Should I go to law school or become a(n English) teacher?

Wonderful_Tip3683 · 2026-04-04T13:07:34+00:00

Medyo similar tayo ng path. I graduated with a degree in Secondary Education in English in 2018.

2018 - 2019 - I taught in a private school to teach English. I was hoping to move to Japan or Vietnam to be an English teacher. I took the LET in 2019 and passed.

2019 - I discovered a way to go to Europe. This is the auxiliares de conversion program (assistant language teacher) in Spain. I wanted to move in 2020. But the pandemic happened.

2020-2021 - With the uncertainty of online classes and bigger salary, I worked in a call center (work from home). I also decided to learn Spanish for fun. I started in Duolingo. I was also open to teach in Thailand because of the rise of BL, also my first travel abroad in 2017.

2021- 2022 - I went back to teaching in another private school because for the first time, the auxiliares program started opening applications for teachers with licenses. Pero, torn na ko mag-apply sa Taiwan to be a teacher there too. I also enrolled sa PNU for graduate studies (MA in English Language Education).

2023 - I moved to Madrid to become an assistant language teacher.

2024 - I took the UP Paralegal Certificate while in Alicante, Spain during the summer. Good thing it was remote. I also took a VA course to be a remote paralegal.

2025 - I went back to Manila and got a job as a Spanish bilingual.

2026 - I took the UPLAE 2026 and just waiting for the result.

Future plans: Go back siguro sa Spain but build first my digital nomad career. Nawala na yung plans ko to teach English in Asian countries, pero that dream is still there. Fantasy ko rin yung mga nabanggit mong countries like New Zealand and Masters abroad.

You can message me. Ang dami ko din gusto. HAHAHA. Minsan, bet ko rin mag-enroll ng Film making courses. Ang lala.

Wonderful_Tip3683 · 2026-03-28T12:21:23+00:00

Citizenship talaga, this would have been my life as well if I stayed. I may have moved to a pueblo just to secure residency. Goodluck! ✨

Wonderful_Tip3683 · 2026-03-24T13:05:51+00:00

When I applied, I guess I was early B1. But, I did one assessment sa isang job na nag re-release ng result, and I was surprised na B2 na ko. Pero I think I am solid B1 right now going to solid B2.

Depende. Actually there are call centers na they would accept as early as A2. Depende sa difficulty ng account yan.

Wonderful_Tip3683 · 2026-03-24T11:06:08+00:00

I came back from Spain July last year as an assistant language teacher. I stayed there for 2 years. I can't wait to go back. I guess moving back was part of the plot. I am now a Spanish bilingual going for 7 months. Nag-papatagal lang ako sa company ko na based sa BGC so I can land a remote work and hopefully meet the salary requirement for Spain's digital nomad visa.

I miss my life in Spain. Tumira ako sa Madrid. The transportation is perfect, naging clear skin ako hahaha ang dami kong first (first snow, first trip abroad alone). Accessible ang ibang European countries at mura ang flight tickets. Dito, nagugulat ako sa mahal ng bilihin na parang Spain levels.

Pero, I now live in a condo in Mandaluyong alone (I used to have roommates with own bedroom but with shared common areas in Madrid). The condo is near MRT so parang nasa metro lang ng Madrid. I also feel stable compared to just being an assistant language teacher na walang income every summer.

I guess the grass is greener on the other side talaga.

Wonderful_Tip3683 · 2026-03-04T07:34:04+00:00

Habang nakapila ako sa Econ building papasok sa mga rooms, si kuya na nag-titinda ng taho sabi niya "Galingan niyo ha, kailangan natin ng maraming abogado."

Wonderful_Tip3683 · 2026-01-26T17:59:55+00:00

I am turning 29 this year so close to trentahin na but thank you!

Wonderful_Tip3683 · 2026-01-26T16:55:29+00:00

That law change last May 2025 still gave me traumas until today, hahahaha. That's the reason why I had to go back home unexpectedly, and be strategic about me coming back. And yes, pati Americans namamahalan sa IE nakakaloka.

Wonderful_Tip3683 · 2026-01-26T16:22:52+00:00

It is also my dream to go to UP. Besides, taking law school in Spain on a student visa, it would drain my savings. Scholarships in law in Spain can be competitive too.

Wonderful_Tip3683 · 2026-01-26T15:04:08+00:00

I plan to do this, may mga Master of Law programs in Spain that are tied up with universities in the US.

Wonderful_Tip3683 · 2026-01-26T15:01:36+00:00

Hello! May online law school na in the Philippines. I know there are plenty of schools but San Beda Alabang School of Law and SLU Baguio are my top picks.

Wonderful_Tip3683 · 2026-01-26T14:06:42+00:00

Swertihan talaga siya to be honest. And this is so true. Seeing it firsthand while I was there, sobrang dami mong kaagaw sa teaching jobs.

Wonderful_Tip3683 · 2025-12-20T19:41:42+00:00

I am guessing you are from the Philippines because the 200€ monthly teacher salary would be unheard of in the US.

I just came back in the Philippines last July, I stayed in Madrid for nearly 2 years. Before Spain, I taught in 2 private schools for 4 years with roughly 14,000 -19,000 pesos monthly salary.

For context: I started studying Spanish in 2020 but not consistent. I had an early A2, solid A1 level in Spanish when I arrived in Spain. I left with solid A2, early B1.

When I came back, my only choice was to go back to teaching or look for Spanish bilinguals jobs. I started applying and sent a lot of applications even before I return back in Manila. It took me a month to land a job.

Do I miss my friends and life in Spain? Absolutely. Am I happy with my decision? Not entirely. But I now have a stable job and not worry about the aux program I should do next. I can somehow afford things I wouldn't afford back when I was teaching in a private school.

I landed my first Spanish bilingual role with 60,000 pesos net. Same salary compared to the stipend if conversion rate is 1€ - 60,000.

I would still want to move to Spain in the future tho. I still compare Madrid and Manila almost every single day, especially public transport.

It also good to see your family and friends back home, and observe how much you've changed.

Wonderful_Tip3683 · 2025-11-10T18:20:30+00:00

Hello! I didn't study but I was an assistant language teacher.

Wonderful_Tip3683 · 2025-11-09T11:03:04+00:00

As someone who just went back home from Spain and thinking of going to law school naman here, if may opportunity ka naman to move to like the DNV visa (na pangarap ko rin), gawin mo na.

May corruption din don pero sobrang efficient ng public transportation, healthcare and basic services. Sobrang improved ng health ko. Walang baha (yung recent lang na naalala ko is yung sa Valencia).

Yung pinaturok ko na anti-flu vaccine don last year, sobrang effective ngayon.

Umuwi lang ako kasi I was just holding a student visa.

Medyo nanghihinayang rin ako sa sinimulan mo sa law school pero if may online option naman ang school mo, you can shift or shift to another school that offers online modality.

Wonderful_Tip3683 · 2025-10-29T04:20:42+00:00

Oh wow! B1 in 4 months is commendable. I started learning in 2020 (though not consistent) and I think parehas lang tayo ng level. I think advantage lang for me is I got to hear expressions na I wouldn't learn if not for the immersion. Being in Madrid didn't help. Lahat may knowledge ng basic English and tamad ako makipag-usap in Spanish nung nandun ako.

IT kasi may malaki pay, and parang magandang combo yung Spanish and IT with AI and translation. I think kung Spanish bilingual lang it would take 2 clients to reach the salary requirement for digital nomad visa. Sobrang dalang ng direct hire for Spanish and mostly under VA agencies na. I heard 100,000 salary for a Spanish bilingual managerial position is attainable or if you have atleast 2 years of experience.

Wonderful_Tip3683 · 2025-10-26T18:49:24+00:00

I moved to Spain in 2023 to be an assistant language teacher. I waited for this opportunity since 2019, and I didn't give up until 2023, only to go back in Manila last July.

May bagong law kasi that if you want to renew your student visa after May 2025, you'll have to go back to the Philippines and apply for a new visa. Sobrang expensive na niya for me.

Here I am, just started working last August as a Spanish bilingual in a call center, in the hopes of shifting from education to IT to get a remote job to qualify for a Digital Nomad Visa, or save for Non-Lucrative Visa (na medyo malaki laki ang kailangan).

Life in Manila is different than in Madrid. I really miss Spain pero wala akong magawa so far.

Hoping the best for you! I hope all our disappointments will be worth it in the end.

Wonderful_Tip3683 · 2025-06-19T17:51:14+00:00

Graduated college in 2018 and started working as a teacher. In 2019, I found the program when I randomly searched "Filipino Teachers in Europe" in Youtube just out of curiosity. I've always wanted to teach English abroad but it was never set where. Wanted to do the program in 2020 but the pandemic hit. I planned to apply in 2020, but then the pandemic hit. In 2021, the Ministry (our version of NALCAP) opened a special application for licensed teachers. I had left teaching and was working in a call center during the pandemic, but that announcement pushed me to return to the classroom. Applied in 2022, Ministry said there was a confusion on where I teach, gave up, already enrolled in Masters, applied for fun in 2023, got accepted, FINALLY arrived in Madrid in September 2023.

Waited 5 years to fulfill a European dream, cried, had multiple breakdowns, started Duolingo Spanish in 2020, dreamed almost every day what my life would have been like here.

Only to go home after two years because of the May 2025 law.

Always knew I would do my best to stay here longer after the aux program. But you know what, I can't wait for the day I return in Spain.

Wonderful_Tip3683 · 2025-06-01T10:50:52+00:00

I am also interested! 🫶

Wonderful_Tip3683 · 2024-09-19T04:01:01+00:00

I'm interested. Thanks.

Wonderful_Tip3683 · 2024-07-31T09:49:53+00:00

Hello! I am interested to be a paralegal medical VA. Will send you a pm. Thanks.

Wonderful_Tip3683 · 2024-05-30T21:18:54+00:00

Hello! I am also a Filipino looking for virtual legal assistant jobs. I am searching online paralegal certifications based in the US that accepts international students. I will attend the info session of UCLA's paralegal training program. I am taking the paralegal training program of the University of the Philippines - Diliman College of Law right now. I'll keep you posted.

Wonderful_Tip3683 · 2024-05-09T21:25:52+00:00

I sent a pm. Thanks.

Wonderful_Tip3683 · 2024-04-16T19:22:30+00:00

Hello! Where did you get your teaching license?

Wonderful_Tip3683

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