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Hello everyone,

I am sure you get these naive questions all the time, but any advice would be extremely advantageous to me.

I am a 27-year-old, white male from England. I am currently studying a level 5 combined TEFL course (150 hours online and 20 in class). I expect to finish this course in August of this year and have been planning to fly to Phnom Penh and look on the ground for a job as an English teacher.

I have finished 1 out of 3 years of a geography degree, and plan to get some teaching experience under my belt prior to finishing off the last two years. The last two years of the degree I hopefully plan to finish while in Cambodia through the open university.

Up until 2018, I was extremely directionless. I had gone from job to job since pulling out of University. The last two years I have sorted my self out completely and have been employed in the same job since.

I have always had an aspiration to teach. I think it is a profession which suits my skill sets; I am naturally gregarious, well-spoken, patient, altruistic and I believe I have a good command of the English language. ( I am very modest as well). I truly have a passion to teach. I am not seeing this as some sort of piss up and fuck brasses experience. I can do that here if I so wanted.

The question I put to you is - Does this seem like a good idea? I have about 6k in savings and nothing much to lose. My current profession is pretty soul-destroying and I want to venture out.

Or, would it be better to stay here for 2 years while I finish my degree? Would not possessing a degree really, and I mean really inhibit my ability to find a job in a reputable school? I could also volunteer as a teaching assistant while studying in England.

My previous experience with teaching is as follows:
- I have worked as an assistant manager/coach for a local football team.
-I have done some voluntary work in a local primary school, but 10 years ago.

As you can see, slim pickings. I doubt that I could get a reference for either of these and I do know the dangers of embellishment.

Sorry if this seems a bit confused, maybe it mirrors my mind at the moment.

Thank you for your time.

Cliff.

I think you will he just fine. The definitive information source on teaching in Cambodia is a gentleman called No Joke Howard. Watch all his videos. He successfully taught without a degree and said TEFL is just a joke and a scam (no joke). Happy teaching to you!

CliffBastin wrote: ↑Fri Feb 21, 2020 3:43 am I am naturally gregarious, well-spoken, patient, altruistic and I believe I have a good command of the English language. ( I am very modest as well).

uhhhh yeah we can see

dangers of embellishment? promotion?

fazur wrote: ↑Fri Feb 21, 2020 5:08 am

CliffBastin wrote: ↑Fri Feb 21, 2020 3:43 am I am naturally gregarious, well-spoken, patient, altruistic and I believe I have a good command of the English language. ( I am very modest as well).

uhhhh yeah we can see

dangers of embellishment? promotion?

Well I know how to polish a turd, but I don't want to flat out lie. I don't want to be caught and I don't think it's fair to flat out lie when someone's education is at stake.

the person who hasn't adjusted their cv hasn't been born

my friend teaches here, has been for 5 years. nobody has ever checked his degree let alone his experience

If you have the passion for it go for it. I have know people who had Masters degrees and were rather poor teachers and others who had no formal education and were exemplary. A local I was conversing with said that as an expat you should easily be able to find a job. (Though I am a white female and that seems to work in my favor in the teaching arena)

I don't know about Cambodia, but in Thailand the only requirement is a 4 year degree. In any subject. TEFL is just nonsense. One teacher I knew had a Masters in English literature and was an awful teacher. Students hated him. Another guy had a Bachelor's in Welding and was a fantastic teacher. The students loved him and said they learned a lot.

Marty wrote: ↑Fri Feb 21, 2020 5:03 am He successfully taught without a degree and said TEFL is just a joke and a scam (no joke). Happy teaching to you!

He taught for a few weeks in a 5th tier school and was fired for gross incompetence. How is that successful?

It's likely that whoever interviews you for a job will not know what your TEFL is, let alone ask about degrees.

You don't need a degree to teach in Cambodia or Laos. While some schools may ask for a degree it is simply a matter of presenting them with a piece of paper - no checks. So it could be fake. A CELTA Tefl is a bonus rather than online.

You do need a degree to teach in Vietnam and Thailand if you want a year long work permit as you have to get your degree notarized and translated. So the answer to your question is if you are sick of your current life you can come out and enjoy your new life here immediately.

If, on the other hand, you are thinking about doing a year teaching in Cambodia, a year in Vietnam, a year in Thailand etc then it might be best to finish your degree.

I would go for it as doing a degree will be expensive and boring, especially if you are itching to leave. I started teaching in 2010, although have been visiting the region since 2000. My one regret is I didn't do it earlier but I was younger back then and a lot more arrogant.

A teacher? Moi? Fuck off!

However I like it now, far more than my previous career(s) - its low stress, rewarding and I never wake up for work with a feeling of dread and misery; which I often did in London on 5 times the salary I am now on.

Also you should be aware the best time to find work in an international school is July as the school year starts in Sept.

Go for it.

Send me a pm if you want more information.