Teaching English overseas can be a fun and rewarding way to start your career as a teacher. You’ll be able to experience another culture for an extended period of time, immersing yourself in their language and customs, all while honing your craft as a teacher and making a couple extra travel bucks on the side.

You can teach abroad anywhere, but the most common jobs are found in Asia.  Teaching abroad in Asia jobs are often in Japan, China, and South Korea. There are also some very lucrative opportunities to teach in the Middle East, most commonly in Dubai or Saudi Arabia You should do some research on all the available locations before you make your decision.

Diving into the world of teach abroad can be a bit daunting. First, there are all these acronyms to deal with – EFL is English as a Foreign Language, or simply English as taught in a region where the native language is not English. ESL is English as a Second Language, or English taught in an area where the native language is English, to someone whose first language is something else.

These are types of English teaching positions available, but the most important acronym is for the certification you will need to begin your teaching. TEFL stands for Teaching English as a Foreign Language. You can get a TEFL (also called TESL or TESOL) certificate through one of many available certification programs. Also available are CELTA certificates, or Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults. We will go over all the certification options in a later blog.

Once you wade through the paperwork and confusing terminology, if you still want to try your hand at teaching English abroad, jobs can be found just about anywhere in the world. Anywhere there is a need to learn English, there is a need for English Teachers. Your students may be young children, college students, business men, or housewives. Most programs will enroll all ages and backgrounds, so be ready for anything- and don’t forget to have fun!

Next time: Teaching English in Madrid.