How to Live and Work Abroad
Living and working abroad can add adventure to your life as well as greatly broaden your horizons. There are many ways to do this, and the challenge can vary greatly depending upon both the country and the occupation you choose. Below we will discuss a few of the ways you can find work abroad opportunities, as well as some of the challenges involved.
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Instructions
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Find the Right Opportunities
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Teach English as a foreign language. Every year, thousands of Americans go abroad to teach ESL (English as a Second Language) classes. There are a variety of organizations that sponsor such programs. Some are U.S. based, while other programs are run by educational institutions in other countries. Obviously this requires that you have basic teaching skills, but some programs have more stringent requirements than others. These programs do not usually pay very much, but do cover the cost of transportation, living accommodations and even food (see Resources below).
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Work for a humanitarian organization. Groups such as the Peace Corps and the Red Cross often hire Americans to work overseas. They also often accept volunteers (see Resources below).
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Missionary work is another way to work abroad. If this sounds attractive to you, consult officials at your church. Even if your church does not do missionary work, they may be able to help you find an affiliated church or organization that does.
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Go abroad to do medical work. If you are a doctor, registered nurse or have some other medical specialty, there are numerous opportunities to practice your skills abroad in countries where there is a shortage of medical services (see Resources below).
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Consider any possible opportunities with the company you currently work for. This may sound like common sense, but if you work for a large company, or one that does a lot of business abroad, find out if there might be an relevant opportunity for you.
Prepare
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Speak to other Americans who have lived and worked in the country you are going. They may have invaluable advice on how to get along there.
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Research the country as much as possible. The CIA World Factbook is an excellent place to begin (see Resources below).
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Make a serious effort to learn some of the language. It is unrealistic to expect to become fluent in a short period of time, but even some rudimentary language skills can be very helpful.
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Be sure to check on visa requirements. In many countries, you must apply well in advance. Also make sure that you arrange for working papers, if needed. If you are working for an American company, you might be able to arrange to receive your pay directly in the United States, thus avoiding any potential tax problems. It is also a good ideal to make extra copies of your passport and other important documents you will take with you. Leave a copy with someone back home, and take another with you (but packed separately from your real passport).
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Visit the website of the U.S. embassy or consulate of the country where you will be staying. verify that there are no warnings or restrictions of which you are unaware. It is also a good idea to register with the embassy once you arrive. That way, if there is an emergency, they will be able to contact you.
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Research the local climate, and be sure that you will have appropriate clothing.
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Make sure that you have any required vaccines, and also ask your doctor about any other known health risks for the part of the world you intend to visit. Make sure that you explain that you will be staying there for an extended period of tome, and not just for a short vacation.
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Find out in advance how you can get Internet access. This is more difficult in some countries than in others, but life abroad will seem much less lonely if you have an easy way to stay in contact with friends and loved ones.
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