TheApple

I like Jax had a more ambitious lifestyle, until my wife took up with a COP. Unfortunately I lost everything, including my kids who were moved into the detective's house. didn't matter that I had shared parenting. COPs and threats from them are very persuasive Eventually had to move out of the county to avoid harrassment. After the pain subsided, I was, however, awakened to the benefits of a simpler life, but had to move far away to find work so I could pay child support and still survive and not be thrown in jail. I live in a county where there is a militant female prosecutor who persecutes dads...sometimes rightly and many times wrongly. It always makes sense to give a police record to a man who already can't find work. Where is the logic in these people's minds.

Anyway, I returned to school on a music scholarship that I turned down years ago and got a master of music. But it's not an education degree. I found that I can enter schools on a lateral entry licensure, but most districts are loathe to pay a master degree salary when there is no certification. So I have been teaching English in the public schools in South Korea.

You can make roughly $30,000 to $34,000 a year here tax free for the first two years. Rent is free because the school provides an apartment. Roundtrip airfare is paid. Health insurance is paid. There is a one month salary bonus for completing a contract and each month the school deducts 5% of your salary and matches it as a retirement fund.

It is very challenging in many ways. Asian cultures are a 360 degree turn around from the west. Lots of culture shock. I spent a year just learning to read the alphabet and two years to understand a few phrases. Not only is the culture a complete turn about, but also the language. Sounds uttered here are incomprehensible to the western ear and virtually impossible for the western tongue to reproduce. Lots of isolation. But for those who drink it's a party paradise. Unfortunately I'm a teetotaler.

But to make a long story short, I'd love to come home and teach. I'd love to find a job, a good job teaching music rather than ESL (although I've become quite good at it), a nice trustworthy woman and settle down. I'm a talented guy. Spent years studying piano with two concert pianists. I'm 46 and life is too short and it's lonely to wander all alone. Where can a guy like me find work in the states with two non education music degrees on a lateral entry position?

Michigan is not too bad, although the economy here is awful with the failing auto industry and districts are losing students so securing a job here may be difficult. Detroit entry level w/Masters is 41, 537. Masters at step 10 (the highest level) is 72, 516. Detroit is one of the lower paid districts in the Metro Detroit area so if you can get in one of the suburbs it's not bad.

I think we're missing the big picture here. I was born and raised in NYC (super expensive). My siblings now live in California (almost as expensive) and I live in one of the suburbs north of Dallas. My sister teaches in San Diego area and despite making considerably more than I make (her and her husbands income is over 120K a year). She, hubby and kids can barely survive with the high cost of living, energy costs, food, outrageous mortgage etc.
I make 45K and am able to live comfortably on that (yes i have children at home and I am a single parent).
The way i see it 43-48K in a super expensive major city like L.A., N.Y. is more like making 20K a year in reality. It's all about:
1) Perspective-- Higher Salary+ Mega High Cost of living=scraping by
VS
A bit Lower Salary+ Substantially Lower Cost of Living+ Controlling spending habits= More comfortable living.

2) Control your spending, simplify your life a bit and you'll be able to hold on to more of your dollars.
I am not suggesting living like a hermit BUT we have to face the facts:
AMERICANS SPEND TOO MUCH ON TOO MUCH CRAP!

I used to be one of those Americans! I had the 3,000 Square foot 4 bedrooms,gameroom, 3 bathroom 3 car garage house in a deluxe neighborhood.
I had all the goodies-cars, motorcycles, china, fine glassware , nice vacations twice a year etc etc. and then it allllll blew up on us (or rather me depending on how you look at it) ---for the curious: Hubby took up with a much younger woman.

But i am soooo glad my life took the turn it did because with that i made an unbelievable discovery--I discovered i was enormously happier with ALOT LESS. A discovery i made when i moved out of my house temporarily on separation until the divorce.
So powerful was this discovery that it prompted me to leave him just about EVERYTHING in the divorce. He kept the house, cars (except for mine), all the contents of the home etc. All i asked for is that he also keep the remaining debts.
So i came out of my marriage with nothing but also DEBT FREE.

I bought a modest 1600 3bedroom/2 bathroom square foot home in a super nice, fairly new neighborhood close to amenities and with a decent driving distance of downtown Dallas.
I have some goodies like 2 TVs (bought at lowcost) Satellite, 2 Computers, Stereo system but that's it!
There are no "Knick nacs" in my home. No multiple cars, or motorcycles or boats, no expensive China, China hutch, sofas, glassware or expensive artwork --nothing.
I can buy these things but ---I CHOSE NOT TO.
I now have only 5 bills-- Electric, Water (including garbage and Sewer), Sattelite, Phone (including DSL internet)--these bills tend to add up to approximately $600/mo. and the mortgage is a smidgen over 1K , food and other essentials add up to about $400/mo= Approx 2K/MO.
Less bills and less junk=less cleaning=less headaches=less stress+ more time for the kids, friends, family and relationships (In other words- more time for what's important)=HAPPIER LIFE.
I am in a wonderful relationship with a man that knows how to treat a woman with respect and affection/attention.

And what about the EX?----Well it seems ex-hub got himself in a bit of a pickle:
Ex-husband is filing for Bankruptcy. I guess that's what happens when you take up with a 22 year old princess that feels the world should be handed to her on a silver platter with no effort on her part. Yes she promptly moved in with him once we separated and quit her job. He picked up the cost of her move, debts, and VERY EXPENSIVE cost of living. Gotta have those cute shoes.
It's amazing what some Men will do for a "Piece"-- LOL

Oh wow I just saw decochick comment, that is awsome! But still does anyone knows about D.C. let me know.

im interested in moving to columbus ohio and teaching science. I have applied to several districts, but have not heard any response, ANY SUGGESTIONS?????? sspence8@yahoo.com

let's see kudos to whoever wrote the article tis a most laudable effort to keep educators informed.
that being said the article unfortunately only deals in terms of absolute salary.

I've never been to atlanta and chicago, so I have no idea about the 'true' situation there. but houston would definitely probably be in the top 3 if not the top spot I strongly think.

Houston's probably one of the only major cities out there that isn't constrained by natural boundaries (i.e. mountains, lakes, rivers, whatnot) it's smack flat in the middle of a virtual 'desert' so every year the 'sprawl' simply gets much bigger, since it can expand on all sides. instead of the housing market squeezing out the middle class.

quality of life is relatively decent there and the cost of living and food is much lower comparably to most major cities. you pay somewhere in the ballpark of $80 per square foot of housing.
(compared to nearly $1,000 per square foot in manhattan) the housing market is relatively stable and isn't prone to skyrocketing rates it goes up 2-3 percent per year i think.

los angeles on the other hand has cheap food but the land/housing prices are very pricey. it's near hollywood afterall and it's blocked on all sides from expanding. LAX is a rather cramped airport. and the smog. (i.e a cramped airport is a sign that land is at a premium) i could look up some la facts but i'm too lazy :P

new york city starting wages for a janitor i think is somewhere around the ballpark of $16 an hour that's roughly $31K a year :(

Looking around it seems the avg entry job lands $20 an hour...that's nearly $39K a year if what i'm seeing is a full time deal. and starting salary $43K.
and sales tax of 8.375% woohoo.

if you work in new york city or los angles for that matter you won't be able to afford in the city (obviously) proper. 2-3 hour commutes aren't uncommon. Brooklyn i think is nearly an hour or so away and the housing cost is roughly halved. i would think LA and NYC would be #'s 5 and 6 if they would be on the list at all after that

That is nice and all but i would never care so much about the money rather than the feeling of teaching