Traveling in Your Dream Country
For some people, the modern world has opened up the opportunity to work from anywhere, whether from the comfort of one’s own home or adventuring a little further afield.
Of course, there is a lot to be said for the perks of combining home comforts with the day job, but after over two years of almost non-stop regulations and restrictions, there are those who are beginning to get a touch of cabin fever from the same old four walls day in and day out. Luckily, there is a handy solution for those individuals: traveling to their dream country to explore the work and travel possibilities.
However, it is not as easy as all that, and there are still some key components to consider when making that move. Below, five of the best tips to consider shall be presented, each chock full of valuable and practical tips to ensure that any voyager setting off on their ideal trek is caught up with the latest knowledge and not caught short. For each, while there are certainly differences, it might be possible that there is also some overlap, so without further ado, here they are.
Get Certified
It is impossible to overstate the importance of the two-word message: get certified. Unbelievable though it may sound in this day and age, there are still a few individuals who believe that getting the requisite and relevant certification is unnecessary before setting off to teach TEFL abroad. This is an erroneous perspective for at least three reasons.
First of all, qualified teachers bring more know-how into the classroom, being more able to find the precise answers to student questions and a broader toolkit for solving issues as disparate as scaffolding, differentiation, and behavior management.
Secondly, a TEFL certification is an investment in continual professional development and an unmistakable signal to any recruiter that a candidate is serious about their craft. Last but not least, training on a course allows a wannabe TEFL pro to get the inside track on the profession from experienced instructors who have been there, done that, and got the T-shirt.
Research ahead of time
There are tips for the perfect travel you can read about while researching. For so many modern citizens, one of the joys of traveling is its freedom. The feeling of spontaneity, looking at a map, and just popping a pin on the next place may seem intoxicatingly facile. Still, it is necessary to keep abreast of current events and plans.
For instance, some African countries have strict laws concerning smoking, which means that for a smoker hoping to light up a quick ciggie in town, the price could be costly, literally and figuratively!
Not only that, but getting a visa entry to one country might not necessarily mean that it is possible to hop over the border for a quick day trip, so it is imperative to double-check in advance to avoid any awkward customs conversations down the line.
If your dream location is Philadelphia, booking accommodation in advance is also an additional tip. Hotels near Lincoln financial field are a great option if traveling for business.
Keep options open
Unlikely as it may first seem, there are lots and lots of factors that can play into a scheduled event not taking place. By way of illustration, a hot air balloon ride can only occur under precisely the perfect weather conditions, so there is an extremely high likelihood of a last-minute cancellation. Having a plan B ready to go to avoid disappointment is a must.
It is not just the weather that can play havoc with an intended itinerary. Furthermore, traffic is a considerable element to consider, especially in larger cities that tend to get jam-packed during rush hour. Finding out nice and early when these peak hours are prone to be is a massive advantage compared to not being savvy enough to evade the mayhem.
Learn some basic lingo
Whenever traveling to another nation, possessing at least a fraction of the local language is advantageous, and there are many reasons for this.
On the one hand, it smoothes the passage of understanding with locals, who will immediately recognize that tourists’ effort to invest time and effort to find that particular piece of vocabulary.
This should almost certainly reduce the potential for misunderstanding when out and about, keeping everybody calmer and probably happier. Also, it is fun to try and practice set stock phrases with people encountered in everyday settings. Seeing if it is plausible to fool them even for a moment can make for a neat icebreaker.
Respect local customs and traditions
This is the last point on the list, but any traveler must not overlook it. The reality is that any visitor to a foreign shore is a guest of that place and should treat the country they are visiting as such. In principle, this means following the golden rule: treat others as one wishes. Simple enough.
It pays to know a little bit about specific aspects of that local culture that may or may not offend inadvertently if not paid attention to. In many Muslim countries, it is poor form to show the shoulders or knees in public, and public displays of affection between couples are also often frowned upon.
In other societies, strict meal times may be adhered to without exception, meaning that a lie-in could be costly on the stomach later in the day.
Similarly, teaching local students requires a TEFL tutor to pay attention to the cues they see around them, both inside the classroom and in the broader community. For instance, in some cultures, it is considered a positive asset to be a quiet and attentive student and only to speak when spoken to. This might mean that the constraints of their host nation bind a competent learner from participating more freely in class, so designing lessons that take this into account is highly recommended.
