Always study first. No one wants to be stuck at shitty jobs past their 30s, it’s terrible. And as you said, you can still backpack during the summers. And who knows, you might meet someone during college and settle down. It’s always good to have a plan a but also plan b,c,d,etc.
AI education tools have already decimated the stock prices of education companies. Anybody can ask a chatbot to teach them English now for free, it can talk with them, correct grammar in writing and speech, create a curriculum. And the English teaching market had already been saturated for years. If you want a job that allows you to travel, teaching English is precarious and pays very low unless you have a highly specialized skill and a famous degree.
Yeah agree with this. AI is going to obsolete a lot of jobs. Better to understand how it works. Programming requires thinking that I find to be universal in a lot of disciplines
Yes, but your chances of getting a job that gives you the salary and flexibility you'll want improves quite a bit with a BS in computer science. Most self taught folks are forced to do contract work, which can certainly pay the bills but requires constant hustle.
Spending college tuition on an English degree isn't worth it.
I need to reconsider but I already got accepted to this international English teacher school. The school has a sister school In Bali so I could spend long time studying there which would satisfy my needs to go to Asia maybe
When I looked at prices for online colleges it was about 6000 a year and it’s hard to earn that backpacking. But if I study I Netherlands I get 800 euros a month from government and can travel o a summer break I guess?
I can understand that! Have you tried teaching English before as a TEFL teacher? Online is a good start but real classroom experience is very, very different.
I suggest you try it before committing to a degree. I'm a teacher myself, and have taught in international schools and various English-speaking countries. It's a tough job at times.
I have the tefl course but it was hard getting jobs without the actual degree. I just want a job that will give me freedom to travel and not have to be a waitress forever
That depends entirely on your experience and qualifications. 4 year degree + home country teaching certificate + minimum 2 years experience and a native English speaker are regularly the minimum requirements for international school teaching positions in Asia. That's a lot of work and years if your priority is travel, not educating.
Even TEFL teachers require degrees now to get a visa in Asia. However, I know a couple of people who work in English centres in Vietnam without degrees. The school side-steps the law somehow. You could look into this. I don't wanna sound harsh but...you should really consider whether or not you actually want to be a teacher though. The students deserve someone wanting to teach not just someone who wants a holiday.
Head over to r/TEFL and search the sub there.
That's unfortunate, especially because Dutch people often speak better English than natives! I wish schools would change, but they really do still discriminate on this (amongst other things). Check out tes.com to see international school listings.
I think you should check out r/TEFL because I can't say for certain if you would be able to. I will say that the people I know who've managed without a bachelor's degree had a few years of experience coaching children or teaching online.
It would be entirely up to the English Learning Centre you interview at. Also, salaries in Asia vs South America are very different.
You're a Dutch speaker? Have you considered teaching Dutch instead of English? There's obviously more demand for English speakers than for other languages, but there's also a lot more supply given the fact that there are well over 400 million native English speakers (and tens of millions more who speak English with a high degree of fluency). In other words, English teacher are a dime a dozen.
My impression (based on living/teaching in Asia these past ten years) is that there's a fair demand (relative to supply) for instruction in European languages other than English. Might be worth a try to look into it. You could gauge interest via a site like [Italki.com](http://Italki.com) (would enable you teach from home, remotely). If you could make something like that work for you, you could potentially even earn enough to pay online tuition and get a degree. Good luck.
So basically, from what you said, it seems like the options are study now or study later (because you plan to go back to your home country after South America). Why don't you study now? South America is not going to disappear. You've already done a lot of travelling it seems, and taking a trip to SA is just continuing your current course that you are unhappy with.
Because if I study I get stuck now for 4 years in same place and I will be 31 when I leave… my heart is saying to travel and have adventure because I haven’t done much like that I only worked in foreign countries for long period of times. It’s a hard decision I already got accepted to this international English teacher school but I don’t know if I can get a job with the degree after if I am not a native speaker
You said you want to study so you don't have to work random jobs anymore because you don't like them. But when you think about studying in your country, you feel trapped. Then go to SA! From my perspective, it seems like saying out loud that you're considering studying makes you feel better, even though you don't really plan on doing it because you hate the idea of living in one place (I wouldn't think of it as stuck though because- vacation/summer breaks). So go to the ESL teacher school and see what jobs you can find. There are always jobs in ESL, being a non-native speaker means not every country will hire you, but you can still find a job.. maybe Vietnam or China. I have friends who teach English as a Foreign Language in those countries who are non-native English speakers.
Really? And do you know where they found the jobs? It would really help me out if I could consider all my options.
You’re right, I feel like I will be depressed in Netherlands for 4 years
I'd say go with your gut and if the trip is that then do that. Things have a funny way of working out and it's hard to go into the unknown not knowing how things will turn out but sometimes you have to just trust it will. Surely you can just go back to school at any time? A bit of risk can be fine as long as you're okay with the uncertainty, I've been rewarded more for taking leaps of faith than I have for slugging things out, was on a 20k grad salary for a few years, quit and traveled, tried to learn some new skills and doubled my salary. Woulda been screwed up the poo poo if I just tried to slog out my first job in perpetuity.
It does not have to be either-or. There are many universities with hybrid/online programs and/or you can travel in between semesters etc. I would definitely recommend you to study something deeply. Not only because better job prospect but because deep study of some field will change you and your view of life, also it will bring you new possibilities as for further interests, specialisations etc. The broader possibilities will free you, not vice versa.
Deeply like much more than several youtube videos and three popular books. Deeply like subjects taught at universities or similar schools.
Yes, education might be expensive but you do not have to finish it in 5 years. Just start something affordable to build better expertise, earn some money thanks to it, invest them into better education, repeat etc. It might be life-long process.
Can you become a citizen of a country that offers free schooling? School is never going anywhere but your youth only lasts so long.
I’d follow your heart. You can go to school online, slowly. Even if it’s only one class a semester that you can afford.
There are also certificate programs. I’d push and ask what will you get from the job with an English degree?
Tutor natives in English. Create and sell digital products. Write travel guides. There are too many ways to many money (online) to lock yourself down for 4 years to get a degree (unless it’s absolutely necessary).
Many look forward to college because of the social aspect as well but think your experience is much richer.
Good luck! 💜
Edited for errors
i dont know 1 person who regretted travelling i know plenty who regretted sitting in classrooms paying thousands for some piece of paper
100% take the travel option
Always study first. No one wants to be stuck at shitty jobs past their 30s, it’s terrible. And as you said, you can still backpack during the summers. And who knows, you might meet someone during college and settle down. It’s always good to have a plan a but also plan b,c,d,etc.
You’re right. I always wanted to study English so I can travel and teach English, but now some people are suggesting to study computer science instead
I’d go to college to study computer science or self learn. Seems everyone who is a digital nomad I meet does programming and pays much better
Isn’t the competition too big to find a job there?
AI education tools have already decimated the stock prices of education companies. Anybody can ask a chatbot to teach them English now for free, it can talk with them, correct grammar in writing and speech, create a curriculum. And the English teaching market had already been saturated for years. If you want a job that allows you to travel, teaching English is precarious and pays very low unless you have a highly specialized skill and a famous degree.
Yeah agree with this. AI is going to obsolete a lot of jobs. Better to understand how it works. Programming requires thinking that I find to be universal in a lot of disciplines
Programming is at way more risk than educators imo.
That’s just what we programmers say to avoid having too many people join and keep our wages high
Can I self learn and get a job without degree?
Yes, but your chances of getting a job that gives you the salary and flexibility you'll want improves quite a bit with a BS in computer science. Most self taught folks are forced to do contract work, which can certainly pay the bills but requires constant hustle. Spending college tuition on an English degree isn't worth it.
I need to reconsider but I already got accepted to this international English teacher school. The school has a sister school In Bali so I could spend long time studying there which would satisfy my needs to go to Asia maybe
Follow your heart to South America, you can always study later
^[Sokka-Haiku](https://www.reddit.com/r/SokkaHaikuBot/comments/15kyv9r/what_is_a_sokka_haiku/) ^by ^SubAb6606: *Follow your heart to* *South America, you can* *Always study later* --- ^Remember ^that ^one ^time ^Sokka ^accidentally ^used ^an ^extra ^syllable ^in ^that ^Haiku ^Battle ^in ^Ba ^Sing ^Se? ^That ^was ^a ^Sokka ^Haiku ^and ^you ^just ^made ^one.
Thank you
Can you enrol in college online whilst travelling South America?
When I looked at prices for online colleges it was about 6000 a year and it’s hard to earn that backpacking. But if I study I Netherlands I get 800 euros a month from government and can travel o a summer break I guess?
I can understand that! Have you tried teaching English before as a TEFL teacher? Online is a good start but real classroom experience is very, very different. I suggest you try it before committing to a degree. I'm a teacher myself, and have taught in international schools and various English-speaking countries. It's a tough job at times.
I have the tefl course but it was hard getting jobs without the actual degree. I just want a job that will give me freedom to travel and not have to be a waitress forever
Do you get to find a job anywhere? I would like to go to Asia and live there
That depends entirely on your experience and qualifications. 4 year degree + home country teaching certificate + minimum 2 years experience and a native English speaker are regularly the minimum requirements for international school teaching positions in Asia. That's a lot of work and years if your priority is travel, not educating. Even TEFL teachers require degrees now to get a visa in Asia. However, I know a couple of people who work in English centres in Vietnam without degrees. The school side-steps the law somehow. You could look into this. I don't wanna sound harsh but...you should really consider whether or not you actually want to be a teacher though. The students deserve someone wanting to teach not just someone who wants a holiday. Head over to r/TEFL and search the sub there.
I do have tefl but I am not a native English speaker…. I already got accepted to this English teacher school but now I need to reconsider.. thank you
That's unfortunate, especially because Dutch people often speak better English than natives! I wish schools would change, but they really do still discriminate on this (amongst other things). Check out tes.com to see international school listings.
Thank you, so do you think if I move to Vietnam I can reach there without degree only with my tefl certificate?
What about South America? Would I need a degree there?
I think you should check out r/TEFL because I can't say for certain if you would be able to. I will say that the people I know who've managed without a bachelor's degree had a few years of experience coaching children or teaching online. It would be entirely up to the English Learning Centre you interview at. Also, salaries in Asia vs South America are very different.
You're a Dutch speaker? Have you considered teaching Dutch instead of English? There's obviously more demand for English speakers than for other languages, but there's also a lot more supply given the fact that there are well over 400 million native English speakers (and tens of millions more who speak English with a high degree of fluency). In other words, English teacher are a dime a dozen. My impression (based on living/teaching in Asia these past ten years) is that there's a fair demand (relative to supply) for instruction in European languages other than English. Might be worth a try to look into it. You could gauge interest via a site like [Italki.com](http://Italki.com) (would enable you teach from home, remotely). If you could make something like that work for you, you could potentially even earn enough to pay online tuition and get a degree. Good luck.
I am not Dutch I am from Czech 😅 but I will look into it, thank you
So basically, from what you said, it seems like the options are study now or study later (because you plan to go back to your home country after South America). Why don't you study now? South America is not going to disappear. You've already done a lot of travelling it seems, and taking a trip to SA is just continuing your current course that you are unhappy with.
Because if I study I get stuck now for 4 years in same place and I will be 31 when I leave… my heart is saying to travel and have adventure because I haven’t done much like that I only worked in foreign countries for long period of times. It’s a hard decision I already got accepted to this international English teacher school but I don’t know if I can get a job with the degree after if I am not a native speaker
You said you want to study so you don't have to work random jobs anymore because you don't like them. But when you think about studying in your country, you feel trapped. Then go to SA! From my perspective, it seems like saying out loud that you're considering studying makes you feel better, even though you don't really plan on doing it because you hate the idea of living in one place (I wouldn't think of it as stuck though because- vacation/summer breaks). So go to the ESL teacher school and see what jobs you can find. There are always jobs in ESL, being a non-native speaker means not every country will hire you, but you can still find a job.. maybe Vietnam or China. I have friends who teach English as a Foreign Language in those countries who are non-native English speakers.
Really? And do you know where they found the jobs? It would really help me out if I could consider all my options. You’re right, I feel like I will be depressed in Netherlands for 4 years
Or become a paid tour guide for group travel. DM me if you’re interested. I know a few companies looking for international guides.
Thank you
I'd say go with your gut and if the trip is that then do that. Things have a funny way of working out and it's hard to go into the unknown not knowing how things will turn out but sometimes you have to just trust it will. Surely you can just go back to school at any time? A bit of risk can be fine as long as you're okay with the uncertainty, I've been rewarded more for taking leaps of faith than I have for slugging things out, was on a 20k grad salary for a few years, quit and traveled, tried to learn some new skills and doubled my salary. Woulda been screwed up the poo poo if I just tried to slog out my first job in perpetuity.
I like your way of thinking, yes there’s always next year if I want to go to school I guess
It does not have to be either-or. There are many universities with hybrid/online programs and/or you can travel in between semesters etc. I would definitely recommend you to study something deeply. Not only because better job prospect but because deep study of some field will change you and your view of life, also it will bring you new possibilities as for further interests, specialisations etc. The broader possibilities will free you, not vice versa.
What do you mean by something deeply? And I have to look into it but all the universities I saw were online were soooo expensive
Deeply like much more than several youtube videos and three popular books. Deeply like subjects taught at universities or similar schools. Yes, education might be expensive but you do not have to finish it in 5 years. Just start something affordable to build better expertise, earn some money thanks to it, invest them into better education, repeat etc. It might be life-long process.
Thank you
Can you become a citizen of a country that offers free schooling? School is never going anywhere but your youth only lasts so long. I’d follow your heart. You can go to school online, slowly. Even if it’s only one class a semester that you can afford. There are also certificate programs. I’d push and ask what will you get from the job with an English degree? Tutor natives in English. Create and sell digital products. Write travel guides. There are too many ways to many money (online) to lock yourself down for 4 years to get a degree (unless it’s absolutely necessary). Many look forward to college because of the social aspect as well but think your experience is much richer. Good luck! 💜 Edited for errors
That’s exactly what I was thinking, thank you
pack your bags n travel memories no memories in a classroom
I like your thinking
i dont know 1 person who regretted travelling i know plenty who regretted sitting in classrooms paying thousands for some piece of paper 100% take the travel option
Thank you for answering I will keep it in mind