If you aren't capable of earning more in a western country, something is wrong, right?

I don't know about Ireland (although you could well be from the UK, many with irish last names there too!), but the economy and job market in spain and the UK is not so good. Waiting lists even for supermarket jobs last time I checked. Teaching in the UK, all well and good, as long as you can tolerate OFSTED and their communist monitoring and rules, lots of teachers get burnt out in the UK. Nothing wrong with admitting you can't get a job, or want an easier life...esp in a crumbling economy.