Why Teach Abroad?

The first time I heard that teaching English abroad was a real thing, I thought, “Wow, what a cool thing to do with your life!”

Yet, despite my intrigue, I never considered it to be a serious option for myself. It was something other people did, not me. I don’t know why, but I felt it carried a stigma of not being a viable post-graduation plan.

However, now that I’ve chosen to go through with it and have been living in Spain for over four months, I can happily say that that line of thinking was completely misguided - this has without a doubt been one of the best life decisions I’ve made to date. Period.

Recently I’ve been reflecting on why this experience has been so wonderful and influential to my growth as an individual. So, without further ado, here are my three reasons why anyone who is even remotely interested in the idea of teach abroad should definitely consider it as a legitimate option:

1. The People You Meet and Everything They Teach You

Naturally, moving to a new country means meeting a lot of new people from a different culture. I both expected and looked forward to meeting a lot of Spaniards and becoming immersed in Spanish culture while living in Madrid. What has surprised me, though, is how much I've learned from meeting and speaking with the other language assistants like me.

I say “like me” lightly because in reality, the language assistants in Madrid come from all over the world, with different backgrounds, cultures, and experiences. We are united by the fact that we all chose to come to Spain to teach, which builds a bond and sense of community between us, making it that much easier to learn from each other and grow together. It has been so wonderful to listen to how others found their way to teach abroad, what they want to get out of it, and where they want to go next. As someone who is searching for my own path in life and struggling to figure out my next steps, this exposure to the variety of viable paths available to me has been eye-opening and inspiring. 

2. The Free Time that Shows You What’s Important to You

As a language assistant, I work sixteen hours a week. Sounds super lush, right? What on earth could I possibly do to fill up all that free time?

That’s just it, though. I can do anything I want with all that free time. Teach abroad is a breath of fresh air after working myself to the bone studying in a high-pressure, fast-paced American University. I used to be so busy and focused on school that I never had time to discover what was truly important to me. How could I possibly have chosen a career path right out of college if I had never figured out what I want from life?

This year is giving the opportunity to do just that: to learn what my priorities are and what will make me happy in life. I’ve discovered a newfound love for cooking, something I never had time for before. I’m getting the chance to travel and see more of the world, and the more I see and experience, the better I’m able to define my goals for the future. I’m slowly starting to grasp what’s important to me and how to build a fulfilling lifestyle. 

3. The Different Way of Life that Teaches you Life Skills

Living in another country, immersed in another language and culture, has taught me a lot of practical skills. Problem solving and improvisation are much more second-nature to me now, as I’ve had to navigate and survive in an unfamiliar world. From trying to buy groceries I don’t know the name of to needing to get to the hospital in the middle of the night by myself, I’ve had to learn to use my resources and even more importantly, how to ask good questions.

Furthermore, the very fact that I’ve adapted to a different way of living has broadened my mind and made me inherently more understanding of cultural differences, and I believe that is a fundamental skill that will never cease to be of use in any future endeavors I undertake.

So there you have it! Of course, not everyone’s experience is the same, so the above list merely represents the reasons I’ve personally found to be the most valuable and rewarding, and why I will forever be grateful that I made this choice. I hope they may be of help to anyone who is on the fence about deciding to teach abroad!