Best countries to live in

I've always felt that in the UK we are more tolerant than in many other places and have a great sense of humour which is needed in these 'interesting' times. Being happy and fitting in is more important than money.
I've always wanted to live in either Brittany or Normandy and for some reason which I cannot fathom I've always been attracted to Finland.

Chacun a son gout.

Poland? My DD worked there and enjoyed it.

Wales (Atlantic College)
You may have to learn a foreign language

Well, we live in Denmark, which has a good health service, state pensions, reasonable social security, free education and reasonably priced homes for the elderly. Property prices are reasonable too.

I have lived in the Netherlands for a year, and would happily go back there and from what I have seen, Germany is a good place to live too.

Schooling not Schilling ??

I live in Ireland and the Schilling here is so different to the UK. Alot of teachers use the 2 months of summer holidays to go abroad and teach summer schools etc. I also know a few ladies that trained here as teachers and now work in Dubai and absolutely love it!
Good luck with your search x

There are a lot of International Schools in Switzerland and they have a very good reputation (as a TESOL teacher I taught advanced English to many of their pupils). Other places to consider (if you’re looking for a reasonably high salary) would be Germany and of course Brussels.

I don't have TEFL humptydumpty, my preferred teaching is International Baccalaureate. A bit like A Level. I've been to Singapore but the cost of living was very expensive.

I'm not particularly good with adults. Teenagers are my 'best' age group, although I DID have a wonderful part-time, extra job in China teaching oral English to toddlers. They were WONDERFUL! So lively and funny. We did a lot of singing and played games.

Greeneyedgirl, currently, I CAN'T get a permanent job in the UK for a range of reasons. My experience and level of qualification makes me too expensive. What do you suggest I do? Accept a salary that I could earn in McDonald's, because that is how much new teachers earn now?

I am 54 and cannot retire until I'm 67 in the UK yet conversely can't get a permanent job. Not to mention that within 6 years I will be physically incapable of working the 70 hour week that a full-time teacher in the UK needs to put in to do the job properly.

The ONLY option I have is to go overseas. I'm just trying to be positive about it.

NEVER said I was too good for the UK. But I am highly qualified and very experienced. Am I supposed to be ashamed of that?

I want to work very hard for 6 years somewhere that will pay me enough to save hard to be able to give up FULL-TIME work at 60. At which point I will cut down to just working as an examiner and a private tutor. Not too much to ask surely?

Well said greeneyedgirl!

Too good for the U.K. eh GagaJo? Good luck with the S. Korean application, hope you’re successful.

I wonder if on our death bed many of us will wish that we'd earned more money

How about Singapore? great place in itself but also a great hub for travelling anywhere. Do you have a TEFL qualification?

I'm not sure I fancy Australia.
I'm just wondering why Gagajo?

As an ESOL teacher, you need to go to non-English speaking countries and they are also the ones who pay.
I'm not sure that Gagajo is an ESOL teacher, I may have missed that, but if so:

BradfordLass, no, not necessarily as there are many Language Colleges in English-speaking countries. People do come from overseas to the UK, Australia etc and want to learn English for recreational or work purposes.

Gagajo young friends went to work in China as teachers but didn't stay very long (a few weeks) because the pollution was terrible. They move on to Cambodia I think.

Lived in Switzerland in 1970s. Loved it and so many other countries close by to visit.

Could happily live in NZ, almost the most beautiful country in the World. Am happy never to have to set foot in Spain ever again since the old folks passed on, I loathe the place. Would consider France...the French and Scots have an affinity since the Auld Alliance.

Never visited China, the reports from others that have are mixed, so not high on the list. USA Visited several times, going again soon, nice people but no attraction to live there. NZ good for a holiday but it’s a long way from anywhere. Australia, years ago I did consider a move, decided to remain in UK, with hindsight I wouldn’t have done better there.
Caribbean or the Med, not really into sun and sand the expat lifestyle holds no attractions either

I could probably live the life of Riley in some low income country, settled now to tough it out in England’s Green and Pleasant Land

I LOVE China. Worked there before and would gladly go back. I found the people delightful. The staring (some will stare at foreigners) is strange at first, but a smile and a 'Nehao' always invokes a huge smile in return.

S Korea is on my list. One school in particular.

Currently have an offer for Switzerland which I'm hopeful about.

Turned down a good offer for Indonesia. Too polluted. MUCH worse than China.

The US unfortunately, too violent, too racist and too many people there dislike foreigners. When I lived there before I suffered all three of those issues.

I'm from the USA. We're not ALL bad over here.

As an ESOL teacher, you need to go to non-English speaking countries and they are also the ones who pay.

China, if you've never worked there, is something of a challenge. Lots of cigarettes smokers wherever you go; the man hawk and spit all the time without any controls and will spit at you if they don't like westerners.

South Korea is a lot better and more advanced socially (in my view) westerers are usually welcomed. This would be my first choice.

Japan is VERY expensive, so you will spend a lot of your wages just living.

My friend's daughter is teaching in Hong Kong and loves it there. Before that, she taught for three years in Dubai, where she was also very happy.

Callistemon, I'm 95% of the way through an application to my ideal school in S Korea. Have a friend working there and two who used to work there. It's highly recommended.

I'm not sure I fancy Australia.

Davidhs, the UK is home for me and I have a fondness for it BUT it has many, many faults. If China had clean air, it would pip the UK to the post for me. A wonderful country. Nothing like it is painted in the west. And the people!

Japan?
DD has friends teaching in S Korea and they seem to have stayed there for several years now so must be contented.

I think that pay is higher in Australia but so is the cost of living.