After a difficult couple of years, more and more countries are now opening up their doors to welcome international tourists once again. This is great news for those who are passionate about exploring the globe, and it also opens up new opportunities for those on the hunt for diverse and different employment opportunities.
For one thing, the internet has allowed the majority of citizens to work from almost anywhere, especially in a career such as TEFL (or Teaching English as a Foreign Language). In recent times, there has been a growing movement towards teaching this vital subject online, to students who are willing and eager to study remotely.
Therefore, now seems like the perfect time to combine the ability to work virtually with the chance to see the world in all its beauty. Read on to find out more about how becoming an online TEFL teacher could be the right career move for anyone!
Combining Travel, Work, and Study
In order for any individual to become an effective worker, it makes sense for them to get qualified. For instance, medical professionals are required to go through years of rigorous training in order to practice in a surgical environment, much as legal workers have to pass onerous exams to get to the courtroom.
In the same vein, a JET program offers a similar route to enabling a TEFL instructor to get certified in the right way. For starters, the course is designed by current and former TEFL experts, all of whom have been there and done it, and are happy to pass on their knowledge.
Furthermore, as the course is based on-site in Japan, the prospective TEFL tutor will be able to immediately immerse in the local culture, and meet a whole range of new people, either on the course itself or in everyday social interactions. In this way, any budding TEFL teacher has the chance to get accustomed to life in Japan more quickly and easily, all the while gaining the tools needed to teach TEFL online.
Having a Flexible Mindset
As anybody who has been on a long trip abroad knows, preparation is essential. This can mean anything from a change of plans because of bad weather, or having to adapt on the fly when there is a big traffic jam. Being flexible and having a good plan B in place is part of any good traveler’s toolkit.
In a similar way, teaching TEFL online requires the capacity to be flexible, and there are a number of reasons for this. First of all, teaching TEFL online requires a strong and reliable internet connection on both sides of the call, which might now always be feasible on any given day.
Secondly, there could always be the dreaded time lag on the call, which might mean that there are moments when it seems as though both teacher and student are speaking at the same time, whereas at other times there could be uncomfortably awkward silences.
Last, but by no means least, different cultures have vastly different attitudes toward timekeeping. In some cultures, such as Japan, being on time is viewed with an enormous amount of respect, and is considered to be essential to a successful working relationship.
By contrast, in some Mediterranean and Middle Eastern environments, the attitude towards time is much more relaxed, and so a TEFL teacher who is working with these different groups should be aware of the possibility of these different ways of thinking.
Making a Smart Schedule
As tourist areas open up their doors once more, it can be so tempting to just go straight back into the mentality of thinking like a conventional traveler. In other words, it seems so easy to go to Mount Fuji at peak hours, when the hustle and bustle of the crowds make it hard to move around and enjoy the view.
However, the savvy traveler knows that the best way to get to enjoy any sight of cultural interest is to go when fewer people are there. This typically involves traveling to them either early in the morning or later in the afternoon. Due to this, the busiest crowds can be avoided, and the places enjoyed with the maximum time to soak everything in.
Luckily, working as a TEFL teacher online provides the ideal platform to create a working schedule that is completely compatible with being an intelligent tourist. Setting up lessons either first thing in the morning, in the middle of the day during tourist rush hour, or in the evenings after the locales have closed, allows any TEFL tutor to work and travel smoothly.
Keeping Money Aside For a Rainy Day
In Japan, as with many countries across the globe, travel can get expensive, and it may cause some travelers to begin to worry about the overall cost of their trip. This is yet another reason why it makes total sense to work as an online TEFL instructor while traveling around the country.
To begin with, having a little bit of extra cash in the pocket is always a welcome thing, especially in times when inflation appears to be going through the roof. On top of that, many day trips often are available at a low initial price, but come loaded with a whole host of hidden extras that are not really thought of at the start. Thus, having some extra Yen to hand is never a bad thing.
Finally, as well as the financial benefits of teaching TEFL online in the short term, there is always the possibility of taking some time to build up a bigger bank of Yen, to use for more expensive excursions, such as going around the country by rail or flying onto another island. By taking the time to teach more classes during certain busy time periods, it can become possible to get even more Yen set aside for a bigger trip, that might not look financially viable at the outset. All in all, teaching TEFL online while traveling around ticks all the boxes for any modern traveler!
References:
- https://www.tefl.org/teach-english-abroad/teach-english-in-japan/jet/
- https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-61612599
- https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/japan-travel-tips/index.html
- https://www.swiftpassportservices.com/blog/7-things-you-need-to-prepare-before-going-on-a-long-vacation/
- https://www.swiftpassportservices.com/blog/japan-is-reopening-to-tourists-starting-june-10-2022/
