At the age of 41, in the middle of your peak earning years, you embarked on a career-ending EFL odyssey.

Well you are right here. At 41 it was not really a wise decision. Still, the OP should have saved and saved and saved, then he could have at least had a cheap place to live in Thailand for a while, while figuring out the next move. I still maintain ESL is what you make of it, and better than rotting on the dole in the knife crime ridden UK.

they look and see that I have been away from US and think I have no stability also I can only go by the countries I taught in
but in my opinion South Korea teaching at a university would answer your second question.

I spent a total of 14 years teaching English overseas.

Now it is August 2015 I don't
have a job because employers won't hire me because I was away from America for so long.
I am 55 years old

At the age of 41, in the middle of your peak earning years, you embarked on a career-ending EFL odyssey.

As MANY people on this site have attested: EFL teaching is a wonderful experience for people in their 20s who are having a post-graduate experience AND for early retirees with savings or retirement income.

ANYONE in their 30s or 40s who is working as a foreign teacher is NOT enhancing their resume for employment in their home country. Even well-paid fully qualified and certified subject teachers are putting themselves at risk once they return to their home country, if they remain overseas for too many years.

It has been my observation, however, that a significant number of FTs in the 40s are teaching in China precisely because they could not find work in their home country, for a litany of reasons, some of which are the basis for China's new focus on Criminal background checks.

Again speaking of China, I you decide to stay here the opportunities to legitimately participate in business ownership are almost nil. With a Chinese spouse you may have some opportunities, but it is difficult to navigate the local regulations and 'guangxi'.

I spent a total of 14 years teaching English overseas. I taught in China, Vietnam, South Korea, Thailand, The Sudan. I spent the most time in China ( 9 years). I had my ups and downs in the ESL industry. I traveled to many places and met man nice people. In 2013 the bottom fell apart for me. I quit a teaching job in China I thought I was so smart that I could find another one quickly well I was wrong dead wrong! I went to Kenya to live cheaply and to find a teaching job from the internet. I lived off of my savings for 4 months. I had a lot of promises for a teaching job but none never came. In one last desperate attempt to find a teaching job I went to Turkey again a lot of promises but no job. I was running out of money so I went to The American consulate in Istanbul to help me get back to America. I had not been back to America for 9 years. I was told by the American consulate that before I could get another passport I would have to pay back $1600 this included the airfare back to the US and hotel fees paid by the consulate. I arrived in San Diego California on October 31st 2013. I had $100 in my pocket and no where to go. I hitch hiked from San Diego to Florida it took me about 12 days to get there. Many people gave me rides and treated me very kindly. I have had to stay in homeless shelters in Florida, Ohio, and Omaha Nebraska. Now it is August 2015 I don't have a job because employers won't hire me because I was away from America for so long. I am 55 years old and my age doesn't help either. Teaching ESL was the best time of my life! The students, The classes, the teaching material are distant memories savored for long nights when I can't sleep.