By Arnold Vis
As of this week, we have three summer programs on offer (in China, the USA and Romania), and we’re so excited about it!
We used to offer a China summer internship that was a big hit with our teachers, and my own work abroad adventure started at an American summer camp.
Working abroad over summer is an amazing way to spend your summer for many reasons, here are five of them.
It’s an adventure
You could spend your summer working at home and saving money. Worthwhile and sensible for sure, but not very exciting. Our summer programs are a way to go away on a massive adventure abroad, and have most (if not all) of it paid for with the money you earn. It means you get all the adventures and new experiences of travelling and meeting new people, while doing a rewarding job and not breaking the bank.
You’ll meet likeminded people
Our summer programs are fast paced. Before you had the chance to sleep off your jetlag and settle into your free accommodation, you will have met about 50 new people!
And the best thing is, those other people have travelled abroad to work just like you, and chances are you’ll have a lot in common with them.
During my summer in the USA, I spent one of my two day breaks staying colleagues at their home in Philadelphia. When the work was done, I went up to Wisconsin with another colleague who was starting college there.
Two totally authentic, immersive and brilliant experiences that I would have never had if I hadn’t been working at the camp.
You’ll make a difference
Whether in China, the USA or in Romania, kids are spending their summer with you for the same sorts of reasons: to have fun, to learn new skills, and to be exposed to new and unique experiences that are different from their regular school.
You will talk to them about the food in your home country, your hobbies, your experiences in their country so far, and what it may be like to go to university in your home country.
They’ll want to get to know all about you, and be inspired.
It makes the long days more than worth it, as you’re making a difference.
You gain key skills and you get to test the waters
When our long-term Sophie was recently hired by her kindergarten in Shanghai, they told me that they hired her over other candidates because she had spent two months doing a summer program in the Fiji the previous summer.
So while many of our long-term teaching programs don’t require this kind of experience, it certainly helps.
Crucially, this also applies to you as a potential participant. Sophie was super confident about moving to China because she had spent two months abroad the year before and loved it.
This was the case for me as well. While spending a summer in the USA was in some ways a very different experience than teaching in China, in crucial ways it was the same thing: throwing yourself into a new experience, adapting quickly, and making the most of it.
Travel
All our programs have a similar structure: you work hard for 5-9 weeks, and then you have a visa to stay in the country for another month to travel.
Travelling after working so hard is a great way to cap off the summer, and you will have gained a lot of confidence as well as knowhow about your new home after your weeks of work.
Thanks for reading, and if you have any questions about our summer placements please don’t hesitate to email me: arnold@impact-teaching.com
Here’s more info about our summer programs in China, Romania and the USA.
