Why this Travel Couple Left Spain to Teach around the World

Why would two teachers quit their teaching jobs in Spain to try and find new jobs?  So, they could travel the world while being employed as full-time teachers in different countries!

Elisabet and Abel are both teachers from Spain who have been travelling the world for the past five years without giving up their careers.  Isn’t that what holds most people back from traveling?  Everyone wants to travel the world, but we all need jobs to make money too.  Some go the location independent route thanks to technology, working from wherever they travel, but that isn’t a good fit for everyone.  But, what if you could just take your career with you and move to a new place without any hassle every year, all while having plenty of time to travel?

There are many programs for teachers that want to travel and teach, no matter what country you are from. Elisabet and Abel have applied for and used many programs in Spain to be able to teach Spanish and English in different locations.  While you don’t necessary need to go through a program to get a foreign teaching job, they highly recommend you apply for a program because the program will handle all your VISA requirements and help with lots of other issues.  Traveling can be stressful enough so let someone else deal with all the difficult work issues while you focus on great travel experiences.

Elisabet and Abel say that when you get into a program, that doesn´t mean that you are working in different conditions.  In fact,  your job is exactly the same as a native teacher form the place you are working.  So if you are teaching in Canada, your job is going to be the same as every other Canadian teacher at the school.  This allows you to really immerse yourself in the culture, living and working as a local.

The lifestyle you can expect as a travelling teacher really just depends on the country and are in which you are living.  The location is going to determine you job conditions, the culture and how much you get paid.  For example, Elisabet and Abel say they can make a much better salary teaching in the USA than in Spain.

Elisabet and Abel say the most important thing is to be able to adapt yourself in a different culture, taking advantage of new experiences and being open-minded to different situations. Don´t try to change the rules and traditions where you are teaching, just be happy to know and understand a new culture.

Where have they Been?

During the past five years of teaching abroad, Elisabet and Abel have been to many countries throughout Europe, Asia, North America and South America.  I asked them to share a few of their favorite destinations with us, knowing any teachers out there would surely be jazzed to follow their path if it means getting to see some of the same amazing places.

Zebra Slot Canyon is just one of the highly unique and crazy beautiful landscapes in Southern Utah.  While a couple of the Southern Utah National Parks (Zion and Bryce) get a lot of tourists, there is so much more that most international travelers would never see.  Getting to explore off-the-beaten-path locations like Zebra Slot Canyon is one of the biggest advantages to actually living for a period in different countries.

How crazy looking is Jacob’s Well in Texas?  Do you guys think she jumped into the seemingly endless hole?  I sure hope so!  Maybe she will comment and let us know.  The craziest thing about this image, there  are no other people swarming around this awesome spot because it is only known to locals and die-hard travelers.  If this were near some big tourist attraction or in a major city, it would for sure be completely crowded.  Living somewhere lets you get away from the crowds and tourist traps.

Just because you are long-term traveling doesn’t mean you miss the big places though.  While Monument Valley in Utah is a place most travelers know about, I still wouldn’t consider it a major tourist attraction.  Long term traveling lets you see all the tourist attractions at your own pace while getting immersed in the culture and experiencing all kinds of sights and events most travelers won’t see.

Suytun Cenote in  Valladolid, Mexico is a place that is increasingly becoming famous with more and more Instagram posts featuring its beauty.  This amazing cenote is visited by thousands of tourists each week.  If you are visiting for a weekend, you are likely going to book one of those tours starting at 11 or later and stand on the platform with a dozen other people.  When you have more time in a location, you get more flexibility and learn more tricks.  Elisabet and Abel learned that if you visit Suytun Cenote at 9:00 a.m. you can enjoy this incredible place by yourself.  The light may not be as great as 11:00 when the tours start, but what could be better than this solitude in such a great location.  I have experienced something similar as I sat on the shores of Avalanche Lake in Glacier by myself for a half hour after sunrise.  It was truly incredible…and a bit scary considering all the bear warnings I passed.