International English Teacher 101: How to Start, Grow, and Succeed as an International English Teacher Worldwide

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A QUICK QUIZ

Where should I teach English, Dan? This is probably the question I get asked the most. The answer really depends on you and what you and what you want to get out of the situation. In order to help you decide, I’ve put together this quick quiz. Answer each question according to this key:

  1. Very little                   
  2. Not much
  3. A bit
  4. Some
  5. A lot
  6. A whole lot

There is no “I don’t know” or “I don’t care option”. Force yourself to develop an opinion on each issue as these are the issues that will have an influence on your happiness teaching in that region. Her you go:

  1. How much do you hate mornings?
  2. How much do you want to learn the foreign language?
  3. How comfortable are you with your own company?
  4. How big a part of your social life is drinking?
  5. Do you like kids?
  6. Do you need easy access to mental health medications?
  7. How much do you hate being micromanaged?
  8. Is your privacy important to you?
  9. Do you eat most foods?
  10. How important is it to you to be able to go to church?
  11. Would you like to have an assistant teacher or co-teacher?
  12. How much do you not want to be around fellow countrymen?
  13. Do you envision dating locals as part of your experience?
  14. How much room for creativity do you want in lesson planning?
  15. Is it important to you to get your fast food fix once in a while?
  16. Do you regularly exercise?
  17. How much do you laugh at yourself?
  18. How reliant are you on the textbook?
  19. Can you find your way around a big city?
  20. How paranoid does it make you when others use your name?

Answer Key:

  1. The higher your score the more you should look at the Asian Tigers with all their cram schools that do not start until 3pm. Warning: you’ll be working weekends!
  2. The higher your score the more you want to look at Latin America and West Africa, the easiest places to learn the colonial language for those who studied Spanish or French in high school.
  3. The higher your score the more you might consider the Middle East where you will likely live in a walled compound and have little contact with the opposite sex.
  4. The higher your score the more you should look at ex-Soviet republics. People think of Latin Americans as big drinkers, but I have been shocked by how much drinking goes on in East Asia.
  5. The lower your score the more you should look at the chain schools in Latin America and China with adult students, unless you have a Masters and teach college.
  6. The higher your score the more you should look at Latin America. Medications are cheap and easy to get without prescriptions. They are impossible to find in Africa and highly stigmatized in much of Asia.
  7. The higher your score, the more you should look at more laid back places like Latin America or Southeast Asia. The hogwans and language centers of Korea and China will have the most micromanagers.
  8. The higher your score the more you should look at the Middle East. The lower your score the more you can stand Africa where you will stand out it not Black or Asia with its crush of people. For more privacy, try Eastern Europe or the Caucasus.
  9. The lower your score the more you need to stick to Europe or the richer Asian nations with Western food options.
  10. The higher your score the more Latin America (especially if Catholic) or Korea (for Christians) will appeal to you.
  11. The higher your score the more you should look at private schools in Asia. Latin America cannot afford much staff. In Africa you may have to handle a hundred students on your own.
  12. The higher your score, if you are American and want to escape other Americans, stay away from Latin America where most teachers are American, and ipso facto if Kiwi, Aussie, South African, or European, head to Latin America.
  13. The higher your score and if you’re only looking to score and not courting, the more you should avoid Africa and poorer Latin American countries where dating locals mostly leads to expectations of marriage.
  14. The higher your score, the more you should look at more laid back places like Africa and Latin America and avoid the stricter managers at some Asian cram schools, or public schools anywhere with a national curriculum.
  15. The higher your score the more burgers and pizzas you’ll get in Latin America, Europe, Asia, almost anywhere but poor Africa.
  16. The higher your score, the happier you will be anywhere as it promotes physical and mental health, but females should not go jogging in Africa, Eastern Europe, parts of Latin America – and be careful everywhere.
  17. The higher your score the more you will succeed everywhere you go as you will make mistakes and have all your values questioned often. The lower scores may wish to try Easter Europe – or stick in their compounds in the Middle East.
  18. The higher your score the more you should avoid poorer nations of African, Latin America, and Asia where you may not have any resources at all.
  19. The lower your score the more you should look at Latin America and Southeast Asia where some TEFL teachers are happy in smaller towns. Most TELF teachers prefer the big cities and suffer in village life.
  20. The higher your score the more you should consider not teaching English abroad at all.

Well, if you’ve answered those questions honestly, you should now have a better idea where your would like to teach in the world and it only remains to wish you bon voyage!

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