I had it all planned out. I would go home, breeze through teachers college and obtain teaching license, land a job in Abu Dhabi, of which there are plenty, and live phat off of the oil rich kingdom, whilst gaining valuable solo teaching experience, and immersing myself into a totally new culture in a different part of the world. Not a bad 2-3 year plan, right?
“Should I go or should I stay?” Ha! Can you imagine the theme music following me everywhere I walk? Theme music! That’s what I need! This is the kind of mind-tangent that I inadvertently use to take my attention away from my more or less self-imposed dilemma: Should I stick it out in jobless Canada, or should I step back into my ALT shoes – the same ones I tied together and threw up onto a wire somewhere in Nagoya three years ago.
Though I aspire to be a Leader of the New School, this is not a SOBB Story. I’m just airing my thoughts and frustrations, to see if I can figure out a viable plan, and if anybody reading this has some genuine advice, I welcome that. Just remember one thing: This could happen to you!!
My story is much more complicated than this column space can afford but the truncated version goes like this: I left Japan after a few years of teaching English to go back to Canada, obtain a degree in elementary school Education, and then find a position somewhere in the world my (now) wife and I can both agree to live. Being back home though, with ample time on my hands and attending teachers college, sent me on a fascinating journey of self and world-discovery. Somewhere along the line, I became quite confident that I would land a (highly-coveted) position upon graduation, and decided that I would try to make it as a teacher in my own backyard.
So I married my sweetheart, brought her to Canada, and started the domestication process, getting ready to set up a nice life for ourselves. I played all my cards right, applied for the supply teachers list for the local school board, which was my best bet, scored an interview, and banged it out. I even relayed the story about the banner of support messages I had my grade 5 placement class make for and send to a school in Ishinomaki city in Miyagi-ken that was damaged by the 3/11 tsunami. I must have been speaking Japanese to them or something, because a few days later, I got an email saying I didn’t make the final cut. Honto-ni?? WTF, AYFKM??
What was I supposed to do now? I just signed a 1-year lease for an expensive apartment, filled it with furniture, bought a car, and now I have no job, no prospects, no skills, no hope… Plan A was ditched for Plan B, and there was no going back. The problem was there was no Plan C!
So, what were the options then?
Stick it out in Canada, find some temporary job, and in the meantime volunteer at schools, get cozy with some principals and try again next year, or apply to other school boards or private schools. If that doesn’t work out, go back to Plan A when the lease is up. This is what most people in my position would have done. But for me, I was bitter, and I was questioning my own desire to be a teacher, and even the whole education system in general. This is a good thing, to question and reflect. But at some point you should reach a decision, and a year and a half, dozens of applications sent, and several part-time jobs later, I haven’t made much progress. There is also a massive glut of teachers around here, all vying for the few jobs that rarely come up.
I did find out that Plan A was no longer a viable option, as most private and international schools around the world will not hire new graduates. You need at least 2 years of post-certification experience to be considered. In fact it is like this for almost every other job out there. How the hell are you supposed to even get experience in the first place!?
After applying to dozens of teaching and non-teaching jobs the past year, I have had enough of job hunting full-time, and am at this point willing to go back to teaching English in Japan, even if it doesn’t do anything to advance my career. At least I would have a decent, fun job, with lots of time to pursue other interests. The fact is, there are more job opportunities in Japan for someone in my position – that is someone who lacks any relevant skills or experience for the job market in Canada, which has become more of a knowledge-based economy, with healthcare and engineering jobs being abundant, and the seemingly millions of HR jobs to help others get jobs, and other boring administrative positions.
Knowing there are thousands of teachers out there in the same boat as me does not make me feel any better. That means more competition for what little jobs are left. There also seems to be a problem with international teachers who go back and try to make it in their home country. I personally know of a few. Like me, none of them can even get an interview.
So go back to Japan, regroup, and figure it out as you go along. I am hesitant to go back to Japan because there is no long term plan. Sure, anything can happen along the way, and I may end up at a nice school. But at some point, I’d like to settle down close to my family and friends back home. If I could find a meaningful position in Canada now, I would, but it looks like it will take a few more years of education and training.
I guess the lesson to be learned is to cultivate your skills and talents early on, such as learning an instrument, or a (useful) language, as they may become handy some day. Find a passion and do what you gotta to pursue it, even if you have to sacrifice important things for a bit. Make sure any new venture is well thought-out and thoroughly researched, otherwise you may end up working a shitty job, another cog in the wheel, just payin’ rent for a little space on Earth. Finally, strive to strike a balance between living in the moment and saving for the future. And, oh yeah, only sign a lease AFTER you get a job!! Why can’t I listen to my own advice?
To summarize, there are pros and cons of both staying in Canada or going back to Japan. So…Should I go or should I stay??
