Interested in teaching abroad but worried about being so far away?

Teaching abroad is a fantastic opportunity to explore the world, teach well-behaved students and earn a generous and often tax-free salary. But it is not all a bed of roses, there are some drawbacks. One major drawback is being so far away from family if something goes wrong. However, this concern should not stop you from moving your teaching career abroad. There are some steps you can take to manage the distance.

Firstly, and perhaps most importantly, you can manage the distance by choosing where to work. By this, I mean you should look into cities where you can get to and from on direct flights that are scheduled at least several days each week. You can use any internet travel website to find this information, I usually use Expedia.com. With direct flights you will get home more quickly and not have to worry about making connecting flights. If you cannot get a direct flight to the city/town where your family is located, make sure you can get a direct flight to a city in your home country that has regular connecting flights to your hometown or ultimate destination.

With so many planes flying every day to destinations all over the world, moving your teaching career abroad should not cause you anymore concern than moving your career across the country. You can get back home in a matter of hours, depending on where you choose to work.

Facing a financial crisis? then move your teaching career abroad

Are you facing a personal financial crisis that seems endless and unsolvable? Find a teaching job abroad and go from the bottom of the financial food chain to the top.

When you are struggling to make ends meet a radical change in your life is called for. It is a fact that teachers are not well paid, but international teachers working in international schools receive good salaries and most positions come with an expatriate benefits package.

An expatriate package for an international teacher can include a yearly flight home, housing, utility contribution, health insurance (with pre-existing conditions covered), retirement contribution, contract completion bonus, and more. All of this adds up to money you do not have to spend from your salary.

Currently I save fifty percent of my salary without breaking a sweat or doing without the things I love. I know I save half because I am paid 50% in the local currency and 50% in US dollars. I do not touch the US dollar portion of my salary except to send it home. Can you save half of your salary right now?

Living in a developing country while earning an excellent salary for a developed country means that your money goes much further. In many developing countries things like groceries, household help, transportation, utilities, etc. are much more affordable than at home in the USA, UK, Canada, Australia or New Zealand. You can maintain a high standard of living using only a fraction of your salary and have disposable income to save, pay of debt or travel.

If teaching in a developing country does not appeal to you, you can take this opportunity to teach in Europe or the UK where you will be paid in a currency that is holding its value well in the global financial meltdown of 07-08. What European and British schools do not offer in expatriate benefits is compensated with the strength of the Euro and the Pound.

With current technology it is easy to manage your financial life over the internet using secure websites provided by your financial institution. Sending money between countries is as easy as pressing a button or completing a form at your local bank. You can even use Skype to call your bank’s customer service desk at home for next to nothing.

In addition to relieving your financial burden, securing a teaching position overseas will enable you to explore new cultures, teach children who are eager to learn and provide an excellent private education for your children.

Overseas American Schools and Overseas British Schools

Overseas American schools and overseas British schools are usually international schools that run American or British curriculae but are hosted in a foreign country.

International teachers applying to international schools can work in either British or American international schools without having trained in those countries. If you have experience in these curriculae it can be easier to get hired abroad, but it is not usually a requirement.

One thing that teachers should check before submitting their resume to an international school is how the school has labelled the year levels. A school following the American system will be K-12. This means that a British teacher will need to 'translate' their experience from year levels to grade levels - and vice versa.

The general rule is that British schools run from Reception through to Year 13 and American schools run from Kindergarten through to Grade 12.

British teachers subtract '1' and call it a 'grade'.

American teachers add '1' and call it a 'year'.

Non-Teaching Partner/Spouse

Teaching abroad can be a great experience for you if you're the one teaching, but it can be a bit less fantastic if you are a non-teaching spouse or partner unable to find a job in your new location.

Sometimes it is possible for an international school to employ a partner or spouse with no teaching qualifications when the host country's employment laws allow this. However, some countries require teachers to have a teaching qualification as well as a degree, and other countries require all foreign employees at an international school be teachers. The rules change from country to country.

It is also possible for non-teaching partners and spouses to secure employment outside the international school. If you and your partner/spouse are considering this option, it is important to confirm how the working visa situation works in your new host country... before you enter that country! If you end up on a non-working dependent visa it can be very difficult to convert it to a working visa later.

Teaching Abroad with a non-Teaching Partner/Spouse

Teaching Abroad with a Dependent Spouse vs. Teaching Couple Abroad

You may not realise but there can be a big difference between teaching abroad with a dependent spouse and being a teaching couple abroad.

A teaching couple is where both partners are teachers working for the school. A dependent spouse is where one of the partners is not a teacher and not working at the school.

Some international schools have a two level system of benefits. One for single teachers and one for teaching couples, which leads to the question... where do teachers with dependents fit in?

Some schools do not offer any extra housing allowance for teachers with dependents, which means that even if you have a 4 person family, unless you are a teaching couple, you will receive the same housing allowance as a single teacher.

This can have a devestating effect on your finances, it is essential that you make sure you clarify with your new employer exactly how their benefits stack up for your dependents.

On the other hand, some international schools have a three tier system of benefits. They add a in-between level for teachers with dependents. Which means, you will not be doing as well as teaching couples, but you'll be given some added funds to find accomodation that fits the size of your family.