Operation TESL

Hello,

My name is David and I am about to embark on "operation tesl". In about a month I am moving to Taiwan to begin a career teaching English as a second language.

A horrible job market in the U.S. and a desire to travel have inspired me to make this move. I decided to move to Taiwan because of the huge demand for Americans, the excellent pay scale when compared to other countries, and the killer travel opportunities in the region.

The great number of Americans and Canadians currently living/working in Taiwan was a huge factor in deciding where to go. As many of you know, I am a former Peace Corps volunteer. Integrating into Honduran culture was a great challenge. Even with the excellent support system set up within Peace Corps, it was no picnic. I am anticipating an even tougher road in Taiwan. My thinking is surrounding myself with lots of other folks in the same boat as me will surely make things easier. Knowing that people going through the same stuff as me are just a stones throw away is comforting.

Taiwan is generally considered the gateway to the Orient. Its proximity to so many fascinating countries made my decision to go there much simpler. I am excited at the opportunity to check out such places as Tokyo, Bangkok, and Manila. These are just a few off the top of my head. There are many, many more. It is remarkably inexpensive to travel within the region.

As I said above, my departure is about a month away (August 20th, to be exact). STAY TUNED, this should be fun.