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

korea

    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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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?

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ABOUT NICK & RAYCHEL

About Us Hi! We’re Nick & Raychel, the Canadian travel couple behind the brand ‘Not Luxe’. Far before we were married (and on a mission to see the world), we were working…

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  • Full-time travel: rapid-fire answering the most common questions about having no fixed address (PART 2) 

* Language Barriers: English is our first language, but we learn key phrases before visiting a new country, use language apps, and rely (pretty heavily lol) on Google Translate for help.

*Bank Accounts: Our primary bank account is in Canada, and we open accounts in other countries if we stay for more than 6 months. We use WISE for fund transfers.

*Safety Overseas: Yes, we feel safe by using common sense, learning local laws, and staying informed about local news.

*Budgeting and Saving: We work on the road, choose affordable accommodations, and keep travel costs low.

*Routine: We’re still figuring this out, ngl. 

*Belongings: Sold everything in 2017, traveled with just a backpack, upgraded to a van, downsized AGAINA and now have a $100/month storage locker (!!!) 

*Handling Change: Honestly? Online therapy and staying connected to friends help, but we’ve learned to embrace the constant change of our nomadic lifestyle.

Any questions about living on the road? 
Drop ‘em here.

➟ follow @nickandraychel // slow travel & alternative living

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  • It’s official – we’ve quit our jobs once more as our journey takes us abroad again. Over the past 5 years, we’ve been travelling & working temp gigs along the way. 

With just 5 weeks until we touch down in New Zealand, we’ve checked off step 2 on our to-do list. Selling our trusty van, quitting our jobs, securing visas, booking flights, snagging travel insurance, updating resumes, job hunting, finding accommodation, packing our bags, and saying our goodbyes.

This marks our third move to a foreign land without ever setting foot there before. There’s no turning back now, but we’re ready for the adventure. 

So here’s to another wild ride.

➟ follow @nickandraychel // slow travel & alternative living

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  • I think I’ve found my people on this side of the pond. 

➟ follow @nickandraychel // slow travel & alternative living

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  • Suddenly you’re in a tiny floating cabin in Europe and everything makes sense? 

📍 @paekaldapuhkekeskus 

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  • One of the biggest misconceptions about affordable travel is that it has to be uncomfyBUT there are ways to *actually* enjoy economy - so let’s chat about it. 

Here are our main tips for enjoying saving money on travel:
Follow @porterairlines and sign up to their email list (link in bio) to get first access to their biggest sale of the year so far.
Off season travel. Trust us. It doesn’t hurt the bank account and guess what - travelling in the off-season means shorter lines, more affordable accommodation and less crowds.
Add some spontaneity into your life & be flexible (if possible). 
Porter Airlines has had our backs as savvy travellers for YEARS and we absolutely love them for elevating economy air travel. 

If you haven’t had the chance to experience Porter’s Actually Enjoy Economy experience - Now is your chance.
 Free, fast WiFi (included for all on the new Embraer E195-E2 aircraft)
 No middle seats
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  • Travelling in comfortable silence >>>

On long travel days, we love being together but we definitely don’t want to talk lmao. There is something amazing about being *with* your person, but not needing to say anything at all.

Anyone else?

Tags: #notluxe #vanlifecouple #travelcouple #gapyear #travelgirls #travelgirlsgo #girlslovetravel #travelgram #getoutstayout #livetoexplore #travelblogger #traveleurope #lovelanguage
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