Another Way to See the World, Learn and Earn

The 21 year-old lady graduated from university with a Bachelor degree in business. Competition for jobs was tough. Those businesses she had already applied to failed to offer benefits of higher education possibilities. An MBA would give an edge, but her bank account looked dismal. The world fascinated her and she wanted to explore more before settling down. Those two thoughts dominated her investigation for solutions.

The young man worked summers doing construction to pay for school. He enjoyed the work. It had taken him six years to get his degree in architecture. Four months and over 200 resumes later no descent jobs presented themselves. A family friend returned from abroad and gave the young man an idea that changed his life.

A Teacher, now in her 50's, became the victim of school cutbacks. She took mandatory early retirement. Teaching is a passion for her. Well, she admits that it is more about seeing the lights come on in young minds. Divorced for over ten years, she also felt the itch of travel and discovery. She told herself to think outside the box.

The above scenarios are from three people I know. The common link between them is the job they took to reach their dreams or accomplish their goals. The young lady taught English as a second language (ESL) first in Poland, then Paris. That led to some government work in Ethiopia. Her experience and test scores helped secure a scholarship to Yale. And after that it was a very highly paid job on Wall Street. The young lad taught English in Japan for three years saving his money. He returned with a sufficient amount to purchase a small house and start his business of buying homes, remodeling them and selling them. The teacher has been teaching English in Prague for over four years now. She spends two months in the USA each year. However, school vacations find her discovering Europe.

Teaching English as a second language (TESL) is an alternative to seeing the world by either joining the military or Peace Corps. This is especially true if you don't like getting shot at or living in questionable conditions in a third world country.

Qualifications - Sure it is possible to get a job with the only qualification of having English as your first language. That is rare and those jobs are usually low paid. Plus most often it happens when you are already living in the country. A Bachelor degree in almost anything is demanded by most places looking for ESL teachers. To increase your odds, it is best to get a certificate to teach English as a second language. Many of those awarding the certification also have placement services.

Like other places who certify you for something there are reputable intuitions and fly-by-nights. My recommendation is to research who offers the courses and their reputation. Check out the course schedule and make sure it gives you everything you need. Some universities also award credit towards a Masters degree. More information can be found on web sites catering to teaching abroad.

In the vast majority of instances it is not necessary for you to speak the language of the country you are teaching in. However many teachers take advantage of the opportunity and study the language while they are in the country. This can give the person a job advantage later in life.

Flights, housing and insurance are other concerns. Many places pay for your flight there and a return flight after one year. Others also pay your health insurance while in their country or offer it at a low cost. While some employers make it your responsibility for obtaining housing, others provide recommendations of rooms nearby or have dorms available for lost cost to teachers.

Salaries range significantly from country to country. Latin American countries seem to be on the low end of the scale. A friend of mine who teaches in China says that Japan and South Korea pay better than where she is at. Fortunately your salary is not all you can make. Private tutoring on the side can be more lucrative than your salary.

TESL is not for everyone. There is no doubt in my mind it takes a special person to be willing to go alone to country where they do not speak the language. In speaking with those who have done it, the real payment though is the experience and the boost it gives for future jobs.