Career plan update

[danaeris]

Input from locals to the area deeply appreciated

I've been hired by the Hamilton Figure Skating Club to teach an hour of preschool and canskate group lessons Saturday mornings starting on the 29th, on through April 9th; the pay rate is $38/hour. I'll also be on their roster for substitute work.
She also might have some work for me at the Oakville Skating Club.

Now, originally I had planned to go to Ryerson for the two year program, and certainly, I could coach in the city during that time at the plethora of clubs to be found on TTC.

A possible alternate plan is forming in my mind and I'm not sure how I feel about it, nor what is feasible.

If I started building up a clientel at skating clubs near Hamilton, towards Toronto, I could eventually afford a car. With a car I could work at clubs even closer to Toronto, thereby increasing my clientel. I'd also have the mobility to still have some sort of social life in spite of living with the parents. With the increased range of money-making options, I could eventually make enough to get an apartment of my own (or a rooming situation), perhaps located somewhere between here and Toronto (for those of you in the Bay Area, I live in one of many equivalents to San Jose, where I want to live and mostly socialize in Toronto; bus and commuter rail commute time is about an hour, with an $8 CAD fare).

Once I can cover my living expenses teaching skating living on my own and owning a car, I could start working on my writing again. Maybe go to a workshop or three on freelance writing and other related topics rather than doing a whole two-year program.

This alternate plan raises some concerns, however, some of which you may have input or thoughts on, some of which only time can resolve.

1. How quickly can I build a clientel, and would it enable me to move out before I go insane and commit patricide or matricide or both?
   
2. Would it actually be cheaper to live outside of the city? If so, where between Hamilton and Toronto doesn't suck to live (either because of cost, or area, or ideally, both)?
   
3. How much would it suck to try to have an active social life (and love life) living in Hamilton? How about living somewhere between the two cities (yeah, I know, it depends on where I'm living)? Keep in mind that I'd be "commuting" to work off-hours, since most figure skating classes are in the evening or on weekends during the fall, winter and spring. Likewise, how much would it suck to live in Toronto, but try to teach at clubs between TO and Hamilton, if I had a car?
   
4. How much would a car cost me to purchase?
   
5. How much would a car cost me on an ongoing basis? (insurance, gas, etc.)
   
6. Would I be better off just moving to Toronto and trying to set up a clientel there? Or should I follow this plan and slowly hopscotch towards Toronto? I've been assuming that coaches are more of a commodity outside of the city, but that might not be the case.
   
7. How likely am I to get stuck doing this and never make time for my writing because this is easy and comfortable and writing is scary and intimidating?

Apparently Oakville Skating Club has 1770 kids in their canskate program alone, and it being an affluent area, there is a lot of potential for private lessons there, from which a client base can be built.

I don't know what I want, but luckily, I don't have to decide yet. :) In the meantime, I'm re-upping my Emergency First Aid next Tuesday, and then I'll re-register with Skate Canada. Then I'll be eligible to teach at any club in Canada.

Comments

[thespian.livejournal.com]

It depends; first, it seems to me that it's a priority thing...journalism as a trade is likely better in some ways, since it will last you longer - when you can't skate, you can still write. On the other hand, because of that, it might be best to get to do the skating now, while you can; journalism/writing will still be there when you're older.

That said, I'd wait until you know if you can get work at Oakville, and what sort of work it's going to be. Applying to Ryerson will cost you a little, but it won't hurt to do so and find otu if you're even getting in (they accept 1 out of every 3 applicants to the grad school version). Consider actually calling around in Toronto to see if there's coaching work here - it'd be a shame to assume not and find out you could have been here. Meanwhile, at that sort of hourly rate, it would rock as a weekend job while at school.

Cars in the GTA are expensive both to own and to maintain, but I don't have one and can't comment beyond that. Parking is hard to find, and expensive when you do find it, and gas prices are consitantly a penny or two above the Guelph/KW type prices.