They say travel is the great teacher which can single-handedly impart several life lessons. A seasoned traveller eventually becomes an expert on a whole of things : being resourceful, trusting their gut, stepping out of the comfort zone, being in the moment, blending into alien culture and plenty more. Maybe that’s why travellers in turn become the best teachers. Their wider worldview and life experiences will empower them to impart not just knowledge but life lessons which are beyond the textbook. And that’s where true learning starts.
Here are the best destinations to get into the travel-teach cycle; places where you can travel to, teach, save up enough to fund your onward travels, rinse, repeat.
South Korea
South Korea is widely regarded as one of the best places to teach English. Teaching jobs are plentiful, the pay is comparatively high and there are loads of perks like contract completion bonus, free housing, healthcare and free flight tickets. Every year, thousands of recent graduates head to K-town for a teaching stint thanks to good standard of living, delicious food and dirt cheap rent.
Prague
Prague is one of those countries where there seems to be a perpetual and never-ending need for teaching jobs. The city has witnessed rapid growth in the last few years thanks to a slew of startups setting shops in and around the city. The pay and benefit isn’t as high compared to rest of the world but you can take solace in the fact that you are living in one of the most beautiful cities in the world.
Japan
Japan was once a haven for people who wanted to teach and make quick cash but those days are long gone. However, it is still popular amongst ESL teachers thanks to government initiatives like JET program which assures generous rewards like completion bonuses for long-term teachers. The Japanese are an exceptionally friendly and polite lot and the food choices are as crazy and weird as they are delicious. The sole downside to teaching in Japan is the insanely high cost of living which can chip away at your savings fairly quickly.
Spain
Despite its economy going into a downward spiral, Spain still remains a hotspot for teaching jobs thanks to an active government program. It is one of the most visited tourist destinations in the world and is an excellent base if you are planning to backpack around Europe. The pay is not high but you should be able to survive comfortably if you can go easy on the eating out and partying.
Thailand
The pay for new teachers in Thailand is not great (around $1500 USD per month) but that is easily offset by the avalanche of benefits like cheap cost of living, tropical beaches, delicious cuisine and year-around party atmosphere. Most of the teachers in Thailand are travellers looking to save up for future travels or people who had the same idea but loved their job so much that they never left. The jobs are fairly easy to get which makes it one of the best destinations for young, new teachers.
China
China epitomizes the ‘brave new world’ and the country is evolving at a rapid pace. As English is quickly becoming the standard language for most jobs, there has been an exponential increase in the demand for English teachers in China. Finding work as a teacher is quite easy in this country; even major cities like Shanghai and Beijing have plenty of vacancies throughout the year. English teachers in China earn upward of $2,000 USD a month and enjoy several benefits like completion bonuses, free housing, free lunch and free flight tickets.
Taiwan
Taiwan is one of the best places to teach English as there are several opportunities with high salaries and good perks. Another benefit of teaching in Taiwan is the presence of a sizeable population of expat teachers so your social life won’t go for a toss. The country places a very high importance of learning English so you can find plenty of freelance tutor opportunities apart from your normal job.
