17 Years Teaching ESL in Taiwan: Now What?

Returning Home After Teaching English

Somewhat terrifying

A frightening article from the Guardian about a guy who spent 17 years teaching English in Taiwan and has now returned home but is having a hard time finding work.

I spent 17 years abroad as a TEFL teacher- what do I do now?

Will it be me?

This hits a bit close to home since in less than  a year I'll be returning to Canada after 10 years in Korea. My plans are not 100% formed yet but will likely consist of building my Internet/investing empires to a point where I can make a full-time living off of them and perhaps picking up some casual/part-time work (online teaching or language institutes?) to fill the gaps.

Here are a few articles over on Freedom Through Passive Income where I talk about my move to Canada:

Giving up Good for Better
Drinking Less, Building Empire More
The Return to Canada-Let's Talk Money

Advice for this guy? 

Well I think he's perhaps a bit screwed because he obviously didn't develop any marketable skills besides teaching ESL during his time abroad. I hope he has a pool of money saved up to be able to return to school but perhaps he's a bit old to start a new career. There's actually no good advice for him besides keep teaching English abroad.

Lesson learned from this story?

Figure this stuff out like at least a couple years before you finish teaching ESL abroad. Do an online program. Learn how to program. Apply to grad school. Anything. Something besides just returning home and hoping for the best.

At least have something to show for it

Want to at least have a pool of money and investments to show for your time teaching ESL? Check out The Wealthy English Teacher. These are the principles that I've followed to build a large portfolio of stocks and ETFs, such that I'm truly not that worried about going home and could actually live off of this money for 10 years or so without working. It's not my plan, but I could do it if I had to.