Why hello there!
Today I want to make a video about three of my least favourite things about living and
working abroad.
The reason I'm doing this is in the interest of balance, because I've already made a video
about three of my favourite things about living and working here, and I wanted to make sure
I was presenting a realistic and balanced view of my experience.
I'm also hoping that if you're on the fence about moving to a new country to study or
work that this might help you make up your mind, because obviously some of these problems
will affect some people more than others.
So, let's get started.
This first one is specifically for Assistant Language Teachers, and that is that you have
little to no influence on your workplace or your job.
So most assistant language teachers will apply for a position before they move to the country,
and so they'll get a job and then be moved to the country with a visa from that workplace.
So this means that you don't really get a say very much in where you go or what kind
of job you'll be doing, and beyond that, within the workplace itself often you won't have
very much of a say in how your work is done, because you are after all an assistant language
teacher.
So if you're someone who likes to have a lot of control over your job and your work environment,
maybe this isn't the job for you, because you definitely will not have terribly much
of a say in what's going on in your workplace.
Another thing that's connected to this is that there isn't very much room for movement
within companies either, so if you're hired as an assistant language teacher, you can
only be an assistant language teacher, and a lot of places will also restrict your work
outside of this one job.
So you wouldn't be allowed to say, have a job on the side.
It will be you're an assistant language teacher and nothing else, and there isn't really much
room for, um, I guess promotion is the right word, or movement within your company, because
you're hired for this one single job.
So if you're someone who's looking for upward momentum or kind of a place where you can
start a career, assistant language teacher is also not the position for you.
Um, I think it can sometimes feel like you've put your life on hold because of this, because
a lot of the time assistant language teacher, like you're working this job in order to have
a cultural experience or to learn a language or to get some job experience for the next
part of your life, so sometimes it can mean that for some people it feels like your life
has been kind of put in stasis.
I don't think it's that way for everyone, but it's something that I've experienced on
occasion, so it's definitely worth thinking about.
If you're the kind of person that likes to have the potential to work hard and move up
in your company, or if you're the kind of person who likes to have a lot of influence
in your workplace, then this is going to be a tough job for you.
Okay, so that's that one.
The next one I think is pretty obvious, and that is isolation and being an outcast.
So of course when you move away from your home country, you're going to be leaving behind
a really big support network of friends and family, and while you will definitely make
new friends and form new relationships in your new country, at least for the first few
years you just don't have that same time investment to make those relationships and bonds as strong
or as close as you might like them to be.
So if you're the kind of person who feels depressed very easily from being lonely or
isolated, then this is something to really consider.
I think it's really important to know yourself and know that you'll be able to handle it,
because that's definitely I think one of the toughest things about moving to a new country,
is starting from scratch with all of your relationships.
Um, the other thing that goes along with that, like I said, is being an outcast.
So despite your best efforts to assimilate into a new culture and learn the language
and all of that stuff, you will always be to, some degree, a foreigner, and that can
be a very isolating experience in itself.
You will always be looked at differently, treated a little differently, all of those
things, and that can feel very...it can be very alienating, because you're not used to
it, right?
In your home country you get treated like everyone else, but in a new country you get
treated like a foreigner, and you are a foreigner!
But sometimes you just wish that you could be treated like everyone else, and not looked
at, not recognised, and all of that stuff.
So I think those are really important things to consider, and like I said, if you're the
type of person who is easily affected by isolation, then perhaps it's not the right move for you.
And my last one is expectations versus reality.
I've mentioned in a few of my past videos that I think one of the most important things
that you can do when you're thinking of moving abroad is make sure that you have realistic
expectations, or better yet just go in with as much of a blank slate as you can, and that
is because the perception of living and working abroad can be very very different.
I feel like a lot of what we're shown and told is, like, of course are highlights, because
people will post on social media or like have this idealised view of a country and a culture,
and living there and that's not going to be how it actually is.
Some of the things that you will do are everyday, mundane things.
Sometimes it will be boring, sometimes it will be unpleasant, and that is all life,
right?
Like you're living in a new country, so you're going to experience both the highs and the
lows, and as much as like movies and TV shows and social media would have you believe that
living in a new country is all trips to amazing places, and taking photos, and like traveling
to incredible places, trying delicious foods, all of this stuff - which is can be - it is
also filling out paperwork, working overtime when you really don't want to, not understanding
something that someone has repeated to you three times.
Like, there are all these things that will happen that won't be thrilling and exciting
and everything you ever dreamed of - it'll just be everyday life, because you're living
there.
I don't know how to explain this any better, but really, I think one of the worst things
you can do if you're thinking of moving abroad, is set your expectations too high, because
the things is if your expectations are super high and you get disappointed, you will never
be happy with what you actually have.
Whereas if your expectations are reasonable or realistic, or kind of as non-existent as
you can make them, then whatever happens you're going to find interesting, and you're going
to take it as you go.
So I think that...yeah, the way that living abroad is portrayed in the media is very misleading,
and it's very important that you as a person recognise that, and maybe look into some more
realistic views before moving and make sure that it really is what you want to do, and
it's not just this idealised version that you have in your head.
So yeah, expectations versus reality - make sure that yours are on point.
Okay, so that is three of my least favourite things about living and working abroad.
I really hope that you don't take this video as super negative, because genuinely I would
not change my living abroad experience for the world, I think it's been incredible, and
I honestly don't know anyone who's regretted living and working abroad.
So if that helps, then there it is!
But I just wanted to make sure that I was being fair in my portrayal of living and working
in another country, because I don't think it's very realistic to only put out the good
things and never talk about the negatives.
I also hope that if you were looking to make a decision about whether you wanted to live
and work abroad, that this has helped you, and if you have any more questions please
ask in the comments below and I'll do my best to answer them.
But for now, I'll talk to you later.
Bye!
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