Teaching Abroad With A Family: Is It Doable?

That’s right, teaching English abroad is no longer only for backpackers or high school graduates. Teaching English abroad with a family is possible.

It’s not only possible, it’s a really good idea. Here’s why:

• Living abroad offers your children the opportunity to experience a different culture and way of life. They say travelling broadens the mind but living abroad is even more effective in expanding horizons.
• Travelling together has family benefits. Living abroad can be challenging but can contribute to very close family relationships.
• Living abroad looks great on a CV. When your children start applying for jobs, the fact that they have international experience (and possibly proficiency in a foreign language) will be an advantage for them when looking for a job.

Of course teaching abroad with a family is a bit more complicated than packing a backpack, throwing caution to the wind and catching a flight to Timbuktu. There are certain considerations we need to bear in mind when it comes to our families and family members, such as finances, education, health and insurance, visas and travel, and language and culture shock.

1. Finances

If you’re a single person or a couple, your financial matters are quite simple. You need to make sure you have enough money for your flight, visa costs, relocation costs and cost of living until your first paycheque – but otherwise, you’re good to go. Travelling alone or in a couple gives you the luxury of only worrying about yourself.

If you have children, you need to be able to support them as well as yourself. In other words, you may need to pay for education, additional living expenses, and childcare – not to mention all the extras that kids seem to need! From visa applications to accommodation to eating out, logically everything will be more expensive with more people to consider. 

This is why you need to be selective when applying for teaching jobs abroad. You need to choose a job which can support your family and the lifestyle you choose, which depends on your teacher salary and whether you have a second income or not. Be sure to look out for jobs which make considerations for families. There are many jobs in certain countries which offer benefits to teachers with families, such as:

• free or discounted schooling
• accommodation, and
• health insurance for the family.

2. School and education

Depending on the ages of your child(ren), their educational needs will be different. Older children need to attend a school, while younger children might need childcare. 

In some countries, childcare is not difficult to organise and you can happily work to earn your salary. On the other hand, childcare can be so expensive in other countries that in effect it won’t be worth your while unless one of the parents is able to fulfil that role. You’ll need to consider your salary when thinking about childcare.

You may need to look into the schooling systems in the country you are living in. Bear in mind, international schools are generally much more expensive than the local schools, but they might be the only option if there is a language barrier.

Then there is the issue of your working hours. If you’re teaching in a language centre you may be required to work evenings and/or weekends, which can be problematic with children. Again, it all comes down to your specific circumstances. 

A good option for teaching nomads is homeschooling. If a parent can stay at home with the children and homeschool while the other is at work, then it doesn’t matter if you’re in Turkey or Thailand – school will always be in session!

3. Health and insurance

Even if we’re a bit flippant when it comes to insurance and medical aid when we’re travelling solo, this is not an option when we have dependants. 

It will be your responsibility to find out exactly what, if any, health insurance is provided by your employer. Find out if you can add dependants onto your policy and how much of an extra charge that’ll be.

Research the different healthcare options in your destination to find out what insurance you need to ensure full coverage. Once you are settled, make sure you know where the closest clinic or hospital is in the event of an emergency.

 4. Visas and travel

For the most part, you’ll require a working visa to teach English in a foreign country. If you’ve found a job, it’s likely your employer is assisting you with the application process. Communicate with them about your family and make sure an arrangement is made for them. 

In many cases, children are given a visa to live in a country provided their parent has the right to work there, but this differs from country to country.

It’s important to remember that visa applications with one or more dependents (which could also be your partner or spouse) take longer to process. You need to factor that into your timeline before you leave.

If you’re a single parent, it’s best to get written consent from the other parent before travelling. This will help you avoid any sticky situations in airports.

If you and your partner aren’t married, this might give you a few more hurdles to overcome when it comes to visas and paperwork. It’s not impossible but the process can be a bit more complicated.

5. Language and culture

Considering that you’re teaching English as a foreign language, it shouldn’t be surprising that you’ll likely to have to deal with a language barrier. Funnily enough, you might actually find this harder than your children! Children are naturally good at learning languages (better than adults!), especially if they are in an immersion environment. But of course, living in a country where you don’t speak the local language can be tough.

There are two ways you can deal with this. You can encourage your children to learn the local language. You can provide them with opportunities to help them do this, by introducing them to language learning apps like Duolingo. Or find a bilingual childminder that can help teach them. Alternatively, you can make sure your children have friends they can communicate with in their own language. Above all, make sure they are not struggling at school.

Then there’s culture shock. Culture shock may turn out to be an issue for you, but the ways it can affect children depends on their characters. Children who are more shy and introverted might struggle more to make friends, while more extroverted children might fit into their new environment easily. 

If you have more than one child, this is already a help against culture shock, as they know they have a sibling who is going through the same thing. Only children might struggle to make friends initially. 

Cultural considerations are an important factor in deciding where to teach. For example, if you are in a same-sex relationship, you should be aware that your relationship is not recognised in some countries in the Middle East and if found out you may be fined, or worse. 

Your children need to be aware of the social norms of the country they are living in. This is one of the benefits of living abroad for children – an awareness and appreciation or different cultures and practices.

A last important consideration for those wanting to teach English abroad with a family is your support system. Connect with other families on our Facebook alumni page and find out what it’s really like teaching English abroad with a family.

Now that we’ve got the kids excited about travelling abroad, let’s talk about the best destinations to teach English abroad with a family. 

1. China

You might think China will be a bit of an adjustment – and it will be! But the beauty of China is that it’s such a vast country, you can pick and choose a destination which will suit your family and your lifestyle. Bustling Beijing? Heavenly Hangzhou? Sassy Shanghai? The choice is yours.

2. South Korea

South Korea is a fascinating country to live in with your family. It is advisable to secure a job in an international school with substantial benefits in order to make the transition easier. 

3. The United Arab Emirates

If you have an advanced teaching qualification, you can look at teaching in the Middle East. The United Arab Emirates is especially popular with teachers with families as the expat population is large and the living is easy.

4. Portugal

Portugal is a hub for expats and their families. People from all over the world and in all sorts of employment move to Portugal with their families to enjoy the easy lifestyle. International schools are mostly located in Lisbon and the Algarve but many expats choose to homeschool their children.

Don’t forget that teaching English online is another option. Teaching English online is the perfect way to travel all over the world with your family without the worry of finding a new job every time you want to move. This is likely to be unsettling for school-going children so it’s advisable to consider homeschooling if this is an option for you.

You ready? Sign up for a TEFL course with The TEFL Academy and soon you could be jetting off to Germany or Japan, TEFL certificate in hand.

READ MORE:

Start-Up Costs For Prospective TEFL Teachers: How Much To Budget For?