Of the many decisions people struggle with, deciding what to do after college ranks among the most common and the most difficult. Many recent graduates want to take time off before transitioning to a career, a large number of them wanting to travel. However, with the cost of travel so high, many settle for a summer job or internship. Resourceful young adults need not despair; many are discovering that it is possible to travel and earn an income with skills they already have. Teaching English abroad offers the excitement of travel and the security of an income. In some countries, a teaching job can even include free housing and air travel, among other incentives. Many teach-abroad programs require a teacher to do nothing more than pass a certification course. The most common credential required to teach abroad is a Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) certificate, also sometimes called a certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). The terms may vary, but in practice, the TEFL and TESOL certifications are interchangeable. (In some cases, the TESOL specifically denotes teaching the English language to nonnative speakers who reside in countries where English is the primary language.) Although there may be some schools or government agencies willing to hire teachers without a TEFL certificate, it is not advisable to pursue these employment opportunities. Teachers with no training often come to hate the job, but teachers with proper preparation often prosper. It takes only four to six months to earn certification, so the time investment is minimal. For the especially bold, in-person courses in the country where prospective teachers already plan to teach can have them at the head of the class in just a few weeks. Given that finding a program for certification is easy, and can even be done online, why wouldn’t a teacher pursue certification?

Armed with a passport and a TEFL certificate, there are opportunities to teach in nearly any country in the world, and one can find teaching positions in all kinds of environments, from large, bustling metropolises to quiet rural villages. Being an English teacher presents the opportunity to learn and absorb the local culture, acquire skill in a new language, and forge enduring relationships with students and other teachers from around the world. Traveling abroad then becomes not only a paid vacation; it can be a transformative vocation.

As a teacher abroad, one can also have a positive effect on the community and contribute to the personal growth of others. As an English instructor, there are opportunities to engage with a wide variety of clients, from private students who are working adults to children in a school language class. Many adults in non–English-speaking countries have made learning English a part of their professional development. Children and their parents, meanwhile, can benefit just as much as the teacher from exposure to a foreign culture. As part of the community, the language teacher can also be a cultural ambassador. English teaching is not just the transmission of a language. It is a contribution to building a truly connected world.

According to the passage, what do some teach-abroad jobs include that would be a financial benefit to teachers? Select two answers.

Answer choices for the above question

A) free meals

B) free housing

C) paid training

D) free air travel

E) paid internships