By Cocu (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0-2.5-2.0-1.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

What’s tempting about a low-paying TEFL destination? Well, if you’re after the big bucks… not much, but, if it’s the lifestyle, the experience, friends and the cultural experience you get at the end of it then low-paying TEFL destinations definitely shouldn’t be overlooked. It is important to bear in mind that there is a difference between countries with low-paying wages and countries with a low cost of living. Normally, the two run hand in hand – if a wage seems particularly low then, more often than not, this is because you simply don’t need to be paid much money to live comfortably.

*Top tip – If you’re looking to save money whilst teaching English abroad make sure to pick your destination appropriately, i.e. do the conversion, does what you’re earning in-country amount to much in your native country?

China

China is known for its crazy cuisine, a billion+ population, and captivating culture so it is no surprise that China is one of the most intriguing TEFL destinations amongst TEFL teachers. However, by Western standards, a TEFL wage there might not seem particularly appealing. The average TEFL salary…varies. The sheer size of China means that TEFL wages can change drastically according to factors such as experience and location to name a couple. To give a rough idea, you can expect to earn around 6,000 – 10,000 RMB a month (£625-£1000).

This begs the question why someone might give up a well-paid job at home for a new destination on perhaps half the salary? The point here is that you don’t need to earn a stack of money to a) live comfortably in China or b) to be happy!

For most people, a large proportion of their wage goes on rent/mortgage/bills etc. but in China – most employers will provide accommodation for you meaning that your wage is entirely yours to spend on food, entertainment and travel! A three course meal in China will set you back a whopping 80RMB (£8) and a bus journey for 2RMB (20p). Life in China can be extremely comfortable indeed.

Thailand

A theme is emerging… low cost of living = low wage. In terms of wage, Thailand is no different to China – what might appear a low wage by western standards, is in proportion with the cost of living. Bottom line, when the cost of living is so low, a TEFL teacher’s wage will actually allow you to live pretty comfortably, perhaps even more comfortably than you did in your home country!

In Thailand, TEFL teachers can expect to earn, on average, 27,000-36-000 Thai Baht (£590-£788) a month, and more with experience. In terms of living costs, although most schools/employers won’t provide accommodation for you, they will assist with your living costs. Costs of living, food, entertainment, transport are all extremely cheap. If you’re a foodie, a TEFL teacher’s wage will allow you to eat out every night of the week! Plus, the nightlife in the likes of Bangkok and the infamous full-moon parties of Ko Pha Ngan draw tourists from all over the world so you’re spoilt for choice!

When you’re bored of the bars? What else can you spend your money on? How about escaping to another part of Thailand for the weekend!

Ecuador

TEFL destinations across the planet will allow you to live comfortably on a low wage and South America is no different. Ecuador is a fantastic TEFL destination for non-degree holders and for those ready for a real adventure!

Expect to earn from $400-$600 (£250-£400) dollars a month teaching English in Ecuador. The cost of living in Ecuador, however, is extremely cheap – expect to pay around $100 (£60) a month for rent – TEFL teachers tend to live in a private room within a shared house or for real cultural immersion living with a local family is another great option (and for picking up some Spanish!)

A few costs: a slap-up meal will set you back a whopping $10 (£6), 25 cents (16p) for a bus ticket and 65p for a beer!

By JzG (Own work) [GFDL 1.2 (http://www.gnu.org/licenses/old-licenses/fdl-1.2.html)], via Wikimedia Commons

It seems to me that many of the ‘forums’ attached to English as a Second Language (ESL) websites have become the playground for people who purport to be teachers, but exhibit behavior more in-line with what you’d expect from your average, ‘garden variety’, school-yard bully.

Visit almost any ESL ‘forum’ world-wide and you’ll see an array of vitriol from so-called teachers directed at ESL schools and people who work at ESL schools. Those who occupy the unenviable position of Director of Studies are common targets, although school owners – who are often named – cop a lot abuse. In stark contrast, I’ve been unable to locate a single post on an ESL ‘forum’ anywhere in the world, attacking an ESL teacher.

ESL schools are purely profit driven?

If you believe what you read on ESL ‘forums’, ESL schools are purely profit driven and those who own them are the pit of humanity, have little regard for students and even less regard for teachers. Think about it for a minute. It just doesn’t make sense. Students and teachers are what make a school tick. School owners have a vested interest in keeping their students sufficiently motivated to continue building their English language skills and holding on to good teachers – and from my own experience – most schools conduct their affairs accordingly.

Sure, there’s occasionally something undesirable malingering at the bottom of a swimming pool, but precisely who was the responsible (or irresponsible) party, isn’t always apparent. History is littered with examples of the guilty person being the one who ran around shouting the loudest and pointing their finger with contrived contempt at others. You don’t have to look any further than what’s happening right now on the Korean Peninsula.

The truth of the matter is, many ESL teachers with an ‘axe to grind’ head straight to the internet and ‘anonymously’ post all kinds of rubbish about schools where they used work, comforted by the knowledge that their targets have absolutely no recourse.

Let’s look at a hypothetical situation. You own an English language school in the beautiful city of Can Tho, located in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta region. You dismiss a Canadian ESL ‘teacher’ because you find out they have bogus qualifications. The next day your name is all over the internet. You’re portrayed as the employer from hell. What can you do? Nothing! If you choose to defend your good name, you simply add fuel to fire and 100 negative reviews becomes 200, although you know – and people who know you know – you’re too generous for your own good. With a rush of blood to the head you might come out with something like – I’m going to report the offender to the police – or perhaps – I’ll see them in court! Yeah, right! Then it dawns on you, they posted anonymously and no doubt have long since departed the dodgy internet café where they did the deed. Most likely, you wouldn’t have the resources to track them down anyway.

I understand the ‘freedom of speech’ line that’s often rolled out to support the kind of characters that I’m drawing attention to in this article. Any ESL teacher worth a grain of salt, however, understands that freedom of speech entails a range of responsibilities. In a civil society you can’t have one without the other. Anonymously attacking institutions and people on the internet has nothing to do with freedom of speech – and has no place in a civil society.

It seems to me that it would be really easy to resolve this issue, through any number of means. Perhaps the people who run the ESL ‘forums’ can be more mindful that those who are under attack have mothers, fathers, husbands, wives, children and so forth – scrutinise what appears on their site and remove what’s simply personal abuse. Another option might be, require people to post under their real name. Boy, oh, boy – if this happened, the less scrupulous ESL forums would fold over night – and our industry would be a better place.

Getting back to the original question – ESL forums, should they be taken seriously? I think the answer is, it depends on how seriously you’re prepared to believe comments from anonymous people who live in cyberspace. Personally, if I want to know something, I’m sufficiently confident to make my own enquiries.

What do you think? Please leave your comments below.

Argmda at en.wikipedia [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], from Wikimedia Commons

Rio, Buenos Aires, Quito… ahhhh starting a new life teaching English abroad in South America sure does sound tempting! If, like thousands of other TEFLers, you are longing to make the big move to South America then you’ll need to make sure you get clued up about how to make it happen!

Done the ‘TEFL jobs in South America’ Google search? Not brought up loads of jobs? Don’t panic – this doesn’t mean that there isn’t a demand for TEFL teachers. Instead, a lot of job opportunities tend to be advertised on the ground – many TEFL teachers seeking employment visit the employers in person!

Here’s a short guide to landing your dream TEFL job in three of the most popular South American destinations!

Argentina

Where’s the demand? The demand for jobs in Argentina tends to be pretty constant! With no degree required, Argentina is a popular destination! There is a high demand for Business English teachers and conversational English lessons rather than state school positions though. The most popular destination within Argentina is, undoubtedly, Buenos Aires. However, cities such as Rosario and Cordoba are equally as popular.  If a city has a strong, economic centre then there will, no doubt, be a demand for TEFL teachers. Problem solved.

How do I land a job? In general, being in-country for your job hunt in South America is the best option to land your dream job. You’ll have the opportunity to meet would-be employers face-to-face, hand in CV’s and also keep an eye out on any advertisements in magazines, shop windows etc.

What happens out of the classroom? Exploring! The cost of living in Argentina is not cheap compared to other TEFL destinations; the main killer will be your accommodation. Rent can be quite expensive; around 500 Argentine Peso a month and this will be higher in Buenos Aires. A good way to keep costs down is to live with fellow teachers.

Brazil

Where’s the demand? Brazil throws a spanner in the works! Contrary to most TEFL destinations, there isn’t a lot of demand for TEFL teachers – or for foreign workers full stop. Brazilian employers view employing foreigners for work as expensive. If you have a specialist skill that would be useful to the Brazilian workplace then you will be granted a work visa – however, getting this as a TEFL expert is quite unlikely. For this reason, most people decide to work illegally on a tourist visa, opting to do a border run to a neighbouring country twice a year to renew their visa.

How do I land a job? Everyone wants to work in Brazil – home to carnival and the AMAZON – Brazil has lots on offer! The most popular TEFL destinations are Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo and Brasilia and, similarly to Argentina, it is much easier to find jobs on the ground rather than applying from home. Search through classified ads and local English language magazines. Job done!

What happens out of the classroom? Salaries start at around 1,500 Brazilian Real. The bulk of your wage will go on your accommodation, and it is better to share with other teachers to keep costs down. Other than that, the cost of living is very cheap indeed with a three course dinner setting you back around 25 Brazilian Real.

Ecuador

Where’s the demand? Ecuador is an extremely popular South American TEFL destination, especially amongst non-degree holders, as there is a high demand for TEFL teachers in Universities and the Business sector.

How do I land a job? Once again, the best way to land a job in Ecuador is in-country; however, it is also possible to apply for one from home. Most TEFL teachers enter the country on a tourist visa then go and get their work permit from Peru. To obtain a work permit make sure you have all of the following: personal references, medical certificate, birth certificate, proof of financial support, a job offer and your TEFL certificate – your employer should help you out with all of this though! Popular destinations include: Quito, Cuenca and Guayaquil.

What happens out of the classroom? Cost of living in Ecuador is very cheap indeed! Rent will set you back around 100 US dollars a month, most teachers live in a private room within a shared house but if you really want to immerse yourself in the local culture then another option is to live with a local family! Expect to earn around 400 US Dollars a month.

About The Author: Helen Hargreave is one of the TEFL Experts at i-to-i TEFL

By yeowatzup from Katlenburg-Lindau, Germany (Gili Meno, Indonesia Uploaded by russavia) [CC-BY-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Indonesia is a vast archipelago comprising more than 17000 islands.  With a large variety of languages and cultures in addition to volcanoes, beaches, valleys, jungles, mangroves and cities to explore, what better place for a TEFL teacher to spend a year or two?

Surabaya is Indonesia’s second most populous city, and is home to several English language schools.  Described by Lonely Planet as “a hot and dusty, crowded city with precious little to see”, a description with which I would concur, you may wonder why I have spent almost two years here.  Despite the downsides, this is a place where one can experience a real Indonesian city largely untouched by tourism.  As a result, the locals see you more as a source of fascination and entertainment than as a cash cow.  Travel to Bali or Yogyakarta, and you will be plagued by people harassing you to use their taxi, or buy their products.  Often they will walk right up and interrupt you while you are talking to a friend, demanding to know where you are going and waiting impatiently for an answer.  It can be very frustrating as one doesn’t want to be rude, yet offering even the most basic politeness in refusal will often lead to more harassment. 

No such problem in Surabaya, where the local people have never had tourists to make a living from.  They don’t rely on making as much as possible during high season to see them through the rest of the year.  Instead when they see a foreigner, they just want to be as friendly as possible, and they are very easily amused.  Some find this patronizing, but I find it quite endearing.  It is not unusual to be “drive-by Hello Mistered” as I have termed it.  You are walking along the street and hear “Hello” behind you followed by “Mister” in front of you as a motorbike whizzes past, its driver looking over his shoulder at you, evidently more concerned with addressing a foreigner than keeping an eye on the road.

Cultural Isolation

Culturally a westerner can feel a little isolated here.  If you are happy getting up early and being active, perhaps joining a 5 a side football team or going to the gym you may feel at home here.  But for those of you looking for a variety of live music, art galleries and open green spaces; you may wish you had taken a job somewhere else.  Surabaya does have its night-life, but it is important to remember that alcohol isn’t really part of the culture here.  You might expect a city with a metropolitan area consisting of around 5 million people to have a dazzling array of late night attractions.  Not so. 

There are 4 or 5 nightclubs, oddly enough often found on the top floor of multi-story car parks in malls scattered in different parts of the city.  Generally the play list in such places consists of twenty or thirty of the most overplayed commercial western pop songs, a fact that doesn’t sit well with me as someone with a background in performing all kinds of music. Drinking alcohol in these places, especially spirits and wine which suffer from astronomical import taxes, costs approximately double what it does in the UK.  There are a handful of bars and coffee shops serving beer where you may see some alternative live music, but again they are few and far between.

Great Standard of Living

Alcohol aside, if you can get used to how spicy the local food is and are comfortable riding a motorbike, it is incredibly cheap to live here.  The starting salary for an English teacher at my school is US $1100 a month, with free rent in a very large luxury house (with en-suite bathrooms, front and back gardens and a mango tree!) shared with other teachers, health insurance, and return flights.  Even the bills are paid and maids are provided to do your laundry and dishes.  All you have to pay for is the internet and for cleaning products for the maids.  Considering a meal of Indonesian street food costs around $1, and a full tank of motorbike fuel around $1.50, you really can live well on less than a hundred dollars a week, with a couple of trips to posh Italian or Japanese restaurants, the cinema, gym membership and taxis.

This makes it very easy to save money, or to simply enjoy lots of holidays, or both. While living here I have managed to afford six holidays of a week or more, 5 weekends away and to record an album of my own songs, paying professional musicians to do as they are told, and I haven’t had to cut back on my standard of living. My school, K-elt, which I would highly recommend, is very generous in offering teachers 8 weeks paid holiday every year, plus around 6 or 7 national holidays which occasionally fall on a Friday or Monday allowing for a long weekend.

Amazing Holiday Destinations Close By

Where to spend all of this free time?  Surabaya is located around a 1 hour flight west of Bali, where you can get very drunk with Australian tourists on beautiful beaches, or spend a romantic time together in more sedate and picturesque surroundings. Ten minutes longer will take you to Lombok with its famous Gili Islands, 3 specks of land just off the mainland coast, each around 2km in diameter, where the only ways of getting around are on foot, horse cart or bicycle as engines are banned. Guest-houses line the beaches with bars playing reggae music. Divers and snorkellers can see an abundance of turtles.  Less than two hours will take you to Sulawesi which is famous for its dive locations, or to Kalimantan where you can enjoy a rainforest river cruise then drink rice wine with tribes deep in the heart of the Borneo jungle after coming face to face with Orangutans. 

These wonderful animals can also be seen close up in the jungles of North Sumatra from the little resort town of Bukit Lawang, just west of the main transport hub of Medan, along with a huge array of monkeys, snakes and insects.  A popular way to spend the day for tourists here is to start in the morning by trekking for 6 hours through the jungle to see the orang-utans, followed by returning to the town by means of rafting several kilometers down the river surrounded by the rainforest.  Nearby is another popular spot for nature tourists, Tangkahan a stunningly beautiful place nestled atop a cliff surrounded by river and jungle, where visitors get to see elephants and monitor lizards close up. 

Due to the large array of offers from the region’s airlines, plan your holiday carefully and you can reach any of these destinations for $50-70 for a return ticket.  And for the weekends, those wanting to escape Surabaya’s dusty pollution can visit spectacular volcanic landscapes above the clouds, such as that of Mount Bromo, a 5 hour drive away, or Yogyakarta, Java’s art and cultural hub featuring the temples of Borobodur and Prambanan.  With classes starting at 3pm every day, an extra night away before returning to Surabaya on Monday morning is easily viable.

Surabaya certainly isn’t for everyone, but find a job at the right school and you’ll find that the free time, earnings relative to the cost of living and the paradise which surrounds the city make this a worthwhile place to spend a year or more.

About the author: Davy Prendergast hails from the UK and is still out in Indonesia working as a TEFL teacher. You can keep up to date with his adventures by reading his regular blog: http://theopinionatedtraveller.blogspot.co.uk/

I, Ondřej Žváček [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html), CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/) or CC-BY-2.5 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5)], via Wikimedia Commons

With backpacker ‘teachers’ leaving in droves, there is huge demand for foreign English language teachers in Vietnam who meet the requirements to be eligible to work, laid-down by the government. Specifically, if you wish to legally work as an English language teacher in Vietnam for a period exceeding 3 months, you need to produce the following:

• an internationally recognised TESOL certificate (or equivalent);
• a health check (original document – not more than 3 months old);
• a university degree in any discipline (original document);
• an academic transcript related to your university degree (original document); and
• a police clearance from your home country (original document – not more than 6-months old).

Obtaining TESOL certification (or equivalent) on arrival in Vietnam is a realistic option. It will almost certainly be cheaper than going down this path in Australia, the United States, Canada and so forth. There are some great, internationally recognised TESOL courses available in Vietnam, but like anything that costs money, you’d be wise to do some due diligence. Go and visit the TESOL providers personally. Don’t rely on forum posts by anonymous people who mostly have an ‘axe to grind’.

There are public hospitals in each major city in Vietnam that are authorised by the government to conduct work-permit related health checks for foreigners. Again, I’d encourage teachers to consider meeting this requirement when they arrive in Vietnam. Having a health check in Vietnam will cost a fraction of what you’d pay in your home country, unless you have some kind of private health insurance.

It would be a smart move in my view to have an ‘apostille’ placed on official documents you bring with you to Vietnam – university degree, criminal record check and alike. While ‘notarised only’ documents will satisfy some officials in Vietnam, there are others who may well question the legitimacy of your paperwork. If you go down the ‘apostille’ path in your home country, you’ve ‘covered all bases’.

I’ve been living and working as an English language teacher in Vietnam for rapidly approaching 7 years. It’s ‘the people’ that make Vietnam such a super place to live and work and I’m very grateful for the opportunities that have been extended to me in this truly wonderful country. I’m sure you’ll have a similar view after you’ve been here for a period of time.

About the writer: Peter Goudge is the Managing Director of the Australia-Vietnam School of English (AVSE) in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam: www.avse.edu.vn

There is nothing that can prepare you for the first time you live abroad. It will probably be the most daunting, exciting and brave decision you will ever make, even if you are well travelled.

As a traveller you will step off the plane with a clear idea of the things you want to see and do, before hopping onto the next plane, ferry or train and travelling onto your next destination. Whereas if you are planning to live there, stepping off the plane can feel a lot more uncertain.

Having both lived and travelled abroad, I know first-hand how different they can be.

For starters, living in a country will give you an insight into the culture that a traveller cannot hope to gain. As a resident, you have to adapt to the way of life, learn about local customs, find out what is considered offensive, adapt the way you dress, even get to grips with the local sense of humour.

The culture shocks can sometimes be unexpected!

The culture shocks can sometimes be unexpected. When I lived in Austria, I found one of the hardest things to get used to was the fact that all shops, including supermarkets, were closed on Sundays and on bank holidays (which in summer seemed to be every other week). As first it was annoying and inconvenient, but soon I learnt to adapt. It sounds small, but often it is the small differences that you are the least prepared for.

Getting around can also prove to be a completely different experience for expats. While travellers can avoid peak-time crowds on public transport, don’t have schedules to keep, or can use taxis if they need to; those living there normally have to rely on public transport to get them to work on time, and often have to join stressful rush hour commutes.

A great part of living aboard is that you get into the rhythm of the culture. By this I mean that you get to meet people from all sections of society, not just other travellers or locals who work in the hospitality industry. It also means you start shopping where the locals shop, drink in un-touristy bars, and eat in small quiet cafes that are yet to be discovered by travel guides. To sum up, you start to become a local yourself.

Usually, after the first few weeks of living in a new country you switch from traveller to resident. Practical necessities like renting an apartment, paying bills, joining a gym, buying everyday essentials take over from sightseeing and eating out. You begin to find out how efficient local authorities are, what the local customs are, even when it is the best day to buy fresh fruit and veg.

The Importance of Food

Don’t underestimate the importance of food, as for many expats it becomes both a source of pleasure and frustration. Nothing can help overcome homesickness like eating food that you get back at home (it is a good idea to collect recipes of all your favourite meals before you move). On the other hand, it can be frustrating when you cannot get your favourite foods that you would normally take for granted. Also expect some produce to be more expensive than you are used to, while other things will be cheaper.

For some people not being fluent in a country’s language can put them off from moving there, however don’t let this stop you. There is no easier way to pick up the local tongue than living there, however it is a good idea to learn the basics before setting off and enrol in a language class once there to help you improve.

Unforeseen Challenges

Although living abroad will provide numerous enriching experiences, it will also throw up unexpected challenges. Few people ever talk about the loneliness and isolation that many feel when living in a foreign country. Again, this shouldn’t put you off making the move, but be prepared for the fact that it won’t be one long holiday. There will be times when you will be missing out on events, for example weddings and birthdays, at home. Additionally, you will have to deal with challenges on your own, without your normal support network of friends and family to help you. What can’t be denied is that it will help you to become more self-reliant and independent.

The reality is that living abroad will provide you with experiences that you will remember for the rest of your life. From eccentric local characters to unusual customs and foods, it will show you a side to a country that you would never experience by just travelling through.

If you are thinking about taking the plunge and moving abroad then my advice would be to forget any preconceptions you have, embrace the culture, learn to adapt, and give it a go.

About the Author
Written by Derin Clark, a writer, editor and blogger who has travelled throughout Europe, Turkey and the USA, as well as having lived in Cyprus and Austria.

By David Wilmot from Wimbledon, United Kingdom (Flickr) [CC-BY-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

The South

While the south doesn’t have huge teacher hubs like Chiang Mai or Bangkok, it does have quite a few TEFL jobs in provincial towns like Surat Thani and Nakhon Si Thammarat – and boasts some of the most beautiful beaches in South East Asia! While the wages are lower than in Bangkok, so is the cost of living and it really couldn’t be any easier to decamp from the town or city where you are based for a weekend lounging on a palm fringed beach.

The Night Market at Krabi

This probably won’t feature on many people’s Thai highlights, but the night market down by the Khong Kha Pier in Krabi City has a great atmosphere, English menus, really good, pretty authentic Thai food… and magnificently icy bottles of Singha beer too. This is a great place to spend the night if you’re stopping over in Krabi on the way down to Jum, Lanta or Phi Phi.

Khao Sok

Khao Sok National Park is easily reached from Krabi, Phuket and all the usual tourist hangouts. It’s thought to be one of the oldest rainforests on the planet. There are innumerable day tours available, but if you fancy getting to the heart of the forest and really experiencing its huge array of wildlife, get yourself down to the road that runs up to the park entrance, find yourself a bed for a couple of nights at one of the lovely guest houses on the road that runs down to the park entrance and book yourself a proper jungle tour from the locals. It’s much cheaper than booking it from places like Phuket or Khao Lak.

Ko Tarutao

Koh Tarutao is the largest island in the Kao Tarutao National Park, and due to stringent development restrictions, it is still a pristine tropical island paradise – think golden sands and lush green jungles running down to the shore. Accommodation is limited as is booze and the hoards of partying Westerners that you’d find on Koh Phangan and Samui. To get out to Tarutao, you’ll need to head to Pak Bara and then jump on the morning ferry heading to Koh Lipe. There are no ATM’s or banks on the island, so take all the cash you need with you.

About The Author: Helen Hargreave is one of the TEFL Experts at i-to-i TEFL

By Dhilung Kirat (originally posted to Flickr as High Dynamic Peace) [CC-BY-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

The issue with volunteer teaching, though, is the expectation that it will be easy without any training. While an amateur teacher may have a classroom’s best interests at heart, how easy is it to actually throw yourself at the mercy of a group of children and hope that you can impart some worthwhile knowledge?

An Impromptu Education in Teaching Abroad

I didn’t exactly choose to teach English in Nepal. I was volunteering with a group of children living at an orphanage in Kathmandu, and after walking them to school one morning, I somehow found myself in the headmaster’s office, agreeing to take over his English language classes for the next month.

Sadly, he told me this was to be done without resources as they had no books to spare – meaning I spent the evening feverishly Googling lesson plans and brainstorming topics I thought could be suitable for children ranging in age from five to fifteen.

But as it turned out, I wasn’t prepared in the slightest.

A Teacher’s Life in Kathmandu

My school was located deep in the heart of Nepal’s capital city, only a few minutes’ walk from the teeming tourist hub of Thamel. It gathered students from all around Kathmandu – some paid to attend, while others (like my orphan contingent) had their education paid for by the school itself, and still others were sponsored by benefactors from as far away as Australia.

Our mornings would start with a gathering of students and teachers alike, all reciting the national prayer. Watching from the staff room doorway, this relatively calm moment gave me a chance to settle myself into teaching for the day – and for the next few hours, my time was spent moving from class to class, addressing the different skill levels of each group of children, and teaching them accordingly.

For the youngest, my vague lesson plans were suitable enough. Colours, numbers, and thinking up exotic animals (complete with sound demonstrations), kept the six year olds happy enough.

But the oldest children were my biggest struggle. As teenagers who’d been learning English for years, I’d already been informed that they could speak the language – and yet they sat stony faced throughout my lessons, refusing to say a word.

Learning on the Job

Eventually, I realised that a sure fire way to get their attention, and break that student/stranger barrier, was to look like a fool. As soon as I pranced around the classroom pretending to be an elephant, and ‘flew’ past the desks on a ruler masquerading as a Hogwarts broom, there was a sudden shift in classroom dynamic. Suddenly, my pupils wanted to talk.

When I eventually left Kathmandu, the older girls made me friendship bracelets and goodbye cards. After a month of teaching, my teaching skills had improved considerably – and so had my bonds with the children I taught – but I wished I could have stayed for longer.

Takeaways from Teaching Abroad

I learnt that teaching for a single month is not enough. I learnt that teaching with no resources as well as no qualifications is a mistake – in part because of my inability to create real structure to my lessons, but mainly because I felt frustrated that my opportunity to really impart knowledge to these children lay sadly dormant.

There is a silver lining, though: due to my experiences in Kathmandu, I’m now about to start teaching English in Ecuador for five months. In an entire school semester, with teaching resources and a TEFL education at my back, I feel sure that I can give something of value to the children I teach. Hopefully, they’re just as enthusiastic about having me as a teacher.

By Flora Baker

Flora is a writer and travel blogger, who chronicles her travelling adventures at Flora The Explorer. For more immediate updates you can find her on Twitter, where she spends a large portion of her time discussing travel.

By PlusMinus (Photo by PlusMinus) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html), CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/) or CC-BY-SA-2.5-2.0-1.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5-2.0-1.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Here’s part two of our very quick and very selective guide to some of the best travel opportunities for people teaching English in Thailand. This article covers Bangkok and the surrounding areas of central Thailand. Read part one here.

Bangkok and the Home Counties

For many people wanting to teach English in Thailand, Bangkok is the place to be. There are loads of language schools and institutes, a huge ex-pat population and more TEFL jobs than you can shake a stick at. It’s also much easier travelling around central Thailand and Bangkok than it is to get around in the far North and South of Thailand. So if you tire of the many delights of teaching English in Bangkok, you can jump on a train, a bus, a minivan or even a ferry and be somewhere more laid back and relaxing in a couple of hours.

So here are our top three ‘must-do’ travel experiences if you’re teaching in Bangkok and Central Thailand. The first one is nice and touristy, the second is a little more adventurous, while the third is designed to make you feel like you had a proper break and have done something very intrepid and, ever so slightly off-the-beaten track.

Partying on the Khao San Road

It is practically a visa requirement that any independent traveler under the age of 65 heads to the Khao San Road to organize their travels, find a cheap bed and party until the lights go out. It’s also a good place to meet fellow TEFL teachers and see if there are any good teaching jobs going. Beware of some of the dodgy TEFL agencies that have set up around that way recently, and steer clear of the fake TEFL certificates too!

Ayutthaya

There was a time when the old Siamese capital of Ayutthaya was one of the most beautiful and influential cities in all of Asia. Nowadays, its ruins offer travellers an insight into a more glorious past. It’s easily reached from Bangkok and while it can be done on a day trip, you really need at least a weekend in Ayutthaya to have a good look around.

Sangkhlaburi

If you fancy a taste of adventure and want to get an insight into the tribal heritage of Thailand, head out to Sangkhlaburi. It’s seven hours in a minivan from Bangkok, but it might as well be a world away. The laid-back town looks out over the huge Khao Laem Reservoir and due to its proximity to the Burmese border it’s home to a remarkable blend of ethnic groups: Karen, Mon, Lao, Burmese and Thai to name a few. A great place to unwind after a semester or two of teaching English in Bangkok!

About The Author: Helen Hargreave is one of the TEFL Experts at i-to-i TEFL

By Bart Hiddink [CC-BY-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

An ever increasing number of people are choosing to up-sticks and spend some time teaching English in Thailand. Most of these TEFL opportunities exist in three main areas: Chiang Mai and the North, Bangkok and Central Thailand, and the more touristy areas of the South.

So if you fancy teaching English over in Thailand, or if you’re just heading over there for a bit of travelling. Here are our top three picks for things to do in the first of those three areas – Chiang Mai and the North. There’s one touristy place, one slightly intrepid place, and one place where you’ll probably need a little help from Ray Mears!

Chiang Mai and the North

There are loads of TEFL jobs in Chiang Mai. Just take a look on any internet TEFL jobs board, or just ask around when you get there. The far north of the country attracts the more intrepid traveler to Thailand. You can go trekking up near the Golden Triangle, cross the border into Northern Laos or just kick back in Chiang Mai – a city so beloved by Thai’s that wherever you go in the country, the first thing many locals will ask you is… ‘Have you been to Chiang Mai yet?’

If there’s one thing that Chiang Mai is famed for other than it’s plethora of stunning temples, it’s the Night Market. Whether you’re spending some time teaching in Chiang Mai, or you’re just passing through, you will end up at the night market at some point. It’s packed with stalls selling everything from po piah and pad thai to Chinese silks, Hill Tribe crafts and the ubiquitous dodgy DVDs. Just remember that all the bartering, badgering and bargaining is part of the fun!

Akha Hill village

This is a great choice if you want to get away from the (relative) hustle and bustle of teaching in Chiang Mai for a weekend of relaxation. The Akha are one of Thailand’s hill tribes and the laid back Akha Hill village has a few huts available for rent scattered around the hillside. It’s not luxurious, but the stunning views, jungle walks and general feeling of calm relaxation are well worth the bumpy journey in the back of a pick-up truck from Chiang Rai. Just Google Akha Hill Village and you’ll find it.

Thai-Burmese border

Despite the fact that Aung San Suu Kyi has been released from house-arrest and you’re unlikely to get shot for venturing across the border these days, there’s something distinctly adventurous about trekking along the Thai-Burmese border. You can book some great treks from the travel agencies in Chiang Mai, but if you’re over there teaching English, you’re probably best off doing this during a week off school – a weekend trek really doesn’t do the area justice.

About The Author: Helen Hargreave is one of the TEFL Experts at i-to-i TEFL