Leaving the comforts of home to go and teach English in a foreign country is not an easy decision to make – especially if you already have a paying job. And yet, the benefits of taking yourself outside your comfort zone cannot be over-stated – and stretch far beyond the immediately obvious ones of giving yourself the chance to live and work in another country, earning enough money to travel and explore at the same time.
The benefits include:
Communication
Ironically, the fact that you don’t speak the same language as your students actually enhances your communication skills – a very valuable attribute in any future job you may apply for. You will need to draw on all your speaking, listening and responding skills in order to communicate effectively.
Flexibility
Successfully completing a teaching contract in another country is an impressive addition to your CV. It shows that you are adaptable, flexible and good at change. Teaching at a foreign school in an unfamiliar culture and environment can test your problem solving skills to the max, and you will find yourself using your initiative and creativity on a daily basis. If you can do this while still staying calm and in control, you will have mastered a life skill that is very attractive to any future employer.
Cultural Sensitivity
An understanding of, and, more importantly, a respect for, different cultures is a critical skill in dealing with international business partners. Learning to be sensitive to cultural differences is a skill you will pick up without even trying when you teach English in a foreign country.
Learning Another Language
Interestingly, although you will have travelled to your chosen country in order to teach English to foreign students, you will also end up learning their language from them! Or some of it, anyway! Immersion is the best way in which to pick up another language, and even if you normally struggle to learn languages, you will find that simply being surrounded by a language every day is enough to teach you a lot of the local lingo. This could be very helpful in your next job.
If you’d like to teach English in a foreign country, or would like to find out more information, check out the ESL Job Link website at esljoblink.com.
