Happier Abroad Forum Community

most important quality to living abroad is being independent. you have to have it or you will not make it. that is probably more important in working and earning a living than anything else. so when i hear expats working tesl and going thru schools i think dude you are a slave to a company and to your boss. just quit and work independently. thats what i do. how do i do it well let me explain at 25 i quit my job in us and sold pretty much all my shit and since working for myself i have never been happier. i initally worked in expat bars and even in an english school. i the pay and work were sporatic and i didnt like working for a boss it made me feel like i was a slave. i realized i have a still (ability to teach english) and i have a market (in my case mexicans who want to speak english) the only question was marketing myself to them. heres what i do. i l have an apartment in a mexican neighborhood i live by myself so its easy to have students come over. i put flyers around my neighborhood explaining my services i explain i can offer discounts to multiple students and charge more if i have to go to the students house. the result. well i have consistent work. i work when i want. i get paid before i teach and always in cash. i live here on a tourist visa. if i dont like a student or they are flakey i dont work with them. anyone on this forum who says i want to leave the us just do it you will find work if you make it for yourself. the only recomendation i have is avoid cities with lots of other expats since they are your competition. but even then very few do what i do and work independently

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Better teach through Skype. I made about 1200 a month on the average. Anyone can do it.

How much do you charge per hour for a private english lesson, dude?

Also, any blue collar skill can be used to get money abroad. Best to have a very wide social net to start out. But yeah, english teaching is probably the best market since everyone is interested in conversational English with a native speaker.

I like the skype suggestion too. I might check that out if I have good internet access.

Anyone heard of wandering Earl? I like his approach. He had no formal qualifications for teaching english, and just put some handwritten fliers up at the local Thai university and eventually had enough students to pay all his living expenses. http://www.wanderingearl.com/how-to-fun ... reativity/
So, you don't need qualifications, and by teaching freelance you cut out the middle man of a language school.

You could always pay a couple hundred bucks to a graphic design buddy, and have them print out a fake TESL or TEFL certificate to impress some high-end clients if they ask for "qualifications."

rudder wrote:
Anyone heard of wandering Earl? I like his approach. He had no formal qualifications for teaching english, and just put some handwritten fliers up at the local Thai university and eventually had enough students to pay all his living expenses. http://www.wanderingearl.com/how-to-fun ... reativity/
So, you don't need qualifications, and by teaching freelance you cut out the middle man of a language school.

Thanks. Reading with great interest. Seems like a great way to be around people, make friends, avoid work visa issues, make money/

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Wandering Earl has done well traveling for quite a few years..however...nowadays in Thailand more and more people are getting the boot who work illegally, especially those teaching English. Maybe he didn't care but all it takes is one student or one jealous person to rat him out and he's on the next plane bound where ever he's from.

anamericaninbangkok wrote:Wandering Earl has done well traveling for quite a few years..however...nowadays in Thailand more and more people are getting the boot who work illegally, especially those teaching English. Maybe he didn't care but all it takes is one student or one jealous person to rat him out and he's on the next plane bound where ever he's from.

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I always wondered about that. Especially because you'd be putting fliers up in high-profile areas. I guess the moral of the story is to just stay home and dream.