Post: #1

Just stumbled on this yesterday. http://englishteacherx.blogspot.com/

You can get his book To Travel Hopelessly for free if you have a kindle. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0051W1BRS

I read about half of it last night, and it's great. If you like Roosh's book A Dead Bat In Paraguay, Naughty Nomads book, or Neils, you will like this. Fucking foreign chicks, doing drugs, getting hammered. What's not to like?

Gonna buy his book Vodkaberg: Nine Years in Russia tonight probably. Can't go wrong for $4.

Ok, I lied. I just bought it right now. Damn 1 click buy on my Kindle is gonna drain my bank account.

Anyone else read this stuff before?

Post: #2

A quote that cracked me up:

Quote:Good thing anyway. I'm fucking bored with this place. Today I went to the library for a lunchtime presentation about identity theft, and then went into the backyard and threw throwing stars. My mother is beginning to wish I'd start blackout-drinking again, it'd be less pathetic.

Post: #3

Yeah I was cool with him until he had a meltdown and went all anti-manosphere.

The reason his books are on Amazon is being I personally mentored him.

Post: #4

Just bought the ebook. Big fan of his blog. I've posted about his blog before here.

The book should be a fun read.

Post: #5

His older blog posts were funny and entertaining but his later shit is holier-than-thou. Basically he got old and now tries to tell guys that there is no point in going to Russia. He thinks his level of success would never happen to any other dude because he is so special. Whatever.

Post: #6

I actually didn't read much from his blog. I got his free book on Kindle and started reading it since it was about Bangkok. Good read so far, but don't know much about him otherwise.

Post: #7

I remember the posting of his blog here. The books sounds very interesting, will definitely read it.

Post: #8

Yeah, I've read it. Funny as hell. Interesting take on the world of being an English teacher. Would like to here from those who've done it themselves as to the accuracy of English Teacher X's depictions of that world.

Post: #9

The Vodkaberg book is excellent and pretty much catalogues Russia's rapid decline from a "pussy paradise". By 2006 it was all over. My only complaint is that it reads as a long series of blog entries (which is to be expected I guess) with some sections worth skipping altogether. Definitely worth checking out for any would be expat. Btw, apparently Vodkaberg = Samara.

Post: #10

(09-14-2012 10:49 AM)BalkanCynic Wrote:  The Vodkaberg book is excellent and pretty much catalogues Russia's rapid decline from a "pussy paradise". By 2006 it was all over. My only complaint is that it reads as a long series of blog entries (which is to be expected I guess) with some sections worth skipping altogether. Definitely worth checking out for any would be expat. Btw, apparently Vodkaberg = Samara.

I haven't read it yet but your statement in bold is hyperbole. One man's perspective regarding his experiences in Russia which are tinged with scorn for his employers, a petty salary, and an overall lack of direction in his life is not sufficient to claim that 'it's all over' in Russia. Not everyone can handle chasing poon into their thirties.

I spent extended time in Russia and my experiences matched much of what he claimed couldn't happen again in his earlier blog posts.

It's like guys who leave college with their memories and go back and visit and see 'Ah man these kids don't know how to party, they'll never have fun like we used to'.

No. The parties change. The music changes. Dude is just old now.

Sure, it's not the 90's anymore. Just take it with a grain of salt when he laments how good it used to be, compared to what it is now.

Post: #11

Read it and liked it. Also read his more teaching-technique-focused book, but didnt enjoy it a lot. Too much teaching related shit.

Post: #12

I wish I actually bought the kindle when I had it in my hand in NY. They are way cheaper over there.

Post: #13

OK so I finished reading this book, took me around 2 days. Here are my thoughts:

I enjoyed the book, but there was something that kept bothering me all along the reading. I really didn't feel the author's purpose of going through all this, since I didn't even feel he was into it either. Was it for the money? Perhaps.

I couldn't help but feel bothered about how less he cared for things, it was like if he had lost a bet and had to go through all this, not good.

On the good side, he's writing style is very nice, the profanity fits in perfectly where needed. Although it sometimes feel like reading a mandatory school essay.

Maybe the aim of this book was solemnly focused on the bad things of his travel experiences? I don't know.

I'm still debating if I should read more books from this guy...Anyways, 3 stars from me.

Post: #14

I've been reading his blog for many years, absolutely love it! His writing is excellent. He is a very good looking guy by the way. He is somewhat right about Russia - it's no longer a great country to travel to meet women. It is still good, but nothing like in the 90's!

Post: #15

Bought TTH, Guide to Teaching English Abroad, How to survive living abroad and speaking activities that don't suck but only read those first 3 I mentioned. They're hilarious but kind of depressing at the same time because you slowly realize that the dark humor is there because ESL/TEFL/ESG (English student gaming) really sucks as a career. Sure you get to travel around the world but you still get treated like a bitch in any corporate setting accept your bosses speak Mandarin or Korean or some other shite because you're a dumb American who couldn't make it in the world's richest country so you went to some shithole instead.

I took the CELTA course in London. Most of those instructors who were in their 40s looked quite content staying in that profession in all their hedonistic and sardonic glory - I just couldnt picture myself doing that through my 20s and 30s. CCQs and student-centered learning, MFP, fuck that shit, go to youtube. Most of those fucking kids at the IH London just dick around on Facebook in the computer labs. English schools are like colleges for chrissakes where rich parents send their kids so that theyll come home and get good business jobs making ass loads of money that you won't cuz yer a TEFLr and they now speak Ingriss. Thank God I got a fucking rude awakening as to how selfish my motivations were and how shortsighted I had been and so I told the TEFL world to kiss my ass before I gave it up to some fucking school in Jackoffistan.

For me, at 26, I think taking the TEFL route would have equated to me giving up, and pissing away everything that everyone's invested in me and I in myself just so I can be in a class with hopefully, easy access to legal age female students and an excuse to get hammered everytime and live like shit.

So what? I went to IH London to get a CELTA, because I heard it was the highest and most widely recognized TEFL certificates for beginning teachers to have but as the Capt. explained, progressive credentialism is at work and soon everybody gets that certificationn so now you gotta get an MA and then Phd in Applied Linguistics and shit. Taking that route would've been me knowingly taking the loser route.

I still follow English Teacher X's blog btw, the guy cracks me the hell up.

Post: #16

Have any of you actually tried teaching English?

Post: #17

Post: #18

I finished Vodkaberg today. At first I didn't know what to expect, but I ended up enjoying the endless "then I went home and fucked this girl" stories.

He does get a little depressing at times and I also felt he lacked any motivation or purpose basically throughout the entire nine year(!) stint in Vodkaberg.

Also, I understand Russia isn't what it used to be...but I've spoken to numerous people that have recently taught or are currently teaching in Moscow or Piter, and they love(d) it. One guy has been there about four years and is pulling $3-4k net/month teaching. He also parties all the time.

So basically ETX is experienced and entertaining and cashed in right at the boom of provincial girl poosy. But, his experience of low pay and shitty treatment isn't necessarily the norm.

I'll know for sure soon enough, anyway.

Post: #19

Anybody have a link to his holier than thou meltdown?

Post: #20

(10-18-2012 08:25 PM)BadWolf Wrote:  Have any of you actually tried teaching English?

I have been doing so since September in China, yesterday was my last day. I used it as a way to support myself whilst I was over here looking for business options. I have now found these, and regret signing a ten month contract as I could have done without the last few months.

In China teaching English is a bit of a joke, what you do is given no respect, you are generally not given a syllabus or required to have any teaching training and are mainly just there as a white face in the classroom so the private school you work for can get for pupils in, or the university can up its rating. I wasn't even interviewed for the job.

The benefits are you get to live a good lifestyle on very little work. This semester I have worked 8 hours a week (plus lesson planning, but this doesn't take to long once you get the hang of it) for 5000rmb per month. 3000rmb is the average salary locally, plus I get a completely free apartment and return flights home. I've also had over two months holidays during those ten months I've been working. So financially its a pretty good deal, but it's not something I would want to do long term though.

If you want to get out of your home country, and to an emerging economy to look for business opportunities or other work options I'd highly recommend it. This has really worked out for me, my import business is in its infancy but so far its things are looking really good. If you want a career
break and want to spend an extended time in a foreign country then its also great. Long term, not so. I can't however speak for countries other than China, might be a different deal there.

As a side note, has anyone read Off The Rails In Phnom Penh? Well worth a read, about the insane and amoral exploits of English teachers in Cambodia during the 90s.

Post: #21

ETX has decided to call it a day and discontinue his blog. Know he has rubbed some ppl here up the wrong way but I will miss his updates and stories about his friend crazy Bob.

Post: #22

(06-14-2013 09:12 PM)chinadawg Wrote:  

(10-18-2012 08:25 PM)BadWolf Wrote:  Have any of you actually tried teaching English?

As a side note, has anyone read Off The Rails In Phnom Penh? Well worth a read, about the insane and amoral exploits of English teachers in Cambodia during the 90s.

I've read it.

In 2001 I was in far flung South East Asia and fell in with a French guy who travelled the world whilst still claiming benefits back home in France (his friends rang in for him and punched in his code and that financed his trips while he was abroad).

A good guy, his parents died when he was still quite young, obsessed with ska music, he wore a thick denim jacket jeans etc in serious heat.

We shared a room and occasionally when I walked in he seemed to be having some kind of emotional moment and would turn away from me.

In 2004 I read "off the rails in Phnom P.." and the authors spoke of 'a reggae obsessed French guy who travelled the world whilst still claiming benefits back home' and dropped in the fact that he was a hardcore heroin addict.
A few things I hadn't even thought too much about before suddenly fell into place.

Post: #23

^You fell in love with a dude?

Post: #24

I found his blog after seeing a old recommendation from Roosh & was looking for FSU stuff like the Exile from Ames and Taibbi. Good stuff to read, just wish some of it was longer. Have not read his Russia book yet.

He does seem like a habitual drunk, but other than that his stuff is great.

Post: #25

(02-12-2018 12:18 PM)Bienvenuto Wrote:  

(06-14-2013 09:12 PM)chinadawg Wrote:  

(10-18-2012 08:25 PM)BadWolf Wrote:  Have any of you actually tried teaching English?

As a side note, has anyone read Off The Rails In Phnom Penh? Well worth a read, about the insane and amoral exploits of English teachers in Cambodia during the 90s.

I've read it.

In 2001 I was in far flung South East Asia and fell in with a French guy who travelled the world whilst still claiming benefits back home in France (his friends rang in for him and punched in his code and that financed his trips while he was abroad).

A good guy, his parents died when he was still quite young, obsessed with ska music, he wore a thick denim jacket jeans etc in serious heat.

We shared a room and occasionally when I walked in he seemed to be having some kind of emotional moment and would turn away from me.

In 2004 I read "off the rails in Phnom P.." and the authors spoke of 'a reggae obsessed French guy who travelled the world whilst still claiming benefits back home' and dropped in the fact that he was a hardcore heroin addict.
A few things I hadn't even thought too much about before suddenly fell into place.