TEFL jobs: 6 unique places you didn’t know you could teach

You might be aware of the most popular teaching destinations – Thailand, China, Africa. They offer great experiences, come with growing expat communities and lots of support. However, there’s a lot of other options you may be unaware of.

In this post, we run down 6 places with unique TEFL jobs.

1. North Korea

Fancy being part teacher, part diplomat? 

Yes, North Korea. In January this year a rare opportunity was announced for teachers with TEFL certificates. Selected applicants will be invited to teach new tour guides at the Pyongyang Tourism College.

The first group of teachers are set to fly out soon, with a second round opening to applications later this year. If you’re interested in one of these limited TEFL jobs, apply via Juche Travel Services.

2. The Military

For those who prefer a stricter style of teaching.

The military can offer some truly unique TEFL jobs. The U.S. government, for example, routinely hires teachers to serve in military bases around the world. These include across Europe, Asia, North America and the Mediterranean.

Aside from teaching the children of service members, special classes also serve local non-military employees. This gives you chance to really engage with local cultures, some of which are otherwise out of bounds to civilians.

3. Oil Companies

Abu Dhabi mixes modern cityscape, a world class harbor and desert expeditions in one.

If it’s big bucks you’re after, you’ll want to head out to the oil company schools in Abu Dhabi. These companies are currently opening huge new international schools, and offer some of the highest pay packages around.

For example, it’s common to come across TEFL jobs which include:

• Tax free salaries of 130,000-190,000 AED ($51,000) per year.
• Free housing.
• Yearly flights to/from home.
• Medical cover.
• Free tuition for your own children.

4. Mongolia

How about a taste of the nomadic life?

Not a fan of big cities? How about life on the sprawling plains of Mongolia. Despite being one of the most sparsely populated places on Earth, recent years have seen a growing number TEFL jobs appear.

While the pay isn’t especially high, the views and nomadic trips offer incredible experiences unlike anywhere else.

5. The Amazon

Itinerary: TEFL certificate, mosquito repellant, canoe…

If you’re looking to make the biggest impact possible, consider volunteering in the Amazon. Schools located in rural, indigenous communities bring valuable skills to those largely cut off from education.

You can access these places with volunteer programs such as Eco Volunteer VP. Aside from teaching English, you’ll also get to help the community with organic farming and construction projects.

6. The Himalayas

If you thought the morning school run was a challenge, this might not be for you…

In the Nepalese Himalayas, there are schools which require 3-4 days of hiking to arrive at. You trek up mountains, and even pass through waterfalls on the way to these remote gems.

Keep tuned this summer, as we’re partnering with Trek to Teach to provide this unique experience with our myTEFL internships.

 Did we miss any out?

If you’re currently teaching somewhere extraordinary, or have heard of some more unique places, tell us in the comments!

At myTEFL we offer help for all our graduates to find their dream TEFL jobs. Whether near a beach, in the urban jungle, or on a mountain, we’re always extending our network.