Preparing To Teach Abroad

[International Expat]

Deciding you want to teach English abroad is just the first step of your journey. Finding a job in the city and country you want to teach in is the next step! But before you get on the plane, you have to take the most important steps of all – dealing with all of the practical aspects of preparing for your time spent teaching abroad.

If you do your research and prepare accordingly, your process of integrating should go smoothly. If you don't prepare, however, things can get very frustrating, very quickly. That's why it is incredibly important to put in your prep work before you go.

Here are some of the more important things to consider:

·      Will you have to deal with the country's banking system? Some places will let you keep your current bank account, or online bank account. But some schools will insist on paying your salary into a local bank account. Find out if you need to open a local bank account, and if you do, what documents you will need, what your minimum deposit will be, and how long it will take you to set it up.

·      How much cash will you need to have on hand before you get your first paycheck from the school? Is there a daily limit to how much you can take out of a local ATM machine?

·      What clothes do you really need to pack? The fewer things you bring with you, the better. In some countries, clothes are far cheaper than they are in America. Therefore, leaving most of your clothes at home and buying new clothes when you get there may be a sensible option. On the other hand, clothes are much more expensive in some countries. Do a Google search for local clothing stores, find out the local prices, and make your decisions from there.

·      What information will a local doctor need? If you have any chronic problems or are on any long-term medication, get your current doctor to document everything, and bring those documents with you.

·      Do you need any shots or vaccinations before you get there? You can generally get this information from government websites.

·      Will you have health insurance through the school or local government? If not, you should probably go online and buy health insurance for people who are traveling. This can be a lifesaver.

·      Is your phone unlocked, and can you buy a local SIM card for your phone? If so, check if your phone allows for multiple SIM cards. Most do these days, but some lower-end models do not. If your phone allows for multiple SIM cards, you should be able to buy a SIM when you are there. If not, consider updating your current phone to one that does give you a multiple SIM card option. Or, you can buy a cheap phone locally to use for in-country communication.

·      Men, what are the facial hair standards of the country you are going to? You don't want to stand out to much so you might want to get a shave and a haircut that will make you look more like a local.

·      Women, what is the dress code of the country you are going to? In many countries, women – even Western women – should wear a headscarf or cover up certain body parts. Please check before arrival.

cc InternationalEducators.com