Big Decision: education v travel

[Unprepared]

Teachers college -v- Travel

 

I have been accepted into Teachers College in the fall which will enable me to teach High School.

 

This is my last chance to complete the course in 9 months. It will be 2 years from next year.

 

I have been living abroad for two years now and am depressed at the thoughts of returning home. At first I was worried about the future of my LDR if I took my place on the course. But he has agreed to move to my continent where we can visit throughout the course, so this problem has been minimized.

 

I am now getting cold feet about whether teaching is the career for me. I'm not sure I can handle it or want it anymore. At the same time, I dread the thoughts of doing it over 2 years, and for twice the fees at a later date.

 

The alternative would be to continue to teach english and travel with my boyfriend. This would make me happy. But may cause future regret and debt.

 

Can anyone offer any advice or insight.

[will1988]

This is a tricky situation. As someone who has spent double the amount of time working on their degree than the normal college student, I must say that if I could I would go back in time and complete my degree in the shortest time possible. However, one of my dreams is to travel the world too. So if I were in your shoes, I would personally go back to school, get it done ASAP, and then travel again. Trust me, sucking it up now, is better than having to double the time later and finding out that you actually wanted to teach all along. go back to school, travel will wait. 9 months is less than a year. I haven't traveled within 100 miles of my city in two years, because of work and school... consider yourself lucky, finish school, and then when you are free and with a degree you can travel more.

[FitChick]

Finish the course and get certified. Even if you wind up not teaching you will always be able to do it if you had to. The economy is uncertain so the more types of work you can do the better. As a teacher you get a lot of time off to travel anyway.

[Eve]

I would go traveling but that is a common expectation where I live. Gap years are taken at any point before, during and after Uni.

 

.. but if this is really some sort of last chance thing (unsure why this would be so) you have to stay, don't you?

 

Then go teaching abroad, combining it with the curiousity of travel.

 

Not sure why you want to teach HS kids? They can be complete animals, lol... and I like kids! Seriously think about that though. Kids are not kids anymore.

 

Take care,

Eve x

[ooglesnboogles]

I'd say finish up fast, then teach as you travel. It sounds like you're teaching English abroad. If you have your degree, at any point you can say "I'm done traveling, I want a job teaching high school" and you can go back and do that. And until then, you can just rack up resume credit teaching elsewhere.

 

I'm in a school with a lot of people in their 30's trying to get degrees. A lot. And one thing I hear very often is "I wish I had just done this years ago." It's harder to learn when you're older, it's harder to find the time, it's just harder. These people are smart and they work their asses off but still struggle to get B's because they have to miss class to work that extra shift or spend twice as long reading and working on homework to understand the material. It's been an eye-opener for me (and gives me some incentive to work a little harder to get better grades).

[will1988]

I'd say finish up fast, then teach as you travel. It sounds like you're teaching English abroad. If you have your degree, at any point you can say "I'm done traveling, I want a job teaching high school" and you can go back and do that. And until then, you can just rack up resume credit teaching elsewhere.

 

I'm in a school with a lot of people in their 30's trying to get degrees. A lot. And one thing I hear very often is "I wish I had just done this years ago." It's harder to learn when you're older, it's harder to find the time, it's just harder. These people are smart and they work their asses off but still struggle to get B's because they have to miss class to work that extra shift or spend twice as long reading and working on homework to understand the material. It's been an eye-opener for me (and gives me some incentive to work a little harder to get better grades).

 

I agree with you 100%. I am in one of those same programs, except I'd say the medium age is late 30s... I'm 25. So, I am one of the younger people in the program, if not the youngest. However, I've been going to college since 2006 (except 2010, I took that year off to figure out my life). I am a very smart person, but I was lazy and had too much fun and focused too much on women my first "normal" college go around. However, once I moved back home, started working and taking night classes at the local comunity college, I actually got all As and a few Bs. I matured. Now I'm in a program, physically still at the CC, but taking classes from one of the best public universities in the country, and will have my degree from there in a year to a year and a half... then grad school. I'm getting all As and a few Bs in this program too. There is tripple the amount of school work than in my "normal" college experiance, and the CC combined... and this program is meant for working adults. A lot of people do have problems with it, especially people with their own family. The only people that seem to stick with the program are the roughly late 40s through mid 50s people that are just getting a degree to have a degree, and their kids are all adults so don't have them to worry about, and the 20 somethings and early 30 year olds who do not have children... the rest, I've noticed drop out in droves.

Long answer short, I agree with you! OP you need to get your degree done ASAP and worry about travel later. Hell, if you wanted to travel a lot, why not think about getting your degree and then try to get a job with the Foreign Service (US) or whatever the equvelant is in your country. That is one of my ultimate goals, the other is to be a part time college history profressor. lol

[Els]

Out of curiousity, why is this your 'last chance'? Why do the time and fees double if you do it later?

 

Personally, in your situation I would get the education first. But then again I am Asian.

[will1988]

Out of curiousity, why is this your 'last chance'? Why do the time and fees double if you do it later?

 

Personally, in your situation I would get the education first. But then again I am Asian.

 

That had me LOL

 

So you completed all of your degrees by 15... lol

 

Than again a chunk of my friends are Korean, and all, but one of them, are dumb as a bag of bricks. So not stereotypical.

[Els]

That had me LOL

 

So you completed all of your degrees by 15... lol

 

Sadly, no! I bring great shame to my famiry...

 

I'm a grad student at 26 with a double degree under my belt, though. Is that stereotypical enough?

[will1988]

Sadly, no! I bring great shame to my famiry...

 

I'm a grad student at 26 with a double degree under my belt, though. Is that stereotypical enough?

 

better than me. lol. I'm 25, and working on my double degree, but have been since 18. lol

 

Yes, stereotypical enough. lol

[Els]

But... but you're a bear! One degree is great for a bear, let alone two...

 

Okay, better stop before we derail the OP's thread...

[will1988]

But... but you're a bear! One degree is great for a bear, let alone two...

 

Okay, better stop before we derail the OP's thread...

 

Yep, the fact that I have a high comand of the english langauge and know how to operate a computer makes me smarter than the average bear... and most youths these days. rawrrrrr!

[Unprepared]

Hey guys,

 

Thanks so much for all the replies! You have given me a lot to consider!

 

I already have my degree and masers. I just need to do this 9 month course to become a teacher.

 

In many places, the demand for teachers has fallen. Especially in my home country! There are many unemployed teachers. So, to slow down the rate of newly qualified teachers, the Universities are forced to turn it into a two year year course. This will also mean twice the fees. The final chance to complete it in one year would be to take the course this fall.

 

Otherwise, I probably wouldn't do it yet. I'm happy doing what I'm doing as of now. But a lot of what you guys had to say makes sense.

[carhill]

The alternative would be to continue to teach english and travel with my boyfriend.

 

I'll vote against the tide and opine that more exposure and experience brings more opportunities, both within one's narrow field of endeavor as well as in the larger sense.

 

This presumes you wish to travel where your boyfriend is going or you are pursuing this as a team wrt itinerary. Since you apparently can continue to teach English, that option is always there, along with any your travels bring to the table. Good luck.

[Unprepared]

I literally can't make my mind up about this! It's consuming me!

 

Carhill, I see your view also. I could travel, explore, come to realize I don't even want to teach and find a new passion unknowingly!

 

I simply can't decide. I feel I should do the course, but I also feel I should do what makes me happy (travel).

 

Oh deary me!!!! :lmao:

[Els]

Honestly. It's just 9 months. Dig your heels in and do it. It'll open up more job opportunities for you when you travel. And EVEN if you decide you don't want to teach later, you will be grateful for being able to work as a teacher while doing night classes in another course, instead of working at Starbucks.

[MissBee]

Finish the course and get certified. Even if you wind up not teaching you will always be able to do it if you had to. The economy is uncertain so the more types of work you can do the better. As a teacher you get a lot of time off to travel anyway.

 

I agree.

 

I don't want to be Debbie Downer...but I don't think traveling with your boyfriend is really a good reason not to do the course. Relationships end. This is the reality sometimes. I always advise the undergrads I mentor about applying to grad schools, when many try to base decisions on their boyfriends (funnily hardly any of the male students factor their gfs in as much), that they really shouldn't make a life decision based on this person, as the relationship may naturally run its course, and it would really suck if the decision they made about such an important thing was mostly because it was close to this person or something of the sort.

 

Anyway, I don't see you losing out in life by getting certified. I can see more ways where if you choose not to you can end up regretting it. That always helps me. I try to think of which decision will possibly lead to more regret or has less chance of a negative outcome.

 

The program is just two years. It goes by fast. It's something to have under your belt, and even if you hated it, you could always go back to teaching English and traveling.

[Unprepared]

Hmm more good points.

 

MissBee that is great advice you offer your undergrads. Interesting and true how many male students remove the girl from the equation.

 

In my case though, this isn't about my boyfriend. I struggled for a while to wonder if my doubts were linked to him. But he has agreed to move to my continent while I study so we can visit. I was satisfied in this as I get the best of both worlds, degree and relationship.

 

When the dust settled on his decision to move closer to me, I began to think about the course itself. And my doubts about teaching high school and the course began to resurface. I began to feel further travel (with or without my bf) might be the suitable path to take and to keep an open mind and hope for some sign of what I want to do with my life!

[dougmccoy]

i say complete the course now. become a teacher and then do whatever you want after!