Where next?

I suck at making choices.  (Nuuksio, Finland)

It's that time of the year where I start to notice the lack of digits in my bank account and decide to start putting a wee bit more effort into securing employment.  ...I... I say that like this is a regular occurrence, but if I pause for even a moment, I remember that I have no idea how to get a job.

How the heck has this happened?  How have I made it to thirty with such a lack of marketable skills or certifications?  I can't speak a second language!  I have no idea how to code a website.  I've never given a guy stitches!  What use am I???  So, back on the English teacher bandwagon I go, and this time, I have no idea which wagon to join.  I think I have narrowed down the world to a couple of countries I should focus on.

Taiwan
Pros: Standard Mandarin spoken (a useful language to try to pick up), my sister could visit me and practice (she is studying Mandarin now), I've heard good things about living there, good food, close enough to Japan for me to visit people I like there, and I can visit other places in Asia.
Cons:  Need to reinstate my teaching license in America to get a decent job, not a lot of jobs showing up, and the pay is just okay.




Japan
Pros: I have some friends there and some familiarity with the language.  I could try harder to actually LEARN the language.
Cons: I've been there.  I wanna go somewhere new.





South Korea
Pros: I've always wanted a reason to learn hangul. Pay is pretty good.
Cons: ...I'm sorry.  But it's South Korea which sounds about as exciting as moving to Ohio.  The language is Korean which, like Japanese, is only useful there, and Korea is becoming the new Japan in regards to embarrassing people.  "Like, ZOMG, I LOVE Korea!  Kpop 4ever!"  I've technically been there before.

Saudi Arabia
Pros: Damn good money and +7 Cool Travel points. I could work on learning Arabic, cool, and... well, I have one job offer.
Cons: Don't they behead Atheists there?  I am a female American atheist.  Not their favorite flavor.

Oman
Pros: Less restrictive than S.A., still a cool Middle East country, better pay than Asia, I could work on learning Arabic, useful, and...
Cons: Not a lot of jobs and I would need to reinstate my American teaching license even though I wouldn't be teaching in America.  Which is annoying.

Turkey
Pros: I know a few people there, I liked Turkey, I enjoyed trying to learn Turkish (even though I sucked), and the job market is easy to get into.
Cons: Not as much cash as anywhere else and I've been there already.

And then this just happened.  China was totally off my radar for this reason or that but..

China
Pros: Just got a TON job positions where the situations range from decent to "sounds pretty darn good." Useful language to work on, I've never been... probably never will without a job there..
Cons: Um... I don't know anything about China, really.  Pay isn't as good as M.E. or Taiwan.

So, there we go.  Someday I might look back at this blog and see where that new beginning happened at random.