Anyone done learning/working abroad for 6mnths/a year?
Anyone done learning/working abroad for 6mnths/a year?
Where did you go? How did you go about it?
I'm becoming more and more interested in taking a year/6 months out after I finish my degree to go to Japan and teach English, on one of the TEFL programmes.
I also love the idea of living in Paris for a bit....so much! But I haven't got a clue how to go about it.
If you've done this or are planning something I'd love to hear about it! Or if you have any websites to recommend, I'd love to know!
Answers:
I studied abroad for a year in Germany, but this was part of my degree and I was on the ERASMUS exchange programme, so I can't really help about doing it independently, although I do know with the EU you are able to study in any university in the EU as long as you come from a country in the EU.
I assume as you've looked in to the teaching in Japan thing, you know of the JET organisation (http://www.jet-uk.org/). I know people who have applied for this but not got through - I think it's quite competitive.
It depends what you want to do really - if you want to work abroad, I guess the best way to do it is to find a company who will employ you for 6 months or however long. I know I could get a 6 month placement in Germany if I wanted to, as I know generally how it works and how to go about it (and they're quite fond of internships), but as for other countries I have no idea I'm afraid.
If you're at uni, a good tip is to go to your languages building and they should have a notice board full of opportunities to study/work abroad. Or enquire in the office - they usually have posters and communication with companies abroad/teaching schemes (to be a language assistant etc)/learning a language in the actual country for a month or so. Sorry if you do already study a language and this is stuff you already know!
I always get e-mails from http://www.lisa-travel.co.uk/ about studying abroad, but I'm not sure of any details as I have never used them. It can become quite pricey for short periods of time aswell as they will charge you for rent (which you may be able to find cheaper yourself), food, extra programmes and so forth.
If you would rather work (as I did start saying, sorry got a bit side-tracked!) I imagine again the languages department will help you out, or if there are companies/industries you are especially interested in you could contact them about opportunities abroad, or alternatively go to the relevant department at your uni and see if they have any contacts. There are also websites for working abroad but I guess you would have to figure out where you want to work and doing what before you could try and wade through them!
Sorry if not very helpful! :o
Answers:
thankyou! that was very helpful! I may check out the languages department when I return to uni in september! Not studying a language...I do English..
I would actually really love to go to berlin to live for a while...so maybe I could look into internships there... Definately worth investigating!
Too late to do an ERASMUS for me I think, final year in sep, be a great experience to go to a country and work for a while, even just 6 months...
Answers:
I just upped and left! saved some money travelled round Europe, lived in Barcelona for a while, travelled some more, ended up living in Ibiza, worked for a family and then for some of the big clubs before using my savings and chilling out. it was very very hard work, everywhere I went and very competitive for poorly paid jobs but in terms of experiencing different life styles and cultures - it was amazing- even the differences between working for a spanish family and a multinational club were very pronounced. Altogether, the pace of life was very different. totally amazing experience- I was fluent in spoken spanish by the time I'd finished. Working now in London and literally rushing around everyday has shown me which lifestyle I would rather aspire to and my aim one day is to live abroad. It made that much of a difference that I left my London flat and bought a place by the sea in Southend! Good luck, i really couldn't recommend it more. :p
Answers:
wow sounds amazing! and just shows you don't have to have it all organised for you. If you're prepared to work hard I guess it's possible to spontaneously up and leave!
Where did you go? How did you go about it?
I'm becoming more and more interested in taking a year/6 months out after I finish my degree to go to Japan and teach English, on one of the TEFL programmes.
I also love the idea of living in Paris for a bit....so much! But I haven't got a clue how to go about it.
If you've done this or are planning something I'd love to hear about it! Or if you have any websites to recommend, I'd love to know!
Answers:
I studied abroad for a year in Germany, but this was part of my degree and I was on the ERASMUS exchange programme, so I can't really help about doing it independently, although I do know with the EU you are able to study in any university in the EU as long as you come from a country in the EU.
I assume as you've looked in to the teaching in Japan thing, you know of the JET organisation (http://www.jet-uk.org/). I know people who have applied for this but not got through - I think it's quite competitive.
It depends what you want to do really - if you want to work abroad, I guess the best way to do it is to find a company who will employ you for 6 months or however long. I know I could get a 6 month placement in Germany if I wanted to, as I know generally how it works and how to go about it (and they're quite fond of internships), but as for other countries I have no idea I'm afraid.
If you're at uni, a good tip is to go to your languages building and they should have a notice board full of opportunities to study/work abroad. Or enquire in the office - they usually have posters and communication with companies abroad/teaching schemes (to be a language assistant etc)/learning a language in the actual country for a month or so. Sorry if you do already study a language and this is stuff you already know!
I always get e-mails from http://www.lisa-travel.co.uk/ about studying abroad, but I'm not sure of any details as I have never used them. It can become quite pricey for short periods of time aswell as they will charge you for rent (which you may be able to find cheaper yourself), food, extra programmes and so forth.
If you would rather work (as I did start saying, sorry got a bit side-tracked!) I imagine again the languages department will help you out, or if there are companies/industries you are especially interested in you could contact them about opportunities abroad, or alternatively go to the relevant department at your uni and see if they have any contacts. There are also websites for working abroad but I guess you would have to figure out where you want to work and doing what before you could try and wade through them!
Sorry if not very helpful! :o
Answers:
thankyou! that was very helpful! I may check out the languages department when I return to uni in september! Not studying a language...I do English..
I would actually really love to go to berlin to live for a while...so maybe I could look into internships there... Definately worth investigating!
Too late to do an ERASMUS for me I think, final year in sep, be a great experience to go to a country and work for a while, even just 6 months...
Answers:
I just upped and left! saved some money travelled round Europe, lived in Barcelona for a while, travelled some more, ended up living in Ibiza, worked for a family and then for some of the big clubs before using my savings and chilling out. it was very very hard work, everywhere I went and very competitive for poorly paid jobs but in terms of experiencing different life styles and cultures - it was amazing- even the differences between working for a spanish family and a multinational club were very pronounced. Altogether, the pace of life was very different. totally amazing experience- I was fluent in spoken spanish by the time I'd finished. Working now in London and literally rushing around everyday has shown me which lifestyle I would rather aspire to and my aim one day is to live abroad. It made that much of a difference that I left my London flat and bought a place by the sea in Southend! Good luck, i really couldn't recommend it more. :p
Answers:
wow sounds amazing! and just shows you don't have to have it all organised for you. If you're prepared to work hard I guess it's possible to spontaneously up and leave!