The Teaching Abroad Pod – Details, episodes & analysis

In this episode, host Rowan speaks with International Teacher and Sueños Compartidos Founder Thomas Davis about starting a non-profit, doing Christmas while teaching overseas, drinking unlimited "hot water" in Burmese tea shops, and much more.

In this episode, host Rowan speaks with Oxford Seminars graduate Mitra Alizadeh about how, as she put it, "teaching ESL forever changed the trajectory of my life". She tells us how getting TESL certified earned her a very well-paying college teaching job, about the student-teacher bonds she developed as an online tutor, and reminisces about how she scored an admin job that allowed her to live amongst the modern infrastructure and historical treasures of Beijing.

In this episode Ashley and Rowan recall some of their holiday entertainment favorites and chat with globe-trotting teacher Dan-Stefan Onila about advice for settling in for the season while abroad. Stefan also regales us with tales of top hot-spots for travelers in China and Romania, explains how teaching in Southeast Asia is like being in another galaxy, shares food and drink recommendations from across the continents, provides teaching tips, and so much more!

In this 50th episode of The Teaching Abroad Pod, Rowan and Ashley sit down with Glen Galindo and Hector Arias from Minga House Foundation to show you how to achieve your dream job in Colombia. They discuss the pros and cons of applying from abroad, how to find the best benefits, and whether Colombia is still a "risky" place to teach.

In this episode, Ashley and Rowan discuss some of the best countries to consider for teaching abroad in 2024 in terms of savings potential, benefits, breadth of positions available, short-term opportunities, and start date timing. They also share some (potentially odd?) ideas of things to bring with you when moving to a new country for an overseas job, and where you can find valuable information about settling in to your new home.

In this episode Ashley and Rowan speak with ESL Teacher Kirsten about many of the joys, and some challenges, she's experienced during her almost 7 years of teaching in Japan. She reflects on instructing students ranging in age from 0-19, why she chose Japan as her teaching destination, the island of sandwich-stealing bunnies, red flags to avoid in your job search, strategies for resolving employer issues, and more!

In this episode co-hosts Ashley and Rowan reminisce about some of the joys and oddities of teaching in Japan and Korea, before chatting with super experienced TESL Instructor Bryan Fox, who has been training teachers with Oxford Seminars since 2006. Having taught in 8 countries on 5 continents, Bryan's a wealth of knowledge when it comes to living in far flung reaches such as Australia, Iraq, Japan, and Poland. He also shares his insight on the benefits of taking a TESOL certification course live via Zoom, as compared to in-person training in a classroom, along with job interview tips, contract review advice, and more!

In this episode new co-host Ashley gives some insight on how to get pumped up to teach kids early in the morning. After the break, we sit down with English teacher Christian Epp to learn about his four-plus years of teaching in Taiwan. He enlightens listeners on strategies for making new friends abroad, top spots for hiking, food to check out, why he ultimately decided on Taiwan as a teaching destination, why it's a good choice for members of the LGBTQ community, and more!

This episode is all about teaching in Spain! We begin with some details about the new Digital Nomad Visa for Spain, a great option for those well-paid online teachers jet setting around the world, and end with information about how a work-study project can be a good foot in the door for Europe. The highlight, however, is a wide-ranging interview with Christopher Wynne, the founder of Educados International, who shares some excellent insight on why this short-term program is a great way to gain teaching skills and grow as an educator while enjoying the authentic Spanish lifestyle.

In this episode Joe and Rowan speak with guest Victor about the benefits of getting TEFL certified before teaching abroad, including how to keep students' attention both in-class and online. He also shares some insights on how to land a job in Mexico, recommended things to see, do, and eat there from a local's perspective, and the symbolism of the emblem on the national flag, which dates back to the time of the Aztecs. To finish it off, Rowan brings the conversation over the Atlantic with details on exciting new TEFL opportunities in Europe.