How Long Should You Teach English Abroad? TEFL In Korea, Vietnam, China And Thailand

After being in Asia for nearly two and a half years I feel like it’s about time I address just how long one should spend teaching English abroad.

So I decided to shoot a video on the topic in which I reveal my thoughts on the optimal amount of time to spend teaching English abroad in Korea, Vietnam, China, Thailand etc.

Check out the video filmed during an afternoon motorbike trip outside the city of Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City), Vietnam.

So essentially I boiled it down to three main options in which you can experience the world of TEFL…

Teach English Abroad For 1 Year

I think teaching English abroad for at least one year is the best option for a first time TEFLer.

Not only is it what many schools in Korea, Vietnam and China offer contract wise (with a bonus months salary as a bonus!) but it’s also a great amount of time to REALLY experience a country.

I see backpackers nearly every day with this wide eyed, almost glazed look on their faces, wandering around the tourist hotspots and taking in only the surface level of everything.

Now, I have nothing against backpacking – I’ve done it a lot myself – but you just don’t get the same DEPTH of experience just visiting a country for a few weeks (or even months) that you do when you really settle in.

Teach For Less Than a Year

For some people though, time constraints don’t allow them to commit that long, or they just don’t feel as though they want to spend that much time teaching English abroad.

This is perfectly understandable – as not everyone is in this as a career – and there are some great options for this too.

My recommendation is definitely Vietnam, where the visa situation and ability to pick up work very easily makes a shorter stint very possible.

Check out our month long TEFL in Vietnam course that comes with free accommodation and a guaranteed high paying TEFL job after the course as a great way to get started doing this.

Teach English Abroad For The Long Term

Many people who dip their feet in with teaching English abroad discover it’s a passion for them and decide to make a career of it.

While someone might simply start out with an online TEFL they may discover their passion is in teaching and traveling the world and decide to do it for the long term.

The great thing about this is if you just got your foot in the door with minimal qualifications you can always add to them by doing more rigorous qualifications like a CELTA, teaching license or a Masters in TEFL.

The more experience you have, the better jobs you can get and continue your adventure in the multiple countries all over the world.

Whatever route you decide to take – they can all be fantastic options. There is no right or wrong answer.

The only mistake, in my mind, is not doing it at all if it’s something that deep down inside you know it’s the right thing for you to do.

Vietnam