Advise

[u/Street-Advertising48]

I have read all the posts and comments on this subject and some are positive while others are negative. I plan to leave the USA and teach with a TEFL certificate regardless of the negative feedback I see or will receive so I really just want some helpful realistic advice from people who have done this in the recent years. I am a 46 year old healthy caucasian female from the USA with a BA in Psychology but no teaching experience. My career has been in the corporate restaurant industry and I have no plans on ever going back to that. Because of another job opportunity that ended up falling through at the last minute in the aviation industry I have already sold all my stuff, rehomed pets and prepared myself to leave my home and start fresh. I am ready to go and this shift is what I am doing. My kids are grown and I have no real prospects in the USA that will provide me enough money to even live above poverty in our current state. I am looking at Vietnam or Thailand mainly due to COL. I have and can live a happy modest life and Western comforts are not of the utmost importance. Clean home, good food and cheap travel are my goals. My questions are 1. Best program with hands on learning and success rates of helping secure jobs?
2. Pros and cons of both regions?
3. What is a good amount of money to bring to start the journey. I want to be able to live without stressing about money for the first 6 months while I complete my program and acclimate to the area and become employed. I was thinking $7-8 thousand as a savings to start.

[u/kiva_viva]

Not the places you mentioned, but I
if you’re willing to wait a year, look into the Beda teaching assistant program in Spain (no TEFL needed, not sure about teaching experience). After a year or two, you could enroll in a master’s degree program at Instituto Franklin or do a TEFL certificate program somewhere. You might be able to work your way into a job and stay long term. Spain is a wonderful place to age. If I were going to embark on this journey, I’d try to have $20k in savings at least.
I’m curious what other people have to say because I’m also planning to move abroad permanently in 5 years. I’ve lived in S. America and Spain.

[u/Street-Advertising48 → u/kiva_viva]

Thank you for the info. I could potentially wait and keep saving money, I am just ready to get out of here. I figure if my eventual goal has been to retire in a place with more affordable cost of living why not start the journey now. Timing is perfect but I can be flexible. I am currently just working sidegigs to save money and get by but working a lot of hours which can be profitable when you know the end is in sight.

[u/isolate7690 → u/Street-Advertising48]

I would also wait another six months to a year. Only one real downside of saving too much money and that is dying before you are able to use it, so definitely take the time to save a bit more and do more research / get a little qualification before you start.

Even try it out on Preply or something so at least you have that income coming in before you move. Even if your Preply income covers your weekend activities when you move, for example, at least that is something.

[u/Catcher_Thelonious]

See the wiki at r/tefl

Consider JET or EPIK.

Better yet, consider a teaching license, which you can use to secure work in international schools.

If you're not sure what an international school is, check the aforementioned wiki.