drastic change of job due to living abroad, having children and wanting a life?

[Sago]

I am wondering what to do...
I have moved abroad and don´t speak the language very well yet (though working on it) and want to go back to work after 2 yrs of being a SAHM.
There seems to be two scenarios I can go for if looking for work with English as a main language:

1. Full time (40hrs here)office work in international organisations. Potentially very boring, I am overqualified for this, I have experience in a professional setting but not many of those prof jobs coming up. I would therefore have to start from a lower grade and make way up...
2. Part time, flexible working with children. Mostly teaching them english. This would allow me to do other things like learn the language, look after my own children more...etc. BUT I have no real qualifications or much experience in this area. I did a teaching english as a foreign language course ages ago, and taught english for a couple of years, but not my passion in life.

I am not sure what to do, scenario one would be boring in short term. scenario two would be fun and challanging in many ways...but so different to what I am used to doing. Just keen to hear whether anyone else has experience of making a change to a job that is so different from previous one, but allows one to do other things with life...

hi,

a friend of mine moved from australia to france. She has no qualification in teaching but now teaches english in primary schools in france. The bonuses outway the negatives....she loves it, its new and challenging, yes it is exhausting but it fits in with her 3 dc routine and school holidays. She actually gets to see the kids when they get home from school. She has found she had to get a cleaner....at first all she seemed to do when she got home was chores. That said it seems to work for her family really well.

and yes definetly worth the change for the pluses it brings to your life. you can always do something else when the children get bigger.

Where are you living now?

I moved to France four years ago, have worked as a transcriber for a UK based organisation in that time and I love it, varied and sometimes interesting but it can be a feast or a famine, December I was mega busy, this month hardly any work.

I also however teach in a college/lycee twelve hours a week like Dizzy's friend. I love it, I teach ages from 11 to 22. I am shattered afterwards. The only people who can do these jobs are native English speakers. I have a TEFL which probably helped me get the job. You could try writing to your local education authority and see what they say.

Both jobs fit perfectly with my lifestyle here although job number 1 is home based so I haven't had much opportunity to leave the house and develop my French, but I've certainly made up for that since I got the teaching job.

thanks for the replies! And good to hear those positive experiences. I have a TEFL (though from a long time ago when I was younger and looking for what to do with my life...) so could dust that one off and see what happens.
I am living in Austria now, it´s great, but just need to get my work bit sorted.

Sago - you could join my European Team! I sell Usborne children's books and there's a huge European market.

You could sell to both local and international schools (who all LOVE the books!), or focus on the toddler groups etc so you'd be getting out and meeting people, little one(s) would play and you would make money (oh and you could practise German too!).

I love the flexibility of it and the fact that I can arrange work round my lo and atke him with me with me a lot of the time, so there are no childcare costs.

Let me know if you'd like some info!

Hi

Dare I say Phoenix Trading - I have nothing to do with the organisation but was considering it when toying with the idea of returning to France. As many of the cards have blank insides you could sell them easily especially if you have kids as you can advertise through the school networks.

All the best,
M.

Thanks for the further ideas- just been exploring the teaching english to kids options and the pay is soooooo low ( I knew it would be low but not so low!).
WMWG - where can I find out more?not sure if this is my thing, but worth exploring at this stage.
Thanks M. for the suggestion. I could do cards and books stall at every opportunity!

Sago - WmWG just gave me an idea. She's right about selling Usborne books. My best friend lives in Munich and she's become an Usborne seller - sells at the English Speaking playgroups and the International Schools. If you are interested I'm sure she'd be happy to talk to you about teh logistics of doing it abroad (and she's not that far from you I suppose!!!) Email me if you'd like me to put you in touch with her - sally at eccleston dot me dot uk

Hello

Sago - sorry for my delay.

Yes, Usborne is HUGE on the Continent. I can give you loads more info and also some of my colleagues have team members in Europe, so there would be loads of support for you setting up your business. We have a great online forum for support and advice, and it means you feel very much part of a team, even though you may never have met any of them!

You don;t have to focus on the English speaking schools and groups either, as Usborne books are widely used as second language teaching resources as they're so accessible and fun.

Email me and I'll send you more info (and let me know you're Sago!)

[email protected]

Hope to hear from you soon.

x

Hi Sago, have a look here if you want to know more about Phoenix Trading. I am a Trader myself and the business in France is really growing quickly. You could make it part-time or full-time - whatever suite. Just let me know if you want more info!