u/Disco_Barry

Hi everyone,

So, just for context, I recently left a consulting position that was not doing me any good mentally, though the idea's behind it were very good (socially conscious thing that was public sector oriented). Now I'm in a position where I think I just want to actually go see somewhere new whilst working and doing something with my life for a year or two. By background, I have a Masters in History and I am a native English speaker. I am also able to play the guitar and speak some Russian, so I feel that these could be additional branches I could market out a later date.

A friend of mine is already a TEFL instructor in China, so I have a handle on what his financial position is like after a couple years out there. However, I'm also very interested in Korea as an option, but I have some quite specific questions about this that I don't believe have been previously addressed. I was wondering if anyone who's been in either (or both) of these countries could relay their experience?

1. I have an exceptionally fair complexion and a hit and miss relationship with hot climates. I can handle them, but when they hit stupid levels (by UK standards anyway) I flounder a bit. Is there anywhere I should avoid. BY this I would mean like routinely 40+ degrees for months on end
2. I am entitled to and in the process of becoming a dual citizen of Ireland alongside my UK citizenship. Is there a passport I should travel on when I have them both, particularly given that I've heard the South Korean set up has tended to favour big 7 passports in the past
3. What taxation considerations will I need to make in both countries? I've emailed the domestic embassies in the UK on this topic as well as the broader paperwork side of things, but I'd welcome any insight here. I've seen a couple of locations in S. Korea state that my tax rate would be as a contractor and therefore lower than the income tax rate of 6%, but that this would be contingent on my only working in one role.
4. From a health standpoint, Korea will (i assume) be better due to the quality of air? Is there anything I'll need to do from a healthcare standpoint like registering with insurance if not specified by the job that I end up getting.
5. Insofar as China, I have a very anxious parent who will be very keen to keep in contact with me via WhatsApp etc. What is it like dealing with the Great Firewall, both in general and with a specific focus on communicating back home to the West on what are ultimately western tech companies communication apps (can you tell I've never done this before?)

Outside of the above I'd welcome just general insight. My understanding is that if I was wanting to save money, China would more than likely be the better option due the stronger rate of the Yuan into the pound vs the Won into the pound. I'm not sure if this translates to quality of living points too (i've seen varying opinions on this), but I've seen a lot about how China's general cost tends to be lower than South Korea. Ultimately, I just need to see and do something different to what is really bloody familiar to me, and I'd be keen to put some cash away in the process whilst I have the chance to be in more favourable cost-of-living conditions than the UK (as I understand it)

Cheers all

I'll have to start by apologising as I'm not really sure what it is I'm trying to word this as. In essence, I've been looking at PhD programs for a while, having just liberated myself from the steaming bin fire that was consulting. Whilst looking around today, I came across CEU.

Now, I know CEU has, to put it lightly, problems in how it is perceived and how it supports students through its stipend levels, in particular given the whole self-employment tax thing. I've been looking predominantly elsewhere, but one thing I'm conscious about is how the history doctoral program is set up there, which is much closer to the set up of the American system whereby you have some time prior to actually beginning to write and research. At CEU this looked to be a year, which I thought looked enticing because of the developmental opportunities I could get out of doing elective modules before moving on to actually then writing and researching my thesis.

I guess my question is this - does anyone know of similar program structures in Europe to this? I can't go to America to study, and as I am European I would prefer to stay here. I should also add this is just me looking. I will be going where I have the best supervision and chance, rather than set up. It's just about me checking if there's anywhere that would meet both.

Thanks!

So a little while back, I changed jobs and ultimately this has gone very badly wrong. Though I'm solid at the job and the company have no qualms with me, I've made the decision that for my own health and mental sanity, I need to leave. By this, I should caveat this is not a situation where I was marginally stressed, but rather a situation in which I was under intense constant pressure, leading to sleep issues, nausea, occasional hair shedding, and an overall extremely marked change in my personality that was noticed by everyone in my life.

I'm now in a position whereby, although not ideal, I'm going to be unemployed. This is what it is and is something I need to do to protect my current state of mind and health, and though I'd rather be working I am both a strong saver with a good cushion in my accounts and a hard worker with a track record in going into differing industries, very quickly picking up what it is I need to do, and delivering it. Not sure why I have this but as a skill, its useful.

I'm now at a position, however, where I have a chance to take an actual break. The last prolonged break I had was after my Master. I'd also say that this wasn't one, given that it was 10 months of me applying to jobs every day whilst suffering from stress related insomnia due to finances at the time (as in, having almost ran out). I'm in a considerably stronger position now than I was then, which I feel much much better about. I'm thinking that I'd like to take a short break and in essence give myself room to breathe. My current thought is that I could backpack across Europe to just take sometime for myself, concluding at an institute that delivers intensive language programs in one that I'm trying to learn, and then fly back home from there or otherwise work on staying on the continent if that becomes my objective. This program is reputable academically and would also help me get closer to my doctorate

I don't really know what to do though. I've been in counselling for a while and have in essence been told that, more or less, I have a brain that works in overtly black or white extreme times, meaning that I'm going to always view it this way. I'm very tired and I think the "safe" options are just stupid at this point because I'm just going to compound the issue. I think I need a break and taking one isn't necessarily a bad thing, but my brain just convinces me I need to be on it all the time. So yeah, I think I just need to take the plunge and do the scary thing, which is to give myself a break, but any thoughts would be helpful on this. Just want to hear others thoughts

So a little while back, I changed jobs and ultimately this has gone very badly wrong. Though I'm solid at the job and the company have no qualms with me, I've made the decision that for my own health and mental sanity, I need to leave. By this, I should caveat this is not a situation where I was marginally stressed, but rather a situation in which I was under intense constant pressure, leading to sleep issues, nausea, occasional hair shedding, and an overall extremely marked change in my personality that was noticed by everyone in my life.

I'm now in a position whereby, although not ideal, I'm going to be unemployed. This is what it is and is something I need to do to protect my current state of mind and health, and though I'd rather be working I am both a strong saver with a good cushion in my accounts and a hard worker with a track record in going into differing industries, very quickly picking up what it is I need to do, and delivering it. Not sure why I have this but as a skill, its useful.

I'm now at a position, however, where I have a chance to take an actual break. The last prolonged break I had was after my Master. I'd also say that this wasn't one, given that it was 10 months of me applying to jobs every day whilst suffering from stress related insomnia due to finances at the time (as in, having almost ran out). I'm in a considerably stronger position now than I was then, which I feel much much better about. I'm thinking that I'd like to take a short break and in essence give myself room to breathe. My current thought is that I could backpack across Europe to just take sometime for myself, concluding at an institute that delivers intensive language programs in one that I'm trying to learn, and then fly back home from there or otherwise work on staying on the continent if that becomes my objective. This program is reputable academically and would also help me get closer to my doctorate

I don't really know what to do though. I've been in counselling for a while and have in essence been told that, more or less, I have a brain that works in overtly black or white extreme times, meaning that I'm going to always view it this way. I'm very tired and I think the "safe" options are just stupid at this point because I'm just going to compound the issue. I think I need a break and taking one isn't necessarily a bad thing, but my brain just convinces me I need to be on it all the time. So yeah, I think I just need to take the plunge and do the scary thing, which is to give myself a break, but any thoughts would be helpful on this. Just want to hear others thoughts

I appreciate this question probably gets asked loads but I’m currently without consistent signal in the arse end of Rural Norfolk, so apologies!

A very quick but I just wanted to check whether there is a pass that interrail offers that is only tile capped and does not proscribe a route or specific destinations. I’ve just got free of a shit workplace and really need to go be normal. My only confirmed destination that I would need to get to currently would be to end in Tallinn, and as a UK resident I’m thinking of starting West and working my way East.

Is this something that interrail offers? Cheers!

As the title suggests really.

I’m learning my target language and I want to try and maximise the time I have in the day to support developing and building it up. What passive input can I do whilst I am at work that will be effective and support the best outcomes for me?

Cheers!

Hi all,

I'm a UK based native English speaker in my mid 20s, which unfortunately means I endured the awful, monolingual education system we have in this country and the very poor attempts to teach foreign languages.

I'm looking to learn Russian and German (I would be considered beginner/A1) to support my goals, mainly eventual immigration to germany and academic interest in Russia (for my doctorate in history). My interests are music, film, chess, sport (particularly football, cricket and combat sports like Judo), history, and literature.

More than happy to have a conversation about what works best for us both to increase our skills!

I promise this isn’t as stupid as it sounds. In essence, I dress extremely frugally with a focus on not drawing any attention to myself at all. I always feel cheap and underwhelming compared to my friends.

However, the reason for this is I have an absolute complex about EVERYTHING. I don’t want to be seen to the extent it draws attention but I also don’t want to be so inconspicuous or poorly dressed that it also draws attention. I also have a complex about my weight, to the point where you’d think I’m a literal whale. I’m not. I have a slight bit of belly, and because of that I’ve always dressed baggy.

I just want to feel at ease wearing something that I consider fashionable rather than recycling the same “acceptable” group of t shirts. Any advice?

Edit: I am in counselling