Transitions Abroad Magazine January/February Vol. XXXVII, NO. 4

From the Editor

With a poor economy and high unemployment, now may be a good time to try your hand at working abroad. If you have thought about breaking out of the work-life cycle or if you are a student looking for a working holiday abroad before settling into a career, Susan Griffith’s directory of short-term employers (page 28) will put you in touch with the right people.

Working abroad is an excellent way to get to know a place in-depth, make a difference, and deepen your understanding of a foreign culture. Even with a short-term job you can gain new career skills, improve your foreign language skills, and have a fun and memorable experience. While the possibilities range from au pairing to environmental research to organic farm work, teaching English remains a particularly popular way to start the process. In this issue’s special on Teaching Abroad, you’ll find a number of articles and Participant Stories on teaching in countries like Thailand, Panama, and the Czech Republic. You’ll also find a plethora of past articles, resources, and web links for ESL, TESOL, and TEFL on TransitionsAbroad.com.

Once you’ve gotten your feet wet in the world of working abroad, you might find yourself even more determined to stay overseas and establish a long-term career. One ambitious route is starting your own business, as Robert Diemer and Pia Musngi describe in the International Careers section. Although their articles deal with France and Japan respectively, any would-be international entrepreneur would find their experiences helpful.

For those of us not seeking a working holiday but just an affordable one, this issue’s features on the Asian and South Pacific regions are alluring, as are a few bargain itineraries for some surprisingly more-for-your-money locals like Finland, South Africa, and the Dominican Republic. If time is ample but money is tight, round-the-world-travel might also be your ticket, as our contributing editor Tim Leffel explains in his column.

In the next issue we will turn from working abroad and teaching abroad to studying abroad. We look forward to sharing with you the wealth of educational opportunities available.