Lifestyle or Money??

[Mr DepTrai]

JI,

you are completely right, I can always earn money later, but can never get the time back with baby....Thailand it is!

After all a small place is 300usd, my friend's Suzuki Swift to rent is $175...house car and bills, will be ok to live on 1800mo

Thanks for your input all

[tommypizza]

I agree...neither offer sounds very good...at all. Life is too short to put you and your family through the perils of long distance. I know people that have done it but seems like a HUGE sacrifice for a few extra $$. My wife would never allow that. You can live ok with that salary in Thailand...but you and your family will not be traveling much or saving anything. Also, a certain sacrifice just to live in Thailand.

Choosing to be an international teacher requires one to accept sacrifice...and there are many levels to this...proximity to family and friends, hobbies, hometown feel, air quality, cultural differences etc. etc. etc. It just comes down to what you are willing to sacrifice and what your goals/values are...cause these are 2 drastically different scenarios and neither ideal.

If I was you...I would try to survive until the next recruiting season. Your situation sounds a bit desperate.

[Kyudoka]

I was in your exact position two years ago. I had a choice between lifestyle or money in Thailand or China as well. I ended up choosing China as I had lived in Thailand before. I made $5,000 per month net in, and I got a lot of experience with AP. I saved a ton. Bought an extension on my house; went on trips did a lot of great stuff, however, after two years my health is much worse, and I have decided to leave China. More than likely I will never return. In retrospect I should have probably took the better lifestyle of Thailand over China. I will say this though just last month I was offered a sweet post in Thailand of all places and I was faced with the same dilemma this time between Thailand and Qatar; again money and lifestyle, and this time I picked Thailand. I guess this old dog can learn something new and that is money does not equal happiness.

On a side note if you are netting 60K baht per month you can live well on that in Thailand. I have done it before when my wife and I lived there between 2010-2011. We lived on my income alone as my wife does not work. If you want to know more info about cost of living in China and Thailand send me a PM.

[Yantantether]

I'm taking a guess that you are heading for Chiang Mai? If so, you should be aware of the burning season up there that causes serious air quality problems. This burning goes on for months and would be an issue to consider with a small baby in tow.

Regarding the salary - do you really need to take this job this time? That's a disgrace of a wage for a qualified teacher! Unfortunately there's lots (too many) of these 'bums on seats' schools in Thailand and too many willing it seems to put up with it. It really is not the Holy Grail and it's certainly not cheap living anymore. You will be watching every baht on that salary with a young family to support and by the looks of it will not develop professionally. Worth it?

Good luck.

[PsyGuy]

Your not going to be able to support a family on 60K BT in any type of lifestyle that isnt barely getting by. 60K BT is the very bottom of IS compensation, and its the high end of the ESOL market. IB is still far more marketable than AP, and in China you have more of a potential to take advantage of a last minute hiring opportunity which is more probable than in LOS.
You could take both and continue looking.

[expatteacher99]

If those are your only two choices, that is a tough decision. It makes sense to have your family together above other factors. But when you are talking about money vs. lifestyle, make sure you think about what kind of lifestyle your wife will have in Thailand. On such a shockingly low salary (for a certified, experienced teacher) your wife will have to be willing to live much like a local, and she won't be able to afford the expat lifestyle that makes SE Asia appealing for trailing wives/mothers.

[Mr DepTrai]

All these postings has me thinking of just staying home raising baby, finishing doctorate and letting wife go back to work instead.....

[marieh]

I just want to echo what others are saying about living off of $1800 a month in Thailand. My husband and I did that last year (no kids) and basically had to live like hermits in order to make it work. Thailand is NOT a cheap place to live anymore, especially if you want anything resembling a Western lifestyle. Air conditioning alone could cost you $200+ a month even if you're in a single-room flat. Don't ignore what has been said about the burn season in Chiang Mai either - we went once during that time of the year and ended up having to stay indoors for the majority of the trip. I'm not sure how it compares to the pollution in China, but it can get very nasty up there.

If I were you, I would hold out for a better offer.

[Mr DepTrai]

M,

Thinking about that too, wife works in the business world and makes more than my teaching...I just dont like the idea of sponging off her. I did that last year, and as a man I feel the responsibility of going to work. And not working again this year, I feel would be shooting myself in the leg professionally. Sure ill have a doctorate soon but where is my work experience?

[dover2013]

Neither. Keep looking. Something much better will come up. You are aiming far too low.

[Mr DepTrai]

I have the education, but lack experience... I'm only with 3.5yrs teaching.

If you know any chem/science positions...help a brotha' out.

[PsyGuy]

@Mr DepTrai

Are you a minority? (As there is a lot of discrimination in IE).

One of the most common issues with ITs is they have an idea of pros/cons but have nothing to compare it too. Take a sheet of paper and create two columns. On the right side label that column "Needs". The left side column label 'Wants". Be very frugal with your needs, they should be deal breakers, in the sense that if an IS or the region cant meet all your needs, you cant accept the appointment. Then rank order your list of wants, you should have no more than 10. Assign each want a priority value 1-10, using each priority value only once. You need no use the top (10) or the bottom (1) or any other rating value. Sum those values, This is your criterion cutoff score.
Now when you evaluate your pros/cons (advantages/disadvantages) you can assign them a scoring value of 1-10, if a IS meeting your criterion cut off score, and meets all your needs, you have a viable offer worthy of consideration.

[Mr DepTrai]

Well, Thailand just ruled itself out....the salary is gross, not net.

[PsyGuy]

@Mr DepTrai

Yes, $1800 is pretty gross considering the work that goes into making and marketing ones self as a professional educator.