• Don’t talk all the time

  We mentioned in i-to-i’s Top 10 TESOL Do’s that the best way to learn a language is to practice it yourself. It’s no good if the teacher stands at the front and does all the talking. Instead, it’s much more beneficial if the students are talking for as long as possible (just imagine having a driving lesson, but all the instructor does it talk about driving. It wouldn’t be very helpful, right?).

  It’s common for teachers to get carried away when explaining things, even though they are trying to help. In fact, this does more harm than good, as students can get confused by long explanations and will quickly become bored!

  

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• Don’t use foreigner talk

  “Foreigner talk” is very common in the TESOL classroom, when it has no place being there. It is a term that describes the weird language we seem to use when speaking to someone who speaks another language. For example, a teacher may say; “YOU, SIT, PAIRS, OKAY?”… It usually involves speaking louder and slower than normal and you end up speaking like a cave man!

  This is damaging behaviour when trying to learn a language, because students can sense it and feel patronised by it. They may also get the feeling that the things you are saying are far removed from the realities of speaking English. Having said this, it’s important to think about how you say things before you say them – choose words/phrases that your students can understand!

  

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• Don’t echo

  Echoing is when you repeat what a student says, for example:

  Teacher: What’s your favourite film?
  Student: Star wars.
  Teacher: Oh, Star wars! Great.

  Teachers echo all the time and don’t even realise. But, instead of encouraging them, it actually makes it harder for them to talk. In that example, the teacher says 8 words compared to the student, who said only 2! So instead of echoing what the student says, try and make them elaborate to give a fuller answers. For example:

  Teacher: What’s your favourite film?
  Student: Star wars.
  Teacher: Oh, tell us more?
  Student: Well, I like the first one best because…

  

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• Don’t teach a non-standard variety of English

  Now this doesn’t mean that you should speak like you’re talking to the Queen, but it does mean that you need to be aware of the accepted international standard of English across the world. It doesn’t just apply to English people, either. Whether you’re Irish, American, Australian or from anywhere else in the world, you need to try to teach without any local language, vocabulary or dialects.

  

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• Don’t ‘under-challenge’ your students

  No one wants to discourage their students by making their classes too difficult, which is why it’s easy to slip into being too soft on your students. Even if they don’t admit it, students enjoy being pushed and will learn a lot more effectively if they have to overcome a small challenge. This way, they will feel like they are actually learning something and getting something out of your lessons – Although it’s important to gauge your student’s ability and be realistic when planning your lessons. <-p>

  

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• Don’t ‘over-urge’ your students

  It’s easy to confuse trying to encourage your class to talk and putting them under pressure to perform. You may have good intentions, but standing over a student and asking for an instant response can be very daunting for them. It makes them feel pressured and will cause them to panic, which is the opposite of what you want.

  There are a few things you can do to try and limit this. When you ask a question, don’t stare at the student but instead, look away slightly and give the student time to think of a response. Also, it’s a good idea to get the students to ask each other questions as it takes the pressure off and gets rid of the “everyone is looking at me” feeling that students often get. So whilst the students are all working together in groups/pairs, you can listen in and monitor.

  

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• Don’t be unprofessional

  Being professional can often be labelled as being ‘boring’… which is not the case at all! The only thing that makes a boring lesson is a boring teacher. Instead, what ‘being professional’ means is that you take the needs of your students seriously. For example; turning up to work on time, not getting ridiculously drunk the night before, dress appropriately, etc.

  Follow the obvious protocols wherever you’re working, use your common sense, respect different cultures and if you’re not sure…ask!

  

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• Don’t criticise your students’ country and culture

  This seems like a no brainer… but it’s not as easy to avoid as it sounds, especially when you’re tired, frustrated and suffering from culture shock! Even if some locals are complaining about the school/town/country you’re in, just stay out of it all together. One of your innocent observations could be taken completely the wrong way (which can be extremely damaging to your relationship with your students). Instead, talk about what you like about their country and try to avoid jokes which could be seen as offensive.

  

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• Don’t preach

  TESOL teachers teach English…not religion, not sport, politics or any other subject. In the past, some ‘teacher-preachers’ have seen an opportunity to advocate their religious beliefs to a captive audience…their class. Not only could this get you into serious trouble, but it’s also pretty unfair and wrong. It’s neither the time nor place to promote whatever religious beliefs you have, especially to people who may not have the linguistic ability to argue back!

  It could seriously annoy your class and get you into some deep trouble with your school… and whilst you’re having a rant, your student’s aren’t practicing their English! Try asking them what they think instead!

  

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• Don’t have favourite students

  To most students, their relationship with the teacher is arguably the most important factor when learning a language. If they feel that their teacher has favourite students, then the others will switch off and won’t engage in the class. Having said this, what students see as favouritism may not be that at all. It may just be that you only know 3 of their names!

  It’s crucial to build equal relationships with each student and try to learn as many names as possible! Little things like knowing a student’s name makes a huge difference in the class’ motivation to learn.

  

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If this article has got you inspired and want to read more tips of how to improve your teaching, pre-order your copy of Essential TEFL today! It’s jam-packed with loads of teaching advice, lesson plans and a comprehensive guide to the tricky subject of grammar! – Visit http://www.onlinetefl.com/essential-tefl-book to get your copy today!

Just Go for it!

It’s really common for TESOLers to get nervous as their time to teach approaches; especially if they’re just starting out. But you just need to go for it! Your students are probably more nervous than you are, so you’ll need to really motivate and encourage them… and the best way to do that is to be energetic and fun! Your positive energy will fill the classroom, and before you know it, you’ll have created an engaging and interesting learning environment, which will be beneficial for both you and your pupils.



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Have an aim

Remember back in school when you’d finish a class and think “what was the point of that?!”. Well that’s exactly what you need to try and avoid in your own class! Lessons without an aim can seem like a complete waste of time. It’s crucial that all of your lessons have an aim because you want your students to come away from the lesson thinking “today I learnt about ‘X’”.



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Be organised

Research and prepare everything you will need beforehand: take a spare board pen, make a lesson plan/schedule, if you’re teaching new content – know it inside out! Being organised will drastically improve your confidence and ability to teach effectively – allowing yourself and your students to enjoy themselves.



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Get students talking – to each other

The whole point of TESOL is to get the students talking! It’s no good just learning about English, they need to practice using it. Fully immersing yourself in a language is the best way to learn it, which means it isn’t all about making the lessons lively and fun (although that’s very important too). Instead, try to focus on getting your pupils talking. An ideal way to do this is working in pairs or groups, as this allows for (up to) half the class to be speaking at the same time! Leaving you to wander round the room, listening and helping.



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Start a lesson with a warmer

You know what learners can be like… they need constant encouragement and motivation, otherwise they just switch-off! A simple warmer activity at the start of the lesson will ease them into the lesson and get their minds in the right place. Not only this, but some students may feel shy or embarrassed at the thought of speaking in-front of others. In this sense, a warmer activity can help draw them out of their shell and relieves the initial anxiety (which is why warmers should occur in small groups instead of one person talking in-front of the entire class!) After your warmer, your class will be more relaxed and confident to speak for the rest of the lesson.



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Use variety

Variety is the spice of life, eh? Well it’s also the spice of TESOL life. If your students are faced with the same routine and tasks every time then they’ll get bored very quickly and switch off. After all, no one wants to sit through a boring class.

Having said that, “variety” doesn’t mean just throwing in games now and then, it’s best to use a variety of teaching techniques. A good way to do this is to think about varying the skills your students are practicing. For example, writing, speaking, reading, listening – as well as physical activities, like running, mingling, sitting and standing. If you know you have a dry or heavy subject to cover, use a mix of techniques and then follow it up with some light hearted, high-energy activities.



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Instruct clearly

There are times, as a TESOL teacher, when some or all of your students won’t understand your instructions and just won’t know what to do! This is especially true when you’re using a variety of teaching techniques, as opposed to a traditional class. So it’s crucial to give instructions that your pupils can understand! It’s useful to speak simply and clearly and then follow up your instructions with a demonstration. (But make sure you don’t use ‘Foreigner Talk’ – See i-to-i’s Top 10 TESOL Don’t’s)



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Elicit

Eliciting is all about asking students to tell you something you want them to know – as opposed to telling them what you want them to know. The easiest way to elicit is to turn everything you say into a question. You want to try and get the students talking as much as possible. If you draw something on the board, ask the class to tell you what it is rather than telling them. The students will feel much more engaged and interested in the class (rather than sitting there being lectured at!)



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Work on pronunciation constantly

It doesn’t matter how good your grammar and vocabulary is if your students can’t understand you! Whenever you’re teaching; it’s really important to teach how to pronounce words and then give your students time to practice it orally. This will help improve fluency and allow the students to gain a more rounded grip on natural English speaking.



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Correct students (in a nice way!)

There are two views to correcting language students. On the one hand, you can argue that you should correct every mistake your students make – on the other hand, correcting every single mistake can knock a student’s confidence and input. So it’s important to find a balance! In reality, students actually like being corrected because they feel like they are being listened to, that you’re helping them, and that they’re learning something.

There is a time and a place for correcting students. If a student is reading aloud to the whole class but is making mistakes, don’t keep correcting them as it will severely knock their confidence. Instead, wait until the end and then go back and cover some common mistakes with the whole class. This way the whole group will benefit and the student doesn’t feel singled out.

The most important thing to remember is to correct students it in a ‘nice’ way – meaning no criticisms or telling students off! Instead, use your common sense and be constructive with your feedback.



Image: by Jimfrazier

If this article has inspired you and you would like to read more, you can order your copy of Essential TEFL today! It’s filled with loads of great teaching tips, lesson plans, activities and games plus a comprehensive guide to English grammar! – Just click here to get your copy today!

In order to save up, many people work a lot before they go while others put themselves on a tight budget.

Or you might then come to the conclusion that it’s only for the independently wealthy. You think you won’t be able to afford it, and you give up on this dream.

But, there is a way to have your budget not be an issue. A TESOL certification is your ticket to living wherever you want, however long you want, as you live and work abroad.

If you get a TESOL job, you won’t be counting your pennies when you want to spend some money on a nice dinner or a souvenir. You won’t be constantly budgeting, and trying to figure out what you have money for or what you don’t have money for, because unlike others who travel long-term, you’ll have a steady income coming in.

You can even save money!

The ‘secret’ for many travellers in their ability to afford long-term travel is that they travel slowly in order to save their money. There’s nothing wrong with that, but the truth is that money dictates everything about their trip – what they do, when they do it and for how long.

Also, long-term travellers have a great time travelling and exploring new places, but what about a need to be productive? You might want to fill your time with helping others and working with and making friends with locals and other foreigners while you add to your resume. That’s where TESOL comes in. TESOL is a fabulous way to make travelling a deeper, life-changing experience! You can immerse yourself into a whole new culture, meet new people, make friends, learn a language – in other words, experience a new country in a truly authentic way.

A TESOL certificate opens doors for you to really do something meaningful and help others. You can interact with the locals and become a local yourself! And you can help others with your knowledge and make a difference. It’s a truly rewarding experience.

Here is what some people who have taken their TESOL certification have to say about it:

“I want to travel in a way that I experience the culture of a place. I believe teaching would be a way to make money to live somewhere long enough, and also make connections into a community to facilitate becoming a part of it.”

- Chris DeHaan

“I’ve always loved travelling, but there’s no way I can afford it on my own. I can, however, work my way there and enjoy a new culture while I’m at it. I loved staying with host families while I was travelling in the past, so I’m looking forward to the new experiences!”

- Amanda Ferry

“I want an excuse to travel and to learn while I do it (I plan on learning the local language). It will also fill my wanderlust that pulls me around the world, and hopefully make me more qualified for jobs when I return.”

- Elizabeth Schmidt

While TESOLing, you’ll have an income, as well as become involved with the new country. And it takes you from tourist to a contributor to a country. From someone who just visits a place and lounges about for a few weeks or months (no clue what someone would do in that time without being productive), to someone who is exploring a new place and making a difference.

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to earn your certification and teach English. If you can speak English, you can teach it. Learn more about TESOL to find out if it’s right for you by downloading your free copy of TEFL Uncovered: How to Teach Your Way Abroad with TESOL.

Splinter – Will you impart wise advice to your pupils the way Splinter, a giant Asian robe-wearing rat, taught the Teenaged Mutant Ninja turtles?

Yoda – Speak oddly will you like Yoda? Luke Skywalker was his student and took advice about how to find his inner strength to take on Darth Vader from the wise old…whatever he was.

Mr. Miyagi – Will you be like an old karate master and push your students to be their best? Will you take lessons from unlikely places, such as car waxing, the way Mr. Miyagi did while training the karate kid, and teach your students to “wax on, wax off”?

Giles – Will you be quiet and wise and let your students make their own mistakes like Giles the librarian trained Buffy the vampire slayer?

Dewey Finn – Will you make jokes, dance and sing, and hijack the class for your own agenda, turning the class into a rock band – like Dewey did in School of Rock?

Don’t – Overpack. You don’t want to lug your whole closet around and have too many clothes, including a lot of stuff you don’t need. Only you know what you normally wear and don’t wear, so don’t pack something just in case it’s suddenly going to swing back into fashion.

Do – Pack appropriate work clothes. Many countries hold teachers in high regard and respect them.

Do – Be prepared for an emergency and pack a First Aid Kit that includes: painkillers, anti-nausea medication for nausea/motion sickness/sea sickness, Benadryl (in case you eat something that you find you’re allergic to), Immodium or Cipro (traveller’s diarrhea sucks), antiseptic and band-aids. This isn’t a professional First Aid Kit, you’re unlikely to need one unless you’re going to be roughing it.
Of course, you can also always spring for a ready-made First Aid Kit for about 30-40 dollars.

Do – Bring plenty of your preferred deodorant, moisturizer and make-up. Cosmetics that don’t contain bleach are often tricky to find in some Asian countries, so it’s worth stocking up before you go.

Do – Pack magazines and pictures. The pictures will remind you of home, and depending on where you go, you won’t be able to buy your favourite mags. So bring a few; they’ll be reading material for you, plus both items have also proven to be great teaching tools, as students love learning and talking about your life back home.

Do – Bring some essential teaching resources, such as Essential TEFL.

Don’t – Depending on where you’re going, you don’t need to pack a whole library of books – just some essentials that you’ll want to have, unless you’re going to a place where you know the resources are limited – like Africa or South America. Otherwise, the schools will provide what you need.

Do – Bring a favourite comfort food that you might not find where you’re going. Tea, peanut butter, chocolate – something you like can be a nice thing to have at the start of your trip. As well, something small, like a stuffed animal or blanket that reminds you of home can be reassuring.

Do – Bring an open mind and a sense of adventure and fun! You’re setting out on a great opportunity to help others, learn about a different culture, meet new people, make money, have new experiences and have a blast.

What’s something you packed that you’re glad you did or, is there anything it turned out you didn’t need at all?

J.K. Rowling is a famous British author who wrote the infamous Harry Potter series. But before that, she taught English in Porto, Portugal in 1992 for two years. While she was there, she married a local, had a child, got divorced and then returned home. The Potter series has gained worldwide attention, won multiple awards, sold more than 400 million copies and have been made into highly popular and successful films. Rowling’s own life story has become famous as well. She’s gone from “rags to riches” – from living on benefits to becoming worth a billion dollars! She has also become a notable philanthropist. I should hope so, with all that money.

John Fowles is a famous British author. He wrote the classics The Magus, The Collector and The French Lieutenant’s Woman. As a young man, he taught English in Greece, and while there, wrote his first novel, The Magus, using Greece as the backdrop. While there, he also fell for the wife of another TESOL teacher! Scandalous! They had an affair and eventually married. Unfortunately, he and all the other teachers were fired after two years for trying to institute reforms in the school. The Magus, to our knowledge at least, is the only popular and critically-acclaimed novel in which the main character is a TESOL teacher.

James Joyce was a famous Irish novelist and poet, and is considered to be one of the most influential writers from the modernist period of literature. His work is known for his stream of consciousness technique and he is best known for his books Ulysses, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, Dubliners and Finnegans Wake. As a young man, Joyce went to Pola, which was then a part of Austria-Hungary (today part of Croatia) to teach English. He taught mainly Austro-Hungarian naval officers who were stationed there, until 1905, when the Austrians discovered an espionage ring in the city and expelled all foreigners. He then went to Trieste, which was a part of Austria-Hungary until World War I (now part of Italy) to teach and he remained there for most of the next ten years. Apparently, when not teaching, he liked to spend time getting drunk with locals in dockyard bars. Joyce had a complicated relationship with his homeland, as he couldn’t wait to get away from it and lived elsewhere his entire adult life, yet much of his work was based in Ireland.

Bob Geldof is the only non-author on the list. He is a famous Irish singer, songwriter and political activist. He also taught English in Spain before his band took off. He later rose to fame as the lead singer of the Irish rock band The Boomtown Rats in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, but he is widely recognized for his activism, especially his anti-poverty efforts for Africa. In 1984, he co-founded the charity group Band Aid to raise money for famine relief in Ethiopia. Band Aid went on to organize the charity super-concert Live-Aid the following year and the Live 8 concerts in 2005. Among the many nominations and awards he’s received, he’s been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, was granted an honorary knighthood by Queen Elizabeth and is a recipient of the Man of Peace title!

Many people have done TESOL courses, and set out to teach, make money and explore the world. They’ve earned their TESOL certification and found jobs teaching in foreign countries. And there’s no need to be able to speak another language or have any teaching experience.

Just check out what others have to say about why they chose to do it:

“I wanted to extend my teaching qualifications, I saw the value because we have 57 nationalities in our small town, among them are new national citizens. I have learned a foreign language before and wanted to give the same opportunity to others. I have an interest in languages and people. I also believe that learning is a two way street, the more you give, the more you receive.”

- Cathrine Thuijs

“Having moved to France with my French partner, I realized that speaking English was actually one of my skills, so I decided to pursue a career in teaching English as a foreign language. However, I felt it was very important to receive some recognised training before starting so that I would feel more confident about how to teach, would teach effectively and make it an enjoyable experience both for myself and my potential students.”

- Heather Armitage

“I’ve been planning to do a TEFL course for 3 years. Prompted firstly by a friend of mine, who said: “This is just the right job for you”. Travel, sunshine and meeting new people. Unfortunately in Nottingham there isn’t enough work to go around. I love a challenge and looking back through my CV every decade I plan a new goal, and going overseas to work again is long overdue and extremely exciting.”

- Susan Morris

“I chose to enrol in a TEFL course because I have always wanted to travel abroad and see and experience different cultures and I think that working at the same time would be a really good adventure in life.”

- Gemma Crichton

“I wanted to change careers and was moving to another part of the world. I wanted to have a job that I could take with me wherever I went!”

- Steven Roberts
It’s the perfect solution if you’re unemployed or a great choice if you don’t like your career and want a change. People who are looking for a change in their lives can TESOL. It’s a fabulous excuse to travel and it will fund your traveling!

You can learn so much. It’s great experience – in every way! You’ll learn a whole new set of skills when you earn your TESOL certification. You’ll gain confidence by taking charge of your life, taking a chance and taking on the challenge of teaching others and by navigating new countries and surviving.

You can go from unemployment to employment and a new life. No more sleepless nights wondering what you’re going to do with your life. If you’ve been considering TESOL, no more just thinking about it – actually do it. So often, people think about doing something, but they don’t take action. With just $189, you can invest in yourself and your career. It’s a step in the right direction.

You can’t regret it. It will give you another qualification and more skills.

Take the fast and free TEFL Taster and see if TEFL is right for you!

Bridget Jones’ Diary 2: The Edge of Reason – This is the sequel to Bridget Jones’ Diary. Hey, I never promised all these films were Oscar-worthy. This romantic comedy is actually really fun. Admittedly not as good at the original, it does offer some fabulous backdrops when Bridge heads off to Thailand. A large chunk of the film takes place there, and the scenery is amazing. Off course, Bridget gets into her hijinks – she gets high on mushrooms and ends up in a Thai prison, though she gets out soon enough, and everything works out. The Beach is always recommended for a preview of Thailand which you can check out, too.

Sex and the City 2 – The Sex and the City gals go on a fun romp to the UAE in this sequel. Well, in the film it’s supposed to be Abu Dabi, but it was really filmed in Morocco! The desert, the extravagant hotels, the markets – it’s all visually dazzling. They have their adventures and misadventures – there is a major culture clash when they encounter the Arab culture and customs that are more conservative than their American feminist free-wheeling ways. Of course, it gets resolved eventually in a funny way when the girls realize they have more in common with Arabic women than they thought. It’s admittedly ridiculous, but it’s a chick flick.

Motorcycle Diaries – A gorgeous film set in South America, this film is based on the memoirs of Che Guevara. The story is great, but the scenery is amazing. Gael Garcia Bernal plays Che and the film follows his journey from a doctor to revolutionary. He travels throughout South America – through Argentina, Peru, Chile, Colombia, and Venezuela, and the backdrops are gorgeous and will make you want to go to South America as soon as you can.

Vicky Cristina Barcelona – This is a Woody Allen film – so it’s both funny and the Spanish scenery is beautiful. Scarlett Johanssen stars as a young woman who goes to Spain with a friend for a vacation, where they meet a sexy Spaniard – played by Javier Bardem. They end up staying for longer than expected and get mixed up in a funny love quadrangle.

Memoirs of a Geisha – This film is based on the popular book by the same name. It’s the story of one of Japan’s most celebrated geishas and how she overcame her poor fishing-village roots. It’s also a love story and the colourful backdrops in Japan are super striking.

For something completely different, you can also check out The Grudge. Yes, it’s a horror film. But Japanese horror films are popular for being incredibly spooky and inventive. They’re so great that the Americans can’t help but rip them off. The Grudge remake is good, too, and stars Sarah Michelle Gellar as a young American woman who comes to Japan and starts to have really creepy experiences. You can also check out the original.

Hero – Going to China? Then check out Hero. Through flashback, the film tells the story of how one man defeated three assassins who attempted to murder the most powerful warlord in pre-unified China. It’s not just a ‘martial arts’ flick, it’s a visually stunning film based in Chinese history and tradition that will make you appreciate Chinese culture in totally a new way.

Stealing Beauty – You probably don’t need any convincing to go to Italy. This movie is absolutely gorgeous and showcases the Italian landscapes which are really magnificent. Liv Tyler stars in this coming-of-age story as an American teenager who goes to Italy in search of her father who she’s never met. She meets a bunch of characters and learns a lot about herself along the way.

Slumdog Millionaire – This film is very beautiful, with a lovely and moving story. It shows India in a completely fresh, new, modern way. Filmed by Danny Boyle, who also did The Beach – dude knows how to film a country to make it look incredibly appealing. It starts with a young man from the Indian slums on the Indian version of the television show Who Wants to be a Millionaire? and he’s about to win the million dollar question. It becomes an intriguing, exciting and romantic love story about the boy and a girl who met and connected as children, but were separated. The viewer is intoxicated by the sights and sounds of bustling India.

Cold Mountain – This romantic story takes place during the Civil War in 19th century North Carolina. A lot of filming was done in the Romanian countryside in the Carpathian Mountains which are sublime. It’s obvious they had no problem passing Romania off for the 19th century, as the gorgeous landscapes are pristine and untouched. Nicole Kidman and Jude Law star in this sad but beautiful film that will make you want to go to Eastern Europe ASAP!

Out of Africa – This film stars Robert Redford and Meryl Streep in this love story set in 20th century colonial Kenya in Africa. It’s based on Danish author Karen Blixen’s book about her life and romantic adventures there. She married a baron she didn’t love and moved with him to his coffee plantation in Kenya. Their relationship ends and she meets a British game hunter with whom she falls in love and they have a passionate affair. Their relationship is doomed, but we get to see the gorgeous African landscapes! It’s a dramatic and well-told story and it showcases beautiful and colourful Africa.

1…how to be more independent. Leaving your home and setting off for a new country is a huge step in becoming a more full developed person. Through your experience, you’ll learn crucial life skills and basically how to survive. It will teach you how to be street smart and think on your feet if you’re in a situation that is unfamiliar to you.

2…how to plan, and how to be flexible and what do to if that plan falls through. Traveling teaches you how to deal with situations beyond your control. If you have plans that for whatever reason don’t happen (and this happens a lot!), you learn how to let go, make the most of the situation, and have fun with whatever surprises are thrown your way.

Liz was faced with some surprises when she set out to teach English in South Korea and later decided to trek up a mountain:

“Halla – the dormant volcano – was incredible. However, I didn’t really consider the fact that it’s the highest peak in South Korea and I hadn’t done any real exercise for a couple of months. But, although I might have been lagging behind, getting pretty sweaty, and considering giving up at the halfway point, it was absolutely beautiful. There was so much snow, it looked like a fairytale. And, actually, it wasn’t as hard as I’d feared.”

3…that there is a lot more going on in the world than just what’s going on in your backyard. Visiting poorer countries opens people’s eyes to the poverty that exists in the world and to how much better and easier people have it who live in Western countries. It might inspire you to try to change the world and make it better! But how are you supposed to really understand and empathize with the world if you haven’t seen it for yourself?

Like Jessica, a TESOLer in Thailand who was motivated by her experience to do something to help others:

“I would say this experience in Thailand has influenced me. Teaching in Thailand has opened my eyes to how thirsty kids are for knowledge and how beneficial it is for them to learn English. I’ve realized how important a proper education is, yet there are many kids who can’t afford it or live in an area without an adequate school. After my teaching contract is up, I plan on staying abroad for a few more years and will most likely continue teaching English in schools or on a volunteer basis. Eventually, I would like set up a non-profit that raises money and materials for rural schools and helps motivate kids to continue their education.”

4…self-confidence. If you can make your way through a new country who’s main language is one you don’t know, deal with unfamiliar customs, encounter new foods, and survive, it gives you self-confidence. It makes you realize that you can do pretty much anything, and you’ll realize how capable you are.

5…how to be open-minded and welcome new experiences. You’ll learn about other cultures then your own. You’ll learn about and appreciate the differences in how people think and how they live.

6…that the world is a truly beautiful place. Witnessing such awe-inspiring sights such as the Great Wall of China or the rainforests of Costa Rica makes you realize what a stunning world we live in.

What has travelling taught you?