELTA-ites though so I can't claim to know anything about it. And I hope you're right!

Ojr · Post by **Ojr** » Sun Dec 18, 2011 10:36 am

giblet wrote:
kinglear#1 wrote: 'Depressing French novels'? I like this guy! 'Pere Goriot' by Balzac is one of my favourites! You're too clever for most of Cambodia (boy, am I gonna get some stick for this)! OP, the wave of abuse will come, but I'm betting you will ride it out. Cheers!
FFS, even I've read that and I'm a moron (according to Hanky)

Fortunately eclecticism isn't always the measure of intellect

There's a fair few people I know with greater literary reach than myself with whom conversation is just about as stimulating as sucking liquid platitudes from a shaved coconut.

giblet · Post by **giblet** » Sun Dec 18, 2011 10:41 am

Ojr wrote:Fortunately eclecticism isn't always the measure of intellect There's a fair few people I know with greater literary reach than myself with whom conversation is just about as stimulating as sucking liquid platitudes from a shaved coconut.

You're right, Hanky stinks.

You can get books printed here for between $6-10 if you can find a digital version online.

andyinasia · Post by **andyinasia** » Sun Dec 18, 2011 11:26 am

giblet wrote:
Ojr wrote:Fortunately eclecticism isn't always the measure of intellect There's a fair few people I know with greater literary reach than myself with whom conversation is just about as stimulating as sucking liquid platitudes from a shaved coconut.
You're right, Hanky stinks.

You can get books printed here for between $6-10 if you can find a digital version online.

Bleh, I have a collection of 20,000+ ebooks (*.pdf) all downloaded for free. Any classic is easily available free and online. No need to print them at all, but if you do an average paperback will cost less than that.

Captain Bonez · Post by **Captain Bonez** » Sun Dec 18, 2011 12:57 pm

barforsalecambodia wrote:
ken svay wrote:This is a serious question-which schools can you teach at with no qualifications?
Captain Bonez???

i'm not a school, you gargantuan boob

Moving Phnom Pen, is this a terrible idea?

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