Are people who teach English abroad LOSERS?

Dubai and Abu Dhabi are amazing for teaching English - but Saudi is even better!

If you can get a job in Saudi Arabic teaching employees of Aramco then you can save £200k over a 3 year period. I know somebody who did this. He lived on a second wage (private tutoring), and all his accommodation was free (albeit in an expat compound).

If you work for 5 or 6 years in these countries teaching English, you would have saved up enough cash when you come back to the UK to BUY A HOUSE OUTRIGHT, no renting or mortgages lol.

I just don't know how anyone can find these people to be "losers"

Not compared to China which doesn't require a degree for foreign nationals. Actually China might do, but there's plenty of other countries that outrank us that don't.

Let the irony sink in there a moment.

Hmm...

While there are some who you talk about do that, I don't think it's the majority... for quite a few people it's to have a break from UK teaching or to gain experience before they have a proper teaching role. For others it might simply be a break before they go into employment or the job they wanted isn't in demand.

I have 3 family members who taught English abroad and they all had degrees in an MFL, a master's in that MFL and then a PGCE. After coming back from teaching English abroad one carried on working as a French teacher, another became a translator and the other now works at a private school doing TEFL in England. So it's actually pretty offensive to me saying they're losers.

I suppose it's people who have worked their arse off getting an English degree/PGCE and then someone swoops in doing a TEFL course. Then earns more money, has no debt and travels abroad accommodation paid. I imagine they are a bit bitter and it's them who is calling people who are doing TEFL losers. Personally i think it sounds like a really good opportunity

I thought this might be a good career for me, rather than doing unsatisfying stuff, but it seems a lot of people think TEFL (teach English as a foreign language) teachers are losers.

How can having a degree (often in education) and teaching kids in a foreign country make you a loser? The money is great too in most countries. Free accommodation, free utility bills, and still at least £1000 month disposable income.

That's more than the average graduate gets these days.

Re-read your response. Your family members are not what are called flip floppers. Me white me teach English types which Asia is infested with.

I'm sorry?

I actually heard about this. I think it's because there's a view that they are doing it because they couldn't get a job in their own country, are trying to escape their own life or is some fantasist weeb who wants to teach English in the Japanese Emperors court while wearing a kimono. Haters gonna hate I say.

snip

I don't know what your agenda is in this thread tbh. You just come across as bitter.

I have an English degree and a TEFL certificate but as I am just starting out, of course I have no teaching experience. Does that make me a loser?

If it does, then I don't understand the whole point of the TEFL jobs, hence my OP asking the question.

Maybe it's better to continue applying for jobs in Tesco, idk.

You can keep your 9-5 'respectable' office job back home. Plus, in most 'first-rate' occupations in the UK, it's rarely 9-5, more like 9-6 at least, often 9-7. What kind of a ****ing life is that? My job is a piece of cake, there's few expectations besides being white. You can literally play movies and sing songs most of the time in classes, and providing you can string together a decent schedule of hours you'll be saving more money than any reasonable graduate occupation back home. Taxes and accommodation costs will rape you in the UK, you don't have that problem in China.

See this is the type of teacher which is considered a loser. The funny thing is he thinks he's being smart when really he is burning his future as teaching English is worthless as work experience.

Those friends he is lording over they are building careers gaining valuable work experience and building contacts.

When he comes back and that is a WHEN not IF as China has started to process of tightening up regulations and increase standards. He will be utterly unemployable as new people will have graduated and gained work experience.

But hey he can put on his CV I'm white! I was a glorified baby sitter! Will definitely give him a massive upper hand when starting a real career!

You seem very bitter and biased tbh, not saying your not making good points but id like someone on the other side to present an argument before i judge

I thought this might be a good career for me, rather than doing unsatisfying stuff, but it seems a lot of people think TEFL (teach English as a foreign language) teachers are losers.

How can having a degree (often in education) and teaching kids in a foreign country make you a loser? The money is great too in most countries. Free accommodation, free utility bills, and still at least £1000 month disposable income.

That's more than the average graduate gets these days.

I wouldn't call someone who had gone to make a new career for themselves overseas a 'Loser'. I'd say its quite a ballsy thing to do.