takeachance

I definitely appreciate the input. After all, thats what I came here for. As for moving expenses, the sort of teaching jobs I'm looking at usually come with compensation specifically for moving. And I've also studied the language for about a year and a half, so although I'm a bit rusty right now, I'm pretty sure I could get some pretty simplistic communication done, even if I didn't decide to go back to studying it full-force as I almost certainly would.

My concern with waiting is that I will be a different person then, and I'll be less able to experience it in the way that I want to. That is, if I am even able to go. For example, if I am in a relationship at that point, most people dont take well to their partner up and telling them that they want to go live on the other side of the world for a year or two.

All that said, I really am taking all of this advice to heart. I'm just arguing my side because well....I cant get to intimately know the strengths and weaknesses of both sides unless theres a lively debate. I hope you know what I mean. I appreciate the input.

I understand what you mean. But my concern is that by the time its perfectly comfortable for me to pursue this dream, I'll already be in a position where I cant live the dream. If that makes any sense.

Like yes, I could wait another 5 years until I am settled and have decent savings. But then I'll be settled, and just be left to wonder at what could have been.

yes, they almost certainly would cover living expenses and debt, and id probably be able to save on top of that. I've already done some number crunching along those lines.

Yeah, honestly I was already thinking about teaching english as a means of full-time pay, and then doing ML freelance work to build my skills and portfolio

Of course, who doesn't. But I suppose the question here is whether pursuing my goals would indeed fuck up my life or not.

There's also the option of trying to find a similar such ML position in japan also, but i still need to look into that.

Well to be fair, they are both paying jobs, one would just pay significantly less. As for pursuing dreams, my concern is that by the time I am financially stable, I will not be willing to drop the entire life I have created at that point. Whereas right now I'm in a transitory phase in my life, where I am not particularly tied down.

Does that make sense?

As for support, I do have some from my family in case of an emergency, but its certainly not infinite. I feel like in life, I've consistently taken the safe route. Now, I'm really tempted to take a huge chance. I know that taking a year or two off to teach English would generally detract from my career, but I also am very self-motivated, and I would probably spend a good amount of that time building my programming skills even more.

tl;dr: Should I take a mid-pay job with high potential for future salary, but be locked into a particular location, or pursue a life-long dream and teach abroad for a low salary with low potential for future salary?