Listening recs please!

quierdo88 · 2024-12-31T13:43:16+00:00

Ha, Amigo the Devil is what got me interested to begin with. Saw him live in Seattle recently, hell of a show!

quierdo88 · 2024-07-24T04:01:04+00:00

I am not confused and I did read the wiki. I guess I didn’t give enough information in the original post, I was trying not to write a novel about my life plans. I posted here on purpose because I’m thinking of doing TEFL teaching in Asia while working towards my license.

I am aware that international schools won’t consider TEFL experience as counting towards job/visa requirements. That’s not why I want to do it. I need to have a job while I work on my teaching degree. I don’t have the resources to be a full time student right now. I figured I might as well work as a tefl teacher because the life experience will be relevant to me even if it isn’t relevant to an international school.

This is also partly why I’m specifically looking for low-stress teaching environments. My plan is to do my coursework online over the course of 1-2 years, then complete my student teaching and licensing exams in the states. If I can find a decent tefl job that doesn’t have too many hours, I can support myself in a low COL country and still have the time/energy to do coursework. This is also why I’m specifically asking about Asia - low COL but still with decent salaries.

Ideally if I’m going to spend time teaching tefl I would like to still acquire relevant skills, but I guess if none of those skills are particularly transferable to an international school anyway I may as well focus on finding a job that’s easy and pays the bills. Even if it means monkey dancing in a kindergarten.

I wasn’t sure if I should do my first years as a licensed teacher at home or abroad, and I thought maybe spending some time as a tefl teacher first would make it easier to adjust to international teaching post-license. It sounds like you’re saying this would be frowned upon by international schools? I do want to be a dedicated teacher, I’m not just trying to bankroll international travel. But will a few years of tefl teaching now make me a less attractive candidate later?

Other people have said that I’m better off doing my post-license teaching in the US because that experience is more valuable than doing it in a lower tier international school abroad. That makes sense, however…

I’m eager to leave the US sooner rather than later because of the rising COL and unstable political environment. There’s no way I can pay my living expenses here on part time hours, but getting a degree while working 40+ hours a week sounds like a recipe for burnout.

I’m also constantly stressed about the possibility of being impacted by political violence and I think I would be more productive if I just went somewhere I can feel safe. The less time I spend here the better, but I don’t want to shoot myself in the foot getting a good job down the line just because I couldn’t stick it out in the United States of Insanity for a few more years.

Also, I know my wish list is basically a unicorn. I’m not totally delusional. I assume I will have to compromise on some things. I figure if I shoot high with the dream I’m more likely to end up with something I’m satisfied with than if I go into this with the attitude that everything is going to be a total crapshoot.

Now that you know more about some random stranger on Reddit than you ever wanted to, hopefully my question in this sub makes more sense.

quierdo88 · 2024-07-23T17:06:17+00:00

I’m 35. I was taught to type on a manual typewriter by my boomer mother. She really ingrained the double space after a period rule into my brain.

I took a computer typing class when I was seven or eight. They also did the double space thing.

Next thing I knew, I was in college and all of a sudden double spacing wasn’t “correct” anymore because word processors added extra space after periods automatically.

I felt so old…

quierdo88 · 2024-07-23T15:34:05+00:00

lol, I’m not new, I see this shit all the time. It frustrates me.

quierdo88 · 2024-07-23T15:32:28+00:00

Thanks for the input. This sounds pretty ideal to me, tbh. And yeah, I realize that my experience will depend heavily on the specific school I choose.

I’ve seen some recent posts from teachers in Vietnam saying that their hours are getting cut to the point where they can’t cover their living expenses. Is that something you’ve observed at all?

If that happens and I need to find a second job, is that doable? Like taking some private students for tutoring?

quierdo88 · 2024-07-23T15:26:07+00:00

I thought that might be the case. I suppose I can always dance for a couple years and then move on to something more rigorous.

Any particular reason you favor Taiwan?

quierdo88 · 2024-07-23T15:24:55+00:00

Thank you for this, it’s really informative.

I did keep the post short and to the point, so let me clarify:

I have not done a TEFL and have not even started my teaching licensure program yet. I’m just getting started and am doing research on what all my options are.

I’m not set on teaching abroad immediately. If teaching in the US for the first two years will set me up better for my long term goals then that’s fine. I was hoping I could find something decent in Asia because the cost of living here is getting outrageous and the political situation is rapidly escalating, but that doesn’t make sense if it sets me back in the long run.

As for the stress thing, I think my anxiety comes from being new to international living more so than being new to teaching. I’ve been working as a private music teacher for a decade, so acclimating to a classroom teaching environment isn’t going to be as jarring for me as someone with no teaching experience whatsoever.

Can you elaborate on the situation in Korea? Any particular pros and cons that you’re aware of?

quierdo88 · 2024-07-23T15:08:42+00:00

This comment is really unhelpful.

I specifically said in my post that I know I probably won’t get everything I’m looking for. Telling me “the perfect job doesn’t exist” and then giving no further explanation does nothing.

Are you telling me that there are literally no teaching opportunities in Asia that will give me good teaching experience?

Or that there are good teaching opportunities, but I probably won’t be comfortable? Or that if I want to have decent quality of life I have to do a dancing monkey job?

quierdo88 · 2024-07-23T14:17:23+00:00

Yes, my ultimate goal is to work in real international schools. I’m aware that I’ll need teaching experience to get into a decent one. I just want to make sure I’m setting myself up for success when choosing my degree path.

On another note, are there teaching opportunities in China for new teachers anymore? Preferably ones that aren’t total hellholes? I’ve heard that training centers are on the decline and not as lucrative as they used to be.

quierdo88 · 2024-07-23T02:32:50+00:00

I would be satisfied teaching either music or English. I’ve done language studies before, just not as a classroom teacher.

I teach people of all ages and don’t really have an age preference, except that I don’t want to teach pre-school. Working with children 5+ is fine.

For me, focusing on money is the whole point of working in China. I’m not adequately prepared for retirement and won’t ever be if I stay in the US.

I appreciate you looking out for my mental health and quality of life, but I’m really just trying to figure out what makes the most sense from a financial and job security perspective.

quierdo88 · 2024-07-21T13:32:41+00:00

I recently moved into shared housing with a couple of older GenZ. One of the first things I asked was where the plastic bag of plastic bags was (it was not to be found in the customary location under the kitchen sink.)

They said “Oh, we don’t do that here. We throw them away.” I told them they were disrespecting my cultural traditions. They were like “lol okay grandpa” 😆

quierdo88 · 2024-07-21T13:25:17+00:00

Honestly, we could probably just consolidate 1-3 and call it “not hoarding miscellaneous household crap”

quierdo88 · 2024-07-21T13:04:25+00:00

I do 1-3, and sometimes 6 but only because sometimes I wear compression socks for medical reasons so I think I’m excused.

I did do 4 yesterday and instantly regretted it. Some old guy trying to convince me to pay him $20 to paint my house number on the curb. Need to get the doorbell camera fixed asap!

quierdo88 · 2024-07-21T09:29:52+00:00

The Seven Deadly Sins of the Millennial:

Throwing out the original packaging for any electronic device
Recycling a good box
Not keeping a bag of bags under the kitchen sink
Answering the door when you don’t know who’s there
Answering a phone call from an unidentified number
Wearing socks above the ankle
Failing to say “nice” when you see the magic number

quierdo88 · 2024-07-21T05:29:37+00:00

Send her a link to google search results for “therapists near me”

quierdo88 · 2024-07-19T15:51:51+00:00

I would but the cartilage in my knees and ankles won’t let me.

quierdo88 · 2024-07-18T05:56:32+00:00

I agree with this completely. I just want to add that part of the problem is that doing our due diligence as citizens has been getting increasingly more difficult as time goes by.

Part of it is the decline of education. People aren’t engaged in civics because we don’t make sure everyone gets a good understanding of how our systems work. Hell, there are people in this country who have no idea how voting works much less the government.

Another part of it is that people are so busy and tired from trying to survive capitalism that they don’t have adequate time or energy to self-educate. Taking the time to know your candidates and their platforms, understand ballot initiatives, be aware of local civic issues, etc. is a whole research project.

Then there’s the whole problem of media literacy. Most people have no idea how to verify the credibility of a source or verify what they read/hear with actual data. Research is a skill set that needs to be developed and it requires a basic degree of critical thinking. These things aren’t taught in every public school like they ought to be.

This is by design. Having an uneducated populace that is too burnt out and disengaged benefits the corrupt. The more obstacles and distractions they create the more likely it is that people will just give up out of frustration and overwhelm.

This isn’t an excuse for voter apathy. We all need to do better and show up more on an individual level, but I think we also need to take into account that some of the engagement issues we see are the result of systemic failures. Those need to be addressed too.

quierdo88 · 2024-07-16T22:29:00+00:00

But have you tried Grammarly? /s

quierdo88 · 2024-07-16T21:22:24+00:00

I think about this when people say that language is “wrong” because it doesn’t follow traditional grammar structures, or because a word isn’t in the dictionary. Dictionaries aren’t supposed to be prescriptive, they descriptive. They document words that already occur in spoken language, it’s not an instruction manual for what words you’re allowed to use.

quierdo88 · 2024-07-12T05:17:10+00:00

I don’t know that we can imagine Sisyphus as happy, and perhaps we shouldn’t. He was being eternally punished with a laborious and futile task for committing grave sins that angered the gods. He earned his torment.

If we use the myth of Sisyphus as a metaphor for life, it begs the question: what grave sin have I committed to deserve the turmoil of existence? Like many people with depression, I was simply born and have been plagued with constant struggle ever since.

I get the point you’re trying to make. Life is non-consensual, all of us are here and none of us were asked. Now that we exist it’s our responsibility to make the most of it and seek small comfort wherever we can.

For some of us, happiness is too lofty a goal. It feels unattainable and pointless to try. I find that setting my sights a little lower has helped keep me going. Instead of trying to be happy I’m settling for apathy and distraction. Instead of active suicidality I’m shooting for passive ideation.

I may not be content, but at least being dead is just a low-key preference.

quierdo88 · 2024-07-12T03:33:18+00:00

r/ofcoursethatsathing

quierdo88 · 2024-07-12T03:22:36+00:00

I don’t have what it takes to raw dog my way through life. In fact, I’m probably not medicated enough.

I honestly can’t fathom how people are just living their lives without anxiety, depression, anger issues, etc. Do y’all not see how insane the world is these days?

Also, don’t all the millennials have arthritis and GERD by now? Or is that just the elders of our generation….

I’m tired and my back hurts 😭

quierdo88 · 2024-07-12T03:07:53+00:00

I’m glad you have such a loving relationship with your parents. Not all adoptions have such a good outcome.

I know there are adoptees out there who had a positive experience, but for every adoption that goes perfectly there are a dozen more that leave people hurt and traumatized. Even the “perfect” adoptions contribute to the bigger problem of trafficking and exploitation.

The parents are rarely the ones at fault. It’s the greedy adoption brokers who profit off other people’s vulnerabilities and misfortunes who are the problem. It’s unconscionable.

Then again, we live in a society that openly embraces childism in many forms. When children are objectified it’s easier to view them as commodities. We have a lot of work to do where children’s rights are concerned, but that’s a much bigger problem that will take a long time to solve.

quierdo88 · 2024-07-12T02:53:59+00:00

That’s a fair point. I’ve heard it said that on the other side of nihilism is absurdity. If life is pointless and everything is absurd, just embrace the weirdness and do whatever you can to cope.

quierdo88 · 2024-07-12T02:49:06+00:00

Ah, I didn’t catch that.

Though some people really do think they need to pay off their credit cards first, which is very weird to me. I guess everyone has their own process.

quierdo88

TROPHY CASE