I had always had plans to travel the world and see and do as much as I could in the time that I had. The problem was that I knew that at some point I would run out of money and have to return home. I also realized that I would never be more than anything but a wide eyed visitor to the places that I found myself traveling to. I would always be a tourist, living out of a back-pack, constantly restricted by VISA issues and never able to stay in one place long enough to fully experience it. I wanted my journey to be more than just a brief ‘once in a lifetime’ jaunt around the world followed by unfulfilled plans to do it all again one day. I wanted a great deal more than just a brief taste of transient freedom.

It was for this reason that I first looked into completing a TESOL course in Thailand. I already knew one TESOL trained person who had studied and found teaching work in the UK and he advised me that it was the best thing that he ever did. He also pointed out that he now had the freedom to travel and find employment as a teacher pretty much anywhere in the world. This point really stuck with me and I began to seriously consider TESOL accreditation as an option for the future. I had prior teaching experience in a number of different settings and realised that I too could make teaching English my trade when traveling.

I later came across TEFL international and decided to bite the bullet and study for my TESOL Certification in Phuket, Thailand. Studying in Phuket would mean that I could receive my qualification, learn about and work within a completely new culture and gain a life experience that is just not possible to attain as a regular traveler. I am so happy that I did!

Essentially, being a fully qualified TESOL teacher allows you to travel to and work in any country in the world that has a need to teach its people English. It means that you can open a bank account, afford decent accommodation, make friends and build a whole new life from scratch, over an over again. It means that you will always have the ability to support yourself, have fun and see the world all at the same time.

The other thing that scared me about traveling was what I would do when I returned to the UK. The thought of resuming a career that I had put on hold, or even thrown away all together was a daunting one. However, working as a TESOL teacher while you travel means that you can return home equipped with further experience, a rich employment history and a full arsenal of desirable skills, expertise and experience at your disposal, not to mention the memories of the places that you’ve been and the many different people you’ve taught.

TESOL accreditation is a powerful learning and living experience that I would recommend to anyone who feels like they need to change their lives completely in a short space of time. It really is as good as it sounds.

Daniel Kim