What next? Brainstorming request.

[Digitalmunkey]

I have lived and worked here for over a decade. I worked as a native teacher of English with Vantaa City for 6 years. Prior to that as a freelancer for 5 years. Toward the end of my contract with Vantaa I began looking into returning to Uni to upgrade from Bsc to Msc and was offered a place abroad. Both the wife and I were thrilled at the thought of starting afresh in a new environment. All arrangements were made and then the doctors diagnosed my wife with an incurable, debilitating illness. It remains a priority for my wife to spend her life here in close proximity to her family/friends.

You can imagine the psychological adjustment required and effort involved in coming to terms with, and refocusing after getting news of that nature. Well, here's the issue. At any moment my wife's working life may come to a complete stop, leaving me as the sole breadwinner. This is a pressure which is driving me to the proverbial edge because I have had to fall back on the freelance work which is sporadic at best and completely unreliable at worst. The summer months are dry from a teaching perspective.

So in order to provide security for the home should the worst happen, I am having to reconsider my options. I have a degree in the environmental sciences, but no work experience. I have over a decade of experience of teaching English but no qualification. I have completed the Yleiseen kielitutkinto at intermediate level, so I speak the lingo to some degree. I feel stumped as to what to do in order to secure a full time permanent position. I feel that retraining in a new field or gaining work experience in the environmental field is the only way forward. My degree is now over a decade old and the theory I learnt is now defunct.

I am thinking Oppisopimus? I would like to hear your thoughts on the predicament and hopefully some brainstorming.

In anticipation
DM

[sinikettu]

Plan A
I began looking into returning to Uni to upgrade from Bsc to Msc and was offered a place abroad. Both the wife and I were thrilled at the thought of starting afresh in a new environment. All arrangements were made and then the doctors diagnosed my wife with an incurable, debilitating illness. It remains a priority for my wife to spend her life here in close proximity to her family/friends.

Plan B
I feel that retraining in a new field or gaining work experience in the environmental field is the only way forward. My degree is now over a decade old and the theory I learnt is now defunct.


DM

Firstly What can one say..other than sympathetic regards

It seems to me that you have decided already that Plan A is no longer possible.

Plan B does have the chance of improving your employability.
Is there an alternative?

[rinso]

It remains a priority for my wife to spend her life here in close proximity to her family/friends.

Use those relations to network. When they know the situation your wife is in, they will be sympathetic and try to help you.
Lack of experience or qualifications might be less serious is somebody gives you a head start.

[sinikettu]

Dont forget to check out Kela foryour wife

http://www.kela.fi/in/internet/english. ... 02082823MH

[Digitalmunkey]

Hi and thanks for the replies advice and suggestions,

Bluefox, thanks for the link

Hi Rinso. Thanks, but I think they are already a little tired of the asking.

Hello Navy Blue, I am looking into the Msc possibilities. Thank you.

Thanks all


DM

[Pursuivant]

There was in Oulu was it? a masters degree in pedagogy... but for to get in you need a bachelors in edumcashun => catch 22.

[KatM]

I'm sorry to hear about your wife.

What would you LOVE to do?

Or in self help lingo: What would you love to CREATE (if we assume that we create our life with our thoughts and actions)?

Sometimes in a situation like this we become so worried that we can't see ALL the opportunities that there are waiting for us and we get stuck with a thought "what do I think I can do" instead of "what would I love to do". I've noticed that at the end it's way more easier to create what I would love to create than what I think I should or can create.

[Pursuivant]

Create bread on the table and get bills paid?