Are you looking to escape the corporate grind for a rewarding career break abroad than enables you to live in foreign country and become part of the local community?

Do you need a way to finance your international adventures?

Have you considered that international work experience can boost your resume and set you apart in a globalized economy and a competitive job market?

Why Consider Teaching English Abroad?

From Costa Rica and Chile to Cambodia and China, an estimated 250,000 English speakers gain employment each year teaching English abroad, making teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) one of the most viable ways for people from all background to get paid while living abroad.  You won’t get rich teaching English abroad, but in Europe and Latin America English teachers typically make enough to break even and live comfortably, while in Asia and the Middle East English teachers usually save 30%-50% of their salary each month after expenses, which is great for funding extra travel or perhaps making student loan payments.  In addition, you can enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to live in a foreign country as a local where you shop in local markets, live in a local neighborhood, and interact with members of the community on a level that even the most dedicated travelers almost never experience.

Teaching English Abroad as a Resume Booster

Whether you are looking to take a break from your current career or are just out of college and looking for ways to enhance your marketability to potential future employers or graduate schools, teaching English abroad can not  only provide a great international adventure, it can make for a serious resume booster as well.

• * In a globalized economy where commodities, financial transactions, information, and people are crossing borders at ever-faster rates, international work experience is sought by employers in nearly every sector.

• * Employers also increasingly prefer to hire people with experience interacting with others from different cultural backgrounds, and nothing embodies that more than living and working in a foreign country.

• * Teaching English abroad will require you to develop organizational and communication skills, as well as the ability manage group settings – all skills that will serve you in whatever endeavors you pursue in the future.

• * Working and traveling in a foreign country proves your ability to move out of your comfort zone, to take risks, and to adapt and confront new challenges.

• * Graduate school programs, including law schools and MBA programs, increasingly seek those with an international background and “real world” work experience.

In addition, teaching and living abroad will set you apart from other applicants for jobs or graduate school who will otherwise hold similar qualifications to you.

Key Things to Know about Teaching English Abroad

1. Take a TEFL certification course!  You don’t need background in teaching in education to teach English abroad, but a quality TEFL course will provide you with the skills you need to become a professional teacher, and most schools and language institutes require it. Also, quality TEFL schools will provide job placement assistance. Make sure you take an accredited TEFL course that meets international standards, including 100 hours of training and coursework, and 6-20 hours of live practice teaching and observation.  This is the equivalent of a four-week intensive class or an 11-13 week part-time or online class.

2. Research as much as you can!  From interview procedures and hiring requirements to visa matters and salaries, all aspects of teaching English abroad will vary from country to country.  Here are some great resources for learning more:

Resources

Websites like www.daveseslcafe.com and www.eslemployment.com list thousands of job listings for English teaching positions all over the world and forums where English teachers and job seekers share their experiences and insights.

The International TEFL Academy website features hundreds of FAQs & Articles about teaching English in addition to country profiles for teaching English in more than 50 countries around the globe.  You can also call 773-634-9900 and speak to an expert advisor about all aspects of teaching English overseas.

While it’s written primarily for a British audience, Susan Griffith’s Teaching English Abroad is a great resource providing hundreds of pages of information about job markets for teaching English abroad, including country profiles, contact info for thousands of schools, volunteer organizations and recruiters.

Blogs – Many English teachers around the world write their own blogs that offer great first-hand insights into life abroad as an English teacher and many include great job-hunting tips as well.

And finally, don’t be intimidated if you don’t have prior teaching experience or a background in education. Approximately 80% of those teaching English abroad don’t have prior experience and by taking a TEFL course you will gain the skills you need to enjoy a rewarding experience abroad as an English teacher.

Good Luck!

John Bentley is a Senior Admissions Advisor at the International TEFL Academy, which trains and certifies 1,200 people a year to teach English abroad and provides lifetime job search guidance to all students and graduates.  He holds a BA from Harvard University in Middle Eastern Studies and an MSJ from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism.  While at Harvard, John was a primary author for the Egypt-Israel edition of the famous Let’s Go! travel guide series and he has worked in the field of international travel and education throughout his career.  He also grew up overseas in Cairo, `Egypt and has traveled to more than 50 countries around the globe.

For more information about TEFL Certification and teaching English abroad and to request a free brochure and country chart, please call 773-634-9900 or visit: www.internationalteflacademy.com

Few endeavors provide more avenues for traveling, living and working overseas than teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) abroad. From Beijing and Bangkok to Barcelona and Buenos Aires, tens of thousands of schools and language institutes are paying full-time, professional wages to hundreds of thousands of English speakers to teach English in more than 100 countries around the globe.

And guess what?  You don’t have to have to be a professional teacher or hold a degree in education to get hired to teach English in Japan, Chile or Spain. Heck, with an accredited TEFL certification, you don’t even need a four-year college degree to teach in such great international destinations as Argentina, China and Costa Rica.

So, if you want to travel the world and live abroad, here are five reasons why teaching English abroad can make your dream of international adventure come true.

1. Earn Money to Finance Your International Adventures

Most people don’t travel the world to make money, but for most of us spending $10,000 or $20,000 on international travel just isn’t an option. As an English teacher abroad, however, you can make a comfortable, living wage that enables you to cover your bills and to enjoy life in the country where you teach, whether it be Turkey, Mexico or the Czech Republic. Most English teachers around the world break even financially, meaning they aren’t putting money in the bank at the end of every month, but they aren’t dipping into retirement accounts or begging from their parents either. They’re simply living life and paying their bills, only it’s in Madrid, Prague or Santiago, rather than in Seattle, Chicago or Los Angeles.

If you have student loans or other financial commitments that you need to meet while living abroad; or if you just want to save money for additional extended travel, consider teaching in an Asian or Middle Eastern country, where most English teachers typically make enough to save 30%-50% of their income after expenses. Schools in some of these nations will even provide you with free housing and fund your airfare. In countries like Vietnam or Taiwan, that means saving up to $6,000 after a year of teaching, or in South Korea, you can save $10,000 – $15,000 a year.  With those savings, you can fund months of travel virtually anywhere in the world, and you’ll do it while living in the one of the most fascinating regions on the planet.

To learn more about where you can make and save the most money teaching English abroad, check out the Top 5 Countries to Make the Most Money Teaching English Overseas.

2. Be a Local!

As an English teacher in a foreign country, you aren’t just experiencing that country from a tour bus or even with other international travel addicts at the local hostel – you are a true member of the local community.  From your students and colleagues to the people you encounter on your daily commute and meet at the local market, you are constantly interacting with local folks from all walks of life.

In all likelihood, you will live in a typical apartment in a middle class neighborhood where you will shop at the local market and become a regular at the corner coffee house or sake bar. The opportunities to experience the local culture and befriend people you would never meet otherwise will prove both countless and priceless!

3. Convenient and Affordable Travel Opportunities

Do you want to spend the weekend in Portugal?  Chances are that if you are living in San Diego or Boston, that isn’t possible.  But, if you’re teaching English in Spain, travel to any number of great European destinations is likely a convenient train ride away. While teaching English in Turkey, you can practically swim to Greece.  Or imagine teaching English in a place like Vietnam where nations like China, Cambodia and numerous other fantastic countries in Asia are within affordable and convenient reach.

4. High Demand for English Teachers = Mobility and Countless Opportunities

Demand for English teachers is so high globally that an American can realistically gain employment as an English teacher in dozens of countries around the world. That means when you gain your TEFL certification, you can have your cake and eat it to.  Want to live for a year in Asia and then spend a year in Europe or Latin America?  Great. Teach English in Shanghai, Tokyo or Bangkok, and then spend a year teaching in Russia, Poland or Peru.

5. Make a Difference!

Like international travel, teaching can be one of the most rewarding endeavors one can undertake. As an English teacher – volunteer or professional – you will provide a public service that will enable others to achieve their personal, professional and academic goals.  For many around the globe, learning English isn’t just a school requirement, it’s the ticket to world of better jobs and lives for themselves and their families.  As a teacher realizing your own dreams of living abroad, you are helping others achieve their dreams too – what could be better than that?!

What’s the catch?

The catch is you have to go do it! The other catch is you have to know how to do it, that comes from being professionally TEFL certified.  You will need to take an accredited TEFL Certification class so you can hold a qualification to get hired and will possess the skills necessary to provide you own students with a rewarding educational experience.

To learn more about what you need to look for in a TEFL certification program, check out 7 Key Tips to Evaluating a TEFL/TESOL Training School.

John Bentley is a Senior Admissions Advisor at the International TEFL Academy, which trains and certifies nearly 1,200 people a year to teach English abroad and provides lifetime job search guidance to all students and graduates.  He holds a BA from Harvard University in Middle Eastern Studies and a MSJ (Masters in Journalism) from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism.  While at Harvard, John was a primary author for the Egypt-Israel edition of the famous Let’s Go! travel guide series and he has worked in the field of international travel and education throughout his career.  He also grew up overseas in Egypt and has traveled to more than 50 countries around the globe.

For more information about TEFL Certification and teaching English abroad

and to request a free brochure please visit: www.internationalteflacademy.com

Enter into the Free Online TEFL class drawing. All those filling out a contact form  for information are entered in the Meet Plan Go Drawing. Valued at $1,995