7 Great Reasons to Begin a TEFL Adventure Abroad in 2020

Love teaching English and want to travel? TEFL is the profession for you! This growing industry offers excellent opportunities in Spain and all over the world for those who want to satisfy their wanderlust while making a living alongside. Find out more reasons why you should start a TEFL adventure this year. 

There comes a time in our life when we feel a strong desire to change our daily casual routines and to do something challenging by going out of the way. If this is also your new year resolution 2020 to jump out of your comfort zone, to expand your horizons and to start an adventure teaching English abroad then the time is now. Whether you are a recently graduated international student bitten by the travel bug or exhausted because of the boring desk job that you’ve been doing for years, traveling abroad can change your whole perspective of life. 

In fact, we all want to satisfy our wanderlust and to connect with the world, but there are some constraints stopping us to get there. One of the biggest excuses that I’ve come across by asking people why they are not living their dream life in the country of their choice is that they don’t have that much money and their finances won’t allow them to afford that luxury. But in reality, travel is not a luxury and there are ways through which you can establish your career and travel at the same time. It’s all about one’s personal preferences and we value the things which we actually want whether consciously or unconsciously. If your desire to stick to the status quo is stronger than that of living the dream abroad, you’ll probably not make it. Conversely, if things, like meeting new people, exploring cultures, making friends and learning new languages, sound more fascinating, consider it the first step towards your personal and professional development. 

You don’t need to take a yearlong vacation from work as there are some professions which offer great employment opportunities that you can avail by living abroad. Teaching English as a second language is one of those professions and can be considered as the best ways to combine your dreams with your career. The decision of becoming a TEFL instructor comes with a range of benefits such as having international work experience at your resume, a chance to see the world and more. Still not convinced? Here are some of the great reasons why you should begin a TEFL adventure abroad and discover a world of opportunity. 

• Growing Job Market: English is one of the fast-spreading languages in human history and the number of English speakers and learners is also increasing at a fast rate. This has further given rise to the evolution of the TEFL industry in the educational field. That is why English instructors are in high demand all across the globe as millions of people enroll in English learning classes every year. And the question of whether you’ll find a job is not a thing to worry while considering TEFL abroad and all you need to do is to decide which country will be most suitable to start teaching overseas. TEFL in Spain can also be a good option as it makes one of the top destinations for TEFL students every year.

The requirements are quite simple. No matter if you are a recent college graduate with no prior experience in teaching, you can get hired by an international language school just because of being a native speaker. But most of the well-recognized institutions require that you hold a TEFL certificate before getting started with this profession. Based on our experience in this industry, we can predict that your chances to get a reputable and a high paying job without TEFL certification are very thin. So, it is advised to consider taking an accredited TEFL course if you are serious enough to adopt English teaching as a full-time career as it will provide you all the essential training and professional skills of the subject matter.

• Getting a chance to see the world: This is the most common reason that people decide to teach abroad in order to travel and see the outside world. A typical office-based job consumes time and squeezes our energy and sometimes we forget to realize how many joys of life we are missing out. A TEFL job, on the other hand, provides a chance to visit the most exotic place or the country you always dreamed to live in. For example, Spain – a magical and historic country is also famous among international TEFL graduates and most of the students who complete their TEFL course from Spain decide not to go back but to stay, to earn and to enjoy what this amazing country has to offer. This is because of the excellent working conditions here. The teachers not only get a handsome salary to meet other living expenses, but also get a chance to explore the culture, tourist attractions and other recreational pursuits due to flexible work-life balance.
• Learn a foreign language: Being bi or tri-lingual is your greatest asset both culturally and professionally and moving abroad will provide you with a perfect opportunity to learn a foreign language. No matter which country you chose, there will be one thing is common that their native language will not be English. And if you decide to start your TEFL adventure here in Madrid, you will be automatically learning Spanish – the world’s most spoken language after Chinese. Because when we immerse ourselves in an entirely different culture and environment, we are naturally exposed to language learning possibilities present there.  Also, your ability to speak more than one language is a great resume booster and you will be able to access the growth opportunities in dynamic regions of the world because you don’t necessarily need to be in Spain to make use of your Spanish. Think of Argentina, Cuba, Colombia and so on…
• Learn new life skills: Travelling can be the most fascinating and eye-opening experience one can ever have. It can even change you as a person and the way you approach different issues. When you are in a different country all by yourself, you will be in a perfect position to explore your inner self and abilities and how to use them to the fullest. The beauty of traveling is that you don’t even realize that the change is happening, and you become better at problem-solving, budgeting, organizing, and communicating with others. Though this change cannot be quantified in some meaningful way, still you will feel yourself a different person, more confident, easy going and able-minded. All of these great qualities will shine through your persona and will make you more charismatic and you will find yourself doing well both in personal and professional life.
• Exposure to new cultures: Getting immerse into a new culture is another benefit that comes with traveling and living abroad. Of course, one can have a sneak peek into the traditions and cultures followed by other nations from the comfort of his home by watching the pictures and videos, but this cannot be compared with the excitement and joy of actually being there. 

As an English instructor in another country, you will be doing day-to-day activities and become a part of that community. You will also become friend to the natives who will invite you to hand out with them at their family functions and parties. In this way, you will get a chance to closely experience a foreign culture and, in the end, your outlook on life will change towards betterment.

• International work experience: In the current globalized economy, greater employment opportunities welcome those who have international work experience at their resume. Working and living abroad is an experience that makes you an ideal candidate for any sector. As it shows that you are good at working under under-pressure, can easily take challenges and are adaptable to change.  

The benefits of this international work experience are not limited to the teaching sector only. Because the skills you gained are exactly what a recruiter wants from any candidate no matter what type of profession it is. Your ability to interact and get along with people of different nationalities can land you in any international affairs department or development agency with all the incentives and high living standard.  

• Making a difference: Apparently, teaching abroad just seems like a way of making a living while staying at some cool destination like Madrid, Spain. But there is something more to it. Think of it this way that the students you will teach, both adults and kids, will consider you a source of inspiration. Maybe, they will get better opportunities on the bases of what you’ve taught them. In this way, you will be helping them to create a better life for themselves and others. As a teacher, watching your students achieve their goals is the biggest rewards and it is indeed, priceless!

Get enrolled in the TEFL course offered by the leading TEFL-Madrid Academy in Spain and unlock your potential towards becoming a source of inspiration for yourself and others.