Let’s be honest: the last few months have really made us want to leave our houses, jump on a plane and go somewhere, anywhere, far, far away. And yes, at the moment it might seem like being able to travel again is still far in the future, but as the world slowly starts to open up again, we can prepare for the day we can happily step out of house and into the big, wide world. 

For young, native English speakers who dream of seeing the world, teaching English abroad is a great way to earn money while traveling and experiencing other cultures. You can use your salary from teaching to fund periods of travel, take jobs in various countries to experience different cultures, or both - all while gaining teaching experience that can help you continue a teaching career at home. Even if you anticipate changing careers someday, teaching experience abroad can look great on your resume and create greater lifelong career opportunities.

Teaching English abroad is an awesome way to travel and see the world, and an entry level TESOL qualification is all you need to get started. What a fantastic opportunity to diversify your CV and become immersed in another culture!

Ever since I was little, I knew that I wanted a job that would help people… I just didn’t know what. Up until six months ago, I was a regular high school student. I was on track for going to college, and then working a 9-5 desk job that would probably not help anyone. But then my family started full time traveling, and I discovered a world full of opportunities that were new to me. Through travel, I learned about jobs in ecotourism, ESL teaching, conservation, and translating. 

Studying or working abroad is an amazing experience that can greatly impact someone's life. While volunteering to teach English with my family in Thailand, I had the opportunity to interview another person with a lot of international experience. My friend Craig has been working as an English teacher for eight years. Teaching English has dramatically changed Craig's life. He came to Thailand for boxing, and ended up making connections and landing a teaching job without any previous experience.

Several years ago, while teaching creative writing for three months in a small village in Spain, I was made to feel welcome by a wonderful group of people who were native to the town. Every Saturday night, more than twenty men and women would arrive at the farmhouse my husband and I were renting, each of them carrying a tray of their favorite foods.

I'm an American expat living in Istanbul, Turkey. I teach English at a private university which I commute to intercontinentally by ferry. A commute which is probably the calmest part of my day, where I am able to stare out at the majestic panorama of Ayasofya and all of her historic surroundings. It's the part of my day which gives me a chance to remember why I moved to this chaotic, often very stressful city. I'm an observer, and Istanbul - Turkey - and the complex region as a whole, gives me an amazing opportunity to do just that.