Commuting btwn PDX and L.A. - advice? experience? crazy? (Brea: spring break, rent)

[techyeducator]

I'm in the market for a teaching job in Portland, OR but there seem to be few if any available for '10-'11. Anyone have any feedback on my idea of keeping my very high paying L.A. teaching job and commuting 30 weekends in '10-'11?

[harhar]

1. What do you consider a very high salary?

2. Why can't you live here? Downsize?

3. Why not find a non-teaching job in Oregon? COL is lower there.

4. I'm assuming you'd fly back and forth from PDX to LAX which would negate a substantial portion of your "high" income.

5. Are you crazy/troll?

Here's what I would do: Save money here with my high paying job. Move to PDX with savings. Find alternate job in the meantime. Eventually get hired as a teacher again.

?

[techyeducator]

Thanks for the feedback. I'm not a troll. The L.A. job is $30k - $35k higher than avg. PDX teaching job. My Love's dream job is in Portland and I want to join her there, hence the conundrum.

[harhar]

Originally Posted by techyeducator

Thanks for the feedback. I'm not a troll. The L.A. job is $30k - $35k higher than avg. PDX teaching job. My Love's dream job is in Portland and I want to join her there, hence the conundrum.

Sorry, just had to clarify the troll thing.

Yeah, you're not going to make that much as a teacher anywhere else. But everything else in PDX is drastically cheaper.

If this is your 'love' then if I were you I'd move and find a different field for a while.

I know it is easier said than done, but it is definitely easier than 'commuting' both ways. :/

[Narfcake]

At the cheapest, you're looking at $100 each way for the flight plus ancillary fees ... you'll prolly be out almost $300 each round trip.

Time wise, an hour-half pre-flight, a little over an hour for the flight, and getting to and from the airports ... 4 hours each way, or 8 hours round trip.

30 trips ... you're going to be out $9,000 and 240 hours a year just on that aspect of the commute. Net gain of $21k, yes, but you've essentially have to work 6 more weeks in the year too. Then you have to factor lodging and local transportation costs ...

If you think your quality of life is worth the tradeoff, then go for it. IMHO, it's just going to be too costly and time consuming to be viable choice.

[techyeducator]

Thanks to all who have responded so far.

The dearth of teaching jobs right now in the PDX area is a major deciding factor in all this. My L.A. teaching salary is ~$36k above the avg. Portland Public Schools teacher salary so if I could do the commute and L.A. rent for less than that, the finances are a wash. It's a good point that the time factor and stress of travel is of course something to consider.

I would have two weeks at Winter Break and two weeks at Spring Break in PDX, and all 12 weeks of June/July/August, so it seems worth it in that respect.

[SOON2BNSURPRISE]

Have you considered teaching for an online school such as University of Phoenix? Starting pay for a 5 week class is just under $1,000 a class and you can teach more than one class during that period.I know one teacher that teaches 5 classes during a 5 week period. You do need a Masters Degree though to teach for them. They don't care where in the nation that you live. Not sure on the benefits though, but it does give you some freedom. Check out their web site or one of the other online schools.