Thinking about teaching English abroad? Congratulations. You’re in for a life-changing experience full of growth, travel, and new relationships. But before we talk only about the highlights, let’s talk about the parts people do not always mention. Teaching abroad can be exciting, rewarding, weird, exhausting, and unforgettable all at once.
I taught abroad for six years. These are some of the things I wish someone had told me before I moved abroad to teach English.
1. Lesson planning is hard work
Depending on your school and the resources it gives teachers, you may end up doing a lot of lesson planning on your own. I often spent Sunday evenings writing plans for the week. Other teachers finished theirs during the school week. A lot depends on your school, your schedule, and how well you manage your time.
Lesson planning does get easier, especially when you use resources online or ask fellow teachers to collaborate. Don’t be afraid to reach out to seasoned teachers to get ideas on activities.
2. You’ll be walking a lot
If you’re American like me, you may be used to driving everywhere. You park close to work, sit at a desk most of the day, and do not think much about your step count. That changes fast when you move abroad.
When you move abroad, you realize how common walking and public transportation really are. And teaching? You’ll either be standing or walking around your classroom for your entire classroom teaching hours (not including office hours). Get a new pair of comfortable, orthopedic shoes and prepare yourself for getting in those steps every day!
3. You may be asked to juggle
Okay, maybe your school will not literally ask you to juggle like mine did. But it may ask you to join performances, help with English programs, or support extracurriculars. You may not feel experienced in those areas, but that is often part of the adventure.
I’ve hosted English book clubs, taught line dancing, choreographed a dance to the Beach Boys “Good Vibrations,” judged debates, MC’d performances in a shopping mall.. You get the idea.
Don’t be afraid to say no, but also, what if you said yes?
4. You may discover you don’t like teaching
This is the awkward truth that not enough people talk about. You may move abroad, start teaching, and realize you do not actually like teaching that much. That is okay. A lot of people use teaching abroad as a starting point, not a forever plan.
I have known teachers who finished their first year teaching and went back to grad school, some who went into business, and some (like me) who got inspiration to start their own education business.
That said, there are plenty of people who move abroad to teach English, thinking it’s something to do outside of the 9-to-5 jobs in America, and discover that they absolutely love teaching and have gone on to build amazing teaching careers at international schools around the world!
5. You’re going to get stared at – a lot
During my years abroad, people stared at me, yelled at me, pointed at me, and even honked at me. None of it came from a bad place, but it definitely felt distracting until I got used to it.
The important thing to remember is that depending on where you’re teaching and living, there may be people there who have never seen a foreigner before. Even in major cities like Shanghai where foreigners are common, older Chinese people regularly pointed me out to their friends.
As you learn to speak the local language you may even hear people talking about you in shops or as you walk past!
6. Classroom AC is a luxury
If you come from the West, it is easy to forget how uncommon air conditioning can be in many parts of the world. You may need to deal with some very hot classrooms. Even if your room has an AC unit, staff may use it sparingly or wait until the room already feels unbearable.
My friends in Thailand teach in athletic gear for this reason, and they still walk away from lessons a bit sweaty.
If you hate hot weather make sure to research the yearly weather trends of each location you’re considering!
7. Building a social circle is easier than you think
Expats tend to bond quickly. Everyone knows what it feels like to live away from home, try something new, and build a life without their usual support system. That shared experience makes it much easier to make friends than you might expect.
No matter if it’s via your school, TEFL course, or club you join once you arrive, there are tons of almost unavoidable chances to find friendly people to spend your time with outside of work. Pro tip: join the local expats Facebook group for your city before you arrive!
The reality is that everyone has been in your situation and remembers what it’s like making friends in a new place – this means most people are more than happy to show you their favorite restaurant, happy hour, or gym once they find out you’re new!
8. Your voice will suffer (at first)
I clearly remember losing my voice soon after I started my first teaching job in Seoul. Fresh out of college, I was not used to talking all day or raising my voice over children.
This happened to me more than once. My voice would usually give out after vacations, at the start of a new term, or anytime I had to cover a new class.
There’s no quick fix here – your voice is like a muscle and it will take some time to get used to the strains of classroom teaching. However, hot tea coupled with lots of sleep did help!
9. You can make a really good living from teaching abroad!
A lot of people treat their first teaching job abroad like a gap year. But many end up staying much longer. I have known more than one person who tested the waters, loved the profession, and turned it into a real career.
In most countries you will make enough to live a comparable life to the one you had had back home – in addition, there are always external opportunities to pad your income – I’ve been an English tutor, done editing for a company launching an English website, and even acted in a commercial!
Even better is that the more familiar you get with a location, the easier it is to seek out better paying jobs or jobs that afford you more free time. Similar to friends who have turned their first year as an ESL teacher into a career, I’ve know dozens of people stick around for a few years because they keep getting better jobs.
Where to start
It is easy to feel overwhelmed when you first look at teaching jobs abroad. There are a lot of options, and they do not all fit the same goals. If you are just getting started, here are a few things to think about.
- If you’re looking to save money then consider a job in Asia – Chinese salaries are quite high and demand for teachers in up-and-coming countries like Vietnam is exploding.
- If you’re looking to travel as much as possible, make sure to look for a job in a city with an airport! Travel isn’t as exciting if you’re somewhere rural without access to any good transportation.
- If you’re looking for free time, make sure to get your teaching hours included in your contract. Too many new teachers jump at the first job offer (myself included) and don’t consider the things that are important to them.
- If you’re completely lost then consider a program – there are plenty of companies out there that handle everything from certification to job placement on your behalf!
Written by TEFL Hero, an online TEFL course provider led by teachers with experience working in China, South Korea, and Online.
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