I decided to become a school counselor after I was almost killed on 9/11.
That meant leaving my financial career behind and going back to school.
When I graduated in May 2005, including interest, I had nearly $80,000 in debt.
And Id pay it all offin only four years.
All it took was a move to Asia.
Our team has compiled alist of creative waysyou can fatten your bank account this week.
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but so is the cost of livingandthe competition for these jobs.
One counselor opening had about 300-400 applicants, so the odds that a newbie could break in were unlikely.
So I looked elsewhere, and landed my first job in South Carolina.
My savings from my construction job dwindled quickly.
I took a second job at a beach bar, but it wasnt sustainable for the long term.
Did you know?
I managed to save $200 a couple months out of the year.
So how would I get a job in another country?
My friend introduced me tointernational schools.
They cater to a variety of students whose parents live and do business in that particular country.
Like kids whose parents work at a U.S. Embassy or work for a big corporation with an international office.
Then he mentioned the pay.
I was 32 years old and had never thought aboutmoving to another country.
In addition to pay, the company offered a housing stipend and free flights home every other summer.
I traveleda lot; some trips were paid for by the school and some I paid for out-of-pocket.
In Shanghai,I saved about $3,200 per month.
Total Compensation: The Secret to Saving Abroad
The cost of living in Shanghai is low.
It also offered transportation to and from school on a nice coach bus.
This is common with top-tier schools.
There are other benefits to living overseas:not having a carto maintain and affordable health care.
Who Can Get Overseas Jobs in Schools?
There are thousands of jobs at international schools.Heres alistof institutions abroad.
A friend of mine recently got a job in Shanghai teaching high school science.
The Difficulties of Living and Working Abroad
Being away from loved ones is the hard part.
The time leading up to my move was filled with stress and anxiety.
Many people questioned my decision, even at the last minute.
However, Ihadto see this through.
Remember, schools spend money to recruit you and its tough to find a replacement in some locations.
I traveled to more than 25 countries in the last six years, and I loved it.
I was also ready for a change.
Once again, I enrolled in school thoughIm paying in cash this time around.
Im pursuing a graduate degree in International Transportation Management and getting a 3rd Mates Unlimited License.
When Im done, Ill get to drive big shipsandtravel the world.
I was the oldest student in my Indoctrination class at 38 years old.
My nickname for the 10-day program was, affectionately, Dad.
Its never too late to do anything in life.
Your Turn: Would you ever move abroad and teach at an international school?
He will always be an advocate of getting out of comfort zones, International Schools and teaching overseas.
His Kindle ebook, Teaching Internationally: Expand Your Teaching Options While Seeing The Worldis available on Amazon.
(Can you sense my millennial sarcasm there?)
You know which ones were talking about: rent, utilities, cell phone bill, insurance, groceries…
