The following will get you started on the quest for your ideal teaching job abroad.

Sometimes the sheer number of teaching jobs abroad is overwhelming. Korea? Kyrzgystan? Mexico? Lithuania?

A google search for ESL jobs will pull up a cluster of potential resources which takes time, patience and a discerning, critical eye to wade through. Some, of course, are much more trustworthy and useful than others.

In my four years of experience teaching overseas, here are the ones I’ve found most helpful.

1. Dave’s ESL Cafe.

Simply classic. Yes, you’ll find the old salts in the forums whining about anything and everything – the food, the bureaucracy, the students, the pay, the visas – so think twice before you turn down or accept a job based on what you find there. At the same time, those forums can be an excellent way to gauge the legitimacy of certain language schools and to get a sense of the average pay and visa regulations in a region.

Before I took a short-term teaching position in Japan, I consulted the forums at Dave’s and got several private messages from previous instructors telling me what to expect, which was enormously helpful in preparing materials and adjusting my expectations.

Plus, the International Job Board is much more reliable than many other online job feeds and contains a wide range of jobs all over the world. I’ve found two out of four teaching positions via the International Job Board.

2. Tefl.com

Another extremely reliable site for jobs which tend to be more professional, for teachers with a TESOL, Delta or Celta certificate and experience. There are some jobs for novices on here, including plenty in China, South Korea, and Saudi Arabia, but many of the jobs are in Europe and require certain credentials.

Photo: J.C Rojas

The site also tends to favor teachers from the UK – be careful when reading the job ads to check if the little blue “EU National Preferred” box appears at the bottom. If so, Americans, you’re going to be fighting an uphill battle for that position, and you’ll probably be in charge of dealing with visa issues.

One major perk of Tefl.com is that they allow you to apply for jobs directly through their website by uploading your information into a portfolio. They also give you the option of applying for a daily feed of jobs – which I ultimately had to unsubscribe to, because I couldn’t deal with the constant temptation to move to, say, Kazakhstan.

3. Transitions Abroad’s Teaching English Abroad Portal

This is much more than a simple job site. If you’ve ever wondered about TEFL courses in Vietnam, short-term teaching positions in Italy or the ins and outs of getting a university job in Chile, this should be your first stop. The site has an unbelievable amount of useful, detailed information about teaching abroad.

I could spend hours simply wandering dazed through the possibilities, and you probably should if you’re new to teaching and thinking about taking a job in a place you’ve never visited.

4. Esl Job Feed.

Jobs. Lots of ‘em. Straight up.

5. The University of Michigan’s sites for Teaching Abroad Without Certification and Teaching Abroad for Qualified Teachers

These sites offer an extremely well organized compilation of information not only about teaching jobs, but also about programs like Fulbright teaching assistanceships for recent graduates or graduate students. They contain extensive guides to teaching in countries on six continents (Antarctica is woefully underrepresented) as well as articles about cross-cultural exchange in the English language classroom, teaching jobs with government organizations and NGO’s, and teaching at every level from elementary to post-graduate.

There’s no reason not to do research before you take off on a teaching adventure, especially if you’re thinking of accepting a position with a gigantic language school with branches all over Asia or Latin America. If you’ve got a set idea of what you want to do and where you want to go, all it takes is persistence and research to get you there.

Community Connection

Matador offers its own set of ESL resources, including The Insider’s Guide to Teaching English In Asia, The Eight Hidden Benefits of Teaching English Abroad, Top Ten Places for Teaching English Abroad, and the classic Meet Your ESL Coworkers.

]]> http://matadorabroad.com/5-essential-online-resources-for-finding-esl-jobs/feed/ 5 http://matadorabroad.com/meet-your-esl-coworkers/ http://matadorabroad.com/meet-your-esl-coworkers/#comments Thu, 06 Aug 2009 23:33:04 +0000 Anne Merritt http://matadorabroad.com/?p=1583

Feature Photo: rapphorstPhoto: kafka4prez

Many ESL teachers are lovely, open-minded, hardworking people…but of course, those aren’t the characters you write home about.

The ones who stick in your mind are the ones who exist far on the outskirts of social and psychological norms. Below are profiles of some typical characters that you’ll meet in the teacher’s room of an overseas language school.

*Note that gender pronouns were assigned randomly; dubious characters of both genders exist.

The Peter Pan

Wow, this guy sure likes to drink. And chain-smoke. And tell proud stories of blacking out and waking up on a park bench wearing someone else’s blazer. He’s been out of university for a long long time, but still has a keen Animal House interest in raucous nights out.

Photo: wolfgangkuhnle

He doesn’t mind being a decade or two older than his drinking buddies, and won’t think twice about telling a non-imbibing twenty-something that they need to “loosen up already.”

He can’t speak much of the local language, but has picked up enough vulgarities to out-curse a sailor. Likewise, his students always seem to pick up English vocabulary much more colorful than the textbook dictates.

The Immersed

This specimen may not talk much at work, but once her cellphone rings, she’s chattering away in the local language to one of her many friends. Sure, she’s only been here for five months, but she can tell you everything about your neighbourhood, the national education system, and linguistic idioms unique to the region.

That is, if she wanted to. Instead, she smiles politely and walks away when you and other newcomers make broad, simple observations about the country (”they really honour the elderly here, huh?”).

Photo: yorj

It’s not clear where she found this pack of local friends, but together they hang out at non-expat bars playing local card games that you couldn’t follow if you tried.

The Luster

Everybody lusts and there’s nothing wrong with it. What makes this guy stand out is his unbridled need to discuss it so candidly with his colleagues.

This person fetishizes the exoticism of the local people, be it burkas on women or Buddhist chest tattoos on men. The object of desire could be a shop worker, pedestrian on the street, or (ick!) a teenage student in his class. They all get a big indiscreet leer.

Photo: <"http://www.flickr.com/photos/pinkmoose/">pink moose

The curious thing about this character is that, while it’s the foreignness of these women that floats his boat, he has little patience when these lady-friends obey parental curfews, refuse to hold hands in public, or behave in other non-Western manners typical of their culture.

The Child of the World

This woman has taught in eight countries on three continents, and her character is a strange cocktail of worldliness and naivete. She owns property in Bucharest and Tangiers, but doesn’t know how to drive and has never heard of Conan O’Brien.

She’s pretty good at chatting with new friends on a superficial level, but because of her transient lifestyle, deeper connections aren’t her thing. Her wardrobe will include Thai fisherman pants, Peruvian amulets, Korean eyeglasses, and Finnish shoes.

Photo: houseofsims

So why is she a vagabond by choice? Sometimes it’s a great, complicated passion for travel. Sometimes she doesn’t seem that wild about travel at all, and will readily criticize any previous destinations.

If that’s the case, you’ll have quite the time trying to figure out what’s keeping her from her home country (jilted lover? arrest warrant? start sleuthing!)

The CV All-Star

This plucky young university grad studied art in Italy, spent a summer volunteering in Honduras, and has taken this overseas teaching job as a way to “get some more life experience” while he applies to grad schools for International Development.

Though new to the field of teaching, his energy and sexy-by-any-cultural-standard physique makes him an instant student favorite. While you play scratchy audio recordings to your class on a Cold War-era tape recorder, your plucky new colleague brings in his guitar and teaches a rousing lesson on Michael Franti’s song lyrics.

Yes, it’s hard not to roll your eyes a little at this newcomer and his apple-pie optimism, but you have to appreciate his enthusiasm.

Community Connection

About to delve into the wild world of ESL? Check out Matador’s list of the the 18 most scenic places to teach overseas. Already in the classroom, and have a student who’s shooting you googly eyes? Find out what to do when your student has a crush on you.. And see if your students show up in this list of usual suspects.

Feature Photo: torres21Photo: chloerae

So you’ve decided to go teach overseas, you’ve read up on different countries, and maybe you’ve even taken a TESL course.

Foreign TESL jobs can open the door to travel and adventure, but no matter how lovely the country may be, it’s the job that will make or break your experience. And arranging a job from halfway around the globe makes it tough to tell whether it’s quality or not.

Some teachers walk unknowingly into poorly-run schools and have to spend months struggling with few resources, crowded classrooms, and dodgy pay schedules. Others make the mistake of assuming workplace practices are similar to those in their home countries, and are then hit with cultural barriers when issues like overtime and sick days come up.

Below are five tips to help you ensure that the job you’re about to take is credible and (hopefully) hassle-free.

1. Go over the details.

Most contracts will cover the policies for vacation time, overtime pay, and grounds for dismissal; all good rules to know, especially in a foreign culture whose work ethic may differ from yours.

If you’re signing up with a larger chain of language schools, your contract might simply say that these important details are administered “as per the policies of [Language School X].” Before you sign, find out what those policies are, and get them in writing. This can mean the difference between two days and two weeks of vacation time in a 12-month contract.

2. Ask about resources.

There are nightmarish ESL stories floating around involving untrained teachers being chucked into a classroom with no book, no materials, and forty pairs of expectant eyes starting at them.

Photo: bionicteaching

Before you sign anything, ask about the materials used in your school. Public schools might have a set-in-stone curriculum, whereas private schools sometimes ask teachers to prepare all of their own lessons. A simple inquiry might save you the trouble of spending each day designing whole lesson plans from scratch.

3. Discuss the visa

Some schools will help you arrange a work visa in advance, while others will ask you to enter the country on a tourist visa and process the paperwork on their side. In the latter case, this can involve long unpaid days in bureaucratic waiting rooms, or “border runs” where you travel to a neighboring country and back in order to legitimize the new visa.

In any case, your employer should tell you what to expect in the visa process, whether the school will pay the fees, and how much work you might have to miss while this processing occurs.

4. Contact your predecessor.

Ask your potential employer if you can have the email address of the teacher whose job you’ll be filling. Write this teacher a simple inquiry about their experience, and why they’re leaving the position.

Photo: rivard

You’ll get a fellow foreigner’s perspective, and he/she can give you more general tips about living overseas, like what to pack or which Western items are rare/expensive in the place you’re interested in. Know that if you’re being hired by a new language school or through a recruitment agency, they might not have contacts to give you. If that’s the case…

5. Google

Try searching the name of the school online, and read the results with a grain of salt. There are discussion boards and forums aplenty in the ESL world, from Dave’s ESL Cafe to employer blacklist sites such as tefl blacklist.

Bear in mind a few things while you’re searching. First, people usually take to the message boards when they’re angry. For every teacher writing slanderous posts, there might be dozens of employees at the same school who are thrilled with their jobs, but keeping those thoughts off the Internet.

Second, try to get a sense of the person behind the complaints.

Photo: desheffer

A lot of people enter the ESL field with more interest in travel than in education. Of course they’ll have trouble with the jobs, as they would with any teaching position, because it’s not the job for them. Private message or email people and ask them what they search for in a position, and why they did or didn’t like their previous job.

An overseas teaching position is one of the best ways to get inside of another culture, but like any experience of cultural exchange, it can be tricky, complicated, and frustrating as well as exhilarating. Do your research beforehand to ensure you’ll be off to a smooth start in the classroom.

Community Connection

Hey, all you teachers out there! Help those who’re thinking of making the plunge into teaching navigate the labyrinth of possibilities! Sound off about your experiences with different schools, contracts, and countries.

Thinking about teaching in Asia? Check out Matador’s guide to teaching in China, Korea or Japan.

If you’re just beginning to explore the thought of heading abroad to teach, look over these 8 hidden benefits of teaching English abroad to motivate yourself.

Photo by foundphotoslj_____Feature photo by AussieGall

Most of us can admit to having had a crush, at least once in our lives, on a teacher or coach.

Maybe it was Miss Evans, the 22-year-old first grade teacher with bubble gum breath, shiny red toenails and an endless stash of Hershey’s kisses. Or Mr. Singleton, the cute writing professor who canceled Wednesday classes for happy hour and laughed at all your jokes.

Teacher crushes are perfectly natural, and usually harmless, but they can be tricky to deal with when you’re the object of affection—especially for English teachers abroad.

ESL teachers are often the target of student crushes. Here’s why:

• Language teachers, in general, tend to inspire a more friendly or intimate learning environment than those covering other academic subjects.

This sense of intimacy can increase exponentially between students and teachers from different countries, and especially in the tutorial setting of one-on-one instruction.

• For students who’ve had little or no contact with teachers from other countries or cultures, English class offers a unique opportunity. A natural dose of curiosity has the tendency to deepen into a crush.

Photo by tonythemisfit

Western teachers, in general, also tend to have a more open and relaxed attitude towards their students than native teachers.

• Physical communication plays a large role in language classes. Both parties rely on communicating physically – through body language, exaggerated gestures and silly mimes, which often result in giggles and relaxed social barriers.

If you begin to notice the telltale signs of amorous intrigue consider trying one of the following tactics.

The following tips offer basic and practical tactics for defusing teacher/student crushes or avoiding them altogether.

1. Try a different position

What are your student’s cultural expectations for how close, or far apart, you sit during lessons?

Sitting side by side might strike you as the most practical arrangement for one-on-one instruction but it’s sometimes best to sit across from each other at the table, where it’s less likely you’ll brush hands or knock knees while reaching for the dictionary.

2. Don’t sink with the Titanic

Discussing movies, TV shows and celebrities are a great way to get your student talking, but romantic themes are best avoided.

This includes thinking carefully before analyzing Rose’s relationship in Titanic or naming your favorite character from Sex and the City.

Looks like Leo? Photo by bdfsb

As much as your student might make you feel like you’re a celebrity yourself, it’s definitely time to sink the Titanic when your student starts insisting you’re more handsome than Leonardo DiCaprio.

3. Avoid the Language of Love

English corners, or “free talk,” can be a great way to ensure student participation, but they can also, if not properly guided, lead to embarrassing comments or awkward confessions.

If the conversation runs astray, bust out a grammar lesson. Grammar is seldom sexy, unless you’re conjugating suggestive verbs, which have no place in the classroom anyway.

4. Location, Location, Location

Where are you meeting for lessons?

The cozy coffee shop you’ve chosen for its good music and comfy couches might seem like a perfect venue for an English lesson, but a student who associates cafes with Hollywood love scenes might view the setting differently.

Chinese McDonalds photo by sly06

Likewise, you might not associate McDonald’s with romance, but your small-town Chinese student might mistake your appointment as a McDate.

5. Watch Your Mouth

Admit it: it’s good fun to say swear words, slang and potty talk in another language.

Students of all ages delight in learning the colloquialisms of “insiders.”

There’s a certain high and sense of empowerment in cursing out a Beijing taxi driver in Mandarin, even if you can’t direct him back to your hostel.

Yet it’s best to filter what types of phrases you choose to share with your students. Teaching a bunch of 5-year-old’s to say “fart” might seem innocuous, yet you’re removing an important layer of student to teacher respect when you enter the realm of the silly or profane.

The same goes for teaching older students words like flirt, date or even French kiss. You never know when your student will decide it’s time to practice.

Of course other common approaches include canceling a few one-on-one lessons, bringing along a friend or making it clear to your student that you’re married, in a relationship or committed to someone back home.

If all else fails, suggest another teacher for your student.

Sometimes that extra cash just isn’t worth it.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION!

If you’re thinking about teaching English abroad, then you’ve come to the right place. Check out these useful articles:

How To Get A Job Teaching In Japan

Is The JET Program Right For You?

Teaching English In China

10 Online Resources For Finding A Job In Asia

Student by foundphotoslj. Feature photo by Okko Pokko

There’s the guy who’s really interested in grammar and can’t stop asking you why the present perfect form of run is irregular.

He pores over his book every night and could present a thesis on the use of adverbs of frequency, but if he actually needs to bust out a comprehensible sentence in casual conversation, he’s floored.

There are the two or three middle-aged workers who’ve randomly decided they should learn English, gotten really pumped about it during the first week, and then promptly grown bored.

Now they recite new vocabulary words as if they were heavy rocks dropping with a thud.

There are the keen university students who want it, need it, soak it up with the desperation of a man trying every trick he knows to get the woman he wants.

They grapple with the language, play with it, try to please it and alter it a bit to suit their needs. They could use more practice, but they’ve got skillz in place for the moment when they actually meet a foreigner.

And then there are the rare students who soak up language like the proverbial sponge, who will always have a four-year old’s capacity for absorbing new vocabulary and grammatical structures.

There are, of course, many more types of language learners.

Which one are you?

Seoul by TylerDurden1. Feature photo by Stinkie Pinkie

Make that liberal arts degree finally work for you! Come join the best and brightest of a generation and teach English in South Korea!

All you need is a college degree, a passport from a first-world English speaking country, the willingness to adapt to a foreign culture.. and a pulse.

Pusan monks by Ryuugakusei

In this time of economic uncertainty, teaching English as a second language abroad has suddenly become an attractive career option, or at least something to do while waiting for a dream job to materialize.

And what better place to teach ESL than South Korea – “The Land of the Morning Calm” – which is one of Asia’s strongest economies?

Koreans are crazy about learning English. They recognize that it’s the only way to economically move their country forward. And they’re willing to pay top dollar – or won – to learn.

The salaries, along with the relatively low cost of living, make Korea one of the most attractive options for teaching in Asia.

But before learning to like kimchi and jumping on that next plane to Seoul, take a look at the three main types of teaching jobs that are available to foreigners over here:

Teaching by Kai Hendry

1. Hakwons

Hakwon is the Korean word for “academy.”

You can’t throw a soju bottle without hitting a language hakwon in this country, and it’s likely the first place you’ll end up teaching.

English Hakwons mainly cater to kindergartners and elementary kids, though there are also some for adults.

The hours can be long and the erratic changes in curriculum maddening, but they’ll pay for your round trip airfare to and from your country, provide you with an apartment, and give you a contract completion bonus equal to one-month’s pay.

It’s not uncommon for someone to sock away between $10,000 and $20,000 (USD) after a one-year stint at a hakwon – perfect for paying off your student loans or financing a backpacking trip around the world.

Just know this: Hakwon’s are businesses first and educational institutes second.

The academy directors will always have their eyes on the bottom line. Start losing too many students or garnering complaints from the notoriously fickle mothers, and it could mean the end of your job.

Also, like Korean barbecue restaurants, the quality of these academies varies immensely.

Some hagwons have modern facilities and provide you with a nice, new apartment, while others are dilapidated, lacking heat and/or air conditioning.

The apartment provided by bad schools is invariably as small and nasty as the school itself.

Beware of sketchy hagwon directors!

The majority of teachers have a decent experience working in hagwons, but there are some greedy, psychotic, and downright evil directors operating on the peninsula.

Horror stories abound of teachers being paid late or not being paid at all, having to live in roach-infested hovels, being cheated out of bonuses or airfare – generally being shat upon and jerked around.

Just know that in this case Korean law IS on your side, but the best thing to do is to check out your school before you sign the contract. Talk to other teachers and read any feedback you can find on the net.

2. Public Schools

In recent years there has been a big push to place native speakers in the Korean public school system, mainly through what’s called EPIK (English Program in Korea).

Public school gigs are definitely a step up from hagwons. The hours are better, the pay’s decent, and you are usually guaranteed at least two weeks paid vacation per year, though this often translates into much more.

EPIK also gives you a housing allowance and end-of-contract bonus. There is the opportunity (or requirement, often) to work “camps” over the schools’ winter and summer vacation periods.

These are intensive English courses, for which you are paid extra, of course. It’s a good way to pad your salary.

Korean market by Giladr

Beware of boredom!

Many public schools require you to come into the office all day during their vacation periods, whether you have classes or not.

Consider this paid time to hone your writing skills or delve deeper into the raging hell mouth that is facebook.

3. Universities and Colleges

These are the holy grails of Korean ESL gigs, and also the most difficult to get.

Generally, universities want at least three solid years of English teaching experience, or both a masters degree and experience.

Jobs are often landed through reference: like the rest of the world, it’s not necessarily what you know, it’s who you know.

Universities generally like new hires to be ushered in by someone they already trust.

Why all the fuss?

University jobs usually require about 12 hours of classes each week, and provide you with at least 2 months of paid vacation a year, the dream job of a habitual traveler.

Some schools give you 3 or 4 months of vacation time. There are also plenty of opportunities to pick up extra classes which, of course, translate into more money.

Beware of complacency!

Aside from the fact that some universities don’t give you an end-of-contract bonus, you’ll find yourself so spoiled by the job conditions that the thought of returning home and actually having to work for a living might make you want to remove your own eyes with a spoon.

4. Privates

Many teachers earn a lot of extra money teaching private lessons to Koreans in their homes or by moonlighting at other schools.

Know that this practice is strictly illegal. In Korea, you are only allowed to work at the school that sponsors your visa.

If caught, you will be fined and possibly deported, though this doesn’t stop many teachers from dipping into this huge well of cash.

The best way to find any of the jobs described above is to contact a recruiter.

Good luck, and as the Koreans say: Fighting!

Teaching ESL Job Resources In South Korea

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ESL Recruiters List

Dave’s ESL Cafe

Pusan Web

COMMUNITY CONNECTION!

If you’re interested in teaching English in Asia, here are some Matador articles to check out:

How To Get A Job Teaching In Japan

Is The JET Program Right For You?

Teaching English In China

10 Online Resources For Finding A Job In Asia

Lajpat Nagar by Wili_hybrid

For ages, India has been viewed as a symbol of the mystical and exotic East.

Dismissing India as a cliche runs the serious risk of placing India in a timeless zone outside of the real world, which is increasingly modern and complex.

India is a vast and rapidly developing country with twenty-eight different states and seven union territories. India hosts a great many languages, religions and cultures, which coexist and intermingle.

Delhi sunset by Wili_hybrid

The real India is hardly the random (yet homogenous) assortment of the Taj Mahal, call centers, poor people and veiled women you might expect.

The India you’ll actually encounter is a lot more diverse and complicated than that. Things are changing in India at a frenetic pace, especially in the big cities.

Hopefully, these tips will give you a better understanding of what to expect when you travel to India.

Sacred cow by Wili_hybrid

Temple Etiquette

Always take your shoes off before you enter a place of worship in India, and do not wear revealing clothes.

Travelers in India are often tempted to wear shorts, but it’s crucial to keep your shoulders and the lower part of your body covered when visiting a site of religious importance.

As the land where four major religions originated, and many others arrived and never left, many Indian people take their religion very, very seriously.

If you are interested in exploring their religious sites – many of which can be of immense historical and archeological importance – please respect religious sentiments even if you are not a believer.

Street scene by Wili_hybrid

Prepare to be OVERWHEMED!!!

India carries the burden of three centuries of British imperialism, along with the weight of its own often reworked and redefined history.

Destinations

Community Connection to India

The two make a very postmodern combination. The complications and contradictions of India’s political realities will stun the first time foreign visitor.

You’ll encounter huge, swanky shopping malls very close to massive slum settlements that reek of utmost poverty.

Many visitors who stay in India leave with a sense of accomplishment, after having survived the initial overpowering shock.

And rest assured: it is a shock to learn what it means to live in India (as over a billion of us do).

Public Displays Of Affection

The beautiful lagoons of Kerala or the beauty of the Taj Mahal might make you want to sidle up to your partner and give them a quick hug and kiss, but think twice before doing that in public.

Even though you might catch young couple canoodling in public parks, it’s best not to perform public displays of affection in India.

Sexuality and Women Travelers

White women traveling in India may feel very vulnerable and exposed to some of the Indian men that they might encounter.

Due to some cultural constructs, and also a great deal of curiosity, Indian men might have formed certain false notions of the sexual availability of the foreign woman.

I am not saying that every other Indian guy you meet will be a pervert, but street sexual harassment is a phenomenon that is unfortunately widespread in the country.

You might fall prey to this due to your increased conspicuousness. It’s best to dress conservatively and keep yourself safe at all times.

Don’t forget the basic safety rules you’ve learned in your own country, and also observe the way the local women dress and behave as an example.

Hands and Feet

Hand by Meanest Indian

There’s a whole hierarchy of the body parts in Hinduism. The head is superior to the rest of the body, and the feet are lowest on the rung.

Feet are considered dirty in India, so take off your shoes before you step into someone’s house. Don’t step on anything important and if you do, immediately express your apologies.

It’s a sign of deference to bend down and touch a respected elder’s feet in India.

The left hand is customarily used for cleaning oneself after defecation, so Indian people never eat with their left hands. Also remember never to pass on anything – money or a gift – to an Indian with your left hand. The most conservative Indians might take offense.

Questions and Eyes

Bow Down by Koshyk

What might be considered intrusive in many Western cultures is only a matter of course in India. Also, people will generally be very curious about foreign visitors, and this can take the form of unabashed staring.

There’s a lack of privacy among the teeming millions of India, and the concept of personal space as you know it might not exist.

Try not to take it too personally if people on the street seem to be staring at you all the time, and if Indian acquaintances and friends ask you questions that you think are none of their business.

Most of the time, it’s just friendly curiosity, and if you smile at a staring stranger, many times you will get an amicable smile back. However, never sacrifice safety for the sake of politeness. This is especially true for women travelers.

You’ll Be Hounded

You might be seen as a rich foreigner thanks to the exchange rate, and many times you’ll be followed around by beggars, beckoned into shops by over-eager store keepers, and hailed by expectant taxi drivers.

Make sure your local friends tell you what the standard rates are, because if you’re looking to do some great shopping or have a comfortable public transport experience, you need to be in the know.

Holi festival by faceme

Indian Festivals

With so many religions and cultures, you will come across fairs, celebrations and merrymaking of all kinds.

Whether it is the shimmering lights of Diwali, the colors of Holi, the extravaganza of Durga Puja, Navaratri, Onam, Dusshera, Id Ul Fitr and Christmas, you’ll encounter indigenous customs, amazing Indian cuisine and total festive abandonment.

We Are Like This Only

English is widely used throughout the Indian subcontinent, and is the “co-official” language of the country. Indian English has a distinct flavor and inflection that differs as you travel around different parts of the country.

Official Indian English often uses many phrases that are passé in the West, so don’t be surprised if you’re doing some paper-work and someone asks you to “do the needful”.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION:

Other excellent articles by Shreya Sanghani include:

Photo by Wili_hybrid

Calcutta Nights: A Guide To Live Music and Discos

India’s Pink Chaddi Campaign

India’s Up And Coming Rock Scene

Also be sure to read Can You Develop Your Spirituality Without Visiting India? by Matador’s resident yogi, Christine.

Namaste!

Corporate rule? Izaak Hane

Maybe to experience another culture. Maybe to do some traveling. Maybe for work.

Maybe to escape the hordes of morons in this country who don’t know anything about the world, and yet insist on characterizing it as bug-infested, crime-ridden and moments away from a coup.

You all can slave away the rest of your lives to afford your poorly made, vinyl-sided house in a featureless subdivision, fighting it out with everyone else to prove how much you have and just how good of a consumer you are.

Buy Humans Buy! sf slim

I’ll be sitting on my porch with my feet up, a drink in hand, listening to the sounds of nature and enjoying the simple life.

I’d love this country if it weren’t populated with total idiots…

COMMUNITY CONNECTION:

This post was a comment in response to the article What Can $150k Buy In Real Estate Around The World.

Do you agree with the author?

Do you think his aggressive, insulting tone is unhelpful regardless of the quality of his arguments?

Please leave a comment below!

JET is a Japanese government program that places English speaking foreigners in public schools throughout Japan, primarily in rural and suburban areas. The purpose of the program encompasses cultural exchange along with language instruction. The department that sponsors JET wants to expose ordinary Japanese citizens to foreigners while also encouraging foreigners to learn first-hand about Japanese culture.

Since actual teaching is only part of the job description, you don’t need teaching experience or certification to qualify for JET. You don’t need to speak any Japanese either. Indeed, for recent college graduates who find themselves with dim job prospects, student loans and a semi-useless liberal arts degree, JET can be an absolute lifesaver.

How To Apply

You must apply for JET in your home country. The first step is a paper application. If you don’t screw that up, you’ll be scheduled for an interview at the nearest Japanese consulate.

Dress as well as you can for the interview. You should look and act like a young Republican. Come prepared to demonstrate three things: emotional stability, an interest in learning about Japan and basic teaching ability. Be sure to have a 5 minute lesson plan ready to deliver.

If all goes well, you’ll get a letter of acceptance followed by a specific assignment to a school system somewhere in Japan.

photo by Abram

Payment and Responsibilities

JET pays well, especially when the yen is strong against the dollar. You’ll make the equivalent of about $35,000 per year. Rent is often free or subsidized, and since most JET placements are in the countryside, your overall cost of living will be quite low.

Job responsibilities vary, but are rarely more demanding than 25 hours of team-taught lessons per week. Your main job is to be a good guest – show up on time, be appreciative and stay out of trouble. For ambitious personalities JET can be boring, but if you just want to enjoy Japan with lots of free time and minimal responsibilities, it’s absolutely perfect. The Japanese are warm, welcoming and generous to foreigners.

JET requires a one-year contractual commitment, with the option to re-contract for one or two additional years. Many JET participants use the money to pay off student loans or travel in other parts of Asia; some fall in love with either Japan or a Japanese person and stay on. Some people can’t take the culture shock, waste the year drinking and then hightail it back home.

JET won’t be the best job you ever have, or a life-long career, but for young people who want to make some money and experience a foreign culture, it’s a great opportunity.

For more information:

Jet Program Official Site

Big Daikon

How To Get A Job Teaching In Japan

But this–my third year of teaching in China spread across three different cities–has taught me how to make some extra yuan and have some unexpected fun while teaching English.

My biggest hurdle to maneuvering while moonlighting was knowing what to avoid. Here’s what I’ve learned:

1. Don’t underestimate relationships.

Guanxi, or relationships–all-important in Chinese culture–held the key to every extra job I got. One Chinese friend laughed, “Westerners end with a contract. We start with a contract, then throw it away.”

A Chinese co-teacher who needed my help editing her Master’s thesis didn’t have time to teach kids in downtown Xian. (My editing was a freebie, but she took me biking around Xian’s ancient wall and her boyfriend accessed some English movies, both priceless gifts.)

She took me to Perfect English School’s owner, and I soon had an interesting weekend job for a semester. They paid me well and lavished me with roses!

In 2006, I biked past an attractive kindergarten gate as the headmistress walked out. We exchanged cards and began e-mailing. As we corresponded, she began adding, “Your friend” and “Miss you.” Two years later, she asked me to tutor her bright daughter.

I agreed out of friendship, not sure she would pay me beyond an occasional, customary Chinese dinner out. To my surprise, she paid monthly and became my highest-paying client.

Photo by peiqianlong

2. Don’t reject surprises.

On the commute to my first day at university, I met a fellow teacher who insisted I teach for her. I told her I should ask my English department; she said, “Shhh” and “It will be OK.” I later learned that she was moonlighting at my school three mornings a week, though she was the head of English in her school.

I visited her university class, was immediately introduced as their laoshi, and was handed a tourism text. I thought, “Oh well…” and launched into a pronunciation lesson.

Over two semesters, the classroom monitor, a stellar student and wonderful helper, facilitated great PowerPoint presentations that prepared me for travel to Guilin, Dali, the Great Wall, Harbin, Hainan and the Terra Cotta Warriors, and the Yangtze River.

3. Don’t ask, don’t tell.

My boss, head of a college foreign language office, charged me with a challenging assignment: a professional woman representing a Third World health organization needed help writing and speaking. I confronted him, “What about my contract that says I will not work outside the college?”

He answered softly, “It is a ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy. You may negotiate your own fee with her.”

We not only spruced up her presentations for India and Mexico; she introduced me to dog meat hot pot, an experience I wouldn’t have entrusted to many Chinese friends.

Photo by A. www.viajar24h.com

4. Don’t make quick judgments.

A French neighbor and his Chinese wife invited me for an evening’s chat. I met Tom, who wanted to study English before going to an Australian university. He “knew 3,000 English words, but couldn’t use them” and thought my tutorial price too high.

We talked as he walked me home. I learned that he didn’t own a car (unusual for a governmental official), was quite concerned about the environment, and seemed genuinely sorry he couldn’t afford tutoring.

Six phone calls and three meetings later, he brought several friends who studied two hours daily in my home for three weeks. We met early afternoons, during the time when most of China sleeps.

They paid me “whether they came or not, because a promise is a promise,” something I hadn’t often experienced while tutoring in the United States. I found them as excited as small children about a Christmas gift exchange, our sole half-hour departure from debates and formal writing exercises.

Staying open to surprises, cultivating relationships, and keeping mum when tempted to make quick judgments added a new dimension to my experiences teaching English in China. I learned to state flexible limits clearly up front, value friendship over business negotiations, and expect the unexpected.

Photo by bfick

A Few More Moonlighting Tips for Expat Teachers and Tutors Working in China

• You represent your country as well as all foreigners in the eyes of the Chinese. Plan lessons well. Take cues from what students want to learn, review often, and respond promptly. Tie a practical, doable assignment to each lesson, and check at the next meeting to acknowledge how it was done.
• Decide on a price-per-hour comfortable for you. Also, decide how flexible you will be in negotiations ahead of time. Ask the going rate in your city and be realistic, basing your fee on your educational level and teaching skills. Chinese usually pay only for face-to-face hours, not for travel or preparation time.
• If you must cancel, do so well in advance and get feedback about the new meeting time and place to avoid misunderstandings.
• Avoid over-extending yourself by spacing between tutoring or moonlighting classes and your contract job. If word gets around that you are a great teacher, you may have to turn down some jobs for health and sanity’s sake!
• Above all, have fun and celebrate your students’ successes.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

Want to try a little language-learning role reversal? Give How to Learn Chinese: Student Versus Teacher a read, and for more on the TESL experience, check out the 8 Hidden Benefits of Teaching English Abroad.

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.

If that isn’t reason enough to look into ESL work, here are eight hidden benefits to teaching English abroad.

1. The training is painless.

A TESL certificate can be attained through a 100 hour course, and most schools offer evening/weekend sessions or online courses. The fees start at about $500 USD, and many schools have services to help with the job hunt.

If you have some extra cash and want to start your travels immediately, larger ESL schools offer four week TESL training in exotic locations around Europe, Southeast Asia, or Central and South America.

2. You can be a student in your own classroom.

Regardless of age, the students you teach will be excited to see a foreigner take an interest in their culture. Most will gladly offer tips about local foods to eat, places to see, and things to try.

Young students can teach you a lot about pop culture or local slang, and simple conversations will give you insight into their family lives and customs. For just one example, check out Matador member Teresita’s blog, I Heart Our Global Pop Culture Icons.

Photo of Iraqi student by Army.mil

3. A year is a long time…

…to experience a whole calendar’s worth of festivals, holidays, cultural events, and seasonal foods. You’ll get much more insight than a single trip. Also, worldwide holidays like Chinese New Year or Christmas are a bit different in every country. You’ll get to experience a unique version of a familiar holiday.

4. It’s a crash course in cultural sensitivity.

Most expats reach the “Their society makes ZERO sense to me!” phase at some point. It’s a normal step in one’s adjustment to a new culture. Getting past this phase of culture shock means opening your mind to new and unfamiliar things. Whether the traffic laws are driving you crazy, or new acquaintances ask questions that seem invasive to you, be patient.

Photo of Korean students by watchsmart

You’ll come to appreciate the ways in which this foreign culture operates. Most often, you’ll note customs that strike you as far more practical than those in your native country.

5. You’ll get an instant network of local acquaintances.

Whether you’re teaching in a language centre or public school, you’ll be amongst colleagues who speak English. Regardless of their level of expertise, they’ll likely be keen to practice their English conversation skills with you. Not only will you have new friends, but your coworkers can help you navigate the area and its customs better than any guidebook.

6. You’ll be tapping into an excellent grapevine.

A lot of good ESL jobs, and general travel tips, are accumulated by word of mouth. By meeting other ESL teachers, you can get advice about new destinations or jobs from people who have been there, lived that.

Whether you wonder which South American country has the fewest work visa hassles, or you’re curious about how rainy Vietnam’s rainy season really is, other teacher-travelers can help.

Photo by dcJohn

7. Travel is simple with a great home base.

If you’re based in Thailand, you can visit Cambodia or Laos for under $50 USD. If you’re teaching in a European country and you’re close to an airport, a weekend in Prague or Berlin is a cheap RyanAir flight away. Once you’re set up in a foreign country, the journey to other exotic locales becomes much, much easier.

8. It’s a resume-booster, even if you don’t want to teach long-term.

You might worry that this job will look like a blip on your resume. Even if your teaching experience consisted of sing-alongs and barnyard animal flashcards, don’t underestimate the skills you developed along the way. Communicating across cultural barriers, using leadership skills to conduct classes, and picking up a new language (even just conversationally) are great assets.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

Lots of Matador members are either teaching abroad now or have past ESL experience. Whether you want to teach in Istanbul or http://matadorabroad.com/?p=50 According to Chinese legend, Type O blood gave me a need for adventure.

I retired to a Montana cabin in 2004, wondering if I’d find contentment blogging from my deck between travels. China topped my to-tour list.

Then, opportunity e-mailed: A recruiter needed English teachers in historic Xian.

After months of questioning and waiting, I found myself in a city of six million, a few hours from the Terra Cotta Warriors, facing university sophomores.

Adjustment wasn’t always easy. I could have benefited from employment guides like Teach Abroad China.

Hindsight allows me to share these tips with you:

Shed Your Worries

I fretted about mastering the language, but learned the words for thank you, hello, and bye. I couldn’t master tones and visual characters. Free Chinese lessons, offered with every contract, never materialized. I recorded pinyin (phonetic spelling) on a handy cheat sheet.

My fears about not speaking Chinese dissolved; anyone with a college degree was a “foreign language expert.” I moved from adjustment to acceptance, often feeling strange.

Language wasn’t my only worry upon arriving.

I’d practiced yoga squats before arriving, knowing only hotels boasted sit-down toilets and toilet paper. No worries! Tissues were cheap, and W.C. experiences became comfortable.

Some milk of magnesia before meals helped tummy transitions to spicy foods. I avoided street food, bought sealed bottled water, took vitamins and calcium.

I biked, walked China’s graceful parks (lovely, safe), joined sunrise Tai Chi (free, everywhere), and ran for buses (one yuan, anywhere). Fresh produce, fruits, rice, and noodles unexpectedly melted unwanted pounds.

Destinations

Community Connection to China

Drop Your Preconceptions

I learned to accept that set expectations would change.

I learned to look both ways and cross streets. I began taking aimless weekends, and biked on cobblestones around city walls.

I found out about my vacation time the day it began; however, serendipitously, travel tickets usually went on sale a day before departures.

I wore a mask during heavy pollution to follow Xian’s love affair with eleven dynasties. My favorites were the Shaanxi Historical Museum (teacher discounts) and Big Wild Goose Pagoda’s Fountain Show (free).

I accepted a last-minute weekend invitation to a mountain village, with four generations in one concrete room. My gifts (pens, postcards, stamps, stickers) were left quietly, Chinese-style, on a table. Delighted kids discovered them.

Why did the family disappear one at a time all day? The mystery was resolved at bedtime. They walked me to my hotel room, where each one had taken a luxurious shower!

Examine Your Attitudes

I further relaxed in 2007, teaching laid back Forestry College students in “Spring City,” Kunming City.

Foreigners had their own street, coffee, pizza,and English newspapers. I lapsed into speaking English, taking cabs, and eating Western food.

My students, annoyingly, arrived halfway through class. At break, they apologized for missing English for a “boring Party meeting, but it is necessary.”

I learned patience and dropped movie-based notions about political fervor.

I’d expected different standards of cleanliness, noise, quality, and promptness, but not the extremes I found.

The Chinese, meticulous about clothing, seldom noticed dirt elsewhere. They shouted into cellphones, bought another when something broke, and showed up hours early/late for appointments.

Understanding this lessened my judgments.

Watching my Chinese neighbors, I learned how attitudes were cultural two-sided coins.

Stepping over the ubiquitous trash, I realized that litter provided street sweepers with daily jobs. I set aside recyclables for rubbish collectors to sell. Tired of photographing bare-bottomed babies in split pants, I researched potty training. Toddlers left to play naturally took care of business by watering a bush, requiring no help.

I found out that grandparents, continually holding kids, whistled when babies urinate. Chinese doctors asked why Westerners don’t whistle to obtain samples during medical check ups. I considered America’s disposable diapers and psychology books.

Balancing yin and yang became more fun than one-sided superior attitudes.

Expand Your Boundaries

Occasionally, I retreated to my apartment to enjoy music, books traded among English readers, and my Western link. Mostly, I ate hot pot, learned mah jong, visited temples, and answered the same questions repeatedly at English Corners: “Where you from? You like China? The food?”

In 2008, I deepened a lifelong interest in children, trading college phrases for kindergarten enthusiasm.

I moved to Hainan Island’s “End of the Earth,” South China Sea. Chinese teachers biked with me to Sanya Beach, cooked vegetables from our school garden, and learned American songs and games.

In spite of wearing a moneybelt and my backpack in front on crowded buses, I was robbed in paradise. A bag was grabbed from my bike basket while I snapped pictures nearby. I found that some Chinese, while honest to the point of returning tips, simply helped themselves to anything left unattended.

Vigilance about valuables, creaky knees, and frayed nerves restored with noontime naps. My senses came alive. Hearing my name yelled across playground became my music.

Each stint in China imprinted rich memories: sunrises on mountaintops, open exchange among lasting friendships, the sparkling taste of hotpot. Well past China’s employable age, I was asked back to each job.

I’ve already forgotten any regrets, wondering about 2010’s horizon.

Community Connection

Interested in visiting the Middle Kingdom? Check out Matador’s 8 Places to Experience Unspoiled China. And if you think teaching English could be for you, take a browse through our Teaching Abroad archive.

All photos courtesy of author.

1. Copan Ruinas, Honduras

Wake up for class to the sound of horses trotting on cobblestone roads and the aroma of freshly made tortillas. Copan Ruinas is home to mystical Mayan ruins, boasts vibrant local culture and is at the center of a growing eco-tourism movement in Honduras.

There are numerous opportunities in Copan Ruinas for both teachers and volunteers . Find paid vacancies in local villages or in the local bilingual school. Take field trips to the Bird Park in Copan Ruinas and explore the shade-grown coffee fincas.

Photo by cadampol

2. Antigua, Guatemala

Just 45 minutes from Guatemala City is the town of Antigua, Guatemala, with epic volcano views on the horizon. Enjoy classes outside, exploring the colorful 16th century architecture. Donate your time to teach for two months through a local education program and experience a meaningful cultural and linguistic exchange.

Photo by dsnet

3. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Rio is a city with brown sugar beaches, bohemian neighborhoods and a pulsating nightlife that will leave you teaching phrasal verbs with sore feet from dancing samba. Rio is also an international hub for teaching English with multiple opportunities in language schools, along with volunteer opportunities in the favelas. When you’re not in the classroom, paraglide from Sugarloaf, play capoeira, and fall in love with Rio’s riotous rhythms.

Photo by armandolobos

4. Buenos Aires, Argentina

Work will always take a backseat to pure enjoyment in the modern city of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Take advantage of the theatre, develop a taste for red wine and Argentine steaks and get caught up in the swirling nightlife of the most cosmopolitan city in South America. Why not learn the tango while you’re there?

Photo by formfaktor

Intag, Ecuador

Escape to the cloud forests of Intag, Ecuador, where you can teach as a volunteer in one of the greenest corners of the Andes mountain range.

Photo by sara_y_tzunki

Valparaiso, Chile

Teaching in the UNESCO World Heritage seaport city of Valparaiso, Chile is a dream job for many travelers. Find an apartment on the hillsides of Cerros Concepcion and Alegre, where you’ll have a sweeping view of the Pacific Ocean.

Photo by anarchitect

Athens, Greece

Island hop on the weekends, eat roast chicken drenched in olive oil in the shadows of the Parthenon and develop a taste for ouzo while teaching in the frontisteria of Athens, Greece.

Photo by ranopamas

Tuscany, Italy

Tuscany has a pleasingly laid-back rhythm of life. The rolling hills of the countryside will appeal to your artistic side and motivate you to write your Toscana novel while teaching English on the side.

Photo by juanillooo

Prague, Czech Republic

Meander through historic architecture dating back to the Middles Ages in Prague, Czech Republic. Living in the centre of Old Town in Praha is a close commute to many TEFL vacancies.

Photo by cuellar

Andalucia, Spain

Flamenco cuevas, free tapas and winter skiing in the Sierra Nevada makes Andalucia, Spain a tempting place to teach, especially for its laid-back siesta lifestyle.

Photo by josjos

Istanbul, Turkey

Hadi gel! There is never a shortage of jobs in Istanbul, Turkey. The culinary excellence and alluring districts of the city have already enchanted a number of expat teachers. Intrigued? Read “An English Teacher In Istanbul“.

Photo by will-ellis

Hainan-Dao, China

Freelance on the remote island of Hainan-Dao, China and have your next preposition lesson on a tropical beach, or high up in the Limuling mountain range.

Photo by will-ellis

Majuro, Marshall Islands

Majuro, Marshall Islands is a Micronesian getaway five hours from Hawaii, with plenty of local teaching opportunities and world-class scuba diving.

Photo by cmichel67

Zanzibar, Tanzania

Volunteer with young students on Tanzania’s paradise island of Zanzibar and teach vocabulary in the first National Jozani Forest and Bay Conservation.

Photo by paulwatson

Cape Town, South Africa

Teaching in Cape Town, South Africa’s cosmopolitan outdoor adventure playground, appeals to adrenaline junkies, tree huggers, and city slickers alike.

Photo by marionaubert

LINKS:

Teach in Guatemala

Volcanoes in Antigua

Language School in Brazil

Paraglide in Rio

Theatre in Buenos Aires

Work in Buenos Aires

Intag Cloud Forest

Volunteer in Ecuador

Teach in Chile

Valparaiso, Chile

Teach in Greece

Teach in Italy

TEFl in Prague

Ski in Spain

Teach in Turkey

Istanbul districts

Beaches in China

World Teach on the Marshall Islands

Support Schools in Zanibar

Table Mountain, Cape Town

Surf and Shark-dive in Cape Town

Teach in Cape Town, South Africa

Feature photo by lopesFamily. Photo above by amirjina.

Chances are, if you have a college degree and are reading this article, you are qualified to teach English in Japan. A degree in any field, English language fluency, and adaptability are the only qualifications many companies require.

Of course, a teaching certificate, a professional demeanor, and deep reserves of patience won’t hurt either. Because so many people possess the skill set required for teaching jobs in Japan, competition can be stiff. But if you know where to look and know what you’re looking for, your job search can be a success.

Who You’ll Work For

Photo by Alex Halavais.

First, you need to know what jobs are available. If you expect to walk off the plane and into a public high school classroom where you’ll plan your own lessons and develop your own curriculum, think again.

While this does happen, most entry-level jobs for foreigners are for assistant language teachers (or ALTs) at public schools or as conversation teachers at private companies.

There are one-stop programs that will place English speakers in public schools as ALTs, provide working visas, and often even pay for living expenses and transportation to Japan.

If you are looking for a tried and true program, check out JET (the Japan Exchange and Teaching Program), which is run by the Japanese government.

Applications are accepted once a year and the interview process is intensive. It is, however, worth it.

JET pays a decent living wage, provides a nationwide support network for ALTs, and takes care of all paperwork. An equally established, but privately held, ALT placement company is Interac.

Alternatively, many public and private day schools in Japan hire teachers and assistants directly. Look at the links section below to find places where these jobs might be listed.

Day school positions are ideal for those who are already residing in Japan and teachers with quite a bit of experience under their belt. Japanese speaking ability is also a big plus when applying directly with a school.

Then there’s the option of working at an English language conversation school, or eikaiwa. Eikaiwas are geared toward a wide range of students, from preschoolers to retirees.

These jobs are plentiful. Since most students at these schools have day jobs (or day classes), hours tend to be on evenings and weekends. With these positions, you are more likely to teach alone and be responsible for developing your own lesson plans.

For this reason, many companies require a teaching certificate of some kind before they’ll offer you an interview, so look into getting your TESOL or TEFL certification. Unless you go with a big corporation (and even then it’s a good idea), research the eikaiwa company you are applying with thoroughly. I will provide links to a few well-established ones in the next section.

Photo by MShades.

The Hunt

Ok. So you’ve decided on the kind of position you’re gunning for. Now where do you look?

Teaching sites: Check out these websites devoted to teaching English as a second language (ESL):

• www.daveseslcafe.com
• www.teachinginjapan.com
• www.japanenglishteacher.com

Japanese Media Sites: Many newspapers and magazines in Japan have up-to-date job listings. These are probably your best resource if you want to apply for a position directly rather than apply with a program like JET:

• Japan Times: http://classified.japantimes.com/job_search_en.php
• Metropolis Magazine: www.metropolis.co.jp
• Japanzine: www.seekjapan.jp

Eikaiwa Companies: Look for job openings and research companies directly through their websites:

• Aeon: www.aeonet.com
• Berlitz: http://careers.berlitz.com/Asia/jp/berlitz.asp?aInfo=1&cInfo=JP&cCode=44
• Geos: www.geoscareer.com
• ECC: www.japanbound.com

Photo by jrkester.

Know Before You Go

Accepting a teaching job in Japan is not the same as accepting a job in your home country. You have to think about visas and living arrangements thousands of miles away. You have to communicate with people in a foreign language and you have to leave life as you know it behind for the length of your contract term.

For a lot of people, it’s a thrilling prospect. Taking a teaching job in Japan is the chance of a lifetime to completely immerse yourself in a foreign culture. But make sure it’s right for you. Give it a good long think before hopping on a plane. Moving to and living in Japan is not easy for everyone. It wasn’t for me. It is rewarding and life-changing…but it’s not easy.

Ok, ok. You’re sure you want to do it. The next step is research.

Check with your country’s embassy and find out what the visa requirements are for working in Japan. Next, research the company or companies you are applying with. Search the internet for forums by and for English teachers in Japan. (There are more than you think, and users are nothing if not opinionated.) gaijinpot.com and ithinkimlost.com are solid sites.

I would also suggest boning up on Japanese culture. Research business practices and social customs. There are also a number of books available written by former teachers in Japan. Two books written by JET Program alumni are Learning to Bow by Bruce Feiler and Japan Diary: A Year on JET by Eric Sparling.

Photo by Andy Ciordia.

Better Your Chances

Now some tips on how to make your resume stand out when applying for an English teaching job.

• Get a teaching certificate. There are vacation TESOL courses in southern Thailand. There are online certification courses. There are weekend classes, and there are year-long intensive diploma courses. The options are plentiful for acquiring a teaching certificate. It not only makes you more marketable, but a teaching certificate course will prepare you for the day when you finally step into a classroom full of eager students.
• Learn Japanese. This is a no-brainer. If you’re moving to a foreign country– any foreign country– the more you know of that country’s language, the better. A move to Japan may seem easy and breezy after your vacation in Tokyo where English signs and English speakers abound. But once you take that job in a tiny rural town in Hokkaido, you’ll wish you had spent more time figuring out how to say “I’d like to turn on the electricity in my apartment, please.”
• Volunteer tutor. Give back to your community and build job skills at the same time. Volunteer at an after-school program to get a feel of how to work with students. Also, many cities offer opportunities to teach English as a second language to immigrants and refugees. Check out volunteermatch.org to see what is available in your area.

Photo by gwaar.

Finding a teaching job in Japan doesn’t have to be a daunting task …as long as you know what to look for. Remember to do your research and think it through. Good luck, and I’ll see you in school!

Community Connection: For more advice on looking for work in Asia, check out Mike Jones’s “Top 10 Online Resources for Finding a Job in Asia.”

Feature photo by mars-hill Photo above by mars-hill

ACLE has begun recruiting for English teaching positions in holiday camps around Italy. The season runs for twelve weeks starting in June.

ACLE have been running for over twenty-five years and were the first organisation in Italy running Theatre in Education programmes to be endorsed by the Italian Ministry of Education.

You do not need a teaching or TEFL qualification to work for ACLE, although they are an advantage. The company stresses an informal teaching approach with drama, games and interactivity foremost. Training is given in a four to five day preparatory camp near San Remo where you can share ideas with past tutors, understand the organisation’s vision and teaching methodology.

Photo by mars-hill

No arrival or departure costs are covered by ACLE. You must hold travel insurance and, in addition, pay for an in-house training/orientation camp before starting work with them.

Near the end of the season they often drop the orientation camp fee if they are in need of extra teachers. After starting teaching, transport within Italy is paid for and accommodation is arranged. This is either in a hotel or with host families: a real chance to immerse yourself in Italian life.

Salaries for new tutors are 220 euros a week for non-residential “City Camps” and 240 a week for residential “Summer Camps”. Returning tutors earn 20 euros more for each programme. Salaries are paid at the end of your contract, although you can request payments in advance.

Candidates must:

• Be a Native English speaker (distinct foreign accents are not acceptable). GENUINELY enjoy working with children.
• Be energetic, positive, flexible and know how to smile.
• Be aged between 20 and 30 by June 1st of the year in which you are applying (Please note you may still apply if your age is outside this range) or have completed a minimum of a year at university, college or experienced a gap year!
• Be in possession of a valid passport. If you are in the process of applying for your passport, please send in your
  application followed by a copy of your passport once you have obtained it.

To find out more or apply for a position with ACLE, visit their website.

Feature photo by akahodag. Mexico City, above. Photo by pulpolux

I was inspired to teach English after studying abroad in Mexico as an undergraduate. Learning a foreign language opened up my mind on so many levels that I wanted share the experience with others. Mexico, with its culture of hospitality, is one of the world’s most rewarding places to teach.

However, like most places in the developing world, it’s a challenge to earn a living.

Practical Info

Certification

Don’t be intimidated by all the acronyms for English teaching (TESOL/TEFL/TESL etc.) The skill-sets are mostly interchangeable. While some teachers do snag a job without certification, I strongly recommend having one.

Most reputable schools prefer to hire certified teachers. But perhaps most important: when you find yourself in front of the classroom, having training and a certification helps you feel less like a deer in the headlights!

Still, no four-week certification program is a substitute for classroom experience, but a reputable program (such as those offered by School for International Training, Trinity College, or International Teacher Training Organization will give you the basic tools to help you develop as a teacher.

Some of their courses are even offered in Mexico, with guaranteed job placement upon completion.

Photo by omar_eduardo

Pay

Average pay for English teachers in Mexico is less than you’d make flipping burgers home, about 50 pesos/hour (you may do a little better in urban areas like Mexico City and Guadalajara). In Mexico 50 pesos/hour is nothing to sneer at.

The problem is that few schools can offer you full-time hours. Most teachers cobble together a living by juggling classes at more than one school and giving private lessons on the side.

Migration

Foreign teachers in Mexico are required to have an FM3 work visa, which costs over 2,000 pesos (or 2/3 the average English teacher’s monthly wages). The visa can take months to process, and you can’t file for it without first obtaining a written job offer.

This is why most schools allow you to begin teaching as long as you’ve at started the FM3 paperwork (yes, there is such thing being as an illegal US worker in Mexico!). Sometimes it’s possible to expedite the process by getting an apostille stamp on your university diploma or TESOL certificate before departing for Mexico.

Photo by esparta

Types of Teaching Jobs

Never accept a job without first checking out a school’s reputation. If you can’t speak to current or former teachers in person, the best place to find the inside scoop on schools are Internet forums like the ones at Dave’s ESL Cafe or TESOL Worldwide. Another option is going through a job placement program like LanguageCorps, which I worked for in Oaxaca.

Private Language Academies

These small schools usually offer a relaxed (sometimes to the point of unprofessional) work environment, both in and out of the classroom. Pay is average.

Franchise schools

These include chains like Berlitz, Cambridge Academy, and Harmon hall. These tend to have a more regimented work environment (you might have to wear an unfashionable uniform) and teachers have less control over curriculum and methodology.

While they pay only a little better (or the same) as private schools, some offer contracts guaranteeing a certain number of hours in exchange for commitments of six months or a year.

Photo by cfrausto

Universities

In general, university classes are larger and students less motivated. Public universities are also plagued by bureaucracy and labor disputes.

Pay ranges from 50 pesos/hour to 12,000 pesos/month with benefits (especially if you’re experienced, or willing to work in a remote rural area). Universities are more likely to offer contracts and assume the cost of your FM3. On the other hand, most will not allow you to start teaching without a visa in hand.

Corporate Classes

Some schools and private agencies provide teachers to big- shot corporate clients who don’t have the time to attend regular classes. The pay is excellent, 80-100 pesos/hour, plus transportation, but hours are limited. My best teaching experience was teaching corporate classes at the Oaxaca airport.

Interview/hiring process

The interview/ hiring process in Mexico can be very informal by US standards, especially at small, private language academies. The most important factor is the personal impression you make on the director.

You may be asked to teach a class while the Director or EFL coordinator observes you. This can be nerve racking, but remember they’re probably more interested in how you interact with students than how well you can explain the mysteries of the past conditional tense.

They want to see that you care about students and teaching and not just looking for a way to finance a Mexican vacation! If the later is the case, forget: teaching is a demanding profession and at 50 pesos/hour you will not be able to afford the lifestyle you enjoy at home, much less that of tourist sipping tequila under the palms!

Community Connection

Matador contributor and podcaster Craig Martin has been funding world travels since 2003 using ESL. He explains more in his podcast How to Get Work Teaching English as Second Language.

For a complete listing of blogs, feature articles, and guides on Mexico, as well as local experts and travelers travelers to link up with right now, please visit the Matador Community.

Feature photo by kalandrakas. Photo above by kalandrakas

1. Addressing Someone, Respect

Bowing is nothing less than an art form in Japan, respect pounded into children’s heads from the moment they enter school. For tourists, a simple inclination of the head or an attempt at a bow at the waist will usually suffice.

The duration and inclination of the bow is proportionate to the elevation of the person you’re addressing.

The duration and inclination of the bow is proportionate to the elevation of the person you’re addressing. For example, a friend might get a lightning-fast 30-degree bow; an office superior might get a slow, extended, 70-degree bow. It’s all about position and circumstance.

In addition to bowing, addressing someone properly is key. Just as a “Dr. Smith” might feel a little insulted if you were to refer to him as “Smith”, so would a Japanese if you do not attach the suffix “san” to their last name, or “sama” if you are trying to be particularly respectful.

Usually children are content with just their first names, but you can add the suffix “chan” for girls and “kun” for boys if you like.

2. Table Manners

Some simple bullet points here:

- If you’re with a dinner party and receive drinks, wait before raising the glass to your lips. Everyone will be served, and someone will take the lead, make a speech, raise his drink, and yell “kampai!” (cheers).

- You will receive a small wet cloth at most Japanese restaurants. Use this to wash your hands before eating, then carefully fold it and set it aside on the table. Do not use it as a napkin, or to touch any part of your face.

- Slurping noodles or making loud noises while eating is OK! In fact, slurping hot food like ramen is polite, to show you are enjoying it.

- You may raise bowls to your mouth to make it easier to eat with chopsticks, especially bowls of rice.

- Just before digging in, whether it be a seven-course dinner or a sample at a supermarket, it’s polite to say “itadakimasu” (I will receive).

3. No Tipping

There is no tipping in any situation in Japan – cabs, restaurants, personal care. To tip someone is actually a little insulting; the services you’ve asked for are covered by the price given, so why pay more?

If you are in a large area like Tokyo and can’t speak any Japanese, a waiter or waitress might take the extra money you happen to leave rather than force themselves to deal with the awkward situation of explaining the concept of no tipping in broken English.

Just remind yourself: a price is a price.

Photo by tavallai

4. Chopsticks

Depending on the restaurant you decide upon for that evening, you may be required to use chopsticks.

If for some reason you aren’t too adept with chopsticks, try to learn before passing through immigration. It’s really not that hard.

One false assumption among many Japanese that’s slowly being dispelled by time is the “uniqueness” of Japan. Japan is an island nation; Japan is the only country that has four seasons; foreigners can’t understand Japan; only Japanese can use chopsticks properly.

I cannot count the number of times I’ve been told I use Japanese chopsticks with skill and grace, despite the fact I’ve seen three-year-olds managing just as well.

If you’re dining with a Japanese, don’t be surprised if you receive a look of amazement at your ability to eat like a Japanese.

5. Thresholds

Take off your shoes at the entrance to all homes, and most businesses and hotels. Usually a rack will be provided to store your shoes, and pair of guest slippers will be sitting nearby; many Japanese bring a pair of indoor slippers just in case, though.

Never wear slippers when you need to step onto a tatami mat (used in most Japanese homes and hotels; the standard unit of measurement for area even today), and be careful to remove the toilet slippers waiting for you in the bathroom.

It is extremely bad form, for example, to reenter the main room of a house wearing slippers that have been running across dirty linoleum.

6. Masks

Photo by toestubber

SARS is long gone, though I did happen to see a “SARS Preparation Kit” during my brief stay in a Japanese hospital.

Nevertheless, sterilized masks, like the ones you’d see in the emergency room, are commonly used by salarymen, office ladies, and municipal workers to protect other people from their germs.

Rather sensible when you think about it, as masks do not protect the wearer so much as the ones around him. The reason could be anything from a slight cold to simply being worried about exposing other people; don’t let it concern you on your Japanese vacation.

7. Conformity

When groups of high school students in Japan were asked to identify the dangers facing children today, the majority agreed on the number one threat: individualism.

Japanese society is focused on the group. Western cultures are focused on the individual.

Does this mean that the Japanese are nothing more that worker bees in a vast hive of steel and concrete? Certainly not, but their presentation of such individual qualities are carefully calculated and given in doses.

Drawing attention to yourself as an individual is a huge no-no: don’t blow your nose in public, try to avoid eating while on the go, and don’t speak on your cell phone in crowded public areas like trains or buses.

The main problem with this is that foreigners simply can’t avoid standing out; we stick out like sore thumbs no matter how long we’ve been here, or how much we know about Japanese culture and society.

As a result, being in Japan gives foreigners the status of D-level celebrities: you’ll get glances, shouts for attention, calls to have pictures taken with people, requests for autographs (happened once to me on a southern island), and overall just more awareness of being a “stake that sticks out”.

8. Bathing

Photo by meganscheminske

Public bathhouses are alive and well in Japan.

Sento, or neighborhood bathhouses, can be found from the largest area in Shinjuku to a small town on the island of Shikoku.

Onsen, or hot springs, are very popular as weekend excursion resorts.

Unlike in western cultures, the Japanese bath is used after you have washed and rinsed, and feel like soaking in extra-hot water for 10, 20, 30 minutes. It’s an acquired taste to be sure, but can be very relaxing.

If you happen to be invited into a Japanese household, you will be given the honor of using the bath first, usually before dinner. Be extra careful so as to not dirty the water in any way; the sanctity of the ofuro (bath) is of utmost importance.

Take the time to visit a sento if you have the opportunity. These are places without barriers, without regard to skin color, age, or language… well, they are separated by sex with the exception of some mixed-bathing areas.

Lying in the hot water and slowly listening to my heart beat slow down is a time when I feel most attuned to Japanese culture.

9. Speaking English

Japanese will generally assume you are a native English speaker until you prove otherwise. Even during a short visit, you’ll see:

-A group of schoolchildren in neatly pressed Prussian uniforms walking across the intersection, shouting “Hello! Hello! Herro!” as they assess your foreign features

-A random person just walking up to you and asking “Where are you from?”

Friendly? Certainly. But I can see how constant celebrity status might get confusing or frustrating for travelers who don’t speak English.

Although you may speak some or fluent Japanese, the default language of choice is English. Many Japanese will insist on using their own English language ability, however limited, to converse with foreigners, in spite of the fact that the person on the opposing end may have more knowledge of the local tongue.

10. Safety

Every Japanese person I have met warns me to be safe in my travels, to take care of my belongings. Every foreigner tells me not to worry, nothing can go wrong, nothing will be stolen. This may be based on individual experience, but there are other issues:

- The fear of crime in Japan is high, especially among Japanese citizens.

- Murders happen. I repeat, murders happen. People are attacked, robbed, assaulted, raped, beaten, and swindled

However, Japan’s low crime rate is evident when you see businessmen who have missed the last train sleeping outside on a park bench, or a group of 5-year-old boys walking by themselves for over a kilometer to make the starting bell at school.

Going to Japan?

Check out our humorous list of 10 Extraordinarily Useful Japanese Phrases.

Community Connection!

There are a bunch of cool Matador folks living in various parts of Japan. If you want the lowdown on teaching English, ask Abram or Stephanie.

If you’re looking for a photography outing in Asia, ask pro photographers Ryan Libre or Scott Lothes.

Wanna ride a wave? Ask Angie where the best surf spots in Japan are.

Wanna go hiking? Check out Tim’s definitive list of the top 10 hikes in Hokkaido.

photo by Tal Bright

An American friend I had taught with in Taiwan beckoned me to Istanbul with tales of local men serenading Western women, luring them into love spells with baklava. Her descriptions of lunch by the seaside and bustling spice markets charmed me all the way to the travel agency.

“It’s my New York, but better,” she had said.

I got my suitcase and tea glass ready.

Upon arriving, a crowd of fake blondes congregated at the airport entry gates with the sort of urgency that says, “This is a great place.” Counting bright headscarf after bright headscarf, my first impression of Istanbul was part-Europe, part-Asia, and part hyperactive kid on the beach.

Now that I have been living and teaching in Istanbul for a few months, there’s still enough radiation to keep me feeling like a holiday girl, even teaching forty plus hours a week.

Considerations for teaching

photo by tinou bao

Money

When contemplating a job here, it is important to remember that you are still the same old barking English seal teacher that you are anywhere else in Asia, but you will probably get paid decent money and have enough eager students, to make it worthwhile.

Local Vibe

Be prepared to entertain your students as much as you teach them, and anticipate to be showered with home-cooked food from friendly students who appreciate the effort you put into your classes. Most will be willing to share their language and culture.

Culture
Should you tire of the workaholic schedule that English schools will likely impose, there is always the hammam (Turkish bath) to indulge in, where a burly masseuse or masseur, will scrub you like Hercules.

Cuisine

Culinary delights abound, including fish still squirming fresh on the market table, sold by boisterous men in rubber boots. Rice is most often replaced with a range of other, more inspiring carbohydrates, like flower-shaped herb bread, and cherry-filled baklava.

The mighty lamb is prevalent, sliced with grilled peppers and tomatoes, and served together with yogurt, cilantro and pita bread.

Job Placement

For those seeking ESL teaching work in Istanbul, numerous jobs abound, and can be found simply by walking into the language schools themselves, or by applying with a resume, cover letter, photo and scanned copy of qualifications and passport over the Internet.

While I have never heard of an English school here that doesn’t need teachers (which means you will probably be working some serious overtime) private language schools mostly hire people with a Canadian, British, Australian, or American passport, a TESOL certificate (or similar qualification) and/or a degree in any subject, from a recognized university.

First time-teachers are usually welcome, as are people of various ages. My current work staff includes everyone from ages twenty to fifty-five, and they are generally sane people, from various professional backgrounds.

Accomodation

Some schools provide accommodation, but most don’t. However, there are throngs of English-teachers actively searching for roommates, and most language schools will offer some help in finding an affordable and comfortable place to live.

Prices

Costs for accommodation, food, and other necessities of life are comparable to Canada, the US and some parts of Europe. As Turkey is in close proximity to several Middle-Eastern and European countries, you may also want to travel.

Depending on whether or not you choose to go by train, plane, bus or car, prices can vary from the extraordinarily cheap to the staggeringly expensive.

photo by robokow

Activities

Istanbul has no shortage of things to do. In the Greek Quarter, old women haggle over striped socks at the market and fruit vendors greet shoppers with heaping triangles of olives and figs. Speeding taxis with bashed-in fronts steer and skid amongst the crowds of pedestrians spilling over the curbs in the downtown districts.

Ladies selling flowers by the boat docks push stems of daffodils under your nose, commanding, in their hats and headscarves, a mere dollar a bundle.

One of my best moments so far in Istanbul has been taking pictures of stray cats in a historic graveyard at 7am, while men and women beat carpets, men prayed, and children chased pigeons. People were doing their everyday activities, but it was nonetheless impressive.

Nightlife

Numerous nightclubs in almost every area of the city provide a comfortable places for expats and locals alike to get their groove on. While going out is expensive, one will feel at the end of the evening, as if their money has been well spent.

In Istanbul, atmosphere is everything- clubs and pubs are usually “dressed to the nines”, with plush velour, seaside seating, water pipes, hip music and cheerful chatter, in a multitude of languages.

For me, Istanbul is a spot to rest my rucksack while I’m turning the tricks of the English teaching trade, but my respect for the place and its people now goes beyond my initial pinwheel of tourist images. It is now my temporary home, and one that I see myself returning to.

For aspiring and seasoned travelers, there is no other city that quite captures the glamor of a martini glass, the pizzazz of a belly dancer, and the wild imagination of two continents.

As for whether it’s “better than New York,” I’m hardly to judge, but surely, anyone who comes here to teach will not be disappointed.