To live abroad happily, you must be flexible. We (expatriates) are uninvited guests. That doesn't mean unwelcomed but it does mean that we must be the ones who bend to the cultural demands of a given country. When we do that, you'll find that the results of your dealings with others will improve. To conform to these unspoken cultural rules, however, you must pay attention to what goes on around you and take an interest in others, especially the local people. If you are not going to take a serious interest in the culture,language and people of the country you're in, why bother living abroad? Being flexible and modifying your behavior instead of waiting for others to change for you is the single most important thing one can do to intergrate and enjoy their stay abroad as well as it could possibly make you a better person in the long run:) G.G.

So to make friends abroad, the first thing we must do is reach out to others again and again. One of the best ways to do that is to immediately join groups or clubs that do the things that you are interested in doing. Even if you'll only be in town for a month, try to join anyway. Its rare that you'll be turned away if you express a genuine interest in the group.

Next, do a google search on language exchanges in the city. Most average size cities have something like this and its an excellent way to meet people who speak English as well as native speakers who enjoy meeting foreigners. Even if you meet people who you think you have nothing in common with, still keep them as friends as they have friends as well who may share your age, common interests etc.

Lastly, have fun and enter this endeavor with a light heart. You decided to spend time abroad most likely to broaden your horizons and meet new people? So immerse yourself in that idea and embrace it. What do you have to lose? G.G.

Develop a plan of action for what you will do first, second, third etc. and save up as much money as possible before leaving home. Try to imagine potential things that could go wrong and think of the solutions before they occur.

I realize that one of the reasons why people decide to live abroad is to have a freer lifestyle that is more spontaneous so the act of planning sort of detracts from that idea. However, if you want to accomplish a major project such as moving to a different country, you should plan ahead if only to avoid wasting time and money. Once you've got a job and a place to live then you can begin to explore a life of more spontaneity. G.G.

Enrolling on a summer session not only allows you to spend your weekends in St Tropez, Monaco, Aix en Provence or just relaxing on the beach but will also poise you perfectly for securing ESL posts in September. There is also the possibility of English camp work in July and August upon registering with us.

Come and Join Us!

G.G.

Despite the economic crisis, ESL teachers are finding positions in France, Italy, Morocco and the rest of region in a timely manner. I'll admit that after each TEFL course we give, some people find work right away, as in a matter of days and others do not find work for several weeks. I don't have a solid answer as to why but I can say that there seems to be some consistent themes;

1. Personality and Positivity often prevail. Those who succeed in securing work weren't necessarily the best during their TEFL course but clearly were able to communicate their ideas well in an interview. And you must be positive in believing that you can find work. If you beleive that you won't find a job, you're probably right.

2.Timing should also be considered. Looking for work in July and August really arent the best times to look for work as everyone goes on vacation. Late September/October, January and March/April are the best times to look for work.

3. Persistance is the key to anything in life and finding work abroad is no different. If you give up after two weeks of looking, you probably won't succeed. Imagine, even if you were to change cities in your home country and look for work, wouldn't you allow more than two weeks to find a suitable job?

4. Money dovetails onto persistance as you need to have a money cushion saved in the first place to allow you the time necessary to find work.

5. Lastly, you really need a TEFL certificate to be competitive. I know this wasnt the case a few years ago but times are changing as more and more people are certified to teach ESL. On line courses just dont cut it but then again they never did.

Now more than ever before, English language teachers are in demand just about everywhere but be prepared to do a little work.

G.G.

If you have no teaching experience, the best thing to do, really, is to take an on-site TEFL course with has a minimum of 120 hours of classroom content and at least 6-8hours of observed teaching practice. With just that alone, your odds of finding a job increase exponentially. You can also include your teacher practice training as teaching experience on your CV/Resume. Forget about online courses as its not enough to get a job as most employers do not recognize on-line courses.

Lastly, just having prior work experience helps as it demonstrates that you are responsible and can in fact hold a job. Look at your past jobs and think of times when you had to teach someone something, for example orienting a new intern or training new staff. Those are things that could be put under job duties on your CV/Resume that demonstrate that you have prior experience teaching. Many job skills are often transferable from one profession to another.

G.G.

The Language House is pleased to offer Volunteer English Language Teaching posts in Antalya, Turkey to its TEFL graduates from any TLH location. Under the Ministry of National Education, the teaching projects take place either in state schools or private English language schools in and around the city center. The English teaching projects include lesson planning, preparing visual materials and utilizing internet resources. Each volunteer will have a supervising teacher to help them. The duration is from 2 to 36 weeks. Projects are available year round. Contact us for more information at info@teflanguagehouse.com Come and Join Us! G.G.

While a TEFL certificate is key to teaching English abroad, to really excel in the competitive world of Business English, an ESL teacher could ultimately use a certificate in Teaching Business English inorder to acquire a solid client list.

The Language House is delighted to offer its one week Teaching Business English (T.B.E) program in Montpellier, France. Visit our website for all course dates and fees. You can also combine our T.B.E. course with French lessons or Life Abroad Coaching seminars.

G.G.

1. Select from the countries where there is at least a resonable demand for English teachers. However, don't make assumptions until you've done some research. For example, assuming that there would only be a big demand for English teachers in non- native English speaking countries is incorrect. The U.K. and the U.S. are in desperate need of English(ESL) teachers as a lot of foreigners arrive seeking work.

The biggest demands can be found in Asia but right now, the demand has increased exponentially and most parts of the world offer ESL posts.

2. Ask yourself what you hope to accomplish by living abroad in a given country as well as what you hope to contribute.

3. Consider the wage vs quality of life from region to region. While some countries will pay a lot of money, such as the United Arab Emirates, the cultural experience may not be as intense and as enriching as lets say southern Europe where you would have the opportunity to have real relationships with the locals but would gain much less income.

4. While it sounds superficial, climate is an important factor when considering whats best for you. I don't necessarily suggest that you should decide on a location because the climate is similar to what you're used to but be aware that in any part of the world, climate dictates culture, cuisine and general social norms. Its fine to chose a climatic region different from what you're used to as long as you are prepared to accept/embrace the new climate.

5. Research cultural and societal norms of the given region as this can also dictate how well you intergrate and enjoy your new host country.

G.G.

For some time Turkey has had a voracious demand for English teachers but its mostly been in Istanbul. Now, the demand has spread to the south. So along with more options for jobs, there are also beautiful beaches, an authentic fortified ancient city, friendly and hospitable locals as well as good nightlife. Antalya sits along the coast and enjoys over 300 days of sunshine with hot summers and mild winters.

Most ESL jobs can be found either in private English language schools or in universities. While its best to just show up and look for work, some universities will hire upon having only a phone interview.

I just returned from Antalya a couple of weeks ago and I still ask myself, why this beautiful city along the sea hasn't been discovered yet by native English speakers.

Come join us and have a look. G.G.