China is one of the oldest civilizations in the world, with some of the world’s tastiest food and most interesting history. Most people who choose to teach English in China do so because it’s an amazing cultural experience. It is also a good place to get teaching experience.

But, one word of warning: It’s not a place to bring home a bundle of cash from. English teachers in China can expect to make 4,500 RMB or more a month, which is much more than most people make. But, it’s not the best option if you’re intent on saving money.

China is a unique cultural experience and lots of teachers have had a rewarding experience there. So, how do you go about getting a job in China?

Education Requirements

Like Japan, China requires only that you have a four-year university degree. It doesn’t matter what your degree is in. Teaching experience and Chinese language ability are not required, but they can help you get a better job. They also can help you make the adjustment to teaching and living there.

Getting The Job

If you want to go to China, there are several channels you can go through to get a job.

-The Internet. There are sites all over the place that say, “Teach English in China…” The wonder of the internet is that you can apply online, right in front of the computer. This is probably the most common way that people get jobs in China.

It sounds like a great deal, but some of these sites are dodgy. Another great thing about the internet is that it allows you to do research and find useful information. If you’re thinking of applying online with a company to teach in China, do a little surfing and see what other people have to say about them.

-Universities. Lots of people get teaching jobs by contacting universities directly. You can call the school’s English or foreign languages department and talk to the chair, who is usually a fluent English speaker. You’ll have to send a resume and go through the application process, but university jobs tend to be rewarding.

-Placement Agencies. These are companies that are in touch with schools. They hire foreign teachers and dispatch them to different kinds of schools. This is a good option for foreign teachers because the agency does all the work getting you the job. The downside is that they take a cut of your pay.

-Go To China In Person. This way, you can meet face to face with those who may hire you. Bring everything you will need to apply, including any official documents. If you get a job, you will probably have to leave the country and come back in order to get a new visa.

A Word Of Warning

To anyone who is looking for a job in China, be very careful of scams and dodgy operations. It is still all too common for schools to illegally hire teachers and mess around with their pay. Research your company well, get in touch with other teachers who have worked for them, and always read your contract very carefully. Ask lots of questions at your interview and remember that if it’s not in the contract, there’s no guarantee.

Teaching in China is a wonderful learning experience. Very few westerners get to spend time in China and see the culture up close. Make the best of it and enjoy your experience teaching in China!

Teach English In Brazil - An Amazing Experience Awaits!

Brazil is the 5th largest country in the world, and the biggest country in South America. Many people who teach English in Brazil have no idea before arrival what an amazing country it is. Brazil has a remarkably diverse population, beautiful scenery and a very unique culture. And, if you like soccer? Well, I don’t even have to tell you how crazy Brazilians are for the sport!

In Brazil there is lots of demand for English. Brazil has the world’s 10th largest economy. Because of trade agreements with the United States and other English-speaking countries, the demand for English is soaring. The only tricky part is getting there and landing a job.

The Visa Scene

Your biggest hurdle is the visa. Brazil is notorious for making it tough.

In order to teach in Brazil, you must have a work visa. Although many people teach with just a tourist visa, it is illegal, and getting caught means getting kicked out. If this happens, you’ll find it even tougher to get back.

It is pretty much impossible to get a work visa if you are outside of Brazil. It is especially difficult for people to get work visas in order to teach English. Most English schools will not sponsor their teachers’ visas.

Why is this? The main reason is that it’s a very expensive process. Even if you find a school that will sponsor your visa, which is completely possible, they will probably make you pay for it. So, save your pennies!

Landing A Job From Overseas

First off, as far as requirements go, there aren’t any particularly. It is recommended that you have a Bachelor’s degree in something or other. Teaching experience or certification helps but is not required.

There are lots and lots of short-term volunteer or teach abroad programs. If you do a web search, you’ll find many of these, and they will allow you to come to Brazil and work legitimately as an English teacher. Unfortunately, these are short-term. Still, if you’d like to get a taste of Brazil, it would be a good experience. It also might help pave the way to a long-term teaching job.

There are also TEFL and TESOL programs where you take the course and then they place you in a job afterwards. This offers a nice, safe way to get into the country on a long-term basis. The only problem is that you have to pay for the course, moving expenses, and most likely your work visa.

Come And Look For Yourself

By far, the most successful way to find a teaching job in Brazil is to come and look for yourself. Brazil is a fairly cheap country to stay in, so you can stretch your money out a bit. You can also network with teachers who are already here and can hook you up.

If you choose to come to Brazil and look, it’s a good idea to have a little Portuguese under your belt. Just learn the basics, and you can pick up the rest when you get here.

Everything you’ve heard about Brazil is true. It’s a wonderful country with a rich culture. The people are friendly, the food is good, and the English teaching industry is exploding. Just get through the red tape, and let the adventure begin!

Teach English In Vietnam - A Unique Cultural Experience

Nowadays, Vietnam is a peaceful country where traditional lifestyles meet the modern world. The Vietnamese are eager for foreign teachers to teach English in Viet Nam. It is a friendly, vibrant country with lots of sightseeing and things to do.

Getting A Job

First of all, you need to have a 4-year Bachelors Degree. It used to be that practically anybody could head to Vietnam and get a good job, but nowadays you need the degree. It’s the law, and it’s strictly enforced.

Aside from that, you don’t need any special experience or qualifications, but a TEFL certification will help. Any experience or special training that you have will make you a more desirable candidate for jobs.

Teaching

The best jobs in Vietnam are in the universities. These jobs are a little tougher to get than others, but with nothing but a 4-year degree you can still get one. Just remember that they are the most sought after jobs, so you’ll be competing with lots of other applicants.

Most of the jobs are at universities. There are also private English conversation schools, but these usually hire teachers on a part-time basis. There isn’t as much demand for private English lessons. You can also make some money teaching private students.

In Vietnam, the pay is pretty low for English teaching by world standards. This means that you won’t be able to save much or leave Vietnam with a bundle, but if you want to live in Vietnam and experience the culture, it’s more than enough to live well on. Of course, the pay is more in big cities.

Living

Vietnam is a spectacular culture, and that is one of the main reasons why people like to teach there. Vietnamese culture is very traditional, and it’s worlds apart from more modern countries like Japan or Korea. Vietnamese culture is rooted in Buddhism and places a strong emphasis on family.

Vietnamese people are warm, friendly and generous people. They welcome foreigners, and everybody will want to practice whatever English they know with you.

In Vietnam, the country and the city are very different. In the cities, there is much more opportunity for teachers, and the pay is better. But, some people prefer living in the countryside, where they can see Vietnamese culture up close.

The best opportunities are in Ho Chi Minh City, in the northern part of Vietnam. It is a diverse city with lots of Chinese influence. The villages in the rural south have a wide variety of cultures as well.

Vietnam is a great experience for English teachers. You may not make a stack of cash teaching there, but you’ll come away with an amazing experience.

What Do I Need To Teach English In Japan?

If you want to teach English in Japan, I’ll tell you right now that it’s a wonderful experience. Not only that, the money is great. The demand for English (and native English speakers to teach) has never been higher and shows no signs of falling.

Most people who come to Japan to teach English are actually not teachers at all. Like the job ads tell you, you do not need any teaching experience or Japanese language ability to teach in Japan. It sounds unbelievable, but it’s true.

So, what do you need to become an English teacher in Japan?

- Native English Speaker. First off, you have to speak English as a native. Actually, even if English is your second language and you speak it well, you may be able to teach in Japan. Still, the demand is highest for those who grew up in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the UK or South Africa. Most people want to learn from a native speaker, even if you’re teaching experience is pretty limited.

- A Bachelor’s Degree. Japanese law states that you have to have a BA to teach in Japan. There are stories about people that come here fresh out of high school and score teaching jobs, but there are many more stories about those same people who end up going home after a few months because nobody will risk hiring them.

The good news is that your degree can be in anything at all. It doesn’t have to be English, education or anything else remotely related to teaching. So, YES you can get a job with your art history degree making 36K a year!

- Other Skills. There has been increasing demand in the last few years, especially in Japanese public schools, for native teachers who have other specialized skills, like music or sports. Lots of progressive English schools have programs where other subjects, such as PE or computer science, are taught in English. You don’t need to have any other special skills, but if you happen to be a musician, athlete or expert in some other field, you may be able to put that skill to use in Japan.

- Be Fun. Kids in Japan aren’t interested in English because they are bored to death by their teachers and textbooks. There is no creative, fun approach to teaching in Japan, so your fun ideas and creativity are what they need.

The first step in teaching is to show the kids that learning English is fun. You will find yourself spending more time playing games or doing activities with kids than lecturing at the blackboard and giving tests.

- Willingness To Learn. Japan is very different from the west, and the more you learn about Japan, the better equipped you’ll be to live here. Culture shock is a natural thing that happens to everybody, but if you meet Japan halfway and learn a little about them, it will make life much more rewarding.

You don’t need much to be an English teacher in Japan. If it doesn’t work out, you can always head home with all the money you’ve saved. But, for those who really want to teach and enjoy the culture, Japan is an amazing experience. Check out teaching in Japan guide for everything you’ll ever need to make the most out of teaching in Japan.

Teach English Thailand - The Basics Of Teaching English In Thailand

The English teaching industry is booming in Thailand. More and more Thais feel that they need to learn English in order to increase Thailand’s tourism trade and help its economy. For this reason, they are very motivated to learn. If you want to teach English Thailand, there is no shortage of jobs available. It’s just a matter of choosing the right one, and getting ready for a great adventure.

The Pay Scale

If you’re a first-time teacher in Thailand, you can expect to make somewhere around 25-30,000 baht a month. If you’re looking at schools and somebody offers you a lower salary than this, keep looking. On the other hand, at an international school or high school, you can make much more. There are wild stories of people making over 100,000 baht a month, but this is definitely not the norm.

Thailand is not a country where you can teach English for a while and bring a bundle back home to pay off your debts or get started on your professional career. Most people go to Thailand to experience the culture, get teaching experience and have fun. Thailand is a wonderful place to live, and most teachers go (and stay) because they love it, not because of money.

Get Out Of The City

Although everybody usually wants to live in Bangkok, competition is pretty fierce. It’s an exciting and interesting place, but it is also crowded. Bangkok is famous for having the worst traffic in the world. Of course, I’m not trying to put down Bangkok; it’s a wonderful city. But, what most people never consider is that it might be better to settle in a smaller town.

Cities like Chiang Mai and Hat Yai have just as much sightseeing, beautiful scenery and cultural richness as Bangkok. And, there’s even more demand for English teachers. For each available teaching position in Thailand, you have to fight it out with all the other teachers who are already settled and experienced. Once you try a place like Chiang Mai, you might find that you like it better than Bangkok, and you always have the mountains to explore on your days off!

Landing A Job

It is usually no problem at all to find a job in Thailand before you land. There are lots of reputable online services that will help place you in a good teaching position. Just be sure to check out whichever company you are thinking about, and see what other teachers have to say about them.

You can apply directly with an English conversation school, or you can go through a volunteer placement organization that will put you into a Thai school. In Thailand, there are several big English schools such as ECC and Berlitz that offer employment to foreign English teachers. These schools are big chains, and many teachers feel that they are impersonal “English mills.” Still, it may be a good way to get experience and meet other foreigners.

Most teachers in Thailand choose to go with a volunteer organization that places them in a school. The pay is often better, and they get to experience Thai culture firsthand.

Teaching in Thailand is a unique experience, and there are many ways to go about getting a job. Make sure that you are well-informed before you get on the plane. But, most of all, enjoy your stay in Thailand!