purple drank Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 Does anyone have experience with teaching english, volunteering or interning in other countries? I'm looking to spend a few months volunteering or working in another country, prefererably Latin America since I speak fluent Spanish. All of the programs, even volunteering, I've seen cost around $2000 for 2-3 months of food, accomodations, etc. http://www.eliabroad.org has good reviews and seems to have a lot of programs, but I want know if anyone here has personal experience with this. Any resources or stories would be appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
publicenemyno.3 Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 A good friend of mine taught ESL in China for 2 years and enjoyed it. Another one went to Korea to do the same thing and had a blast. Both of them were highly encouraging to me when I was looking into it. Depending on where you go, there are huge cultural differences that you have to deal with and the potential for blatant racism. I personally looked into doing the JET program in Japan, but met my fiancee before I finished grad school and decided I'd rather just stay in America and get paid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MayorMeanBeans Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 I live in Panama, have spent over a year in Latin America. Why people do any of those programs is beyond me - the vast majority of the costs go towards paying people back in the states to find people like you, actually a scam of sorts. i would recommend going onto Idealist.org or another one of those websites, find some organizations that you're interested in and get in touch with them saying you're interested in helping them out. tickets cost 3-400 bucks, and depending on how flashy a lifestyle you live you will spend 75-100 bucks a week most likely, hopefully including rent. Not only will you help out organizations that don't have the infrastructure to have a recruiting center, but you will also touch down already having people who are more than willing to help you out since you were likewise forthcoming. if you're set on teaching english, then just go somewhere where you want (i would recommend cities that are a little bit more connected to the world - Panama City, Bogota, Cartagena, San Jose, etc.), come on down and then file a couple different classified newspaper ads. good luck, Central America rules 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
i eat babies Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 Get a TEFL qualification. That allows you to travel almost anywhere in the world and GET PAID to teach English. I'm not sure exaclty how much they cost, probably about $1500 for a months teaching. But those things really are the best as they are internationally recognised and from what I hear pretty easy to get(you just gotta pay..) Alternatively, if you don't mind doing it in a poorer country, you could just photoshop your name onto someone elses. I have a friend who did just that and spent the year working in a private prep school in Thailand. Poorer countries don't seem to really care that much as they are that desperate for english teachers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gnarly Sheen Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 Most universities have programs OR know of credible programs that will certify you to teach in other countries. The one though the University Of Memphis sends you abroad to the Czech Republic for 3 months ( also around $2 - 3,000) and you get some sort of certificate that is good in a lot of countries to teach ESL. The JET program is also legit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silba Posted March 17, 2011 Share Posted March 17, 2011 Wouldnt you have to know THEIR language to teach English to them? To translate their words properly? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morton Posted March 17, 2011 Share Posted March 17, 2011 No, there are lots of people that teach English without knowing other languages, the majority I would guess. From the people that I have known that have done it purple drank is bucking the trend by not going to Japan to quest for a Japanese woman. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gat Bush Posted March 17, 2011 Share Posted March 17, 2011 My friend joined the peace core and has been in Bulgaria for over a year now, it is a three year program. He is in a small, very poor village. But in order to join the peace core you have to somewhat prove your not a flakey person and be dedicated to the cause. But he's a generally amazing person, I definitely couldn't do what he does. I don't know why anyone would pay to teach engrish. It's the other way around buddy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john_gacy Posted March 17, 2011 Share Posted March 17, 2011 I've taught a broad many things before. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gasfacevictm Posted March 17, 2011 Share Posted March 17, 2011 Wouldnt you have to know THEIR language to teach English to them? To translate their words properly? Is this how you learned English? This assumption is pretty much the reason most people have trouble learning a new language. Stop trying to translate. As for the original poster. Don't fucking pay anyone to go work in South America. You'll get hosed. Find legit recruiters like footprintsrecruiting.com or one of the many others that will place you for free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NightmareOnElmStreet Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 I've taught a broad many things before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morton Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 My friend joined the peace core and has been in Bulgaria for over a year now, it is a three year program. He is in a small, very poor village. But in order to join the peace core you have to somewhat prove your not a flakey person and be dedicated to the cause. But he's a generally amazing person, I definitely couldn't do what he does. I don't know why anyone would pay to teach engrish. It's the other way around buddy. Peace Corps not Core. How do you spell Peace Corps with three letters? CIA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conversation Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 dont go to asian countries... the people talk way to lound in the libraries over there too.. but you can go to the movie theaters and not worry about black people giving you the play-by-play Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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