I've been looking in Indonesia for a year, and so many of the things that irk and annoy you guys in the Philippines are the same things that piss on my fire here in Indonesia.
Have any of you lived in both countries for a year+, and if so how do they generally compare in the irritation factor stakes?
I'm in an online AA group, and one of the old timers was celebrating 18 years sober.
But he still considers himself an alcoholic.
That doesn't seem right - carrying that label for 2 decades...
Due to circumstances I'm overstaying in Indonesia, with no means to pay the overstay fine or the ticket back to my country.
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I won't bore you with the backstory. Safe to say no one is going to help me in the finance department.
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I will hand myself over to immigration, and they'll put me in their detention centre. I'm expecting it to be less than pleasant.
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What are the cardinal rules to stay alive, stay safe, stay disease-free?
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I will be in there until an air ticket back to my home country is paid for, ±$1k (I think the overstay fine is waived). So I could be in there days, weeks, months..
I put in a solid 23 years in Asia - Taiwan, China, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia.
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Started in 2004. Reasonable salary V COL back then, and I saved plenty in Taiwan and even in China.
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Vietnam, during and after COVID, was not great. Meh pay and dodgy centre owners. I like that country though, up in the Highlands, away from the masses.
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Thailand's salaries are a joke. I did it as a rest year more than anything.
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Indonesia - what is there to say. A proper third world country, where local teachers are paid $200 for 60 hour work weeks, and foreigners should be grateful to earn $1000.
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I'll conclude - I genuinely love teaching. I'm at my happiest working with learners, ages 6 through 66.
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I'm also approaching 50, and the industry starts to push us out at this age, although there are lots of jobs still going in Asia.
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I live a simple life, and could see myself returning to the Highlands is Vietnam, or a less touristy town/island in Indonesia or Vietnam.
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I'll never get rich teahing, nor do I want to get rich. Nor do I want to live in poverty.
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Right now I'm somewhat tired, middle age exhaustion I think. Could easily tap out and retire, if funds were good. They're not, I need to teach/work for another 12-17 years.
What do you see yourself doing for the next 1/3/5/10 years?
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Someone mentioned SpeakWise Agency based out of Jakarta.
I thought I should add Premier Language Services, also based in Jakarta.
Both of these agencies are exploitative, and very very shady.
They will place you in schools, take a healthy chunk of your salary, and expect the world of you.
You cannot question them. You cannot give constructive feedback. You cannot take sick days.
They are basically 2026 slave traders.
Find your own job.
Good luck!