So you've decided that you'd like to head overseas on a working holiday, but the traditional route of heading off to the UK and getting yourself bar work, or if you have some office experience, signing up with a temp agency and getting placed in a basic administrative position doesnt appeal, then there is another option, and one that has the possibility of opening up the whole world for your exploration.

Steadily gaining popularity is TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) or TESL (Teaching English as a Second Language). It is estimated that over 1 billion people are currently learning English world wide. According to the British Council English Language Report, as of the year 2,000 there were 750 million English as a Foreign language speakers. In addition, there were 375 million English as a Second Language speakers.

If teaching overseas does appeal, then you will find that unlike the conventional UK working holiday, you can find jobs advertised for native English speakers in almost every country of the world. This gives you the opportunity to not only travel, but to discover a culture that is likely vastly different from your own. The largest market is currently in Asia (China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand), but if the Asian market doesn't appeal to you, then you will likely be able to find jobs advertised for positions in Central and South America, most parts of Europe and also in the Middle East.

Another benefit of teaching overseas as opposed to the traditional working holiday is that there are generally no age restrictions or time limits, as teachers in most countries are entitled to a special working visa. This means that as long as you are gainfully employed at a school, then this type of work visa can be continuously renewed without worrying about sponsorship after a set period of time.

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About the Author Kris currently works as an English teacher in Guangdong Province, China for Sunny Sky English Training Institute, and is currently studying for her Masters in English (Writing).

First Published: Sep 29, 2007