Hi Igorina,

Personally, I would never ever do a PhD where I have to fund myself. PhD is stressful in itself and if I also have to worry about earning my own money then that's too much!

If I were in your place, I would definitely go ahead for another job...any job. I also had a year's gap where I lectured Bachelors and Masters students at a local college. It was possible in India since there are a lot of private colleges where there is always a dearth of teachers. I don't think it should matter a lot if you do a job in a different field...just be honest about your decision when asked about it in the interview. I am sure everyone understands.