If you are considering undertaking the adventure of becoming an educator in another country, then perhaps you should consider the exciting and unique opportunity of teaching English in Vietnam.  Vietnam is a country that is on the move, growing exponentially economically over the past couple of decades.  You will be able to enjoy all of the natural beauty of the landscape, from the dense and unique jungles to the beautiful, sandy shores of the ocean.  Foreign educators get the opportunity to learn about an entirely different culture that is largely traditional Asian, with influences from the United States and France on its history.  The need for English teachers is increasing every year, as more and more Vietnamese students strive to become successful in international business or gain the highest academic degrees.  English is the international language of business and of education.  You will have an opportunity to fill a need and to improve yourself and broaden your perspective about life.

History of Vietnam

You can’t expect to be teaching English in Vietnam and understand it’s people without learning something about their history.  For much of the twentieth century Vietnam was a country that was divided by war.  The country was divided into two separate countries, with North Vietnam being controlled by a communist government and South Vietnam practicing democracy supported by the United States.  In the sixties, the conflicts between North and South became a military struggle, and the United States became more and more involved.  First just sending advisors and then finally sending military troops, until it became a major war.  It was a guerilla war fought in the jungle, it became more and more unpopular in the United States and eventually the US decided to withdraw all troops and the North took over the country.  The wounds of this conflict have largely healed as we look at Vietnam today.  The political leaders recognize that we are living in a global economy and to move forward is going to take cooperation with the west.

Role of A Teacher

The role of a teacher in Vietnam will be that of a facilitator.  You will not just stand in front of a room of students all day long.  You will be responsible for implementing the curriculum in all aspects of Vietnamese life.  You will be responsible for the classroom activities that promote all of your students to communicate in English in all of the student activities.  You will also get to work as an advisor for your students providing feedback on student progress, answering any questions and evaluating their actions.  Culturally, the Vietnamese people have a high regard for their teachers and will respect your work and support you in your efforts to teach them how to speak English.  Teaching in Vietnam will not only provide you with the adventure of a lifetime, exploring a totally new land.  It will also provide you with a broader world view and understanding of all people.  By stepping out of your comfort zone and living in a new land which is without many of the comforts of home, you will be forced to adapt and grow in a way that can only be described as positive.

A Trip Back In Time

When you decide to take a job teaching English in Vietnam you are going to be able to experience the modern Vietnam, with cities and many of the western conveniences.  However you will also be able to almost effortlessly slip into a time machine and experience the parts of Vietnamese culture that are thousands of years old.  There are temples located deep in the jungles that you will feel like you are the first people to visit in many hundreds of years.  These connections to ancient cultures are what provide uniqueness to the Vietnamese culture, and understanding this part of what makes Vietnam unique will allow you to understand yourself a little better as well.

Make The Most Of The Opportunity

In life you are not always able to choose the experiences that you are going to have, but you always have the opportunity to choose how you are going to react to them.  Teaching English in Vietnam will provide you with many situations that you have never experienced before, you will be pushed to grow both personally and professionally.  You will be able to decide what the long term impact of the experience will be.   You will gain a unique understanding of the people and the culture of a land that is such a big part of United States History.

There has become a huge need in Thailand for more people to teach the English language to its students.  Thai students who wish to study at the best institutions in the world, predominantly located in the United States and the United Kingdom, need to learn to speak English.   This opens up an exciting world of opportunity to all English speaking natives to move to Thailand and teach English for a living.  This will allow you with the opportunity to move to a country halfway around the world and experience their culture in an all inclusive way that is totally unique and one of a kind journey.

Follow Your Dream

Many people have dreamed about leaving all that they know behind and moving to the far east to live at least for awhile.  Leaving your life as your know it can give you a unique perspective about other cultures and the people who have developed them.  When you decide to start teaching English in Thailand you have opened a door that can make this dream a reality.  There are going to be a lot of cultural changes you are going to have to be ready to deal with.  The demand for English teachers is very high so there will be many opportunities for those who are qualified to teach. Teaching in Thailand tends to be a little less lucrative than some of the other countries in Europe, but it provides you with the spice of it’s people and culture which can’t be put in monetary value.

Build Your Resume

As you graduate from college and head off into the real world, you are going to find a lot of competition for jobs.  This is as true in the education system as it is in any other industry.  You are just starting out so you do not have any experience on your resume, work experience or life experience.   You may get lucky and find a job teaching what you would like to, in a place that you want to work in, but you may not be that lucky.  Making the decision to Teach English in Thailand you are going to provide yourself with plenty of experience.  You will gain professional experience from teaching English as a second language to the Thai population, you will have a solid professional experience, complete with great references and practical educational experiences.  You will also gain a wealth of personal experience by moving out of the comfort zone of most Americans and delving head first into a country and culture that is very different from your own.  This experience is going to mark you as a person who can take whatever comes their way.  You will be a highly sought after commodity when you return after a year or so of teaching English in Thailand.

Teaching Options Exist

You will be faced with several different options for teaching in Thailand.  One of the best options is going to be teaching at an international school. These schools will pay more and give you better benefits. They are also used to working with people from different countries and tend to be a little more understanding. They will tend to celebrate western holidays and provide you with longer holiday breaks.  Many of these international schools are Christian oriented but really teach to all religions, as Thailand has a very large Buddhist population. The next best option for employment is a bilingual school.  They will also be relatively used to working with foreigners and will help to make you more comfortable.  These schools are a notch below the international schools in financial backing but still will provide you with a great teaching experience in Thailand. The third option is a government school, which we would call public school in the United States.  Although the funding is a bit lower than the other two options, this will give you the most immersion in the Thai culture.  Teaching English in Thailand will be the most critical to the students of the government schools.  How far they will go in life will be determined by the teachers that they have.

Teaching in Thailand will provide you with a unique adventure that will change the way you look at the world and the people who live in it.

If you love the adventure of traveling to new places and experiencing cultures that are very different from your own, then making the decision of Teaching English in Korea will be a rewarding and self fulfilling experience that you will never forget.  You will get to know Korea on an intimate level that you can only find by becoming a part of the everyday fabric of Korean life.  You will be able to do all of this while having all of your expenses covered and getting paid to do it.  You will be able to spend time exploring the Korean culture and getting to know the people along with other like minded westerners who have also made the decision to teach and learn in a foreign country.

Great Teaching Experience

Perhaps you have just graduated from college with your teaching degree and you have found that the job market out there is not quite what you thought it might be.  If you are having a hard time finding a job teaching what you want to teach, in the geographic area you want to teach in, you need to gain experience and put something unique on your resume.  Teaching English in Korea will do that for you.  This is a resume item that will allow you to stand out above the crowd when you apply for teaching jobs.  If you can handle going half way around the world, living in a foreign country, learning firsthand about culture, you are going to be able to bring that experience back to an American classroom.  Administrators love to add diversity in all of their hires because to provide a well rounded education to students, you have to have teachers with backgrounds and many different experiences.  Setting yourself apart with a foreign teaching experience could be just the item on your resume that will allow you to pick and choose from jobs in America when you return.

Cultural Benefits of Teaching In Korea

When you visit South Korea you are going to be immersed in a culture that has managed to combine traditional values of an ancient eastern culture with many of the modern amenities of western civilization.  You will go to a country that has been divided politically since the end of the Korean War in the early 1950’s.  This separation has provided a keen inspiration for it’s artist to create unique and fantastic artwork of all Kinds.  Visiting Seoul, South Korea is much like visiting any modern city.  You will be able to enjoy museums, art galleries, and theaters that will teach you about the ancient culture of the country but provide you with a modern view of the people as well.  There are not many westerners who have had the ability to work with the Korean people on such a basic level, like teaching them to speak English.  You will become a cultural ambassador for all Americans.  The Korean language is very different from English, so you will learn to speak and understand a language that is totally unique.  Koreans are highly motivated to learn English, because it will allow their students to reach the highest levels of international business and to gain the best education the world has to offer.

History of Korea

Korea is a country that has been separated politically between the communist north and the democratic south for much of the past one hundred years.  North Korea remains largely shut off from the rest of the world as their leadership attempts to keep it’s citizens under strict control and censorship.  South Korea on the other hand has embraced modern technology and has developed into a thriving, modern nation that has carved out a niche in the world’s economy.  This is one of the reasons that learning English is important for them, so that they can participate fully in economic and educational activities all over the world.

Making the decision to spend a portion of your life teaching English in Korea is going to be a life altering one, personally and culturally.  You will return to your country of origin with an array of new experiences that allow you to teach, and to understand those that are different from you.  You also will have experience that will look great on your resume and help you land virtually any teaching job you want.

There are people who live their entire lives just looking for an opportunity to have some contact with another culture, where another language is spoken; there is a different code of dress, where expectations are different.  Teaching English in Japan will provide an adventurer with just such an experience.  Once you make the decision to go to Japan you are going to open the doorway to a whole new world that you have never seen before.  You will be able to explore a country that has many thousands of years of culture while you are getting compensated at a very competitive rate.

Learning About Japan

There will not be a greater opportunity for someone to really become involved in Japanese culture to the level that someone living and teaching in Japan will be able to.  You will be able to become fluent in the Japanese language which will become a dynamic skill in and of itself.  Not only will you learn to speak Japanese, you will be exposed and immersed in Japanese culture by learning what they eat, the sports they like and how they live.  They have a rich and extremely diverse culture which dates back many thousands of years.  Japan is known for its unique traditional art as well as its more modern contemporary culture.  In today’s Japan you can easily find the contrast of the old culture and its modern industrial culture.  You may see a woman in a traditional kimono walking down the street past very modern looking teenagers acting much like young people in the United States.  The food you will experience will also provide you with this unique mix of old and new.  Japan also has many mountains and active volcanoes and they typically experience approximately 1,500 earthquakes every year.  That is ok because they also have the most earthquake proof buildings in the world.

Places To See In Japan

As a teacher living in Japan you will have a chance to experience this land like few tourists ever can.  You will be able to become familiar with it’s over three thousand islands and all of their unique sites and sounds.  You can visit Japan’s tallest mountain, Mount Fuji, and discover that it is an active volcano as well.  You will be able to attend a sumo match and then walk the streets of Tokyo, soaking in that unique Japanese culture.  You won’t even have any time to be homesick, as you try to enjoy everything Japan has to offer and it offers a lot.  Japan has the world’s second largest economy and one of the highest literacy rates in all of the world, if not the highest.  Teaching English in Japan is one of the best ways to become an expert in Japanese culture, lifestyle, history and lifestyle.  It is truly one of the most interesting nations in the world.  You will be able to do all of this while you are getting paid a salary to teach the English language to Japanese of all ages.

Living in Japan

Due to the large population in Japan, it can be hard to find an apartment while you are there.  Most teaching positions will include a small apartment you can stay in.  Expect them to be small but comfortable.  You will be able to get some American food in Japan.  There are Costco Stores in Japan that sell western foods.  You will probably not have a vehicle there, but that is ok because Costco will deliver!  You will have a very unique experience as you teach your language to students and learn their language from them.  Teaching English in Japan will change your perspective about the world and increase your understanding about Japan, Japanese people and Japanese customs.

There can be no debate that you will come home a different person after your adventure of teaching in Japan.  You will have an understanding of the Japanese language that you would never be able to have without the total immersion into the Japanese culture.  You will also be able to understand the people as well as you experience the national sports of sumo wrestling and baseball, you will feel like you have always been a part of their culture.  Teaching English in Japan will allow you to take much more away from the experience than you have put into it.  There are not many things that you can say that about.

Many people may be wondering if there is really a huge job market for teaching English in Italy.  English is the international language of many subjects, like science, business and even information technology, so it is vital that all people be able to understand, read and speak English fluently.  In Italy there is a particularly good opportunity to teach because of the frustration people are feeling with traditional Italian schools.  They are looking for dedicated foreigners who are native English speaking to lead their instruction in the language.

Advice For Teaching in Italy

One of the best ways to get an opportunity to teach in Italy is to actually go there and look.  It may seem like common sense but the majority of foreigners who are hired to teach English found locally and interview in person.  September is the time of year to be looking because it is the beginning of the school season.  A second hiring season happens in January as well for the second semester.  Being present at these critical times will definitely increase the odds of you finding the job of your dreams teaching English in Italy.  Work visas are very hard to come by for those from countries not involved in the European Union.  However there is such a demand that many Americans are hired under the table.  Even though that is illegal to do, it is so widely practiced that it has to be overlooked by authorities.  By all means get a work visa if you can, but don’t be discouraged if you can’t procure one.

When In Rome……

Italy is considered one of the more significant cultural spots in the Western World.  Rome has existed for over 2,500 years, and in that time it has seen a bevy of historically significant individuals and events in and around the streets of Italy.  From famous artists, popes, emperors Italy has been fertile ground for the growth of culture throughout Europe and the world.  Artists of all types have made a pilgrimage to Italy to experience its artistic inspiration first hand.  As an educator in Italy you would have a front row seat to visit all of the significant Italian historical sites you can muster.  When you find your English teaching position in Italy you will be able to enjoy Rome and all of its beauty and culture at the leisurely pace of a local, rather than at the almost frantic pace of tourists you will see almost every day.  Being a long term part of this center of business and culture will give you a perspective on life that you could never get from a short visit.  You will become a vital part of all that is Italian from the delicious food to the non-stop night life.  There is literally something for everybody regardless of their tastes and likes.

A Variety of Places to See

Not only should you spend a significant time getting to know Rome and it’s unique architectural and historical sites, you should venture out to other cities as well.  You can experience a lively street life in Naples by renting a scooter and powering around the city.  You can experience the height of Renaissance Italy by going to Florence and increasing your cultural knowledge.  Who hasn’t dreamed of riding through Venice, on a boat?  That would be a once in a lifetime experience that you really couldn’t have anywhere else in the world.  Or perhaps you would be happier being able to shop and see the artistic lifestyle available as you visit Naples.  You will have a very wide range of options, each with its own unique flavor to contribute to your adventure.

Teaching In Italy A Good Choice

If your ideal day would include casually sipping a cup of coffee in a café as you look on the wonder that is the Coliseum or if you would rather spend your time in a smaller village where you can really connect with the local Italians, teaching English in Italy will provide you with the opportunity to achieve this.  You can increase you knowledge and understanding of the world by immersing yourself deeply into one of the oldest cultures in the world.    You will become an expert about real Italian quisine and more than likely about Italian wine as well.  There are too many benefits to ignore, as you look for your next adventure in life, this will provide you with everything you could desire.  Teaching in Italy is a great choice for personal growth and increasing your understanding of the world.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live in a foreign country?  How about living in a foreign country and experiencing all of the culture and new things while not spending a cent of your own money, and getting paid to do it?  If this sounds too good to be true then you should investigate all of the opportunities there are for teaching English in France.  You will be able to live, and work in a country that is renowned for romance and its culture.  This is an opportunity for adventure that you should take advantage of, to improve yourself and your understanding of the world and the very different people that live in it.

More Than A Tourist

You will be much more than a tourist visiting a foreign country while you are teaching English in France. It will be practically impossible to avoid soaking up all of the culture you will be experiencing firsthand.  If you have ever had the desire to become a true citizen of the world as well as the United States, this opportunity is for you.  You will be able to influence the French people who are learning from you every day.  You will become the most effective representative of our country, showing that even though we are from different worlds we still have many more similarities than differences.

You Will Need A Visa

Teaching English in France is going to require you to get a work visa.  If you are serious about pursuing this opportunity for enrichment, get started on procuring your visa right away.  This will entail finding a French company that is willing to hire your and be your sponsor through the process.  The easiest way to do this is to sign up for an agency that specializes in matching qualified individuals with jobs that match up to their skills.  It is possible to find a company on your own, but this can be a difficult problem for several reasons and may prove so difficult it will discourage you from continuing to look for a English teaching position in France.  France itself has many agencies already out there to help you.

A Lot To Enjoy Teaching English In France

The natural environment of France varies greatly.  There are the undulating fields of Champagne or the Alpine peaks, the northern forested region or the agricultural countryside of Normandy.  No matter what you have a taste for when it comes to landscape you will be able to find it in France.  You could literally spend years doing nothing but visiting natural tourist sites in France and still not see them all and invest the time in them they deserve.  There are forty three regional parks, and six national parks.  Then you can start to look for historical sites to visit.  France has a history that extends back to the beginnings of Western Culture, so to find historical sites to visit will not be hard.  What will be difficult it paring the list of potential sites down to a number that you can realistically visit.  When you add in all of the museums and other places of culture you can quickly see that teaching English in France will provide you with the busiest adventure you have ever been on in your life.

Sites You Must See

Some of the specific sites you will have to put on your itinerary while in France will depend on your specific tastes, but in general, everybody needs to visit The City of Lights , Paris.  This is the signature city of France and has enough museums and historical sites to keep you busy for a significant amount of time.

Give It a Shot

Life often gives you opportunities to experience great things.  Some of those opportunities are only going to come along once in your life.  You may never be in a place in your life where you can pick up and spend six months to a year in a foreign country, like teaching English in France.  If you have the interest in delving into French culture in a way that will mark you forever, this is a chance you will want to take.  You will have the rest of your life to be ordinary; this may be your only chance to be French.

When you decide that you want to participate in the adventure of teaching in a foreign country, you should realize that the experiences will not all be equal, either culturally or in financial reward.  Financial considerations can differ widely between countries, but one of the highest paying assignments you can get is teaching English in Dubai.  The United Arab Emirates are one of the highest paying countries in the world, because they are one of the richest, therefore landing a job in Dubai should be one of the most lucrative that you will be able to find.  You will be able to make more money teaching there than you can at home.

Cultural Differences

If you want to go and teach in Dubai you had better be prepared to experience a culture that is quite different from the one that we are used to here in the United States.  First of all the country is ruled by a sheik.   This is like a king but don’t let that fool you, most of the citizens are very warm and welcoming to visitors.  As for the rights of women, you will see all types of dress, from women who choose a very conservative Muslim dress, covering themselves from head to toe to those who dress very much like Americans.   Since the major religion is Islam, the city of Dubai has many mosques and you will see people saying their daily prayers five times a day.  You should have a healthy respect for these people and their culture.  That is why you made the decision to teach English in Dubai, to open yourself up to a culture different from your own and one that will help you expand your horizons.  Dubai is a port city and has it’s fair share of beaches that you can visit.  It is appropriate for women to wear western swimwear, even bikinis at the beach.  Men can wear shorts, and relax much like you would in the United States.  It is important to note that away from the beach it may be frowned upon for men to wear shorts away from the beach.  The culture will be unique but not overly oppressive to you.  You should expect to experience something different and display the proper respect to those differences.  It doesn’t mean you have to change your personal core beliefs, it only means that you are evolved enough to accept a culture that is different from your own.

Family Life Important In Dubai

One of the things that many people who are teaching English in Dubai are struck by is the importance of family in the lives of the citizens.  They are a close knit group and all members of your family are important, not just the nuclear family of parents and their children, but uncles, aunts, cousins all have a significant connection that is cherished.  The oldest members of a family receiving the most respect, because they have earned it.  Unlike most enlightened cultures around the world, the families of United Arab Emirates still choose to practice organizing arranged marriages.   Many of the chosen couples actually agree to these unions and I am sure that some do not, but the divorce rate in their country is much lower than in the United States so there must be something to it.  A wedding is considered to be a major social occasion which can last for several days and include feasting, dancing, music and celebrations of all kinds.  Once again the culture of Dubai may be different from what you are used to experiencing, but that is the point of becoming involved in teaching in a different country, to become more accepting, and to understand the world a lot better.

You Will Learn New Sports

If you enjoy sports than teaching English in Dubai will give you the opportunity to learn some new games and activities that you may not be familiar with at home.  One of the most popular activities in Dubai is Falconry. I don’t know if it really qualifies as a sport or not, but it is definitely popular.  You will often see a trainer wearing a glove on one hand with a hooded falcon perched on it, heading to or from training.  Another popular sport in Dubai is camel racing.  There is a lot of interest in watching these long legged creatures race against each other.  Another sport you may find a little more like home is the sport of kings, horse racing.  For many years the wealthy in Dubai have participated in the horse racing game.  They have even brought their horses to America to measure them against the best that the United States has to offer.

Choosing to move to a country that is so culturally different from the United States will definitely teach a person how to become more flexible in dealing with others and also to become more accepting and patient with people of all kinds.  Teaching English in Dubai can provide you with all of this and pay you a nice bit as well.

There is a unique opportunity available for you to undertake one of the greatest adventures in your life by teaching English in China.  You will become a part of one of the most unique cultures in the world.  Getting paid well to teach English is just a bonus as you find yourself making a difference in the lives of many people who are grateful to receive your knowledge.  The only limits on the growth you will experience is up to you.

Cultural Advantages

Moving to a different country to teach English is going to expose you to the natural beauty of a place that you have never been before.  In China, you will be in awe of all of the natural beauty you will see every day.  China is such a vast land that you will be able to see virtually any climate you have a desire to see.  Culturally, you will be stepping into a world created by thousands of years of history.  You can visit Buddhist caves and temples, museums, palaces, and ancient artifacts.   Your world view will grow with every second you spend in China, as will your growing appreciation for a people that are totally unique and different from what you are used to.   Beijing and Shanghai are famous cities you might be sent to but there are many more locations that are not so famous yet are culturally and historically significant.

Personal Gains

You will definitely gain a significant appreciation for the different Chinese culture you will be exposed to as you are teaching English in China.  You do not have to worry about speaking Chinese fluently to take advantage of this opportunity.  The curriculum is strong enough to help guide you through.  You will increase your personal world views, and understanding of the people of China, Asia and the world in general by becoming immersed in Chinese culture.  You will be able to choose what type of living conditions you will experience in your adventure.  Perhaps you prefer to teach English in a crowded and quickly modernizing city in the east or you may prefer a the somewhat warmer climate of the south.  Maybe you would like to get out into the country side a bit out of the way.  You will have the opportunity to teach English in China in the type of setting that appeals to you culturally and ascetically.

Historical Advantages

China is one of the most fascinating countries in the world today and not only could you be teaching English to many willing students, permanently influencing their lives, you would be learning a whole new language yourself.  This can be an experience that will pay you back two fold for every bit of energy that you put into it. Imagine walking along the Great Wall of China one day, enjoying the delicious native cuisine at night.  You will come back a totally different person with a much larger appreciation for the differences between people around the world.  However, the understanding that you take away from living and working with the Chinese will be priceless. You will return a cultural emissary from a distant land.

Becoming More Open

China has had the reputation in the past of being rather oppressive when it comes to accepting ideas that are a little different from the hard party line of the government.  Today as the world becomes more and more interconnected through the use of technology, China has had no choice but to become a little more open.  Human rights pressure from the rest of the world and China’s desire to become a highly modernized country has moved them a long way in human rights.  You should still be aware that you will not have the same freedoms you enjoy at home.  There are still some limits on speech and on the media.  So you may have to monitor yourself a little bit.  Overall though you should be able to experience the full range of Chinese culture.

If you are looking to do something adventurous in your life and making a difference in the lives of many people on a continent half way around the world, teaching English in China should be an opportunity you investigate to the fullest.  You will never reach your full potential until you take a step out of your comfort zone.

I was bored with my life.  I was a teacher at a good school in Orlando, Florida and I could have continued to teach there until my retirement.  That is what was expected.  There was a problem though, that my life was lacking in something I needed and that was adventure.  The excitement of seeing something new every day that I had only read about in books.  I needed to either find this adventure or slip into the coma of life.  That is when I was approached about teaching English in Brazil.  It was just what the doctor ordered.

Preparing to Go To Brazil

The application process was relatively simple to complete.  As an experienced teacher, I had very little problem with finding several opportunities to teach.  I was a little worried as I prepared to make this move.   My school in Orlando, granted me a yearlong sabbatical so I would have the security of a job when I returned from Brazil.  But there were many things I found to worry about.  First of all, I do not speak Portuguese, and to me that would seem to be a problem trying to teach English to people who speak a different language that I didn’t understand.  I had nightmares about standing in front of the classroom, not being able to communicate and being a total failure.  The placement agency I used eased those fears.  They told me that most foreigners who go into teaching English in Brazil, don’t speak Portuguese, the Brazilians mostly have a rudimentary understanding of the English language, so you will have that advantage.  Also they told me that Portuguese was very similar to Spanish, being fluent in that language would enable me to communicate even better.

Another worry I had, was that I had always heard that the crime rate in Brazil was extremely high.  I mean I wanted adventure, and I guess danger should be a part of it, but I wanted to come back alive so that I could write about it and share my life altering changes with others.  I didn’t want to become a victim of violent crime.  Again my placement agency helped to ease my fears.  Clearly stating that although it was true that there was crime in Brazil, just like there was crime in the rest of the world, the school I would be working at would be a safe place.  In fact, the teaching that I would be doing would help the citizens of Brazil to rise up and take a greater control of their life and perhaps avoid crime themselves.  This gave teaching English in Brazil a whole new meaning to me.

If your placement agency doesn’t provide a thorough orientation program for you to become familiar with all aspects of life in Brazil you should find a different organization to work with.  I was given a very in depth knowledge base to work from. I was extremely well prepared for the culture I would face and the daily life I would most likely see.  Preparation is important because you will not be caught by surprise and your adventure will be more thrilling than terrifying.

Coaching Baseball Helped Me

Almost immediately from the time I expressed an interest to teach In Brazil, they were particularly enamored with me because I had been a baseball coach for many years.   They wanted to know if I would be willing to coach baseball as well as teaching English in Brazil.  I was extremely excited to do this, as sports if often a common denominator that can bring all people together.  This was no exception, I coached almost as much as I taught, and it allowed me the opportunity to get to know many people in a more personal way.  I became a vital part of the community team and got to know all of the people from parents to shop owners. I was able to help them learn the English that was needed to participate on the field as well as the proper fielding, hitting and base running that all baseball players need to know.

I Would Do It Again

As the experience unfolded in Brazil I became consumed with the day to day life, much like anybody does, anywhere in the world.  At first you really had to focus on understanding everybody, what they were saying and the culture, but soon that all becomes second nature.  As I was immersed in the language and life of Brazil, I quickly became a part of it.  My initial fears about language barriers and crime seemed laughable. I would definitely recommend teaching English in Brazil to anyone who wants a one of a kind adventure.

If you enjoy teaching to other people, you should consider getting either your teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) certification or your teachers of English to speakers of other languages (TESOL) certification. These both allow you the right to teach classes in which individuals can learn to speak English. These classes can be held in the United States as well as abroad. Many countries require these certifications for you to teach the class. Keep in mind that you do not need to speak the language of those learning in order to teach them English.

Where to Get Your Certification

The most common place to get either TEFL certification or TESOL certification is online. There are numerous for-profit colleges which exist just to provide you with the certification needed to get started in your new career.

You can also study at vocational schools to obtain the certifications required to get the job. Some find that the individual attention offered from these small classes allows you to understand the material easier. You will receive outlines for teaching students and at the end of the program you will be qualified to work in most countries.

Look for courses which are extended programs. Those which teach in accelerated programs as well as those which teach online may not provide you with the skills needed to do the job. Employers know this and look for good courses in your resume. It will indicate that you have the skills needed to teach the classes properly.

What You Will Earn

If you are able to finish the program, you can earn a good wage. The average salary for an ESL teacher in America is $55,000. Those willing to travel can have room and board paid for while still earning a good salary. Those teaching in Korea can earn $31,000 a year. As long as you are working in an environment which provides your room and board, you will be able to put all of your money into savings.

Countries like Laos are starting to hire more teachers with TEFL certification or ESOL certification. Other countries like Japan remain a good location for teachers to find a job. Teachers will work with students in grade school as well as working with businesses and executives in need of English speaking skills. The better the employ is and the skill you have to back up the certification plays heavily into how much you are paid and whether you will be hired.

Whenever entering into negotiations over price, keep in mind that not all employers are reputable. Some of the problems to watch for include lack of pay, early termination of contract, not honoring the end of the contract and more. Employers should be investigated for the money they are willing to pay as well as the reputation they have for working with teachers. Proper assessment of employers assures you that you will be able to receive the money you deserve for your efforts when teaching English as a second language.