Tips for Traveling Abroad

It is important that you are well prepared for your trip overseas. Moving abroad to enroll in a TESOL Course or to begin an English teaching job is more complicated than a vacation, and additional planning will make the process much easier on you.

Below, Teaching English Worldwide has composed a list of travel tips that you should review as you begin to organize your trip. It is not a comprehensive list, but it will start you thinking about all of the logistical arrangements you will need to make before heading off on your overseas adventure.

 

Transportation:

• Book your flight (or other transportation) well in advance. This way, you will be sure of availability and will generally find better prices.
• If you are flying, shop around for cheaper flights. Look at different airlines (including discount carriers), and try booking on different days (e.g. weekdays are often cheaper than weekends). You can also try flying into different cities in the region – sometimes certain airports have much cheaper international flights than other nearby destinations.
• To streamline the flight search process, you should take a look at online reservation systems. These allow users to search for the best prices among hundreds of possible airlines, routes, and times. Some popular services, and discount airlines are listed below:

  From the US
  http://www.orbitz.com
  http://www.travelocity.com
  http://www.expedia.com
  From Europe
  http://www.ebookers.com
  http://www.edreams.com
  http://www.easyjet.com
  http://www.ryanair.com

• If possible, arrive at least a few days before the start of your course / job. You will appreciate the extra time to adjust to your new surroundings and recover from your trip.
• Make sure you are aware of all visa and work permit requirements for your intended destination (see Teach English Worldwide’s “Visa and Work Permit” section for more detailed info.)

Finances:

• Be certain to have all aspects of your finances in order before embarking. The best plan is to have enough savings (after subtracting flight and TESOL course costs) to support you for 2-3 months in your new country. This way, if you do not find a job immediately, or if your first paycheck is slow in coming, you can still pay for your housing, food, transportation, communications, and other fixed costs.
• Make sure to investigate the current exchange rate and the average cost of living in the new country in order to calculate how much you will need to save and how far your money will go once you arrive (see Teach English Worldwide’s “Wages & Salaries” section for more info).\
• Contact your banking institution and credit card company and inquire about whether your ATM and Credit Cards will work in the new country.
• Write down the phone numbers and other contact information for any of your bank/credit cards and store them in a safe place. This way, if they are ever lost or stolen, you can cancel the cards much more quickly.

  
  
  

Medical

• If you are currently taking any medications (prescription or over-the-counter, ask your doctor about their availability in your new country. If necessary, fill prescriptions before leaving.
• Note: Leave medications in their in original, clearly labeled containers in order to limit problems with immigration officials or police who may be suspicious of unmarked pharmaceuticals.
• If you wear glasses or contacts, make sure your prescription is up-to-date (and bring a copy of the prescription with you)
• **Investigate your current health insurance coverage, and how it will be affected by your intended move (see Teach English Worldwide’s “Health Insurance Advice” section for more info)

 

Other Pre-Trip Arrangements:

• Write down any personal, professional, and emergency contacts that you might need. Keep one copy with you, and leave one copy with a friend or family member back in your home country.
• If don’t know the language of the country to which you are moving, you might want to buy a dictionary or phrase book, and practice a few key phrases that you will need right away.
• You can also look into getting an international teachers card that provide you with discounts and other benefits while abroad:

What to take with you:

• Your official Passport, and a photocopy of your passport* (which you should store in separate locations)
• Copy of your Health Insurance Information*
• Copy of your birth certificate* (this will help you obtain a new passport if yours is lost or stolen.
• Notarized copy of your University Diploma* (this might be necessary for a school’s hiring process)

*NOTE regarding important documents – you should also leave a copy of each of the above with a trusted friend or family member, in case of an emergency.

• Bring nice, durable, somewhat conservative clothes for teaching, interviews, and daily life. Different cultures have different expectations about dress, and very flashy, risqué, or worn-out clothing may not be appropriate. In addition, fancy types of dress might bring you the unwanted attention of pick pockets (particularly expensive-looking jewelry. And in countries with more conservative cultural attitudes (including Muslim nations), improper dress can be considered offensive.
• Bring at least some multi-seasonal clothing. Even though a region might be known for its sunshine and beaches, chances are it also sometimes experiences bad weather, which you also need to be prepared for.
• You probably don’t need to bring large amounts of teaching books or supplies. Pack a few key materials, and plan to obtain anything else you need when you arrive. **You might also want to throw in some English-language books or magazines for personal reading – in some countries they will be hard to come by.