Estimated Reading Time: 4 minutes

One of the secrets most travel bloggers won’t tell you, is that a lot of them started off as English teachers to be able to afford to live and travel abroad.
And there’s some pretty amazing companies out there like English First, that are a TEFL certification away from landing you in a country like China, where they not only pay for your flights there, but also give you a signing bonus and travel voucher to get you started!
So if the idea of temporarily living abroad as a means to see the world excites you, not to mention several weeks of paid vacation time, then you’ll want to bookmark, share, and send this to your friends so they can take this leap with you!

For those who don’t know, I actually taught English abroad for a few months to support myself while living in Barcelona. And one of the biggest benefits we have as native English speakers, is that our language is needed universally, and there will always be a demand for teachers in every non-native English-speaking country in the world.
EF (Education First) is not only the world’s leading privately owned education company, but it’s the only one I recommend after recently learning how many scam opportunities are out there.
Some companies prey on desperate millennials who want to venture overseas, and they don’t always keep their promises. A friend of mine learned the hard way, booking a ticket to Thailand, only to learn that the opportunity she applied for, was actually fake.
But English First is a group of over 16 divisions and non-profit organizations centered around learning a language, educational travel, cultural exchange and International Business Management courses.
With over 500 schools and offices in 53 countries, EF has literally turned the world into a global classroom. So as they’re currently accepting applications for 2017, here’s my little guide to get you started on this rewarding adventure.
Step 1: Get TEFL-Certified
While there’s also a multitude of companies offering TEFL certifications, the most trusted on the market from my experience, is myTEFL.
In just 120 hours, you could get your professional TEFL Certificate, an official letter of recommendation, full tutor and tech support, 24/7 access to the online courses, and even a 35% discount if you type in “BABROAD” at checkout! You can click the coupon below and see!

Step 2: Speak With A Recruiter
Here’s the exciting part! After finishing the course, you’re now certified and equipped to get paid to teach English as a foreign language! And what English First will do as part of their recruitment process, is schedule an hour-long chat to help ease the transition, answer your questions, and talk about your general background to ensure your placement fits.
Step 3: Get A Visa
While this might be the most intimidating step of the process, again, as part of English First’s recruitment, they’ll help you every step of the way to make sure you get a legal working visa based on the country you’ll be teaching in.
Step 4: Prepare For Arrival
You did it! You’re about to live abroad and get paid to teach English as a foreign language! Your nerves will be high, but your experiences and memories to come will be higher! English First will give you webinars and guides to ensure you’re prepared for this exciting, new chapter upon finding placement!

Teaching English abroad is never something I saw myself doing. It just kind of happened. And I’ve been humbled, blessed, and overwhelmed with how enriching the experience was for me. It might even double and serve as birth control, as you find yourself happy to only be responsible for these little humans for a few hours a day 😉
I hope this helps you jumpstart your next chapter abroad, and who knows what other opportunities will come from this! For me and many others, it was travel blogging 🙂

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post which contains affiliate links, but as always, all opinions are my own. Feel free to post any questions below!