Not Luxe ☼ Travel
  • ABOUT US
  • WHY “NOT LUXE”
  • Cambodia
  • Australia
  • Travel
  • Teaching ESL
  • Move Abroad
  • Travel Insurance
Not Luxe ☼ Travel
  • ABOUT US
  • WHY “NOT LUXE”
  • Cambodia
  • Australia
  • Travel
  • Teaching ESL
  • Move Abroad
  • Travel Insurance
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Travel

    Man looks at the beautiful Wat Phnom in Phnom Penh, Cambodia

    5 Things I Wish I Knew Before Teaching English Abroad

    by Nick & Raychel February 28, 2019

    What I wish I knew before teaching English abroad



    1. It’s more than a gap year job

    I think this is the most common misconception about teaching English abroad – that it’s a way to travel, get a cool experience, and get away from home for a bit. Although these are all true, it is so much more than that. Being a teacher, in any capacity, is a lot of work – physically, mentally, and emotionally.

    The days are long and the weekends can be busy too – whether it be parent-teacher meetings, preparing for an event, curriculum meetings, writing exams, lesson planning, the list goes on…

    Becoming an ESL teacher is becoming a teacher. It is not simply a gap year experience.


    2. Children need consistency

    If a one year contract sounds too long for you, then maybe you should reconsider. There are too many teachers who are only trying to fund their travels for three months and then leave. This is so wrong on so many levels and we’ll tell you why.

    Children need consistency, and the classroom is a mess when they don’t have it. They will perform better when they have a solid teacher they can trust. No two teachers are the same, and kids will react differently to their tactics, rules, and even their tone of voice.

    Having a new teacher every 3 months would be very confusing for very obvious reasons. Of course, sometimes life gets in the way. That said, be prepared to commit.


    3. It gets real. Real quick.

    Teaching in another country is no joke. Cultural differences and language barriers can make working with the kids and the parents really difficult. There are different forms of discipline and different sets of values that come with each country.

    The truth is that you might not always agree with the parents and/or the faculty.

    That’s not to say you won’t get along with people, or that everybody will have a different way of thinking than you. Many parents will respect your values and put their complete trust in you. Others will not. You will need to accept and respect the differences, and sometimes you will need to stand for what you believe is right.

    In some countries, it’s not odd for families to involve the teacher in home problems. You may hear a lot of stories that are not for the faint of heart. Therefore, you must have thick skin, good morale and genuine compassion.


    4. It’s not as rewarding as you may think

    You’ll hear it a lot – “wow, that must be so rewarding”. Yes and no. Sometimes you can feel really underappreciated. There will be days where you will work long hours for little pay and feel completely unsupported. Sometimes the improvements are slow and ignored by others.

    Yes, teaching kids can be rewarding – but it doesn’t feel like it every day. You won’t end every single day smiling from ear to ear. Like any job, it has ups and downs.


    5. It will change your whole life

    It’s hard not to get attached to the students because they really can be so incredible. You will have a whole new outlook on the country you’re visiting and an amplified appreciation for their youth. It won’t be easy to leave. In fact, you may just want to stay forever.

    Teaching ESL is such an amazing job that we both have loved so much. If you’re up for the challenge, it could be a career that you fall in love with too.

     

    Want to teach English in Cambodia? Find our tips & tricks on our Youtube channel:

     

    Read more: How to Move to Cambodia & teach English
    Read more: Tips you NEED to read before moving to Phnom Penh

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  • Where to Stay in Phnom Penh : A Visitor’s Guide

    by Nick & Raychel February 12, 2019

    Whether you are staying in Phnom Penh for a simple layover, a short period, or a long period of time, you should be firstly be excited to visit the versatile and growing capital of Cambodia. But where will you stay? See our suggestions here.

  • Day Trip to Phnom Chisor: How to Get to Phnom Chisor from Phnom Penh

    by Nick & Raychel February 5, 2019

    A day trip to an ancient temple? Yes please. Phnom Chisor is one of our favourite day trips from Phnom Penh. We share our tips on how to get there, how much $ you’ll need, and the unwritten rules of the temple.

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Nick & Raychel
Nick & Raychel

In 2018, we sold everything we owned and moved to Cambodia to teach English.

Let’s make this clear: this journey didn’t start with money. This journey started with a desire to see the world and to do something different for a change.

We’re not going to fool you with photos of floating breakfasts and private jets. We know what it’s like to be on a budget. Although we like to take pretty pictures, we aren’t going to wake up at an ungodly hour to give you unachievable travel jealousy. We aren’t going to censor ourselves or lie to you.

What we are going to do is stay in cheap hostels, find ways to make money, give the advice that we would want to hear, and share our experiences with you honestly.

Are you in?

Not Luxe

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ABOUT US

About Us Hi! We’re Nick & Raychel, the Canadian couple behind the shared name Not Luxe. In February 2018, we made a big leap and moved to Phnom Penh, Cambodia, without having…

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  • Some days are just GOOD 😍 warmer weather, good food and pretty spots like this >>>>>⁣
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📍 Unceded lands of the Syilx/Okanagan Nation.⁣
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  • Peachland, we looooove you 🥺⁣
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📍 Unceded lands of the Syilx/Okanagan Nation.⁣
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Tags: #notluxe #nickandraychel #vanlifemoments #vanlifelocation #vanlifeexplorer #projectvanlife #vanlifecanada #vanlifegoals #explorebc #peachland #okanagan #roadtrip #exploreokanagan #bcviews
  • Xbox or van life? Who says ya can’t have both 👀

📍 Unceded lands of the Syilx/Okanagan Nation.

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  • I think this is the last photo in our queue with snow on the ground 🌞 however, this day was BEAUTIFUL. We pulled up to the lake at just the right time, the sun was so bright that we were catching the view through squinted eyes, and we had the beach all to ourselves. Moments like this are so special, and we’re so happy we can catch most of them on camera. ⁣
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📍 Unceded lands of the Syilx/Okanagan Nation.⁣
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  • It’s crazy that this was just a few weeks ago. We drove past Kal lake the other day at sunset and !!🤤🤤!! Looks like we’re at the end of winter, folks!⁣
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📍 Unceded lands of the Syilx/Okanagan Nation.⁣
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  • This year, Kalamalka Lake froze over enough for people to skate on, which is unusual for Kal Lake. We also learned that it completely froze over from Coldstream to Oyama in 1964 - that would have been WILD to see. For a few days last week, it froze over right to the edge of the dock. 🤯⁣
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📍 Unceded lands of the Syilx/Okanagan Nation.⁣
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