6 Reasons Why You’re Still Not Teaching English Abroad

You have no money?  You’re scared of changing your routine?  You think you’re too old?  We won’t be having any of these excuses!  If teaching English abroad is something you REALLY want to do, then you will find a way around it… and i-to-i will be on hand to help you bust those issues that are holding you back.

 Let’s find out why you’re still not teaching English abroad

1.  You have no money

This couldn’t be a better reason for you to start teaching English abroad!  Unless you choose to volunteer, you are guaranteed to get paid for the teaching that you do; which could be anything from £600/$1000 per month in Thailand to £2,300/$3500 per month in Saudi Arabia, which let’s face it, is where the money is at!  On top of this, a lot of countries’ (especially Asia, and sometimes Eastern Europe) employers will provide you with free accommodation – usually nearby your place of work with another English teacher – or at the very least, a housing allowance.  You’ll also find that countries like China and South Korea will also reimburse your flight costs upon completion of your contract.  So you see, the ‘no money’ excuse really can’t hold you back from achieving your teaching dreams!

To find out more about the teaching salaries in different countries take a look at our Top TEFL Destinations Guide.

2. You’re scared of changing routine

Get up.  Eat breakfast.  Go to work.  Go to the gym.  Get home.  Make dinner. Watch trashy TV.  Go to bed.  Repeat.

Does your daily routine sound something like this?  Well, wouldn’t you rather be waking up to a tranquil view of the glistening sea, before starting your job where you inspire students to better themselves; and swap your daily run through a muddy park in the pouring rain to along the beach?  Or even switching those boring ready meals to delicious local cuisine?  You surely can’t be THAT scared of changing your routine!

3. You think you’re too old

Ask yourself this… WHY should you ever be too old to start teaching English abroad?  If it is something you are passionate about, then nothing should stop you; and in fact, many schools prefer more mature teachers as the perceptions are you have more valuable life experience – saying that, if you’re fresh out of Uni, you’ll have an equally good chance of landing your dream job.  You may even want to see places you’ve never been to before, and TEFL couldn’t be a better way to fund this!  Wouldn’t you rather live a life saying ‘oh well’ rather than ‘what if’?  And just think about it: the grandchildren would love a free holiday to an amazing destination!

4. TEFL is your dream… but not your partner’s

So, you have this picture in your head of how your life could be teaching abroad in your favourite country, but your partner doesn’t share the same dream?  Well, there are ways around this: does your partner work for a large corporation where they could get a transfer maybe?  Or is TEFLing something you could convince your partner into doing?  Maybe they’re deterred because they think teaching English abroad is only concerned with teaching children – not everyone is that interested in teaching kids.  Instead, why not inform them that there’s so much more to it than this – they could teach English at University, or even teach business English to professionals.

Ultimately though, when it comes to your future partner, deciding to TEFL is a long-term commitment.  You have to ask yourself which is more important to you in the long-run: your partner, or your teaching career.  If you do decide to go ahead and teach English abroad, there’s nothing wrong in forging a long-distance relationship.

5. You have concerns about moving to a completely new culture

We’d be lying if we said that moving to an entirely new country (with cultural norms very different to what you’re used to) is easy; but that’s actually part of the fun.  Think about how much you will learn – the different experiences you’ll encounter, the amazing new people you’ll meet.  Yes, there will always be things you don’t like about your TEFL destination, but you need to consider how many good things will come from this opportunity rather than focusing on the bad.  It’s also worth remembering that thousands of people teach English abroad every year and love it!

You’ll also find that most TEFL destinations have a really good expat community where you will likely find people in the same position as you.  We’re not saying you should rely on these communities, but they are good place to start making friends while you get settled.

Another great thing to think about if you’re nervous about starting your TEFL adventure would be to consider doing one of i-to-i’s internships in China, Vietnam and Thailand; where you will move to your chosen country with a group of people in EXACTLY the same position as you, and enjoy 24/7 support from our expert partners.

6. Commitments at home

Obviously the thought of moving away from home where your friends and family are is daunting – all of the parties, weddings and Christmases you could miss out on.  However, you have to ask yourself whether sticking around for any of these events will be as valuable, and provide you with such a life-changing experience as teaching abroad would.  Answer this question honestly, and we believe that you’ll come to the right conclusion.

Challenge us!

If you think you have a better reason for why you’re still not teaching abroad (despite wanting to) then  drop us a comment below and our TEFL experts will do their best to help!