Additional Coverage:
- I couldn’t get a job after graduating from college. I moved abroad to teach English, and I think everyone should do the same. (businessinsider.com)
Facing a tough job market after graduating in 2009, I made a leap of faith and moved to South Korea to teach English. It turned out to be one of the best decisions of my life. Looking back, I highly recommend teaching abroad after college, and here’s why:
Perfect Timing:
The period between graduation and starting a career is ideal for an international adventure. Fresh out of college, I hadn’t yet established the commitments that often make it harder to move abroad later, like a mortgage or family. It was the perfect time to explore the world.
A Great Deal for New Grads:
Many teaching programs offer attractive benefits like housing, health insurance, visa assistance, and sometimes even airfare and bonuses. In my case, the relatively low cost of living in Seoul, coupled with these benefits, allowed me to travel extensively throughout Asia.
Weekend trips to Japan or longer vacations to Thailand and the Philippines became surprisingly affordable and easy to arrange. While my experience was in an urban center, it’s important to note that teaching placements can vary, and some locations might offer fewer travel opportunities.
Expand Your Horizons:
Living in another country isn’t just about sightseeing; it’s about immersing yourself in a new culture. While I certainly missed my loved ones back home, I formed invaluable connections with fellow expats and locals in Seoul.
These interactions provided a rich cultural exchange that broadened my perspective in ways I couldn’t have imagined. Living as an outsider for two years taught me a crucial lesson: my way wasn’t the only way, or even necessarily the best way.
This experience fostered a greater sense of understanding and empathy, something I still carry with me today. The education I gained from living abroad proved to be just as valuable, if not more so, than my college degree.