Should I go or should I stay?

[ETomlinCF3@AOL.COM]

As a previous post has stated, technicians in the US make far less than 
$50,000 per year.  Brian makes about $20 US per tuning in South Africa and 
about the same per hour.  He earns a good living there.  For instance, I 
earned the same salary as the prime minister of Namibia did last year.  He 
lives in a gaurded mansion on the coast of Namibia.  The housing I stayed in 
there was a house that cost $70,000 our money,  I would have paid $250,000 or 
more for that same home here in the US (North West).  I just don't want Brian 
to hear salary quotes from the materialistic west that are unrealistic to his 
situation.  Brian is single and mobile.  Most of the US stores would not pay 
their piano techs more than $35,000 per year starting wages.  We all know 
that we would still pick up extra business on the side.  They don't live as 
we live, or spend as we spend.  A much simpler life and Brian is a winner no 
matter where he goes in Africa or around the world.  Make the best of it 
Brian!

Ed Tomlinson
Not trying to be uptight. =)
<<   What I meant was the equivalent of what $50,000 per year would be here.
 Whether that be 8,000, 12,000 24,000 in their currency. I've never been
 there but Brian estimated $36,000 in our wages so I was commenting on that.
 I have heard Johannesburg is a big city so I find it hard to believe that
 housing would be 1/3 of what it is here. Do you think housing is the same
 all over the US? I believe piano technicians are WAY underpaid. $25,000 to
 $30,000 per year in Southern California is low income.
 Doug Hershberger >>