I have been back in Canada for almost 10 months. I have been unemployed, except for some short-lived part time work and for some short-lived freelance work, for most of that time. That's almost 10 months without a full-time income. How did I survive for such a long time? Simple. I'm on welfare!
Back in September of 2011, I returned from two years of working and living abroad in South Korea. I, like most other foreigners working and living in South Korea, taught English. As a native English speaker, it was easy to get a job in the public school system. They have more job openings than they can find bodies to fill them with. Additionally, there are thousands of private academies looking for native English speakers to teach English as well.
But, there are also numerous issues with working such a job, too. As all students have to study English due to government regulation, the motivation of most of the students is not quite what you would expect it to be. Most do not know why they have to learn English. Most do not want to learn English. And, most do not like English. Now, I'm talking about 80% of the student population here. As you can see, for me at least, every day was an uphill battle with 80% of the students I saw. This begins to wear one down eventually. And, after two years, I wore me out. I had to get out. And, out I got.
Prior to my return to Canada, I began a job search a full three months before the end of my contract. During those three months, I applied to approximately 100+ different ESL/EFL positions in private schools throughout Asia; approximately 60% were within South Korea and approximately 40% equally scattered throughout the countries of Japan, Taiwan, China and the Middle East. I was searching for a position teaching adults at the time because I figured adults would be more motivated to learn and not have the problems associated with younger students.
Out of all of the applications that I sent out, I received only three job interviews, and two of those interviews were with the same school. They were all for a position with a school within Japan. I even went to a personal interview while I was in Japan on holiday for one of those positions. I received no job offers.
One of the biggest problems with being an English teacher in Asia is that I am, myself, Asian. I do not fit the stereotype of an English speaker. And, people over there are just as prejudicial as they are here. The only difference being that they do not hide it behind politically correct psychobabble like they do here. They tell it straight to your face, which, in my opinion, is less hypocritical than throwing politically correct psychobabble in your face and then bad mouthing you behind closed doors. So, why is this such an issue in private schools? Simple. Because in private schools, students have to pay for the instruction they receive and Asians have a reputation of not being able to speak English!
Anyways, approximately a month prior to my return to Canada, I also began a job search for a position within Toronto. I might have applied to approximately a couple dozen or so job openings at that time. I got my freelance videography and editing position back that I had prior to my moving to South Korea. I also got one interview offer from another photography related business. But, the interview date was prior to my return to Toronto. They were kind enough to change it. Unfortunately, it fell on the exact same date as my dentist appointment, an appointment made over six months ago at that time. I requested another interview date and/or time. I never heard from them again.
After my return to Toronto, I must have applied to another 150+ job openings. I applied to anything that I felt I could possibly do without training or certification; parking lot attendant, hotel clerk, janitor, building maintenance, fast food staff, photographer, videographer, sales clerk, factory assembly worker, optical assembler, security guard, driver, tour guide, etc. Out of all those job applications, I received one interview and one job offer, that of part-time hotel clerk. I accepted the job and worked for them for approximately 3-4 months. Unfortunately, out of all those 3-4 months, I worked less than one week’s worth of hours for them (32.75 hours). I left that position sometime in early 2012.
As all this was happening, I became totally broke and had become very frustrated with the ridiculous job situation in this country. By January, 2012, I was on welfare and my mom was now paying my rent for me. She still is as welfare does not give you enough to pay the rent and to buy food, at least not to pay the rent in a place that I would set foot in never mind live in!
I find it incredulous that a person with a university degree and some modicum of intelligence, me in this case, cannot find suitable employment here. What they have done is made it so difficult that unless you have papers in the exact job that you are applying for, you cannot get it. Even something as bottom of the bottom in society as a dishwasher needs papers. How ridiculous is that! After almost 10 months, I could not get a job even if my life depended on it. And, it did. Instead, I applied for and got welfare in less than 2 days! There is something definitely wrong in a country where one cannot get a job after almost 10 months and you can get welfare in less than 2 days. Really, there is.
Anyways, somewhere within this mess, I applied to one of the government sponsored training initiatives offered by the welfare office. Early this week, I found out that I was accepted into the program that I submitted an application for. It's at a private training college, Herzing College, for a course in the IT field. Now, the government does not pay for all costs, just some of it. Some of it also comes from government loans and the rest from my own pocket. Well, my mom's pocket in this case as I do not have any money these days. My mom receives a small federal government pension that is so small that she needs the provincial government to prop it up just to bring her up to the poverty level. And, with this poverty level existence, she has to help me survive. Land of plenty here in Canada? Not likely! This is the reality of the country and most of the people who never "made it".
But, for the first time in quite a while, I can look ahead towards the future with a renewed sense of hope for a better tomorrow. If I can pass my courses and get my certifications in the IT field, my future certainly looks a lot brighter than the last 10 months have shown me. Good luck to me!
