Recently TravelBud was invited to host a live Webinar as part of the Teach and TEFL Week with GoOverseas. From years of working in the industry, we know what information adds the most value to future teachers in deciding where to go and how to go about it. As much as all of us LOVE talking about teaching English abroad and all the ins and outs of salaries and TEFL/TESOL requirements (all of us at TravelBud have done it before ourselves so we’re very passionate about this), we decided to talk about the NEON PINK ELEPHANT in EVERY room right now - COVID-19.
COVID-19 has affected every facet of life - from global economies to the way we grocery shop. And the landscape of teaching abroad has also been greatly affected and changed.
Our topic was Teaching in the Age of COVID. And it’s a biggie.
By the end of me typing this blog post, and maybe by the end of you reading it, and certainly in a week, a month, by the time you go - there are some aspects of the stats that will have changed completely.
It is a fast changing, ever evolving thing this world pandemic. However, there are some aspects that we want to highlight that are specific to teaching during these unprecedented times that we, on the front lines of travel, wanted to share with you all.
How do you take a mountain and condense it into an easy-to-read, won’t-confuse-you, will-remain-relevant-when-things-change-daily molehill?
The answer is to do what teachers do!
So I’ve decided to break down the sea of information into smaller bits (ponds, if you will), through a word we’ve come to know all too well: C-O-V-I-D.
C - Country by Country Updates
O - Organization
V - Versatility
I - Investment
D - Dependability
We'll cover:
Jump to each of our Teach Abroad programs to read each country update:
Thailand
South Korea
Myanmar
Vietnam
Japan
Costa Rica
Everyone knows someone who has been to or taught in the majestic country, affectionately known as the Land of Smiles.
From pristine beaches to sacred temples, it’s not hard to see why in excess of 30 million tourists visit Thailand every year.
But ask yourself - do I really want to be a wage slave for 350 days of the year so that I can take a 2 week vacation in Thailand once a year, when I could actually live there, eat mangoes for breakfast and whizz a scooter to a job where I make a huge impact instead?
Thailand is known for low living expenses, long holidays, friendly locals and an incredible, life-changing experience.
All countries were hit hard by the lengthy lockdowns. But for a country that generates 15% of its GDP from tourism- Thailand was hit exceptionally hard. However, the effect of this has meant that Thailand has been propelled to open as quickly as possible and to stay open for good.
We’re bringing nearly 100 teachers over to Thailand this fall, and although the process is complicated, we’ve been able to help our teachers navigate it successfully and they’ve been receiving their visa and travel authorizations.
They will start arriving in October with most coming over in mid-November for the start of the school term in December.
Teachers arriving have to complete a 2 week mandatory quarantine in one of the 13 designated hotels in Bangkok for now. Luckily, you’re not totally cooped up for the entire 2 weeks- you have a COVID test on day 4 or 5 and when it comes back negative, you can hit the gym and kick it poolside in your hotel.
We expect some changes to quarantine that will alleviate this currently-unavoidable addition to start up costs ($1000 - $1500USD approximately for 2 weeks) such as changing the quarantine period to a shorter length of stay required or to be allowed to quarantine beyond only the 13 designated hotels in Bangkok in other, cheaper hotels that meet certain guidelines.
With the pre-placement process for fall coming to an end in October for new enrollments, our focus is now on the 29th of March intake, 2021. It is subsequently, one of the best times of the year to come to Thailand and start teaching.
Despite their semesters being higgledy piggledy this year, they’ve managed to get it back on track to have their vacation throughout April as usual.
So when you come for 29 March, you do your full TESOL on the ground in April and start teaching fresh in May at the new semester.
You also get to see Songkran (Thai new year) unfold around you, and have more placement options being the start of the new term.
Also- you’ll be one of a huge group of teachers that will be starting then and can build great relationships with fellow teachers.
Read more about our Teach English in Thailand Program →
South Korea is one of the richest and most fascinating cultures in the world. It has an exceptional modernity with high tech, fast paced cities fused together with a unique preservation of ancient traditions and history.
It is the kind of place that has many intricacies and nuances and spending a vacation there will only touch the tip of the iceberg, but living there gives you a chance to fully understand the culture and immerse yourself in it.
Education is highly respected in South Korea, and the benefits included in your contracts is a demonstration of that respect.
Contracts include:
Being a highly efficient and detail-oriented nation, they were prepared for the virus long before it hit their shores, due to their proximity with China. They rolled out extensive testing and tracing systems and have had two major waves of COVID during the pandemic.
Life has returned to the new normal and schools are back in the classrooms.
Despite the pandemic and border closures for most visa types, they have continued to issue the E2 working visa that English teachers go over on. The major delays experienced by teachers have been as a result of the documents that need to be collected and completed in their entirety before the visa application can take place and there were some backlogs and delays in the document collection, as opposed to the visa.
There is a mandatory 2 week quarantine period upon arrival which leaves teachers with two options:
You then get escorted to the apartment, where we’ll prepare the apartment to be comfortable for you and after two weeks, you begin your year contract and things are business as usual.
The borders are open for the E2 visa. You generally need about 4 months to get the documentation collected and completed, so at this stage, it’s likely to be around February 2021 for new enrolments.
January is generally a bit of a tricky time to arrive as they have winter vacation and the Korean New Year in January so most schools are closed. This program is your best option if you are looking to go as soon as possible.
Read more about our Teach English in South Korea Program →
We affectionately call our Myanmar Program participants our “pioneer teachers”. Myanmar opened up to the outside world in 2011 and has made great strides in the direction of international trade and tourism.
It is an incredibly unique environment to teach in- and one that is on somewhat of a time limit to experience this level of Southeast Asian authenticity considering it’s fast-moving toward growth and exposure to international influences. You make an enormous IMPACT in Myanmar. It is the road less travelled and one that will allow for tremendous personal growth.
Myanmar has experienced severe lockdowns and harsh laws regarding preventative practices. Schools have been shut for a while and continue to be shut, as well as borders being closed to all foreign entries. There are a significant number of cases that warrant the shutdown, but we also need to look at the bigger picture and the fact that Myanmar has elections coming up in November.
The incumbent part is keen to prove themselves in their COVID-19 response and other parties are also in favour of hard lockdowns prior to voting so that there are no delays in voting and it can go ahead as planned. Once the elections are over, we will have a clearer picture of the realistic timeframe for teachers to enter and the new procedures that may involve.
Our next intake is 18 January 2021. It is currently under review as an option for new enrolments, but we will have a clearer picture by the end of November regarding the opportunity for this to go ahead.
When I ask people what they’re looking for when teaching abroad- it’s usually a combination of making and saving money, having a good work-life balance, travelling and making an impact.
Vietnam offers it all - and then some!
With a permanent contract of only 20 hours a week for a salary of $1500 USD - $2000 USD per month (and living expenses of only around 600USD to live comfortably), it’s an amazing opportunity to achieve the perfect work-life balance and save money.
Not only that, but more than anywhere else- you have a much bigger say in your placement area and preferences, as well as unique opportunities for career growth to headteacher and beyond.
I often believe that Vietnam didn’t really get the kind of praise for their COVID combatting efforts that they should have, especially by comparison to the first world countries efforts (but I’ll leave this tangent for another day).
Point is: Vietnam had ZERO related COVID deaths over the course of many months. ZERO. They had very strict rules and regulations and by April, the country was back in full swing under the new normal. Because of the huge efforts and resources, it took to achieve this, and the fact that COVD was perceived largely by the population as a “foreign virus”, it meant that they were not willing to compromise their efforts to open borders prematurely.
They are still closed to almost everyone, except the very elite few that can qualify for a special visa (but we’re talking brain surgeons and top businessmen). Our first group is going over for the 22 February intake and things are on track, we are just awaiting the procedures for quarantines upon arrival, which will likely be the case and a similar set up to what we’ve seen in Thailand. Our focus is also to get our teachers that left Vietnam initially back into the country as soon as possible.
The next available intake date for the in-class TESOL and orientation is 3 May 2021. We added this extra date in so that we can accommodate the high volumes of teachers looking to teach in Vietnam, but spots are running out fast.
Read more about our Teach English in Vietnam Program →
Um...IT’S JAPAN?!
Japan has something for EVERYONE. It has become, based on our research prior to launching Travelbud’s latest program, the most sought after destination to teach in. It offers a unique opportunity to immerse yourself into an intricate culture that has many nuances and is best experienced over the long term.
Japan was rather quiet on when they would reopen. I think they’re pretty bummed about the Olympics, which is fair. We heard very little about their plans to reopen UNTIL we got notified that as of 1 October, anyone planning to work, study or reunite with family could apply for a limited number of visas, in a staggered approach.
Our focus is on the teachers that have sadly had to postpone their plans to teach and make sure we meet the needs of the backlogged teachers first.
Our next group is going out on 1 March 2021, for the full in-class TESOL in Nagoya.
The next available intake for new enrolments is 31 May 2021 for the full in-class, but there are limited spots available. There is also the option of doing the Online TEFL and placement, or the Placement program for those that have a TESOL/TEFL already, which would see teachers hopefully go over in the first quarter of 2021.
Read more about our Teach English in Japan Program →
Teaching anywhere in Latin or Central America was usually reserved for the ambitious backpacker. There are few well-established programs that offer the full in-class and guaranteed placement.
But with so many reasons to teach in a place as amazing as Costa Rica, we saw the need and filled it. It’s a great opportunity to improve your Spanish, to live the Pura-Vida lifestyle for which Costa Rica is known, the coffee is sensational, the people are friendly and although most of our placements are in the Capital city of San Jose that is bustling and vibey, it’s never far from the magical rainforests and chilled out sloths you see in catalogues. Need I say more?
Costa Rica has an ENORMOUS tourism industry. They are known for their stunning biodiversity, nature and Latin American flair. Their case numbers have fluctuated and are still fairly high, but their borders are open. They first only opened to Canada, the UK and select states in the US, but have now included many more nationalities and the entire US. Not only that, but they do not have a mandatory quarantine period. There are some procedures that of course need to be adhered to, but quarantining ain’t one of them. Hooray!
Our first group starts on 23 November 2020 and they’re all packed and ready to roll for the adventure that is just around the corner.
The next intake after that is 15 February 2021 and is highly recommended and in demand due to the lack of quarantine, closeness in proximity to the US, and an early 2021 start date.
Read more about our Teach English in Costa Rica Program →
This is an organization in the sense of both:
There is a ton of information on the internet around requirements, visas, documents etc which can be good, but also very conflicting and difficult to know which are correct.
This was the case even prior to COVID - but teaching in the age of COVID has seen new announcements that change the entire process and require us to do a full 180 and adapt to new procedures.
In normal circumstances, it can be confusing and difficult to know where to begin when it comes to collecting documents and applying for the right visas when teaching abroad.
However, now more than ever before, a helping hand with first-hand information on the ground in the destination and the backing of all the teams rallying to find new ways to get around last minute announcements and changes, is imperative.
If we look at the Thailand process: under normal circumstances, it involved going over on a tourist visa and bringing documents with you to then switch to the work permit once at your school placement. With tourist visas no longer being issued, we had to figure out how to send the 100 teachers that have arrived in Thailand this year into the country through the pre-placement process.
Applicants had to collect their documents, get their contracts prior to departure, use that proof of employment to get the Non-immigrant B visa, use the visa to prove being eligible for a repatriation flight to Thailand, use the visa and flight to apply for the Certificate of Entry.
It took a whole lot of planning, manoeuvring and MacGyvering, but we got it done thanks to our resources and connections.
Which brings me to my next point: that teaching in the age of COVID has changed the landscape for seasoned teachers and first-time teachers alike.
There have always been many ways to skin a cat when it comes to teaching English abroad. You had the adventurous, young backpackers that would get a $15 Groupon TEFL and head out into the world on the vague promise that there is a job at a school, courtesy of a sister’s friends, ex-boyfriends, cousins teaching gig. There will always be traditional recruiters.
And there will always be organizations like us- full programs that offer support from start to finish, and beyond. Gone are the days of hopping on a flight to Asia and hoping for the best. Teaching in the age of COVID is not impossible, but it’s way way way harder than before.
With the extended skills, resources, and care of TravelBud, it really is the safest way to ensure that you realise your dream of teaching abroad. Travelbud provides some certainties, in an otherwise very uncertain time.
We pride ourselves on doing so in the following way during the age of COVID:
Our team of coordinators that contact you directly after your enquiry, make it their mission to guide you to the best fit for you. We understand so much about each program, we tailor-make programs to suit your needs where we can, or match you with a program we believe suits your needs the best.
Now, whilst teaching in the age of COVID, that skill is even more important. If you tell me you’ve been laid off from your job and want to start somewhere as soon as possible and you’ve enquired about Japan - as much as you love fashion and Nintendo and sushi- I will tell you straight up that South Korea is a far better option for you right now.
Doesn’t mean you can’t transfer to Japan after South Korea and eat all the sushi your heart desires, but the amazing benefits offered as part of the South Korea contract, the ability to save, the low start up costs by comparison to Japan and the ability to go over sooner with more certainty, would be an important option for us to provide.
We try to set realistic expectations on timelines and the way that start up budgets have been affected by COVID. Knowledge is power and we have the knowledge, so we offer it to you so that you can have the power of making the right choices.
We’ve got you covered.
With clear communication and a host of options, we want to minimise the stress and up the ante on smooth sailing in the way of pre-departure logistics, no matter what COVID curveballs come your way.
This is a biggie, friends.
Teaching in the age of COVID has meant that schools have taken economic knocks and are hiring fewer teachers. Competition for the jobs that are left is high, being that teaching is one of the few ways you can travel right now. The job market at home ain’t looking too great for a lot of us.
So with all that in mind, the guaranteed job placement at reputable, high-quality schools in Travelbud’s partnership network is an excellent reason to choose the option of an organization like us.
DING DING DING - this is super important.
Say you do manage to figure out all the documents and adapt to all the pre-departure changes, say your sister’s friends, ex-boyfriends, cousins teaching gig works out and you make it to your destination and get a job.
What happens if lockdowns arrive and you suddenly have to teach online?
What happens if your school can’t keep you on, or shuts down due to economic restraints of pupils withdrawing from classes?
With TravelBud, you know the team on the ground in each country is poised, ready, trained and equipped to respond and communicate with teachers and provide solutions to whatever happens- always in a personal capacity, but also with newly developed and highly detailed plans in place for all eventualities related to COVID.
What this means for you, is that you safeguard your plans of teaching abroad despite what may happen. This safety net and peace of mind is utterly priceless.
You want to know that when teaching in the age of COVID, you should always have a plan B and plan C and plan D. That’s hard to have when you’ve put all your eggs in one basket or going it alone.
TravelBud has partner schools in various destinations. This allows us the opportunity to offer the Lifetime Placement Guarantee, which is a fabulous opportunity in normal times, but even better when teaching in the age of COVID.
Your chosen destination is plan A and first prize.
But if necessary, if anything were to happen that would delay or restrict entry at the time of your intended departure, you still have the option of starting out in one country and then transferring to your intended destination at a later stage, once it does open up.
Teaching in the age of COVID has required increased flexibility for teachers.
Flexibility and adaptability is a skill you learn whilst teaching - but you need to have a bit of it in your personality from the get-go, when teaching in a world pandemic.
Versatility is key, because there are a number of major changes that have occurred across the board in various destinations.
Below are just a few examples of how and why things have changed and what you may need to adapt to and what TravelBud has done to accommodate those changes where possible.
People often see the opportunity to teach abroad as a means of sustainable travel and to take a break after studying or to gain some perspective in life.
But the truth is, teaching abroad may only last for the duration of a contract or two, be it a few months or years, and that experience in itself is enough to warrant the investment made.
However, teaching English has far reaching benefits beyond the end of a contract in-country and is in so many ways, an investment in yourself, as well as your own future, regardless of your chosen profession or degree.
https://travelbud.com/blog/teacher-diaries/7-reasons-why-working-abroad-boosts-your-employability/
Teaching abroad in a foreign culture and country is a challenge of yourself in an unfamiliar environment.
From personal experience, I look back at the year I spent in Korea and think about the way it gave me the kind of growth that would otherwise perhaps have taken a decade:
You may have been planning to teach abroad for years and been waiting for the right moment, only to be hit by a world pandemic.
You may have recently happened upon the idea of teaching abroad and can now not unsee how it ticks all the boxes and gives you hope in a world that is struggling for some.
Whatever the reason or catalyst, you’ve decided, despite the impositions and struggles of COVID, you want to do this and you want to do it right.
The truth is, you can gamble on a lot of things when you're in-country.
Should I go on that weekend away?
Should I eat this weird thing on a stick?
Gamble on those things.
But do not, I repeat, DO NOT, gamble on the whole experience you’ve imagined for yourself.
Invest in the experience you’ve imagined, the parts of the experience you’re excited for and the reason you did this in the first place, through the safest and most supported option to facilitate that with an investment in TravelBud. Read TravelBud reviews on GoOverseas to see for yourself!
While you’re forging friendships with people from around the world, celebrating holidays you never knew existed, making an impact on your students - you’re also gaining invaluable skills from teaching abroad you may not even realize until you reflect when it’s all said and done.
Teaching requires an endless list of skills. One day, you’ll think back to your own teachers and respect them even more once you see all that goes into it.
There is a long list of incredible, transferable skills that can be used to further an established teaching career following teaching abroad, but that can also land you your dream job with future employers.
In the wise words of the head of our Placement Team abroad:
“The ability to reflect on the experience teaching abroad and the skills gained from that experience is the single biggest indicator of the perceived success of our alumni in the job market upon returning home, irrespective of the work field.”
We make it a priority to run workshops and provide insights to teachers heading home on how to successfully reflect on their newly acquired and perfected skills.
To do this, we isolate the skills and reflect using the S T A R method: (Situation, Task, Action, Result).
You essentially take the skill and reflect on that skill using the STAR method. There are a long list of skills teachers can comfortably add to their resumes once they return home, including:
The list goes on. But some of the most important skills that will be required for ANY profession would include:
Below we’ve given you some examples of how these skills are developed and how you can use the STAR method to reflect on them.
EXAMPLE USING STAR self-reflection (Situation, Task, Action, Result)
S - When moving to Asia to teach English I was faced with an abundance of obstacles, such as language barriers and cultural differences.
T - I needed to be able to adapt to the new culture in order to be successful.
A - In order to be more comfortable in my new surroundings, I turned into a “yes” person. Whenever a co-Thai-teacher invited me to things I would go.
R - By doing that, I was able to immerse myself into the culture and was able to better adapt and fit into my surroundings without feeling as isolated.
S - At the school, I was faced with having to manage a classroom size of over 50 kids, where they ranged from very low English proficiency to very high. Each lesson was losing either the low end or the high end of the students.
T - I needed to modify my lesson plans to keep each level engaged and wanting to participate in class.
A - To begin I gave a quiz to gauge where each student was and then changed the assignments to levels that would be achievable and engaging for each student.
R - The result of my actions was that students were better engaged in class and did not require as much classroom management techniques.
S - When working in Asia there were many instances where plans would change very quickly.
T - I needed to become more flexible when it came to my response to those changes.
A - Whenever a sudden change occurred, I would take a deep breath, and remind myself that in the grand scheme of things it wasn’t as big of a deal as I felt deviating from the schedule was.
R - By going through these constant changes, I learned how to be better at “going with the flow” and ultimately being flexible.
S - Moving abroad on my own meant that I was leaving the comforts of home and my immediate support system.
T - I had to learn to become self-sufficient in a new place.
A - It was learning by trial and error for even simple tasks such as purchasing food. Others were utilizing resources, such as the placement company, to assist with finding a place to rent.
R - The longer I spent abroad the more confidence I felt in being able to handle any kind of situation and get through it.
In the spirit of being dependable and offering the quality of trustworthiness and reliability, we wanted to round up some top tips for you to mull over as experts in the industry as some free advice about teaching in the age of COVID.
So there you have it!
We sincerely hope we’ve shed some light on what changes have occurred in light of COVID in the teaching landscape, but we hope we’ve provided you with transparent and relative information on how you can still teach abroad in the age of COVID.
We publish updates on our program statuses, intakes and latest information from our teams on the ground on our COVID-19 page.
TravelBud strives to provide accurate information and transparency. If you have questions, please feel free to contact us and you'll get to chat to our experienced, friendly and knowledgeable enrolments coordinators - all you need to do is submit your enquiry.