In travel blogs and in conversations around the world, much talk is centred on ways to really get the most from where you travel. Often the search is for getting an “authentic” travel experience, which in turn means doing what the locals do. Whether it comes to eating, travelling, and leisure time, tourists want to understand and partake in local customs.
Here are some reasons why the best way to accomplish this is by becoming a local resident yourself.
1. Working Abroad Lets You Steep in Culture
It’s impossible to get enough time to really absorb an exotic locale if you’re swooping in and out in a few days or even weeks. When you get a job in a new country, you get the time to really let the exciting newness seep into your bones, and into your mind.
Rather than search for a tour guide, when you work in the new country you’ll soon be connected to colleagues who grew up there. As you make friends, you’ll know people who are fluent in the local language, customs, history, culture. You’ll learn naturally. This is a better and more “authentic” method of absorbing the culture than depending on tour guides or other people who work in the tourism industry.
2. Connect with the Right Company
There are companies which are devoted to finding you jobs, and making your life abroad significantly easier. Teaching ESL is a popular way to travel and work abroad — if you need tips for getting a job teaching English there are important perspectives you should hear before you commit to a job abroad.
Look for a company that’s large enough to have the resources to really look after you; they should be able to book and pay for your plane tickets, find you suitable lodgings, handle your visa requirements, and work with you before and after entering a classroom to make sure you have all the skills and tools necessary to succeed in teaching ESL.
3. Use the New Country as an Outpost for More Travel
It’s hard to fly to Bali if you’re living in North America, but if you’re already in Asia this trip isn’t such a big deal. When you work abroad you’ll inevitably get some vacation time, and exploring far-flung regions is easier and cheaper when you’re already very close to them.
You can work in South Korea and see what life in India is like, or Japan, or China — there are so many rich, beautiful and ancient cultures nearby! If you hail from North America, the day will likely come when you’ll have to go home, and you’ll never be so close to many amazing travel destinations again.
Living and working abroad is the best way to really get a sense of what that country is like. Teaching ESL gives you a wonderful opportunity to enrich people’s lives, and have them enrich yours in turn. You’ll even get to travel beyond this city, to fascinating places nearby. Make sure you connect with the right recruiting company, and you’re sure to have an unforgettable travel adventure.
