Teach English Abroad Blog

¡Hola! My name is Richie and I just finished my second year as an auxiliar de conversación in Madrid, Spain. After I graduated college, I moved home without a clue... keep reading

During my time living abroad in Madrid, I visited 14 countries and 24 cities. (Check out this post for my recap of all the places I visited). So, I have... keep reading

Prior to my move to Madrid, I was nervous about all the things that could go wrong. But not only does living abroad deepen your self confidence, it enhances your creativity, boosts civic engagement, and even increases employability. In this post, I will explore the science behind how living abroad changes your brain.

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

Want to Make the Most of CIEE Thailand? Start Your Adventure Before It Begins! Why fly straight to Thailand when you can explore another country first—and maybe even save money doing it? In this blog, I share how my partner and I backpacked through Japan before our CIEE Teach in Thailand placement started. We found $350 flights, stayed in hostels under $30, and made unforgettable memories — all before our first day of work. Learn why a pre-program trip can reduce stress, ease culture shock, and extend your adventure. Plus, I break down the pros, cons, and insider tips to help you do it smart. Don’t miss this travel hack!

“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

I am so grateful to have had the chance to travel during my year living abroad. I solo traveled to a lot of places, which taught me a lot about... 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.

So… what is TEFL, exactly? TEFL stands for Teaching English as a Foreign Language — and as of Monday, June 16th, I officially completed my 150-hour TEFL course through CIEE... keep reading

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