Teach English Abroad Blog

During my semester in Madrid, I looked forward to and loved when friends from the States came in to town. Having a visitor stay with you is a great excuse... keep reading

“El mundo es demasiado grande para quedarme en un solo lugar.” “The world is too big for me to stay in just one place.” That single thought kept replaying in... keep reading

Everyone thinks travel is only for the wealthy, but I proved that wrong while living out of my car and saving every dollar I could. In this blog, I break down exactly how I turned sacrifice into a plane ticket—sharing the mindset shifts, budgeting tools, and step-by-step plan that helped me go from surviving in L.A. to traveling the world teaching abroad in Thailand. If you’ve ever dreamed of living overseas but thought you couldn’t afford it, this step by step guide is for you!

It’s not “goodbye”, it’s “see you later”. This is how I knew it would be okay parting from my family, friends, and partner when I moved half a world away.

The hardest part is starting. I get it. Here’s how I turned my fear into my greatest teacher — and why your journey starts with just one step. From UCLA to 30+ countries by 24. I left home searching for more than a career — I was chasing lessons the classroom couldn’t teach. This is the story of how travel became the most honest education of my life.

I thought a degree from a top university would be my golden ticket, until no one wanted to hire me. After graduating from UCLA and applying to over 100 jobs with no success, I realized the U.S. job market wasn’t built for recent college grads like me. That’s when I decided to take a leap and teach abroad with CIEE’s Teach in Thailand program. From rejection emails to global educator in a Thai classroom, I found purpose, fulfillment, and adventure in a place I never expected. In this blog post, I share why teaching abroad changed my life, how much it cost, and how you can do it too.

Whether or not you’re also Asian, this will apply to you. Let’s dive into my experience fitting in as a Filipina American living in Spain.

Oh wow — I did it! Last week was a huge milestone in my Spain journey: I went to the BLS office in Chicago and officially filed my visa application... keep reading

So you’re considering availing yourself of Ireland’s Working Holiday Visa (WHV), a visa designed for recent college graduates or current college students, and participating in CIEE’s Teach Abroad program in... keep reading

Trust me, age definitely ain’t nothin’ but a number. Go after what you want no matter how many candles are on your birthday cake.

Meet Sarah- a CIEE Teach Abroad & TEFL Alum! 😊 Hi, I’m Sarah! I’m originally from New Jersey, but for the last 4 years I have been traveling all over... keep reading

You decided to teach English in Spain. Your signature is on the dotted line. The decision is made; there is no turning back now. To save up travel funds, you... keep reading

Hi there! I’m Kelsey Aycock, a 35-year-old originally from Georgia, most recently calling Tennessee home. My background is in Child and Family Development—I graduated from San Diego State University—and before... keep reading

I highly recommend that if you just did one trip out of Spain while you are here, you go to Morocco. It is such a gorgeous country. I went to... keep reading

Making a change is scary but don’t let it stop you from exploring something new. Hi! I’m Marissa and this is how I transitioned to a life abroad in my 30s.