Deciding where to go once you’ve passed your TEFL course can be tricky. Should you head out for the culture shock and craziness of Asia? Go for the big bucks and air-conditioned luxury of the Gulf States? Or soak up the culture, sunshine and history of Europe? Well, we think Europe is pretty amazing, but can often be overlooked. If you want to head out somewhere with a difference, Europe is the place to do so – just check out these 6 reasons why you should TEFL in Europe and you’ll understand why!
1. There are loads of great teaching jobs in Europe
English has become the international language of business and tourism, so there is a constant demand for English teachers in both tourist hotspots and centres of business across Europe. From the language schools of Barcelona, Prague and Paris to summer camps on the Mediterranean coast, and up in the Tuscan hills, the oil and gas towns of Russia to the famous frontisteria of Greece; wherever you go in Europe there will be someone looking for a qualified English teacher with a recognised TEFL certificate.
2. It looks great on a TEFL CV
Europe is one of the world’s most competitive TEFL jobs markets, so if you manage to land a teaching job in Europe, your CV will looks loads better straight away. While teaching English in Asia can be a little more financially rewarding, there is a certain kudos attached to people who have taught in Europe. With a recognized TEFL course and a couple of years European teaching experience on your CV, you’ll be in prime position to land the best paid TEFL jobs in places like Saudi Arabia, Korea and Japan.
3. It’s got some amazing sights
One of the main reasons that people choose to teach in Europe is because it’s an amazing place to travel around; and by teaching over there, you’ll be able to fund your travels and experience the very best of living and travelling in Europe. Whether that’s walking the streets of Paris’ Left Bank, lounging on the beaches of the Greek Islands, spending the weekends bar hopping around Barcelona, touring the galleries of Florence or partying in Prague, teaching English in Europe opens up a whole continent of opportunities.
4. Gain experience at summer camps
It can be quite tricky to find a permanent job teaching English in Europe without any previous experience; but the thing is, you can’t get experience without a job. Catch 22, right? Well, you can break the vicious circle by finding work with on a summer camp, as there are loads of really well run summer camps that are willing to recruit people with TEFL certificates but no experience. You’ll usually get free food and accommodation and around €200-€300 a week thrown in too – simply take a look on the i-to-i TEFL Jobs Board to start searching for positions.
5. From the UK? You won’t be too far from home
If you’re from the UK or Ireland, teaching in continental Europe is a good first move into the world of TEFL. The flights are much cheaper than if you were relocating to South Korea or the Middle East, so if it doesn’t work out you haven’t spent loads of money on flights. And even if you fly from Australia, New Zealand or North America, you’re pretty much guaranteed that people from back home will be booking in their trip to Europe before you’ve even cleared customs – so you won’t have to worry about missing your folks.
6. You don’t need any vaccinations
When you relocate to Asia or Latin America to teach English, you’ll need to have LOADS of vaccinations before you leave: Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Typhoid, Rabies, Yellow Fever, Meningitis… you name it and your GP will stick a huge needle in your arm to make sure you don’t catch it. But if you stick to teaching English in Europe, the worst you’ll have to worry about is making sure you put enough sun-cream on and don’t drink too much of the local vino.
The are endless possibilities around Europe, whether you’re currently living in the EU or not. Are you currently teaching English in Europe, or do you have dreams to start a European adventure? Either way, we’d love to hear from you!
