Photo by prufrock27.

1. It’s cheap

Thailand offers the cheapest reputable TEFL courses in Asia and some of the cheapest in the world. English schools in Japan, Taiwan, and Korea send their teachers here for training in order to save money.

Not only are the courses inexpensive, but the cost of living is also lower than in most countries. You can eat a meal for $1, and a decent studio apartment will run you $50 – $200 per month (depending on your location).

2. The Schools are high-quality.

While Thailand has its fair share of scams, it also has lots of internationally recognized certificate programs. You can take a Cambridge-certified CELTA course at IH Bangkok or href="http://www.eccthai.com/">ECC in Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Phuket.

The AUA, in Bangkok and Chiang Mai, offers a TESOL certificate backed by an American university. Chiang Mai University also offers an excellent TEFL program. All of these programs are carefully regulated by the university that gives the certificate, so trainers, course material, and trainees must adhere to high standards.

3. There are various jobs available.

Thailand has a huge demand for native English speakers. The bad news is that many language schools will hire just about anyone, and these schools tend to treat their teachers poorly.

The good news is that now that you’re certified you are a step ahead, and pretty much guaranteed a job at “entry-level” schools. Even better, you are also qualified to apply for more desirable jobs at high-quality language schools and public or private normal curriculum schools.

4. There’s a substantial expat community.

There are thousands of foreigners living in Thailand, so the country is well-prepared to host expats. You will find lots of resources and groups to help you settle in, making it easier to find an apartment, meet fellow expats, and find Western food when you’re craving a taste of home.

5. It’s a Low-Stress Environment

Thailand’s educational culture is based on “sanook,” or fun. In learning and in teaching, fun and games are essential – you won’t find yourself lecturing from Advanced Grammar for the English Learner. The whole country runs on “Thai time,” which means pretty much means “It’ll happen when it happens.” If schedules and timelines are your thing, go to Japan, but if you’re looking to relax, Thailand is the optimal environment.

Photo by prufrock27.

6. It’s Thailand!

Beautiful terrain, pristine villages, tropical weather – who wouldn’t want to go to Thailand? Instead of just visiting, get a deeper experience by studying or even settling down here!

Community Connection:

Ajarn.com is the standard resource for ESL teachers in Thailand. Check here for TEFL courses, teaching jobs and other information about living in Thailand.

StudyAbroadLinks.com lists TEFL programs in Thailand.

Thaivisa.com gives lots of information for foreigners living in Thailand – specifically about visas, but their forums and classifieds have lots other information.

Photo above by Jaako

1. Medellin

Your mother might not know that it is safe to travel in Colombia these days (here are 10 reasons why it is, if you want to show her), but everyone else seems to have gotten the message.

There are good reasons backing the hype. The weather is almost always delightful in the City of Eternal Spring. The nightlife, especially in La Zona Rosa surrounding Parque de Lleras rivals any in Latin America. The nightclubs further afield are worth the cab fare, though check with locals to find out which spot is currently in vogue. The increase in backpackers has led to many more hostels. Casa Kiwi currently claims the title for best party digs.

Closer economic ties with the United States should theoretically increase demand for English teachers, and though wages are generally low, so are the rents. Medellin is home to several major universities, and with the large student population there are always rooms for let in budget apartments. Entrepreneurs will find a can-do business climate and a people overjoyed to have the dark days of the cartels and the FARC behind them.

2. New Orleans

Photo above by dsb nola

Dirty, violent, corrupt, and sinking further beneath sea level with each passing year, New Orleans will always be on the precipice of disaster.

And that’s just how the locals like it.

Turns out it will take more than a major hurricane or catastrophic floods to wipe New Orleans off the map. The Crescent City is back to business, and there now are signs of life even in the wards most devastated by Hurricane Katrina.

Tourists have returned, but much of New Orleans’ mystique is not accessible to short-term visitors. It takes time to discover the best dive bars, jazz, blues, and voodoo joints, and those unassuming corner stores that surreptitiously serve the most delicious po-boys on the planet.

It will take more time still to meet the cognoscenti who can help you penetrate the high walls that enclose lush gardens and the best parties. A European accent or Latin American chic will come in handy for the latter endeavor.

New Orleans has always been a prime vacation spot in the States, but with the loss of other industry, tourism now makes up an overwhelming percentage of the local economy. The high number of hotels and restaurants per capita makes for plenty of expat opportunities throughout the hospitality sector. Much of this work can be gotten off the books.

3. Saigon

Photo above by ibarra_svd

With pundits proclaiming the end of capitalism, perhaps it’s time to consider one of the most dynamic cities in the Communist world. The steamy bustle in Saigon might suffer with the global downturn, though it is hard to imagine a metropolis with Saigon’s vigor will languish.

Traces of the French legacy add a pleasing texture to the city experience, from colonial French architecture to those addictive baguette sandwiches smothered with delicious local fare. Adrenaline junkies will be quick to find a motorbike and navigate the chaos of city traffic.

Expats looking for a permanent address in Saigon should be elated by the Vietnamese National Assembly’s recent passage of a new citizenship law. Foreign nationals who marry a local, learn to speak Vietnamese, or reside in the country for at least five years will be eligible for dual citizenship. In these tough times, a second passport may be a wise bet.

4. Vilnius

Photo above by Swamibu

How many cities can claim a public park devoted to Frank Zappa? Vilnius’ memorial to the eccentric rock legend suggests the capital’s appreciation for the quirky and offbeat.

Vilnius has been designated the 2009 European City of Culture and will host hundreds of concerts, art installations, and cultural programs throughout the coming year.

While Gothic, Baroque, and Byzantine churches dominate the city’s skyline, the club and music scene below street level is cutting edge. The best DJs in Europe pass through local Gravity Club, and Vilnius is home to a re-emerging local rock scene.

Cost of living varies greatly in Vilnius, with prices in the old town approaching those of other European capitals. Prices in outlying neighborhoods remain affordable, provided one can tolerate the Soviet bloc digs.

5. Cape Town

Photo above by neilalderney123

Energy is sure to be building as South Africa’s big cities scramble in their preparations for the next World Cup, the first on the African continent.

The colorful city nestled under Table Mountain boasts a burgeoning green community with excellent farmers’ markets and a number of eco-friendly initiatives. The Mediterranean climate and access to mountains and oceans provide a plethora of year-round outdoor activities.

English is the language of business in South Africa, opening a wide variety of professional opportunities for expats. Savvy residents still around in 2010 might be able to get a year’s worth of rent by subletting their flats during the weeks of the big matches.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

Headed to one of these five cities? Check out the Matador community blog to learn about yoga in Saigon, the Pablo Escobar era in Medellin, the Chapman’s Peak trails near Cape Town, tracking down art supplies in Vilnius, or the legendary Dr. Love in New Orleans.

Feature photo by scui3asteveo. Photo above by John Althouse Cohen.

Sometimes I wonder if my undergraduate degree, which gave me a solid foundation in the History of Science and has led to a lucrative career in international vagabonding, is worth the $10,000 of student loans I am evading by living in Oaxaca, Mexico.

I ponder this, sometimes wallowing in bitterness, as I pore over the websites of American universities in search of graduate programs that won’t leave me forever indebted and doomed to the life of a backpacker on the run.

There are very few such programs—American education is undoubtedly very good, but it is also very expensive.

So, for those of us who love the experience of delving into and becoming part of different places, doesn’t it make sense to look abroad? The world offers some excellent opportunities for graduate school that might actually leave you spare change to, say, eat, and travel.

Thus, what follows: a brief overview of seven countries where you can get a graduate degree at a fraction of the price you’d pay in the U.S.

Photo by Martin Dougiamas.

Spain

At around $2,000 a year, graduate programs in Spain are an incredible deal. The University of Barcelona ranks as one of the three best universities in Ibero-America (the other two being the UNAM of Mexico City and the University of Sao Paolo), and the University of Madrid is not far behind.

Masters degrees are diverse, going way beyond the simple categories of anthropology or sociology—how about an analysis of the history and culture of food? Or the management of cultural heritage? Why not get a degree in women, gender, and citizenship studies? And of course, there are plenty of offerings in the sciences, from an interdisciplinary analysis of water to the study of artificial intelligence and mathematics.

France

I apologize for giving way to cliché, but France, whether you love it or hate it, has an age-old association with intellectual life. Intellectuals have long been the Marilyn Monroes and Tom Cruises of France, and the quality and seriousness of French higher education reflects this cultural preference.

The Ecole Normale Superior de Paris ranks at number 28 in the list of the world’s top universities, and tuition for international graduate students is a whopping 190 Euros a year.

Photo by Riviera Kid.

Sweden

Graduate school is free. The website for Uppsala university announces this nonchalantly, as if the whole world lived in the calm socialist paradise that is Sweden.

Now, keep in mind that you’ll probably be paying about five Euros for a beer and who knows how much for any sort of classy lifestyle, but with free tuition, you can take down two Euro espressos right and left while you hit the books.

Plus, Uppsala offers a whole catalogue of Master’s programs in English, unlike other Swedish universities that require a good working knowledge of Swedish.

Germany

Yet another case in which very solid, well-ranked universities come in at around 100-500 Euros a year for tuition. You’ll have to contend with somewhat exorbitant living costs, particularly in the country’s financial centers, but by living like a good ol’ suffering grad student (think of a steady diet of comforting, hearty pasta) you should come out with a pretty good deal in the end.

German language skills are required for some schools; others, such as the University of Berlin, offer a selection of degrees in English.

Photo by mjmyap.

Singapore

Asian students flock to Singapore by the thousands to take advantage of the (relatively) cheap and high quality education. Singapore National University is ranked at number 30 in the world, and tuition stands at around $4,000 a year for international graduate students.

Potential students with interests in Asian studies can explore a range of Masters degrees, from broader studies of Asian civilization to critical analyzes of Southeast Asia or the Malay Peninsula.

For those deeply embedded in love affairs with Asia and wanting to further them in an academic setting, Singapore offers a melting pot of Asian cultures, a high quality graduate education, and ah, yes, the affordability that allows you to take a much-needed chill weekend from time to time on a Thai beach.

Mexico

With tuition around $1,000 USD a year, the Universidad Autonoma de Mexico offers a tempting alternative to rival schools just North of the border.

And with UNAM ranking as one of Latin America’s most prestigious universities (along with Argentina’s University of Buenos Aires) you are really, let’s say, getting what you do not have to pay for: a top-quality graduate degree.

For those interested in Latin American studies and history, the program recently initiated here is one of the best in the world. And if Mexico City seems to you like an experience in pure chaos, try Puebla, Monterrey, or one of the CIESAS research institutes located throughout the country, all of which offer quality graduate degrees at prices comparable to that of UNAM.

Photo by DanieVDM.

South Africa

The country in and of itself is an education, and provides a seething, transforming, highly charged backdrop to academic study.

Universities have taken advantage of the country’s post-apartheid opening up to promote academic and personal freedom, as well as the study of many disciplines banned or marginalized in the past. Cape Town and Johannesburg contain the most well recognized universities, each of which charges around $4,000 a year in tuition for international graduate students.

Add to this the fact that the cost of living in South Africa affords grad students a much greater degree of luxury than they would experience in Europe or the U.S., and voila, you have the tantalizing prospect of plowing away at a doctorate without having to survive on heaping bowls of spaghetti.

Keep in mind this list is only the beginning. Start doing research online: the aptly named International Graduate Schools website has plenty of listings of specific schools and programs, but in my opinion the Top Grad School site is even better, with rankings, statistics, and programs listed for most major schools in dozens of countries.

Good luck, and may you save as much as you learn!

COMMUNITY CONNECTION:

Still aren’t convinced that study abroad is right for you? Read Tanya Brothen’s article, Study Abroad: What Are You Waiting For?”.

Have you done grad work abroad? Share your experiences and insights below!

Feature photo by CharlesFred. Photo above by Soqotra (Yemen).

Despite its rap as a hotbed of kidnapping, terrorism, and tribalism, San’a, Yemen is doing for Arabic what Antigua, Guatemala has done for Spanish: making the language affordable and accessible in a stunningly beautiful location (UNESCO has declared the entire old town of San’a a World Heritage Site).

Wandering the labyrinth streets of San’a is like peeking back into the Persian Gulf before oil, before the trappings of modernity. Here the essence of frankincense – piney, medicinal and evocative – drifts between lopsided towers of stone and mud brick.

Stacked on top of each other six to eight stories high, the towers drape the narrow alleyways in shadow. Yemeni women seem to float by, their eyes encased in head-to-toe black veils.

Photo by alvise forcellini.

Mustachioed men in turbans and long skirts sport curved blades. Smiling broadly, they ask for your name, where you’re from. Little boys and girls stop and stare before chanting, sura, sura, sura! (Photo, photo, photo!). The cacophonous adhan, the Islamic call to prayer, thunders down from the peaks of minarets spiraling skyward.

The sights and sounds of ancient San’a get you all turned around. Don’t worry though, that’s part of the fun. But when the minarets get to whirling like dervishes and you’ve heard the adhan more than once, you’ll know its time to stop one of those guys in a ma’waz (an ankle-length skirt) and jambiya (Yemeni dagger) to lay down that line you’ve been practicing on the plane ride over: Low samahat, eyen madrassa arabia? (Excuse me, where’s the Arabic school?)

They’ll be delighted with your attempt at their language and will more than likely escort you all the way there. If you’re feeling adventurous, accept their invitation to join them after class for a traditional afternoon of chewing qat, a mildly addictive stimulant grown throughout Yemen.

Photo by Dawson-Foremans.

During class, you’ll get the kind of attention that would have made you squirm in your high school French course: intensively individualized instruction. Unlike in Tunisia, Syria, and Egypt (where as many foreigners as possible are packed into a class), classes in Yemen max-out at six students per teacher.

Before you book your flight, here’s a couple of places that’ll get you headed straight into the heart of Arabia.

Center for Arabic Language & Eastern Studies
Phone: 967-1-292-090; Fax 960-281-700; Az-Zumar St.; www.ynet.ye/cales.

Part of the University of San’a, the school offers monthly intensive courses for US $390 for three to six students (80 hours: four hours per day, five days a week).

San’a Institute for Arabic Language
Phone: 967-1-284-330; Fax: 967-1-284-329, As-Saliah St.; www.sialyemen.com/ An intensive three week course (60 hours) costs US$ 300. A six week (120 hours) course goes for $570; a nine week (180 hours) course will set you back $1,215 and a full year (720 hours) is just $3,240. Arabic for Specific Purposes (ASP) is also available.

Yemen Language Center & Yemen Center for Arab Studies
Phone: 967-1 -270-200; Fax: 967-1-270-127; 26th of September St.; www.ylcint.com. An all inclusive five weeks in Yemen (airfare, Arabic instruction, accommodation, two meals a day, organized excursions and high speed Internet) will cost you $2,960.

Community Connection

For more on travel in this under-visited region, check out 6 Under-the-Radar Destinations in the Middle East, 7 Reasons to Travel to Iran NOW, or Discovering Israel’s City of the Future.