So you’ve decided to teach abroad. First of all: Congratulations!! Woohoo!
Second of all: Which program are you going to choose? How long do you want to stay abroad? Where do you want to go?
When someone first asked me these questions my head went spinning. There are a loooot of options out there, and I’ll admit, I wavered between excitement and exhaustion as I tried to find the right fit. But you shouldn’t have to stress about this exciting choice. From logistics to motivation, here are five questions to ask about your potential teaching program, and your new life abroad!
1. How much support does your program offer?
Some people like to be left to their own devices while others might view program support as a lifeline they can cling to in an unfamiliar land. Depending on your independence level, the importance of program support can differ. Does the program just drop you in a foreign classroom to fend for yourself or will there be a contact person onsite who can answer questions or help you if your toilet is broken or if you want to find the best place to open a bank account?
You will very likely run into some visa issues/questions as you relocate, so having a company that will work with you on this is a plus.
This extends to pre-departure support as well. Is the company responsive to your questions? Do you have the option to reach out to current or past participants? Transparency is very important.
My program coordinator at CETP calls herself our “Hungarian Mom”. She’s always available by phone, and I’ve seen her go above and beyond to help out teachers. In addition, everyone is assigned a contact person through their school to help them with smaller, daily life questions. Moving abroad is already a challenge, so knowing there’s support could make it easier, although that often raises the price tag. On the other hand, if you have prior connections or value making your own, program support may not be as big of a priority for you.
2. What are the program fees? What do they include?
Logistically, this can help narrow down your options, and this varies widely. Some programs are free to apply for but have a large program fee. And some have little to no program fees, or even pay you to relocate (always check the fine print, though.)
My program fee was more than I wanted to pay, but the fact is, it would have been impossible for me to properly navigate the Hungarian visa system without them (the process is entirely in Hungarian and just one mistake can set your process back weeks).
Do they offer accommodation or a living stipend?
My program pays for the teacher’s apartment (the quality of these apartments vary, though) in addition to providing a salary (~$500/month). Will you have to use part of your salary to pay for rent? It’s possible that you’ll make back your program fee payment and then some with your annual salary, or you might end up just breaking even.
Be sure to factor this expense into your plans. The program fee could do a lot to help you narrow down which programs are possible and which aren’t–which gives you a better chance to focus your attention on the ones within your budget.
3. What do you want out of this experience?
There’s a common wanderlust-y narrative of people quitting their job, selling everything, and moving to teach abroad. But maybe that’s not your intention. Maybe you want a year of experience before grad school. Maybe you’re exploring different career paths. Maybe you had an awful work/life balance and you just want to try something new! Knowing what you want out of a program will help you select one that will meet your needs and help you achieve your goals.
Travel: Are you looking for international experience or a gap year before you settle into a permanent job in your home country? Are you just curious? If traveling is a top priority, look for programs with lots of holidays, flexible schedules, or central placement. More on this below.
Work/Life Balance: Do you want some time away from a hectic workload? Be aware that programs vary in teacher commitment. Some programs require teachers fulfill a certain number of ESL lessons a week (which average out to 4/5 hour workdays), while some require you to work an 8 hour day, teaching all different kinds of subjects in English.
Money: Are you looking to make a lot of money and save up for the future? Programs in the Middle East and South Korea might be what you’re looking for. Or perhaps you only need to earn enough to live comfortably in your new city. Or if money isn’t an issue, maybe a unique volunteer opportunity could be for you.
Tip: If your salary is low enough, your program may provide documentation that will allow you to suspend student loans.
4. How long do you want to stay?
It’s good to have an estimate of this while applying, but of course, this could change drastically once you arrive. I had some friends who wanted to head for the hills after a month into their contract, and some friends who have stayed with their school for three years or more! Don’t fall into the trap of thinking you have to sign away your life if you want to teach abroad. That’s intimidating, I get it!
But there are many short term summer programs, or 6 month, short-term contracts as well as the school-year or calendar-year ones. On the other hand, there are also programs which require a two year commitment straight out of the gate. Consider how long you’d like to stay abroad and then filter through programs that way!
5. What are the travel possibilities?
(Schedule + Salary)
I could have avoided a lot of frustration if I had done more research on this. In my daydreams, I imagined that I would book a budget flight out of Budapest every other weekend and jet around Europe to my heart’s content, lesson planning in the airport. Two realities got in the way of this, however: salary and schedule.
If your heart is set on traveling, find out if your school’s schedule will allow it. Preschools in Hungary go year round, so I don’t have the term breaks or full summer vacation that my colleagues in the primary and secondary schools do. Programs like Auxiliares result in three day weekends every week for teachers. Other programs don’t allow you to take time off outside of the given holidays. Look at your contract and see what’s possible. Another consider your location. Will you be placed in a city with a major airport/train station or is in a remote town? Will your salary allow you to save enough to travel? Take these things into account when building your travel dreams.
Moving abroad to teach is exciting, eye-opening, and not always as intimidating as it sounds. Making sure that your program is in line with your abilities and interests can go a long way in smoothing your transition. Hopefully these five questions will help you narrow down program options until you find one that is right for you!
Ready to look for your teach abroad program? Look at these resources!
5 Websites to Search for Teach Abroad Jobs
5 Teach Abroad Programs That INCLUDE Housing
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1 COMMENT
dmcgaha
4 years ago AUTHORcísd