Personally, I’ve always loved the process of taking things apart, understanding how they work and putting them back together. I turned that into a degree in mechanical engineering and eventually a career in power plant operations. Couldn’t be happier with my work than I currently am. Its WORK but I don’t hate it and I feel like I’m doing something important.
I wish I had known about overseas teaching when I was younger. My kids about to be a teenager and am trying to get him to get the hell out of this country and go visit Switzerland or go teach English in Beijing something like that too. Just to get some experience outside the US. Once he’s old enough of course, just planting seeds now.
That’s great, let the notion simmer. I heard about teaching overseas multiple times before the right opportunity struck at the right time.
Teaching English is such a quick, comfortable route out of the US rat race, and travel is a wonderful way to build curiosity, respect and tolerance.
I worked with a 67 year old English teacher in Beijing, so with a teenage son, you’re probably well within the comfortable age range for English teachers. With 2 billion English students, they aren’t saying no to many native speakers.
You can always start with an hour or two a week on an online platform too, if traveling isn’t in the cards right now.
Thanks for reaching out, someone else from the US I’ve been talking to just let me know twenty minutes ago they’re moving to Portugal with their wife! I hope these posts stay useful, and I’ll be here to offer advice and encouragement as long as I’m able.
If you or your teenager have any questions about travel now or later, let me know!