Where can I teach and save money?

Hi All,

I am an American who has taught in Asia for two years, but now I am seeking a change in jobs and better money. I have a BA degree in Economics, a TEFL, and I have taught for two years. Thus, which countries can I work in and save money based on my qualifications? I know there’s Saudi Arabia, but I’ve heard such varied reviews of teaching there, so I’m a bit wan on jumping to teach there. I know the money is great, but there’s the issue of safety and social life.
I’m confused as to where to look and how to get started. I would like a job where I can save decent money each month too, so I can pay off bills.

Thanks!

Reply To: NES with BA, TEFL, 2 years exp

Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern countries can pay highly, although the number of ridiculously highly paid jobs (by TEFL standards I mean) are fewer than they were some years ago…

But they are still there – have a look at this one, for example, currently being advertised for Bahrain, and requiring a degree, CELTA and "experience" (number of years not specified): http://www.eslbase.com/jobs/bahrain/13980

Whether Bahrain (or any other country) would suit you in terms of social life, etc, is something you’d have to decide based on research. Have a look here: http://www.eslbase.com/countries/ for some teachers’ experiences, and then just search online for something like "living in Bahrain / Saudi Arabia / etc" where you’ll find plenty of forums and information to help you decide if a particular country is for you.

You’ve posted this in the Africa / Middle East forum – does that mean you’re looking for somewhere only in these regions?

Dan

Hi,

Asia is usually the best option for teachers without a teaching license who want to save a significant amount of their salary each month. I would suggest looking at South Korea, by far the most lucrative country for ESL teachers.

If you have a teaching license and some years of teaching experience, you’ll find some great teaching positions in the UAE that pay tax-free salaries AND cover your accommodation, airfare, insurance, etc etc.

I work on the Arabian Peninsula at present. From the opinions of myself and colleagues:
Saudi – highest salaries, hellish lifestyle (live in a compound, drink homemade alcohol, expect to be bothered by the religious police) but save a lot
UAE – high salaries, highest cost of living, savings depend on lifestyle but perhaps easiest to do western things (i.e. drinking, dating, etc.)
Oman – most beautiful, good salaries, low cost of living, drinking permitted at home/bars
Qatar – drinking prohibited, high salaries
Kuwait – drinking prohibited, good salaries
Bahrain – umm don’t really know but there for 2 weeks in August

Overall you’d save more in Saudi I reckon, but the trade off is the difficulty of living in Saudi.

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Need ideas? Check out my blog at http://www.teflup.com – TEFL Up: Next level ideas