Tips from Expert Georgie from Teacher’s Friend

Last updated:August 9, 2024

There are many ways to live and earn money abroad. From working on a yacht to volunteering on a remote Island, there is something for everyone. Imagine yourself as an au pair, a guide, or a teacher in a distant country. This post is about teaching abroad, which is a popular career for native English speakers.

We’ve traveled around the world for years as digital nomads. Charles worked as a greenhouse employee in Australia, and I was a technical writer and editor. Years later we created this site and became travel bloggers. It took us many years to create and involved a great deal of short-term and longer-term contract work.

We’ve gotten a lot of emails from you all over the years about how to get a job teaching English overseas, but while we’ve worked remotely, we’ve never taught abroad. Georgie Snape, from Teacher’s Friend, who’s an expert on teaching overseas. She shares some of the most helpful tips in our chat. From how to get a first teaching job to choosing a course for TEFL to the best countries to teach abroad, she has it all.

The YouTube video interview with Georgie has been posted! Make sure you’re subscribed to our channel, and have notifications turned on so you don’t miss our videos!

Micki: How did you get into teaching, Micki?

Georgie: I don’t actually remember this, but when I eventually went to teach, my friends were like, ‘Oh, you’Since you were 14, I’ve been ranting about this..’ And I was like, ‘Oh, I have?’

I always wanted to learn how to travel. I studied community drama so I ran workshops in the community to help marginalized groups. I learned many of the skills that I would need as a teacher.

I knew teaching would be a good way to get around, and I enjoy it as well. I graduated, and completed my project-based dissertation, along with my TEFL training. In retrospect, this was a terrible decision, but it meant that I was prepared to go immediately after I finished my degree.

Micki: Where did you teach English?

I traveled for three months and then returned to Vietnam to teach.

Then I moved to Australia and New Zealand, which a lot of people don’t think of as destinations for teaching English abroad, but there are many local people who want to go to university abroad or move to an English-speaking country. So there’s actually a lot of teaching English in Australia and New Zealand as well.

I did this, then returned to Vietnam. Vietnam’s my baby. I taught in Vietnam and also in Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, and now I’m in Indonesia.

Well, my plan was to go teach for six months, and I’m still here 11 years later. So I’m not really sure what happened, but here I am.

Micki: What advice would you give to someone who’s interested in teaching abroad? How do you start?

Georgie: You need to first get qualified. You’d need a TEFL certificate. Choose a TEFL course that’s going to prepare you as best as possible.

I’ll keep it brief for now, but choosing the right TEFL course is definitely my first advice. When I started, I asked what I wanted to get out of teaching abroad. I came up four criteria: to get paid well, to live in a country with a lower cost-of-living because it’s easier, to meet friendly people and to enjoy beautiful landscapes. This sounds like a pretty nice life.

I was a little old-fashioned, so I bought a TEFL book and read it. You can do online searches and compare all the countries. Weigh the pros and the cons and see which countries offer the best salaries.

After I finished my TEFL, TEFL providers helped me with job assistance. But you can also hire someone to help with everything involved with moving abroad. You can pay someone to help you with the entire process, depending on who you are and what you want.

Micki, which TEFL course would you recommend as the best or one to avoid? Are online or in person courses better?

Georgie: I always say to do an in-person TEFL, even if you’re already a teacher. Teaching English to non-natives is different from teaching English to native speakers.

The biggest ‘oh my gosh‘ moment that students have is realizing they didn’t learn this in school because it’s a completely different way of thinking and learning. In-person training gives you the opportunity to interact with the trainer as well as other students who are in the same situation. These courses often take place abroad, allowing you to meet new people and immerse yourselves in the culture.

Most face-toface courses include classroom practice, which allows you to get inside a classroom. It’s not the same when you do something with your peers who understand you versus real students who might struggle to understand you.

I do understand that not everyone has the money to pay for a TEFL course. These courses usually last a whole month and you will need money for your own support. Face-to-face classes are also more expensive. If you’re close to having the budget, I’d say wait and save up. It’s definitely worth it. For those who can’t, your TEFL should be a minimum of 120 hours and include some kind of observed teaching practice. If you don’t, you can take a top-up course abroad, which is usually cheaper.

Look at who’s training you. Idealy, you should choose someone who has taught for a long time and trained teachers for an equally long time.

Accreditation is also important. TEFL isn’t accredited like a degree, so many providers claim accreditation from various third parties. It’s important to choose a TEFL course that is at least accredited by someone, but be wary of super cheap courses.

If your TEFL costs less than $250, it’s probably not worth the paper it’s written on, and employers won’t accept it. The price range between $250 and 500 is acceptable. I’ve taught on both government-accredited TEFLs that weren’t very good and non-accredited TEFLs that were excellent. Focus on the price and quality rather than the accreditation.

Micki: Do you need a degree to teach abroad?

GeorgieYes, for many jobs. But if you don’t have a degree, you can still teach abroad. It typically means you’re more limited to certain countries for working legally. Many people, especially in Southeast Asia work under the table or with cash. So it’s definitely not a closed door.

Cambodia, Spain, and Costa Rica are three good countries if you don’t have a degree. Unfortunately, if you don’t have a degree and you’re a non-native speaker, it’s an extra barrier, but it doesn’t mean you can’t do it. There’s also the option to work for yourself, where it doesn’t matter whether you have a degree or not.

Micki: That’s interesting. I hadn’t heard of Costa Rica for teaching.

Georgie: Oh, yeah. It’s not so much on the map because the wages tend to be lower, but you can definitely live there. It’s beautiful, and for people on the opposite side of the world, it means you don’t have to go so far from home. There are a lot of jobs there, and you don’t need a degree.

Micki: Has anything changed since the pandemic?

Georgie: There’s been a big rise in people getting TEFLs with only an online course. It’s a catch-22 because it’s easier now, but employers are starting to realize that online TEFLs don’t provide as much practical training. Online TEFLs are easier to obtain a job but employers still prefer face-to-face training.

There are many more online jobs, but also more teachers. If you don’t have a degree or you’re a non-native speaker, the jobs are there, but you have to dig deeper to find them. Sometimes it’s better to be in the country to find those jobs. Many people do it every year. The market is still expanding. For example, in Bali, they’re short of teachers because there aren’t enough.

Micki: What are the best countries for first-time teachers?

Georgie: Southeast Asia is a must. That’s where I started. These countries are safe and very tourist-friendly. Most cities have some English, so the language barrier isn’t as challenging as in places like the middle of China. Southeast Asia, compared to Japan or South Korea, is based on tourism. You’re a bit of a novelty, and people are friendly with foreigners. In Japan and South Korea, they’re more ‘take it or leave it’About foreigners

Southeast Asia has a low cost of living and good wages. I may earn less than some of my friends, yet I have a higher disposable income due to the low cost of living. It makes sense because the cost of living has skyrocketed in North America. The cost of life is high in Australia, US and UK. What I live on is like their monthly bill without actually eating anything.

Micki: What obstacles do first-time educators face?

Georgie:The most important is lesson planning. It takes time to become good at lesson planning. You either don’t plan and realize in the lesson that you should have, or you plan too much and it takes over your life. It’s important to learn to plan the right amount, but it gets easier as you practice.

Culturally, especially in Southeast Asia, most people don’t struggle much because it’s very foreigner-friendly. Having a good support system, whether that’s a TEFL program, a teacher-abroad program, or someone who has done this, is very important. Accepting that the experience will be different can go a long way. Try to remember why you left your home country and not idealize returning.

Managing classrooms, especially when there are small children, is another challenge. Different levels have different issues. A quality TEFL program will give you the opportunity to practice and learn how to manage a class. Non-verbal communications are crucial. No one wants the teacher who is always shouting for attention. This is covered extensively in our courses.

The food can also be a challenge. It’s very different and can be an adjustment.

Micki: . Tell me a bit about Teacher’s Friend. What do you do for a living?

GeorgieThe two main things that I do are to help people get a course in TEFL, whether it’s online or face-toface, and then choose the best option based on their budget, country and personal circumstances. The second is assisting people after they’ve got their TEFL. Many people wonder what to do after they get their TEFL. ‘Now what?’ They don’t know where to begin looking for a job or how to know if it’s legitimate. They worry about moving into a new country to start living there.

The Teacher’s Friend program helps with everything: logistics, social and cultural adjustment, and academic support. As a trainer, I assist people with their TEFL courses, help them with their assignments, and provide lesson planning support. This bridges the gap from completing TEFL to the first months of their teaching career when they need additional support.

Micki: Once someone comes to you, gets their TEFL, and you’ve helped them get a position, is there support after that?

Georgie: I am very focused on active support. I’m still in touch with teachers from five or six years ago. They still come to me for general advice or help finding jobs. I try to be a friend. ‘Teacher’s Friend.’ I love meeting new people.

Specifically, there’s lesson planning support for two months after they’ve started teaching. I can also help with career advancement. I can help them move to another country if they wish.

Micki, how can people contact you or find out more about your work? What’s the best way for them to do that?

Georgie: You can check out my website by clicking on https://teachers-friend.com/.

Check out My storyWhere you can read more about how I ended here. I was hired by a Teach Abroad Program, but felt that the program did only the bare minimum once I paid. I found my feet, but I wanted to do a better job, which is one of the reasons I started Teacher’s Friend.

On my website, you’ll find information about the TEFL courses I offer, details about full relocation, and the different countries available. I’m also adding a list of online options for people who want the cheaper version, though I recommend face-to-face courses if possible. I understand that budgets differ.

I also offer lesson-planning assistance. Even if you’ve already done your TEFL or moved abroad and are struggling, you can buy lesson planning assistance separately. If you need help finding a job and don’t want the full package, I’m adding options for that too. All of this information can be found under packages on my site.

You can also schedule a call. I won’t hard sell you or push you to move somewhere you don’t want to be. You can book a phone call to get more information.

You can learn more about Georgie Snape and Teacher’s Friend on Her website. You can find her on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok.