Teaching English Abroad Travel Advice

Teaching English Abroad Travel Information

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When Should You Plan To Teaching English Abroad?

This depends on where you want to teach! In many countries teaching shuts down during the summer months whilst other countries stand out as having lots of summer schools (i.e. UK).

You can apply for Teahcing English jobs in advance or you can turn up and source a TEFL job locally. Both approaches have their advantages and disadvantages and this too differs between destinations.

You could go quickly! The majority of TEFL jobs are recruited for 6 weeks before they begin. In some cases a school may have been let down by a teacher who cancels their employment agreement. This can leave good positions available to those who can act quickly and start at short notice.

What Should You Take With You To Teach English Abroad?

• Remember to check your passport to ensure it is valid beyond the period you intend to be away and if unsure extend it!
• Make sure you take clothes appropriate to the climate you will be living in. Remember that a country that is hot in the summer can be freezing in winter. We suggest you take your favourite clothes because you are sure to feel comfortable in these during social periods. Some schools will request business dress which is typically trousers (not jeans) and a shirt for men and trousers/skirt and blouse or dress for women. Many schools permit smart casual dress and this typically means non blue jeans and t-shirt, polo shirt, jumper etc. If unsure ask your school before you leave.
• You will find that many countries are more conservative than the west. This means that skirts above the knee, visible mid drift and strappy tops may be frowned upon. Appropriate footwear should also be worn (particularly in Asia where it can be seen as being rude to show your feet without socks. Flip flops/Thongs are for the beach only.)
• You are also likely to find that the price of clothing overseas is cheaper than the UK. Many teachers will purchase some of what they need on arrival.
• You may wish to purchase a few ESL/EFL books. Some teachers carry a good dictionary or grammar book for reference. Others may take their favourite childhood story to share with the students or resources you are sure not to find away from home (e.g. photos of family, pictures of home country landmarks etc).

Eric’s top tip “Definitely take pictures of your friends and family with you! You will get a lot of mileage out of these. The students will be fascinated. They can bring in their own family photos and many lessons can be designed around them”.

• When you arrive you will be at least two weeks away from your first pay cheque, so you should bring some money. You may also want to make a few one off purchases e.g. a mobile phone, a new kettle etc). Most schools will pay you monthly and depending on when you arrive it could be as much as 4 weeks before your first pay cheque. It is usual to be paid in arrears. Therefore you should plan ahead a take some money with you, assess the cost of living in your destination. Lonely Planet will provide this info and take enough money to cover your first months living experiences.
• We recommend you take a supply of Vitamin C and multivitamins. You will be entering a foreign country with foreign germs and viruses. Ensuring good nutrition will go a long way in keeping you healthy. (We also highly recommend Tums or some type of antacid. If you forget or run out of Tums and you have an upset stomach, we recommend Polo mints, which are incredibly effective and available worldwide).
• Of course, you should bring any prescription medicine that you need. You may wish to see if it is available in your destination first, as it might be cheaper.
• Women who take the pill or favour a particular brand of tampon should take a good supply. Tampons are available at pharmacies around the world, but brands can be limited and the quality is often low in the third world.
• This may seem cliché, but the first thing you should plan to bring to a foreign country is an open mind, and a good attitude. This will ensure that any overseas experience is that best that it can be.

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