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John_Galt

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John_Galt

Hello everyone

 

          I will be coming to Cambodia around November 2014. Just wanted to say hello and thank you for the great forum (much better than the 440 Aholes). Now I have to ask all of the typical newbie questions. 

 

1. Can I get a visa at the airport?  (yes 20 for tourist 25 for business) 

2. Can I find work?  (yes teaching english or maybe in a hotel/bar. Going around in person is best)

3. What is the cost of an apartment? (around $110-150 with ac and fridge.)

4. What is the cost of living? ($500-1500 for me should be closer to 500 I don't drink or do drugs. Also I don't plan on going out to eat for every meal)

5. Where should I live? (still not sure Phnom Penh to start with. Any suggestions would be nice) 

 

 

I am a 27 year old american with a high school diploma.

I am discontent with american politics (thats a whole different forum)

For an apartment what I am looking for is AC, Internet, and my own fridge. Also would pay more for quiet.

I plan on teaching english as my main source of income.

 

Any questions, comments, suggestions, words of encouragement or discouragement are all welcome.

 

 

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Parrothead

Hello everyone

 

          I will be coming to Cambodia around November 2014. Just wanted to say hello and thank you for the great forum (much better than the 440 Aholes). Now I have to ask all of the typical newbie questions. 

 

1. Can I get a visa at the airport?  (yes 20 for tourist 25 for business) 

2. Can I find work?  (yes teaching english or maybe in a hotel/bar. Going around in person is best)

3. What is the cost of an apartment? (around $110-150 with ac and fridge.)

4. What is the cost of living? ($500-1500 for me should be closer to 500 I don't drink or do drugs. Also I don't plan on going out to eat for every meal)

5. Where should I live? (still not sure Phnom Penh to start with. Any suggestions would be nice) 

 

 

I am a 27 year old american with a high school diploma.

I am discontent with american politics (thats a whole different forum)

For an apartment what I am looking for is AC, Internet, and my own fridge. Also would pay more for quiet.

I plan on teaching english as my main source of income.

 

Any questions, comments, suggestions, words of encouragement or discouragement are all welcome.

 

Hi John,

 

Welcome. We keep order here, and don't allow personal attacks. This forum, although considerably smaller than 440, is also more laid back.

 

1. Yes. And go for the business visa - or, ordinary, now?

2. I currently live in Battambang. A couple of schools here, were recently advertising for teachers. Not sure of salaries, though.

3. You are about spot on for a place to live. I don't see why you can't get one in that range. Not sure about Phnom Penh. But, definitely doable here, in Kampot, or Sihanoukville.

4. I do $1,500 / month on my cost of living, per month. I am retired.

5. That is up to you, entirely. Most work would probably be in Phnom Penh. But, unless you are going to share accommodations with someone else, which a lot seem to do, I don't see you getting a place for the price range you listed. I am certainly no expert, though. That is just an assumption on my part.

 

Do you not have the TOEFL certificate? That will probably be required here? No college? 

Edited by Paul

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John_Galt

Hello Paul,

 

Thanks for the quick reply. Makes a new guy feel welcome.

I am definitely getting the business/regular visa. And will extend it to 1 year.

I really have not gotten to explore the part of the forum about different cities yet. 

I would be willing to job search for up to 6 months to get a job in a smaller city close to the beach.

I did not go to college. And I do not currently have a TOEFL. 

From what I have read about TOEFL/TOESL's most of the time they are a waste of time?/ Completely unnecessary. Basically if you are native speaker and are somewhat professional looking you can get a job. 

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phuketrichard

hope u have at least $6,000 when u set foot on the ground.  ( your one year visa will set u back $285 or so)

Have u every travelled before/lived overseas? Why Cambodia?

 

With only a hs diploma you will find it very hard to obtain employment?

what experiience do u have?

 

If ur even remotley thinking of teaching get the Toefl degree

 

anything else will pay bare minumun, but might throw in food and a place on the floor

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John_Galt

Hello phuketrichard,

 

I was planning on $5-10k (in the bank)

I have never traveled outside the USA. 

Cambodia mostly because of cost of living and the ease of getting and renewing visa's. And its far away from the U.S.

 

I am asking if a high school diploma only will make it hard to find a job? Will someone hire me?

Experience mostly minimum wage jobs nothing special. 

 

I need to read more about the TOEFL. I think most of the ones offered online are borderline scams for $1,000. I could just print out an certificate for a lot less than that. I would want one that the local schools actually cared about.

It sounds like I could get one in country?

 

I would like to make around $700-$1200 if that's realistic.....

 

I am not thinking the grass is greener on the other side. And I am not romanticizing the idea of moving to another country.

 

Also here in the USA my budget is under $1000 a month. I work 25 miles away (300 miles a week driving) and own my trailer and land. 

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phuketrichard

I am asking if a high school diploma only will make it hard to find a job? Will someone hire me?

yes and who knows  :-)

 

Teaching englsh is not something everyone can do, ( i did it for 1 month at AUA in Chiang mai and hated it)   Making what ur expecting teaching without years of experience will be near impossible,  I know a few primary english teachers in PP an they average around $800-1,000/month and have been doing it for years.

 

Come over and do the course in Bangkok or Phnom Penh,  Look at the teachers forum on k440, after doing the course u might find a job starting at $600 or so /month ( u dont get a full work load)

 

Any other jobs will pay alot less and with no experience...... You can often find jobs at bars in SHV where u work 10-12 hours/day chatting to people, washing dishes, serving and u make a couple $$, food and  a place to sleep  ( high season only)

 

.except for ease of visas, u can live in Thailand as cheap as Cambodia if ur up country.

 

where in the states do u live in a trailer?  My daughter is in Uni in Ca and she lives on about $1,400/month

Rent $600, car insurance $125, mobile $30, Utilites $50, gas $125, etc etc.

 

PLenty of groups on facebook about working/living in Cambodia

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Jameshorle

Hey John.  Are you looking for a roomate in Cambodia?  Maybe we can hook up.

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John_Galt

Hello Thanks for the info puketrichard.  Im not sure hot to use this quote thing so hopefully it works.

 

 

 

Come over and do the course in Bangkok or Phnom Penh,  Look at the teachers forum on k440, after doing the course u might find a job starting at $600 or so /month ( u dont get a full work load)

 

This is completely fine with me. That is if by "dont get a full work load" you mean I would be working around 20 hours a week. for around $600 a month  with more free time I can live with less pay. 

I have worked in restaurants and bars before I would only want to do that as a last resort.

I also use Mturk for some extra cash And I am looking into Odesk (seen it mentioned here somewhere) 

 

I live in PA  I own so Rent is $0 Property tax is around $100 month Car insurance is $35 Cell phone is $110 Water $85 Electricity $200 average Internet $44 Gas for the car Around $180 And food $220 And then random crap. 

 

I never had a facebook and refuse to get one.    I will not comply  :wheel:  

 

If anyone else has some info or comments please let me know. 

 

I will come up with more questions soon. Thanks again guys for the welcome and great info.

Edited by Paul

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Parrothead

Sorry about that. I didn't get online until just now to approve James' post. I will move him into the Full Member user group now.

 

 

Oh, for the record, 440 is not known to be so friendly to new members. Not very tolerant of newbies.

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phuketrichard

440 has some great info, u dont need get involved in the bullshit.plus many more posters with the most recent ./update info

 

after all, 99% of all posts here asking questions about living/working in Cambodia have  been answered before so all one needs do is run a search.

 

http://www.khmer440.com/chat_forum/viewforum.php?f=2

Discussion room for teachers in Cambodia and beyond. The place to exchange your ideas as well as your views on TEFL's, schools, salary and the working world. Remember non-teachers are also welcome.

 

http://www.khmer440.com/chat_forum/viewforum.php?f=21

A heavily-moderated forum containing essential information on various aspects of Cambodia. Only moderators can create threads, but all users can post.

Edited by Paul
deleted your session ID from the links. When posting links from another forum, delete everything from the ampersand onward.

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