As the Great Resignation spreads across Europe and beyond, more and more people embrace the freedom and challenges of becoming their own bosses. Their ultimate goal is to achieve financial independence as well as work-life balance, ideally doing a job they love. It appears that travelling is one of the things that people enjoy the most. Have you been bitten by the travelling too? What is it that makes travelling so addictive? 

First of all, humans are programmed to be curious. Generally speaking, people love learning, discovering, and exploring: as you travel, you learn about different cultures, discover new ways of life, and explore other countries. 

Secondly, people tend to get bored quickly. Travelling offers a break from familiarity and gives a never-ending sense of novelty that keeps you interested and excited. This is especially true if your everyday environment is less than ideal: travelling allows you to escape reality and relax.

Last but not least, most individuals are keen to make a positive impact on the world they live in. As you travel, you might come across and take part in many different projects that will help you leave the world a better place. From humanitarian to environmentalist, there are plenty of opportunities for you to get stuck in.

As you know, however, travelling requires funds. Therefore, many have retrained to teach English as a foreign language (TEFL) abroad to finance their travels. While this is a job that you can do temporarily and while travelling, many fall in love with the profession and make a career out of it. Surprisingly, this job is very popular especially among non-native speakers of English (NNEST), who outnumber the teachers who are native speakers (NEST).

There has been a lively controversy that compared teaching abilities between NNEST and NEST, and which kind of teacher would be better suited for the job. To cut the long story short, there are many factors that make a great teacher and they usually have nothing to do with the first language of the individual, such as dedication, empathy, classroom management and teaching skills. However, this difference still causes problem in the job market, where TEFL posts are advertised specifically for NEST, discriminating NNEST. Despite this, things are finally changing, with the European Parliament declaring that limiting recruitment to NEST only is ‘unlawfully discriminatory’.

Nowadays, many countries are opening their (classroom) doors to great teachers of English that happen to be non-native speakers. If you, like them, are interested in teaching English abroad, have a look at what countries could be a good destination for you.

Brazil

Like many other Latin American countries, the schools in Brazil are happy to welcome international EFL teachers whose first language is not English. Apply for teaching jobs before you leave your own country, but arrange for in-person Interviews, as online or phone interviews aren’t very common there. 

A university degree is not a requirement to get hired, but TEFL qualification is highly recommended. In Brazil, schools usually offer up to 25 weekly teaching hours, which is ideal if you want free time to explore the country.

Costa Rica

With its typical local lifestyle known as ‘pura vida’, Costa Rica is the ideal country to relax and connect with your true self. Just like in Brazil, interviews are held in-person, rather than remotely. Although the recruitment for teaching adult learners is ongoing throughout the year, if you prefer to teach children you should apply around October or November.

To increase your chances of being hired, commit to teaching at least for a year. This is because the visa that your employer will sponsor for you is expensive, and it wouldn’t be cost-effective otherwise. It’s worth keeping in mind that red tape can take a long time in Costa Rica, because of its laid-back lifestyle. Take that into consideration when you apply for your visa.

To teach English in Latin America, view more programs → Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Panama, and Peru.

Thailand

In East Asia, Thailand is one of the most popular destinations for TEFL teachers, native and non-native speakers alike, for its beauty and low-cost of living. There, schools will help you find accommodation, or they might even arrange it for you ready for your arrival. You might be given the chance to choose between two or more options: when in doubt, choose one in an area with a low-crime rate rather than a cheap one.

Every school in Thailand has its own way of running its daily business. Take every opportunity to mingle with the local teachers: the easiest way to bond with them is to share each other’s classroom anecdotes and teaching tips. 

Japan

On the other end of the spectrum, Japan is a highly sought-after teaching destination because of its excellent salaries and benefit packages as well as its incredibly efficient and reliable public structure and delicious food. 

Although you can apply directly to private language schools, most international teachers prefer to teach as Assistant Language Teachers (ATL) in public schools through government-led programmes, such as JET. Keep in mind that competition to teach English in Japan is fierce, for both native and non-native speakers.

Fear not…

You might have been wondering how difficult it would be to teach English as a foreign language as a non-native speaker of English. It turns out that times are changing and institutions have finally realised that good teaching goes beyond the teacher’s native language. However, as for any change, it takes time. Research the countries you have in mind as your potential destination and look carefully into their criteria.