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WORKING WHILE STUDYING ABROAD
It’s easy to spend too much money abroad, and ending up broke after the second month is no fun at all. If you find that money’s flowing out of your bank account a little too quickly, consider getting a part-time job.
Be creative and flexible when looking for work. You can try to be a waiter or a bicycle messenger, a cocktail musician or golf course attendant: It’s all up to you. While it’s important to find a job that pays reasonably well, consider what other benefits certain types of employment may offer. In a lot of cases, bad restaurant jobs will give you the opportunity to interact with customers and other young employees, while office work can get awfully lonely. Use employment as an opportunity to get to know your new culture from a different perspective. If you need help finding a job, check with your university to see if they can hook you up with local openings.
If you’re in a country that primarily speaks a language other than English, consider becoming a language tutor. Your university might be able to help you find students who would like some help from a native English speaker, and posting ads around your home and university can work as well. Snoop around a bit, see what other people are charging for language instruction, and set your rates accordingly.
Teaching English isn’t as easy as it might seem. Just because we’ve all been speaking English all our lives doesn’t mean that we can teach someone else. It takes skill and ridiculous amounts of patience. If you think you might want to teach English when you study abroad, it’s not a bad idea to take a class or at least read a book or two on the subject. You might also want to bring some instructional books with you.
If you want to teach English abroad, or work at all for that matter, make sure that you’re eligible. Some countries require special work visas from temporary residents, so check with your host institution and see if you need to apply for anything. Even if special documentation is required, casual jobs can sometimes be conducted under the table without any problems—if you can get paid in cash you probably have nothing to worry about. All the same, ask around and make sure you won’t be getting yourself, your students, or your employers into any trouble.
Copyright © 2002, 2003 by NATAVI GUIDES.
Check out more student advice on studying abroad...
• CHOOSING YOUR HOST COUNTRY
• FIGURING OUT WHAT TO PACK
• DEALING WITH CULTURE SHOCK
• BEATING REVERSE CULTURE SHOCK
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