10 Good Reasons to Teach English Abroad

Get paid to travel

If you’ve always wanted to travel, then teaching English as a foreign language is a great way to be able to do this and earn a living. You can spend between six months and a year in a different destination without worrying about how to fund your adventures.

Great travel opportunities

When you live abroad it is typically much easier and less costly to travel. On your days off you can explore the country in which you are teaching or travel to nearby countries in the school holidays.

Make a positive difference in the lives of others

As a TEFL teacher, you can take great satisfaction in playing a key role in enabling your students to achieve their goals by learning English.

Learn about different cultures

Learning about the culture of the country you are teaching in helps you to get to know the people you are living amongst. Culture affects a person’s sense of humour, values and way of life. You’ll come away from a country with a better understanding of the way they do things and why they do them.

Pick up a new language

You probably won’t be in a country long enough to become fluent, but you will pick up the basics if you make the effort. It can also give you an opportunity to work in other places where the language is similar. For example, after a year in Spain, you won’t find it difficult to communicate with people from South America.

Gain work experience

Each year you work teaching English as a foreign language you’ll gain more experience in the TEFL field. This means that after a few years you’ll be able to get into teacher training or TEFL administration.

Increase your confidence

Being able to pack your bags and move to a foreign country requires some confidence. But, over the years as you do it more often your confidence will grow, and you’ll never have difficulty dealing with change or getting around a country you have never visited before.

Improve your CV

If you do decide to stop teaching English as a foreign language and return home, the fact that you have travelled and taught English as a foreign language will be an advantage on your CV. It will show an employer that you’re not afraid of a challenge and you’re willing to meet new people and experience a different way of life.

Make new friends

It’s never hard to make friends when you are teaching English as a foreign language. You’ll meet people from all over the world. Maybe they will only be in your life for a short while, but some will become friends you keep for life.

Lasting memories

Your experiences, photos, videos, sights, sounds and smells of the countries you visited.