ABOUT WAYS TEACHING OVERSEAS WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE

Being a nomad, and a digital one at that, comes with an impressive set of perks, ranging from flexible working hours and working environment and countries of your choice, to lower costs of living. Of course, there is the travelling the world and getting a taste of everything this wonderful planet of ours has to offer. Well, teaching abroad isn’t all that much different. You still get to see all the countries you’ve ever desired, but unlike working with a laptop, you’ll be working with people from different cultures, and that has its own life-transformative charms, so why don’t we just jump right in and see how this line of work can bring more richness to your life.

A newfound sense of independence

You may already feel independent enough – paying your own rent, making a living, but going abroad gives the word ‘independence’ a whole new meaning. In a foreign country, you have to do everything on your own. Find a place to live, navigate the public transportation maze, order food – all in a foreign language. It will be challenging at first, but once you get through that hurdle, master all the ins and outs, you’ll get a stronger sense of self, and begin to feel like there is nothing you can’t do.

You’ll be a teacher and a student at the same time

Let’s say you want to give teaching English in China a chance. China, after all, is one of the countries which covets native English speakers or those with a TESOL or other valid teaching certificate the most. There are tons of amazing schools, Monkey Tree TESL in Hong Kong being just one of your great options. You might be on the other side of the bench, but the when you’re working with kids who speak little to no English, you will become the master of patience, resourcefulness, improvisation, as well as people and communication skills. It’s a challenge alright, but when you’re both teaching and learning at the same time, you gain the skills that will make you not only a better and more compassionate human, but also a professional force to be reckoned with.

You’ll have a sparkling resume

Having ‘teaching abroad’ on your resume will open a number of doors for you in the future. If you don’t want to be abroad your entire life, or at least not as a teacher, your career options double when you have this point in your resume. Your prospective new employers will be able to infer so much from these two words – all the skills that you’ve acquired are jam-packed into them. Your willingness to take risks, your drive, innovativeness, leadership and negotiation skills and ability to work independently will all be implied. As a result, you’ll be a golden candidate, and there’s no putting a price on that.

Living and working

When you’re a tourist, you get to see the sights, spend a great deal on accommodation and essentially just spend your money. As amazing as touristy globe-trotting is, nothing will enrich your life like actually living in a different country. Not only will you get to mingle with the locals, perhaps even pick up a little (or a lot) of their language, but if you stick around long enough, you’ll virtually become a local yourself. You’ll get acquainted with customs and beliefs, know all the best local places to eat and form friendships that will last a lifetime.

Live in one place, explore all others

You may not know this, but a qualified or a native English teacher is paid very well in a foreign country. Now, if you choose to teach in a country that has a relatively low cost of living, that opens numerous adventure doors for you. When the pay is good and the working hours too, you get to you’ll also get a chance to spend a lot of your free time exploring the city, even hop on a train or plane and visit another one. Teaching gives you almost as much flexibility as living as a digital nomad, and you’ll get to see everything you’ve always wanted to. It’s a total win-win situation. And worry not, if you budget well, you’ll also be coming home with an impressive sum on your bank account and start fresh.

The humbling and eye-opening experience

Even though you’re working as a teacher and not volunteering, the sense of giving back is unfathomable. Every committed teacher will tell you they do this job because it gives them a sense of accomplishment, personal and professional satisfaction, and those feelings are even stronger when you’ll instilling knowledge in people of cultures vastly different from yours. Wherever you go next, you will go there a changed, better person, one that is ready to give back, and even change the world.

There might be many jobs that provide you with a level of satisfaction, but few are as transformative as teaching, and shaping the minds of foreign youth.

About the Author

Roxana is a travel enthusiast and lifestyle consultant from Sydney and she loves to write about her adventures. She is all about the healthy lifestyle, loves to run with her husband and dogs and has fun cooking exotic meals for her family. Being a typical Aussie, she often hits the waves and loves beaches and sunshine! You can find out more about her writing following her on twitter and facebook. She is also one of the editors at Highstylife Magazine.