Students all over California, and the rest of the United States are looking abroad for opportunity and adventure. It is true that individuals who teach abroad may have perks that most people can only dream about.
Common benefits include free housing, the ability to live in an area of your preference (such as a beach city, or rural area), you get an in depth look at a culture which is different from your own, you could have the ability to learn a language that will make your resume more competitive when you head back to the states, and of course the ability to travel places in the world which the common man can only dream about. Other benefits are airfare and health care to name a few.
The problem with these benefits are that focusing on them could potentially attract the interest of candidates whose real talents lay elsewhere. If you have a desire to mold young minds teaching abroad could be the perfect employment opportunity for you, but before you consider coming overseas, you should honestly assess your motivation. If you would like to come for the money, the chance to make new friends, the nightlife, the free housing, or the chance to travel--your priorities are out of order.
You should believe that within you lies the ability to be an effective teacher, and feel confidently that teaching is enormously rewarding. If you embark on such a journey for the wrong reasons, you will definitely regret your decision and have a miserable experience. Every foreign teacher knows someone who falls in that category, so be very honest with yourself.
Comments