Bravery/Necessity

It's been a recurring theme of late that anyone I tell that I've started the process to get a teaching job in the UK says something along the lines of, "Wow! That's so brave! I wish I had the courage to do that!" Now, I've already written my opinion on my own bravery and courage with regards to this little venture, but the thing I'm struck with at the moment is that applying for work outside the country is not so much brave and courageous but just plain necessary right now. Things are bad. Really bad. And at least for the next two years they don't look like they'll get better. I have faith that things will turn around with time, of course, but as an out-of-work teacher in a state with serious budget problems, my outlook for a job in a public school next year is bleak at best. And I just can't substitute for another year. I'm between long-term sub positions right now and I've only worked 2 days in the last 5 weeks. (2 weeks of that were winter break, but still...) I'll go crazy if I continue like this. Applying in the UK may seem outrageous to some but at the moment it's starting to feel more and more necessary. I'm not being outgoing, I'm doing what I need to do to keep my sanity. I'm a teacher and I need students - I'll go where I need to go if there's a guarantee of students to teach. Teaching is how I make myself whole as a person. There are no other options right now.