Old 04-02-2013, 03:08 PM
  # 20 (permalink)  
janiebluebird
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Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Northeast
Posts: 441
I relate to you more than you know. I feel so isolated and lonely and its very depressing not to have the release of fun with friends who I am close to and know. I recently purchased an online Teaching English as a Foreign Language class that I have been working on here and there - not seriously enough, though. I want to go to SE Asia for a while, take up Buddhism, and be in a nice warm climate. Plus it will give me more of a purpose than I feel that I have here in the US. I am overqualified for the jobs that are available to me as I never finished my professional degree - and the pay is terrible, in a relatively expensive area. I feel like I want to get away from here and everyone/everything around here that I know, and the materialism of this community. The other side of that debate in my mind is if I am simply running away and not taking care of things that I should really be taking care of at this age in my life - I already feel like I'm behind at age 28 because of the opportunities I ruined due to my partying/drinking career.

You have no real anchors holding you here - I say go. The current situation isn't working for you, so change it, and have an experience. You also work online which is global, so you can do both! Also, if you do TEFL you get paid a decent salary. If you want more information about the programs I've looked into feel free to PM me.

The only caveat I can think of is the native-english speakers in those sort of countries aren't necessarily on a spiritual/altruistic path. I have friends who have volunteered and worked in developing countries and the alcohol is still there, and usually a lot cheaper than it is here. So, if I were to do it, I'd have to plug into something such as buddhism or some other activities that don't involve alcohol. Reminds me of that quote, "you can change the scenery, but not the ******* situation"
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