7 things + BONUSES If you are having a bad experience teaching English abroad in China, Korea, Turkey or wherever you got TO DO something about it. Here are some things you can do.
1. Learn the language
I've lived in 4 different Asian countries and guess which one I liked the least? The one where I could hardly speak the language. Is that why? Probably not, but learning some would have helped or I could have just jumped to #6.
2. Make some social connections
Take a class: language or yoga or dance or learn a martial art, or find people doing what you like to do - besides drinking.
3. Do you have a hobby?
4. Are you in good shape?
Then get in better shape. Lift weights, run, dance, or play something other than a video game. Get a routine going and stick to it at least 2-3 days a week.
BONUS#1... Oohhhh...
Meditate. Yeah that's right it's good for you. It's not hocus pocus. It's simple. Set an alarm for 5 min. sit still, relax and breath. And do it everyday.
BONUS#2
If you want to get lean or loose weight try intermittent fasting or what's called "time restricted feeding" which to me is basically intermittent fasting.
Shrink the window time down each day that you eat. If you normally start eating at 9am and then have your last meal at 10pm then that's 13 hours of feeding. Try shrinking it down to 8 hours or even less and I'll bet you'll lose weight.
I don't typically eat anything until after 2pm and I'll often exercise or do BJJ before then. I just drink tea.
5. Do you have a long term goal and are you working on it?
If not start one.
6. Does your job suck? Do you hate it or where you are?
Well, you can either accept it, try to change it, or quit. You could get another job, move to another country or go back home, but before you do that you might want to consider the next one too.
7. Work on your teaching
If you have a full time job then that's like 33% of your time abroad and that's a sizable chunk considering you spend another 33% or so of your time in bed.
Look...
If you make your time in the classroom better than everything will get better. You can get by doing a minimum, but you're not making anyone's life better, not yours or your students.
If you invest some time and energy into your teaching then you can improve and a little more work now will be a little bit less pain later.
So...
Read books
Watch other teachers
Or...
You can take a course.
If you are teaching mostly kids then take ESLinsider's course. This is the best way to learn how to teach kids. Check it out.
Not everyone is a naturally gifted teacher, but everyone can improve.
So...
The bottom line is you can change your experience teaching abroad by changing what you do 'outside' of the classroom and by working on your teaching 'inside' the classroom.
If you work on both (OUTSIDE+INSIDE) then I bet your life will improve.
And if teaching English abroad is really difficult then try focusing on what you can control.
In theory you could change everything even your job, but let's say you signed a contract for a year and you have really annoying co-teacher or manager.
So maybe you can't change them, but you can:
1. Work on your teaching
2. Get into good shape
3. Work on your long term plans
4. Make some social connections
5. Work on your hobby
6. Or just quit, try to get a new job or change the country
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