The stories are all too familiar. You’ve been made redundant; you’ve recently graduated and can’t find a job; or you’re just sick of your nine-to-five.
Whatever the case, work has been hard to come by in recent years. UK unemployment is at a 17-year high, and with experts predicting at least another eighteen months of economic strife, it seems that even throughout a chronic drought, Britain is managing to look a decidedly cloudy place to be.
So why not leave?
The term ‘global recession’ is being batted about; but the reality is that, while doom and gloom afflicts Europe and the USA, other countries have boomed. Take China, for example. In 2008 – immediately following the banking crisis – their GDP leapt straight back to 9%, and has continued to nudge double figures ever since. And whilst you might put this down to Communist industry, the same can’t be said of South America.
Currently the destination of choice for swathes of UK travellers, the whole continent is booming. Whilst the UK economy continues to contract, Brazilian GDP grew a comfortable 3% in 2011, whilst Argentina leapt an unprecedented 9%.
Now, before you start yawning, all these percentages illustrate a crucial point. Economic success amounts to diplomatic clout, so each of these countries is now preparing for an increased role on the world stage by arming their nation with the international language. They are just crying out for people like you: native English speakers, with a sense of ambition that’s bound to rub off on their own people.
A TEFL job provides access to a long list of benefits. Without having to save for anything more than your flight (and some employers might even help out with that), you can spend the working week immersed in an exciting new culture, and the rest of the time on vacation. Forget long weekends in Bournemouth – you’ll be able to take tips from the locals about unspoiled secrets rarely discovered by the fleeting tourist, and when you decide to return, the new language that you’ll inevitably have picked up will look great on your CV.
The money speaks for itself. Chinese employers will normally provide comfortable accommodation in addition to pay of around US$1,000 a month, and the US$900 a month that you’ll earn in Brazil is significantly above the national average. The fact is that your own language is a commodity viewed as invaluable by these countries and their people. All you need is the tools and skills to provide it.
[box]That’s where a TEFL course comes in. There are many institutions that offer teacher training courses but with over 50 years’ experience in English teaching, St Giles International are specialists in helping you gain the TEFL qualifications needed to change your life. They offer a range of courses, including CELTA and Cert. TESOL, so you can be sure to gain the appropriate TEFL qualification for your destination – and with colleges in the UK, Canada, America and Brazil, you don’t even have to wait to qualify for the adventure to begin.[/box]
