So you want to be a travel blogger and earn your living by sharing your photos and stories with people around the world. That’s great – but success doesn’t happen overnight and in the meantime you will need some way to pay the bills. Many travel bloggers have used teaching as a way to fund their travels and blogging. The cute faces and half-nibbled snacks we get from students may be part of it…
Part time contracts
In many countries it is possible to sign a part time contract that involves you working less than 20 hours a week. This, in theory, leaves you plenty of time to explore your surroundings and also blog about it. By working 4-5 hours a day as a teacher, you’ll still have plenty of time in the day to focus on your online projects.
Desk warming time
Not all of your time at work will be spent teaching. Most teaching jobs come with desk-warming hours, which means you are just sitting at a desk catching up on ‘whatever needs to be done’. This could mean grading book reports, brainstorming activities, and preparing for your upcoming classes. Sometimes your classes may be cancelled due to midterms, final exams, field trips, or special events. What are you supposed to do with all of these spare hours once you’ve completed all the work that needs to be done? Turn to blogging, of course!
Stability
Travel blogging is not a stable source of income. You will likely not earn any money during your first year, and then when the money does start to trickle in, it won’t be enough to fund a life of jet-setting and five star hotels. A teaching income is a great way to save for your travels and fund your life overseas while you continue to pursue your blog work.
The opportunity to live abroad
With the number of students wanting to learn English constantly increasing, there are more and more opportunities to find positions as ESL instructors. Teaching English overseas provides you with the opportunity to live anywhere, which is important for travel bloggers wanting to share stories of their adventures around the world. Positions for ESL teachers are predominantly available in places like Latin America, Eastern Europe, and the majority of Asia. With all the possibilities, you just need to choose a country that strikes your fancy, and start writing about it.
It fills gaps in your resume
Should you decide that blogging is not for you, or that it simply isn’t paying the bills, it’s good to have something that will account for your time spent overseas. If you and your Kiwi friends are interested in taking the summer off and for instance want to go to Japan and teach English, do it. ‘Backpacking’ and ‘blogging’ may not look so great on a resume when you are trying to find a job back home in New Zealand. Teaching experience shows responsibility and commitment which is something your future employers will appreciate. Traveling from New Zealand will be expensive, it is smart to save and make arrangements before you leave. The need for people who can teach English in Japan is high, finding a job in this beautiful country will be easier than most places.
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