I decided today to look further into the plans I had made for my future, mostly to figure out exactly how much money I needed to be saving up, and also just to give myself some motivation. But what I found kind of freaked me out. What I found has kind of changed everything.
I can't teach in Taiwan with just an Associate's degree and a CELTA course. I can't find any other countries that will accept less than a Bachelor's degree. My options after graduating right now are to stay in the US for another two years, getting scholarships once I turn 24 and continuing to work until I can get my Bachelor's, or to join the Peace Corps.
If I save up $5,000 to $10,000 and put it in some kind of investment with a high rate of interest, I can serve 27 months in the Peace Corps, living in a foreign country, teaching English, gaining experience, and doing good work. At the end of that time, the Peace Corps will pay me $7,245 (before taxes). With that money and the money that I put away before leaving, plus a FAFSA scholarship and some other smaller scholarships, I can get my Bachelor's while working part-time. Then I can teach English abroad.
Eesh.
