There are many benefits of teaching abroad; some are more foreseeable than others. Everyone who wants to live in a foreign country knows that they will have a lot of adventure and excitement, but you might not fully grasp all the perks that go along with it. Here are some of the benefits you didn’t know you could experience:
1. Easy Training
You do not have to be an experienced teacher to get a teaching position. The training required for teaching abroad can be easily obtained. There are tons of businesses and schools that offer classes for getting certifications such as TEFL and TESOL. These programs can be completed in a classroom, online, or while you are abroad. The choice is yours!
2. Learning from Your Class
Being a teacher in a foreign country lets you interact with the locals in a way that the everyday traveler never gets to experience. There are tons of day to day cultural characteristics that take time to become familiar with. You will learn everything from funny innuendos to complex holiday celebrations from your students and coworkers. Living in a country for a year or more will allow you to experience all the major holidays and seasons. It’s like getting the special VIP behind the scenes experience.
3. Easy Travel to Awesome Places
While teaching abroad you will have the opportunity to travel to many locations outside of the city you are located in. Taking one of the teaching jobs vacancies is an excellent way to travel while you are working. If you were working in a mega city like Shanghai, you could easily travel to other parts of the country like Hong Kong or Beijing. Normal traveling might limit the areas you get to see because of time and the cost, but teaching abroad allows you to live comfortably while supplying your bank account with funds to travel on.
4. Develop a Culturally Relative Mindset
Experiencing a year or more in a country that is not your own gives you a better understanding of the differences between cultures. While teaching you will see what drives the people and what parts of life are the most important to them. In today’s world people are becoming more connected through the internet and trade. Knowing why people from other countries act the way they do helps both parties reach a higher quality of coexistence.
5. Strengthen your Resume for any Career
Teaching abroad looks great on a resume for any career field you are trying to enter. The experience shows future employers than you are adaptable, possess leadership qualities, and have an understanding of cultures outside of your own. Every day more and more companies are going international and the experiences you gain from living abroad can be very valuable to them. If you are staying in the education field, a resume that includes experience abroad can boost your chances to fill teaching jobs vacancies in your home country or foreign countries.
6. You Might End Up Married
Most people do not expect to get married while teaching abroad. The reality is that many teachers find their significant others while living in foreign places. Teaching jobs vacancies are usually filled by people who share similar interests. They share a desired sense of adventure and a love for teaching. It is only natural that a person becomes very interested in people who share the same interests as them. These people can relate on being out of their element which encourages teachers to form close relationships with other people who are abroad and with local people who reach out to the foreigners.
7. Be a Part of the International Community
Living abroad offers many opportunities to connect with people from all around the world. You will not only meet the locals of the country but other expatriates from different parts of the world as well. The school you work at could be made up of a hundred different nationalities. This exposes you to new ideas while sharing your own background.
Written by: William Cook
