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NLuchs
Joined: 05 May 2012
Posts: 19
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 Posted: Thu May 31, 2012 4:47 pm Post subject: Gap-year, teaching abroad |
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Hi! I have a few newbie-questions I'm hoping you can answer. I'm a young woman (22) and am hoping to obtain my Bachelor's degree in psychology this july. I'd like to spend at least one semester abroad starting next fall, before starting a master. Now I sort of stumbled onto teaching abroad and I'm wondering whether this is a realistic idea. I have no teaching experience and I'm working on obtaining a TEFL (or something similar) certificate. (I would love to go to Japan or China.)
If this is a realistic idea, then how would you suggest I proceed? Should I search for and respond to job offers online myself or join an agency?
And is there anyone here who has done the same thing? Or do you happen to know where I can find students who have also taught abroad for a short period of time?
Thanks! |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Thu May 31, 2012 10:09 pm Post subject: |
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| As for Japan, teaching for just a few months is not realistic, IMO, for several reasons. Besides, you wouldn't even make up the setup expenses in that time. |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Thu May 31, 2012 10:24 pm Post subject: Re: Gap-year, teaching abroad |
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| NLuchs wrote: |
| I'd like to spend at least one semester abroad starting next fall, before starting a master. Now I sort of stumbled onto teaching abroad and I'm wondering whether this is a realistic idea. |
What's your interest in teaching abroad for a few months? Are you looking to make quick money, study a foreign language, travel/have an adventure, test the TEFL waters to see if you want to do it longterm...? |
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tttompatz
Joined: 06 Mar 2010
Posts: 1951
Location: Talibon, Bohol, Philippines
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| Posted: Thu May 31, 2012 10:56 pm Post subject: Re: Gap-year, teaching abroad |
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| NLuchs wrote: |
Hi! I have a few newbie-questions I'm hoping you can answer. I'm a young woman (22) and am hoping to obtain my Bachelor's degree in psychology this july. I'd like to spend at least one semester abroad starting next fall, before starting a master. Now I sort of stumbled onto teaching abroad and I'm wondering whether this is a realistic idea. I have no teaching experience and I'm working on obtaining a TEFL (or something similar) certificate. (I would love to go to Japan or China.)
If this is a realistic idea, then how would you suggest I proceed? Should I search for and respond to job offers online myself or join an agency?
And is there anyone here who has done the same thing? Or do you happen to know where I can find students who have also taught abroad for a short period of time?
Thanks! |
Single term gap = look at China. There are offers for single term employment, airfare home, and housing. At the entry level the money isn't great but you get your gap-year adventure.
Full year contracts usually offer airfare equal to a return ticket plus salary and housing. Google SAFEA.
If you are short of cash then look at Korea. Prepaid airfare, housing and a decent salary but a 1-year commitment is required. The paperwork seems daunting (it really isn't) and it is still the best money/package for a newbie.
Read the Korean forums for more information. http://forums.eslcafe.com/korea/index.php . Separate registration required to post.
Willing to fly on your own dime then you can add Taiwan, Thailand, Indonesia to the list for as long or short as you want.
Jobs found from abroad are usually 1 year.
Jobs found "on the ground" while "in country" can be as long or as short as suits you.
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NLuchs
Joined: 05 May 2012
Posts: 19
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| Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2012 7:58 am Post subject: Re: Gap-year, teaching abroad |
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Thanks for your helpful comments! @nomad soul, I'm not looking to make a lot of money real quick, just enough so maybe I can spend some of it travelling wherever I'm going. I would love to study a foreign language! Though realistically speaking, I probably won't speak Chinese at the end of six months.. I love to travel, but what I'm really looking for is to live in a different country for a while and really experience a culture.
@ tttompatz, SAFEA looks interesting! I've heard that it's probably easier to find a job 'on the ground', but I'm a bit hesitant about flying to China and seeing where I'll end up. |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2012 10:20 pm Post subject: Re: Gap-year, teaching abroad |
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| NLuchs wrote: |
| I'm not looking to make a lot of money real quick, just enough so maybe I can spend some of it travelling wherever I'm going. I would love to study a foreign language! |
What is your nationality? If you qualify for a working holiday visa, you could use it to teach and travel, even study and travel. Also, a student visa for a language school might be a way to go.
If you are just looking for some way to make money to help your finances for a short time (few months) while you travel, I would suggest reconsidering any sort of FT job. The job would cut into your traveling time, for one. Which is more important to you: getting the work experience or sightseeing? |
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coledavis
Joined: 21 Jun 2003
Posts: 1838
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| Posted: Sat Jun 02, 2012 7:22 am Post subject: |
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| I think there are one or two agencies which do short sessions. Alternatively how about a summer school? Russian and other language schools offer these. (e.g. www.studycamp.ru ) |
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NLuchs
Joined: 05 May 2012
Posts: 19
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| Posted: Sat Jun 02, 2012 9:30 am Post subject: Re: Gap-year, teaching abroad |
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| Glenski wrote: |
| What is your nationality? |
I'm of the Dutch nationality
| Glenski wrote: |
| If you are just looking for some way to make money to help your finances for a short time (few months) while you travel, I would suggest reconsidering any sort of FT job. The job would cut into your traveling time, for one. Which is more important to you: getting the work experience or sightseeing? |
What I'd really like to do in stay in one place for a while and have it become a sort of home away from home. While I'm teaching I would like to see if I can take small weekendtrips to nearby places and afterwards I would really like to spend the money I've made travelling the country. That's my half-baked plan so far..
@ coledavis, do you happen to know which agencies? |
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tttompatz
Joined: 06 Mar 2010
Posts: 1951
Location: Talibon, Bohol, Philippines
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| Posted: Sat Jun 02, 2012 9:58 am Post subject: Re: Gap-year, teaching abroad |
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| NLuchs wrote: |
| I'm of the Dutch nationality |
This alone, in and of itself, will seriously hamper your chances of employment anywhere outside of Europe or Asia Minor.
The vast majority of jobs in Asia REQUIRE (immigration rules) that (in order to obtain a (proper) visa as an English teacher) you are a native speaker (hold a passport from one of: UK, USA, Canada, Aus, NZ (and some countries add Ireland and South Africa to that list) or that your English abilities are equal to that of a native speaker (IELTS 7 or above) and have the documentation to prove it.
The good news is that you can work anywhere in the EU as an English teacher with nothing more than a CELTA.
Yes, before some harpies chirp in, you can find work in China or with none of the above but you won't be doing it with the proper visa and there are issues working on a business visa (the simple fact that it is illegal) and if you piss off the wrong official you will find your azz in a Chinese detention center while they work it out.
In Thailand, (boots on the ground) you can find LEGAL work with an IELTS of 5.5 or a TOEIC of 600 go to with your DEGREE. It's won't pay well but you can get work.
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NLuchs
Joined: 05 May 2012
Posts: 19
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| Posted: Sat Jun 02, 2012 11:01 am Post subject: |
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I didn't realize that it would be a problem visa-wise.. I've already had some offers and know a few dutch people teaching in China, so I'll ask them how they handled it. Perhaps the school can help me to obtain the proper visa?
As far as working on the wrong visa goes: I will not be doing that. No way I want to risk the wrath of chinese officials. |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Sat Jun 02, 2012 11:24 pm Post subject: |
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| Here in Japan, I have seen a fair number of Dutch people wishing to get jobs. As tttompatz wrote, this can be problematic for teaching positions. Your native language is not English, so for visas you would need to prove that 12 years of all of your education were provided in English. |
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coledavis
Joined: 21 Jun 2003
Posts: 1838
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| Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2012 10:02 am Post subject: |
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There's Aston Recruiting, although they deal with China I believe. There's Westgate Corporation, re Japan. See also the following link relating to short-term employment:
http://www.tefltemp.com/Shortterm_TEFL_Jobs.htm
(Although on this page, I wouldn't bother with Richard in Spain or whatever his name is. He seemed a person with a lot of fixed preconceptions when I had contact with him.) |
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santi84
Joined: 14 Mar 2008
Posts: 1317
Location: under da sea
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| Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2012 4:40 pm Post subject: |
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Are you sure that you want to teach 
If you are a young single girl who wants to make money quick to travel, I'd recommend something like bartending instead, perhaps at a resort or something like that. I think I was making $40 an hour cash at 19 doing this!
I have nothing against young people teaching for a quick spurt but if it's money you want, and the freedom to travel too, then you might be better off in the hospitality industry. I made a lot more money then  |
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naturegirl321
Joined: 04 May 2003
Posts: 9041
Location: home sweet home
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| Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2012 11:11 pm Post subject: |
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| santi84 wrote: |
Are you sure that you want to teach
If you are a young single girl who wants to make money quick to travel, I'd recommend something like bartending instead, perhaps at a resort or something like that. I think I was making $40 an hour cash at 19 doing this!
I have nothing against young people teaching for a quick spurt but if it's money you want, and the freedom to travel too, then you might be better off in the hospitality industry. I made a lot more money then |
YOu can make about 70 an hour being a nanny, governess, tutor in Moscow. |
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santi84
Joined: 14 Mar 2008
Posts: 1317
Location: under da sea
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| Posted: Tue Jun 05, 2012 3:03 pm Post subject: |
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| naturegirl321 wrote: |
| santi84 wrote: |
Are you sure that you want to teach
If you are a young single girl who wants to make money quick to travel, I'd recommend something like bartending instead, perhaps at a resort or something like that. I think I was making $40 an hour cash at 19 doing this!
I have nothing against young people teaching for a quick spurt but if it's money you want, and the freedom to travel too, then you might be better off in the hospitality industry. I made a lot more money then |
YOu can make about 70 an hour being a nanny, governess, tutor in Moscow. |
I'm in the wrong career! Do you think they'd let me tow along my own 2 kids too
But seriously, that sounds like a great option for our OP as well. |
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