Giving up on a dream, take two

Helen_Davis · Post by **Helen_Davis** » Sun January 25th, 2009, 9:41 pm

Hi. I wanted to move to Spain for a long time, but I have just found out that it takes a long time to get visas and as an American, they discriminate against me- I guess what that evil prof told me was true.

The last time I gave up on a dream, I tried suicide five times, then I got this one to replace it. Now, though, I don't have anything to replace this one. Any ideas to help me?

diamondlil · Post by **diamondlil** » Sun January 25th, 2009, 9:48 pm

Do you have to give up on the dream just because it is harder than you thought it was going to be?

Telynor · Post by **Telynor** » Sun January 25th, 2009, 10:25 pm

Why not hang onto the American citizenship and become an expat? I would suggest visiting it first and deciding if you really want to live there. Most countries are pretty twitchy about immigration these days, but they love tourists to bits.

Perdita · Post by **Perdita** » Mon January 26th, 2009, 12:09 am

First of all, I don't blame you for wanting to move to Spain, it's gorgeous. It's a wonderful dream to have and it can be achieved but you will have to be sure in your mind about the practicalities.
Do you know where you want to go and how you'll support yourself? In the big cities like Madrid and Barcelona there is a lot of demand for teachers of English as a foreign language. Anyone with a qualification such as CELTA or Trinity is in a strong position. (These qualifications take about 4 weeks).
I don't know about the visa requirements for non EU citizens but I've been on various tefl forums where Americans have said they've found jobs by just asking around and being there on the spot.
It's hard to give you advice without knowing exactly what your skills, plans, dreams are etc, but I'd say never give up on a dream because as my mother says, 'if you can dream it, you can be it' so keep your chin up, aim for Spain and remember to send us a postcard when you get there.
x

Helen_Davis · Post by **Helen_Davis** » Mon January 26th, 2009, 12:13 am

[quote=""Perdita""]First of all, I don't blame you for wanting to move to Spain, it's gorgeous. It's a wonderful dream to have and it can be achieved but you will have to be sure in your mind about the practicalities.
Do you know where you want to go and how you'll support yourself? In the big cities like Madrid and Barcelona there is a lot of demand for teachers of English as a foreign language. Anyone with a qualification such as CELTA or Trinity is in a strong position. (These qualifications take about 4 weeks).
I don't know about the visa requirements for non EU citizens but I've been on various tefl forums where Americans have said they've found jobs by just asking around and being there on the spot.
It's hard to give you advice without knowing exactly what your skills, plans, dreams are etc, but I'd say never give up on a dream because as my mother says, 'if you can dream it, you can be it' so keep your chin up, aim for Spain and remember to send us a postcard when you get there.
x[/quote]
I wanted to teach english as a foreign language, yes. Can you give me some info about the CELTA? And I'm not a shy person, so I think I could ask around, definitely.

Perdita · Post by **Perdita** » Mon January 26th, 2009, 12:58 am

Here are some links to get you started..

For info on CELTA
http://www.cactustefl.com
You can search and apply for CELTA courses all over the world including USA

For info on life in Spain
http://www.spainexpat.com

For advice on Tefl
http://www.eslcafe.com

I hope these help

Margaret · Post by **Margaret** » Mon January 26th, 2009, 2:35 am

Since 9/11, the U.S. has been discriminating against foreign visitors and immigrants, so a lot of other countries have started discriminating against American visitors and immigrants. But with a new administration, the nonsensical aspects of the American discrimination are very likely to change, so the discrimination against Americans abroad is also likely to change.

Dreams are worth hanging onto, even if it may take a long time and a lot of work to realize them. Sometimes our dreams shift, though, and sometimes dreams we have been hanging onto for a long time becomes obsolete before we actually realize it. It's often worthwhile to spend some time in imaginative play, trying new dreams on for size. Sounds like this might be a good time for you to go roaming in the world of unfettered imagination. You may come up with something wonderful that is only a small stretch beyond your fingertips! And it wouldn't necessarily mean giving up on your Spain dream - it might even be an intermediate step on your way to achieving it.

Helen_Davis · Post by **Helen_Davis** » Mon January 26th, 2009, 2:50 am

thanks, Margaret! I have a lot of hope for the obama administration, but that's besides the point. I was also thinking of argentina, but I don't just have that click for the place. I'm going to keep it in my heart, and hopefully hope my new friend can help find me work there.

LoveHistory · Post by **LoveHistory** » Mon January 26th, 2009, 3:46 am

No reason to give up your dream. Spain isn't going anywhere.

)

LoveHistory · Post by **LoveHistory** » Mon January 26th, 2009, 3:46 am

That was supposed to be a smiley face.