Something tells me that if you have found your way to this site, your interest in teaching abroad has already been piqued. You’ve thought about moving to a far-away land and it seems like a path that you would like to pursue. You just need some more information as to the possibilities that it might unlock. Am I close? Or perhaps you just want some more justification to be able to hold up in the face of those who are doubting your decision. Why teach English abroad? They might be asking. Aren’t there teaching jobs where you live? Well, in either case, read on, because I’ve listed what the top benefits are (in my eyes) of living and working in another country. 

Cultural Immersion

If you are interested in seeing the London Bridge, buy a ticket to Heathrow and hop in a taxi. But if you are interested in England – the people, the food, the history, the customs – rent an apartment in Wessex and stay there for a month. Better yet, get a job in a hostel and stay for 3. Even better, find a proper job or enroll in a school and stay for a year. You get what I mean.

Working in foreign countries gives you an excellent chance to be immersed amongst the people of other countries as a peer, not as a tourist. You have the chance to build more meaningful relationships than you might otherwise be able to. These future coworkers will turn out to be a fountain of wealth in terms of opening the doors to your host country. I’ve been invited to do all kinds of things with my overseas coworkers that I might never have gotten to do on my own: weddings, dance recitals, company picnics, hiking trips, etc. And let’s not forget your students, either. Your kids will invite you to their music concerts and sports days, and your adult students will invite you to pubs, restaurants, and baseball games. 

Endless Travel Opportunities

Let’s also not forget the obvious. Working abroad gives you the opportunity to prolong your travels – indefinitely if you like. I left for my first teaching job in 2010, and as of today I’m sitting in my home office in Saudi Arabia waiting for the Pandemic to subside. That’s right, I’ve passed my 10 year anniversary living abroad. Obviously that could not have been possible without some kind of income. And while there are some ways that you can make extra cash on your travels, they certainly aren’t enough to support a decade on the move. Teaching abroad offers a great avenue to essentially travel for the rest of your life. Are you going to become a millionaire? No. Is it a good idea to do it forever? Debatable. The point is, if you decide to teach abroad, you gain the power to decide when to stop traveling, if and when you get tired of it.

Professional Development

Say you are one those people being asked Why teach English abroad? Aren’t there teaching jobs where you live? Your answer should be yes, but they aren’t going anywhere. If you are already working as an educator, or plan to be in the future, you can cultivate an amazing resume with the experience you gain abroad. There are just as many, if not more, opportunities in the educational field overseas than there are at home. While living abroad, I have done two master’s degrees, taught all ages, been a deputy program manager for a multi-million dollar government contractor, and started my own freelancing business doing instructional design. I never got a teaching license while working abroad, but this is certainly possible as well.   

I guess what I’m getting at is don’t let anyone make you feel that by going to teach abroad you are in some way setting yourself back, professionally. In my case, it has definitely been the opposite. I have had to be flexible while living abroad, and that has let me cultivate more skills which look better on my resume. Particularly if you are a new teacher, why not earn your stripes abroad and have fun travelling while you do it? 

A More Meaningful Experience

For me, the answer to the question Why teach English Abroad? is the same as to the question Why travel? If you read my bio page, you already know that, for me, travel means gaining an intimate knowledge of the people, food, customs, and rhythm of a country. I don’t travel just to take photos, or to scrounge up material for this blog, and I certainly don’t travel just for the stamps. For me, living abroad is the best way to see that “other side.” 

The best thing about teaching abroad is that it gives you time. Not just time to see more places and travel more, but the time to experience a place and digest it. You get a lot more time to reflect on what you are seeing and what it means to you. This is the reason why it’s sometimes hard to return home after a lengthy stay abroad, but it is relatively easy if you’ve only been gone a week or two. By living and working abroad you get more time to absorb your surroundings, and this essentially means you become a different person. This lifestyle certainly leads to a lot more growth than if you decide to just stay at home and never experience the world around you. 

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I hope all of this has got you believing that this lifestyle is not only possible, but easier than you think. I don’t know where you are at in your life right now, and only you can decide if it’s the right choice or the right time, but you can check out some of my other guides to help make those decisions easier. If there is anything not covered here, reach out! I’d be happy to write a piece that would help a fellow teacher and/or traveler. I’m always taking requests at matthew@teachfortravel.com.