I really need advice

[Underground Man]

This is going to sound pretty pathetic, but I don't have any friends to ask and my family is making my confusion even worse. So, random strangers I don't know, please lend me some of your wisdom.

I've been unemployed for more than year now, aside from a short one-week stint (an epic failure) as a waitress, and three months as a government contractor before I got laid off. I moved all the way out to DC to get that contracting job. I've tried to do freelance work as a writer, but that's going nowhere fast.

As I see it, I have three options:
1. Stay where I am mooching off unemployment and trying to write, while splitting rent with my brother until I run out of money. Keep applying for jobs to no avail.
2. Move back to mother's house and get one of my neighbors to find me some lousy job I know I'll hate. I don't want to do this.
3. Move to Taiwan to teach English.

I'm inclined to move to Taiwan. I miss living overseas and the job market in the US right now sucks big time. However, it's big risk and I will have to give away my precious pet birds. My mother keeps encouraging me to go, but my brother keeps telling me I should stay (he'll agree to cover a larger share of the rent if I can't afford it, and wants to use my unemployment as an opportunity to get equity housing. Plus, he is going to Afghanistan for three months and needs someone to watch his cat/stuff).

Going to Taiwan would be really selfish of me, since it will cause my brother a lot of inconvenience, but I've been unemployed since I graduated, and I know if I stay here I'll just keep living the typical, useless NEET lifestyle playing video games and wasting my 20s.

I've been tearing my hair out over this for months. I just can't decide what to do.

 

[jcox2820]

As a severely underemployed American, I envy the fact that you can just move out of the county and get a job. That's an opportunity a lot of us don't have. If I could, I would.

 

[Heathrow]

Teaching is the unfathomable pit which devours aspiring writers. Treat it appropriately.

More to the point, I had a friend teaching in Amsterdam who had to move home due to lack of opportunities, I think the job market pretty much just sucks everywhere at the moment.

 

[darkcommanderq]

well you sound like you have a lot of free time. I would do both. Let your brother go to afgan for a few months while you watch stuff. Meanwhile learn some programming and start up your own website!

Granted its not easy, but if you have a few months with nothing to do, some people can make a living off of add income of websites. Just a thought.

When he comes back, if nothing has changed then move to taiwan.

 

[bdcjacko]

Have you considered getting a sugar daddy?

 

[SilentCom]

I don't think I could offer much advice seeing that you have more experience working than I do. All I can say is that sometimes it's more important who you know than what you know... At least thats what I've been told.

 

[Underground Man]

I would wait a few months to go, but the reason I'd have to go by September is that my mother will also be in Taiwan for a few months, and I really need her help to get situated.

Join the army.
or move to Taiwan. You could probably even teach in japan, i know that Osaka has a lack of English teachers, but bring a baseball bat in case of radroaches.

I lol'd. I have a phobia of radiation though >_<

I don't think I could join the army. I'm a weenie and last time I checked, didn't even meet the weight requirements and stuff.

 

[MasterOfWorlds]

I say that you do whichever of those options that you really want to do. Which means goingto Taiwan to teach English. If you're qualified for it, I don't see why you wouldn't get the job. Sure, it'll be rough on your brother, but he'll figure something out. He's got three months to do it.

 

[Underground Man]

Wahh I really appreciate all these comments.

I'm so desperate just to do something with my life. I eventually want to work with my brother to make indie video games (he programs, I'll do plots and pixel art -- been practicing that skill) and write full-time. He plans to buy a house and retire from being an employee forever in a couple years after he saves up enough starting capital, but I can't guarantee the future. I need to do something until then, because if I ever want an "official" career, it's now or never.

 

[scienceguy8]

What kind of education do you have? High school diploma? Associates? Bachelors of Science? If you have a degree, what in?

 

[Underground Man]

I have a BA in history with a minor in archaeology.

It's pretty useless for getting hired and I regret choosing a subject because I liked it instead of for its practical value. I did have a history-related job here in D.C. Totally won the job lottery...until my company lost the government contract.

 

[SckizoBoy]

snip

Hmmm... I never really know if here [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/index/538-Advice-Forum] or Off-Topic gets better/more responses.

OT: Anyway, I'm loathe to recommend going out to Taiwan, largely because it is so culturally different and has a massive cost of its own. And this is going to sound stupid, but I hope your Mandarin's good. Is there any particular reason in choosing Taiwan?

Still, all 'moving-to-Taiwan' issues aside, I'm inclined to agree with darkcommanderq, insomuch that as per your brother's wishes you can housesit/keep on his behalf while he's away while you write/blog etc. and trawl through job applications. When the three months are up, and you still don't have a local(-ish) job, you can reassess and decide with more certainty then, when you have no-one else to worry about except yourself.

EDIT 1:

You could probably even teach in japan, i know that Osaka has a lack of English teachers.

I lol'd. I have a phobia of radiation though >_<

Oh, I wouldn't worry about the radiation, it was blown east and Osaka is quite far to the south west of Japan. (half joking/quite serious)

EDIT 2:

See, I'd want this moved over to the Advice Forum, because SiskoBlue and BonsaiK are a couple of really wise people and their 2 cents are always worth it.

 

[Littaly]

Just reading the thread it seems really obvious what you really wan to do. Hint: It's the one that doesn't end with "to no avail" or "I don't want to do this".

Just follow ur harwt dude

 

[Littaly]

Just reading the thread it seems really obvious what you really wan to do. Hint: It's the one that doesn't end with "to no avail" or "I don't want to do this".

Just follow ur harwt dude

 

[NinjaDeathSlap]

Come over here to the UK. Jobs market is not so bad at the moment compared to the US, we especially need more good teachers, and even if you can't find a job you can take advantage of our nice juicy welfare state.

 

[Underground Man]

I didn't even know escapist had an advice section -_- lol.

Anyway, as far as I know, you really don't have to be that good with the local languages to teach. I plan to take some classes there, but function of English teachers in places like I've looked at is mostly just peripheral. That is, there's a person in the classroom that knows both languages, but they want native speakers too.

Plus I'd be teaching little kids. Things like colors and such.

 

[Julianking93]

It kinda sounds like the teaching job in Taiwan isn't really going anywhere and that it's been an option for a while, so I'd say the best bet would be to continue trying where you are now to find jobs and look for stuff that would be more convenient.
If all else fails, the teaching thing is always there, I'm assuming so I guess you don't have to make up your mind right now.
Just keep looking for jobs and try to become more active in freelance.

It takes a while to really get anywhere with it but once you find something in it that works for you, it sticks.
However, as I said, if you really can't find anything else at all, the teaching job would most likely be best.
It may be inconvenient for other people but, and not to sound mean, but that's really their problem. You have your own life to think about rather than worry on everyone else's behalf.

But I think the choice is rather clear. Go with the one where you obviously don't sound hesitant about and one you don't end with "I don't want this" >.<

 

[SckizoBoy]

I didn't even know escapist had an advice section -_- lol.

Anyway, as far as I know, you really don't have to be that good with the local languages to teach. I plan to take some classes there, but function of English teachers in places like I've looked at is mostly just peripheral. That is, there's a person in the classroom that knows both languages, but they want native speakers too.

Plus I'd be teaching little kids. Things like colors and such.

*meh*, s'okay, it's just a pity Aylaine is no longer there, she was the Forum's resident angel of awesome.

Anyway, having read your... second post (again, sorry): go, 'cos it's not a permanent thing, is it? Besides, as an experience, it'll add quite nicely to your CV (plus, if you pick up the language, even better). And if you're brother's away for three months, you can head out when he get's back and join your mother. It'd nicely work out and everyone wins.