Ready to blast off-but where to start?!

I'm ready to teach abroad, and I'd like to leave in the fall, however, as someone that is relatively un-traveled, where do I begin? I have no idea how long it takes to secure all the paperwork needed to teach abroad. Do I need a working visa? How many months ahead should I have everything planned? Is it too late to plan on leaving for the fall?

Ideally, I'd like to teach in Europe or South America. I wouldn't mind trying one year in Japan.

I'm terribly excited but a little daunted by all the logistics and stuff... Just get me in a classroom! Hahaha :)

Andrew

Hi Andrew. There's kind of a lot of information to digest, and I'm just going through everything myself. Here's what I've learned so far.

Start by researching the country/countries you would like to teach in. Every country has a different hiring process and requirements for teachers. For example, one needs a Bachelor's Degree to teach in Japan. You'll also want to try and learn about teaching in the country. Another Japanese example, English is a popular language for work, and there are a lot of English school and programs available. This means that teachers could be working in a school, a private after-school program, or as a tutor.

I would recommend finding a network of foreigners in the country of interest. When I studied in Japan, I was very lucky to meet a board game group that was largely made up of English Teachers. I got a lot of advise on how to find work.

When looking for work, you'll need to decide how to do it. Personally, I'm looking for visa sponsorship prior to departure, as this is the more secure work available (I know I have a job and home before I land). However, it does limit my job offers, because there are a lot of jobs available for people already in Japan. This will determine how you go about the visa process. I can expect about 8-10 weeks between receiving a job offer in Japan and getting my Certificate of Eligibility and my visa from the Japanese Consulate. Things might be faster in Europe or South America.

That's about all I can think of. I hope that helps.