I’m planning a trip around the world. With a budget of £5000.
I was thinking of starting in India. But then going to China to teach English as a foreign language for 6-12 months. Trying to live off the money I earn there to help my budget. Then go through South East Asia like Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, malyasia. Then try and see some of Australia and New Zealand. After that going to South America to once again to teach english for 6-12 months living off what i earn and then coming back to the UK. Is this feasable???
Reply to this hey mate,
it would be quite difficult I think.. around Aisa you can make the money stretch but once you hit Aus and NZ it gets really expensive. That 5000 is not including flights?
Reply to this Yeah that would be including everything. But i was thinking i maybe could save a little and live off my earnings in China. Try and stay off expensive travel while in Asia like flights rather taking bus's and trains.
The Australian/New Zealand Part sounds quite difficult I was thinking maybe I could find work there too.
I'm new to all of this just trying to figure out what to do?
What Budget did you have and for what length of time did it stretch too??
Reply to this In our experience, New Zealand and Australia will be two or three times( if not 5 times) the cost of your daily expenses in Asia and South America. I might save NZ and Oz for last and stay as long as your money holds out.
Reply to this Oh right ok maybe a short stop there then. Only problem I think i'll have is money and getting to South America im not sure if its best going from Australia or South East Asia??
Reply to this Maybe i'm being a little bit ambitous but why not. I say its Improbable not Impossible!
Reply to this Many ESL jobs in China give you a lot of holiday, so you could use that time to visit other places in SE Asia. That could reduce your spending costs after you finish working.
Reply to this I don't think it's impossible! I left home 18 months ago with 6k and I'm still going. I've spent 6months in SE Asia and a year in Aus. You will definately need to work in either Australia or NZ though but if you are under 30, its really easy to get a visa.
From what I've heard, its difficult to save money with TEFL jobs unless your a qualified teacher. You'll generally earn enough to live rather than enough to save.
One massive expense will be a flight to South America from Australia or NZ. I looked into this and it would be very expensive but you could easily save the money in Australia or NZ. And by then, you'd have experience as a TEFL teacher so a school might pay you to fly out there.
Good Luck!
Reply to this Thanks Monica your post is really encouraging! I was wondering how you get to Aus from SE Asia. Would it be best to get a flight or i've heard you can be a ship hand and get a boat there to Darwin. How did you do it?
Yeah i think tht it would be best to work in Aus or NZ. What are you working over there as. Is it hard to find employment??
Yeah hopefully i could stretch to South America. That would be amazing. What are you plans for after Aus?
Reply to this Hi Andrew - Nothing is impossible 😉 just some things require a bit of juggling around. What everyone else here has said is true...Australia and NZ are going to be the expensive part of your trip. Forget the South America to Aus route thats going to use up a large chunk of your cash in flights alone - a round the world ticket may be your option if you have to go to south america
this trip.
Please do not try and get on a ship from Indo to Darwin of any sort....you will find it almost unbearable if you do manage to get onto a large cargo ship. Most cargo ships nowdays are crewed by a mix of people in some of the worst situations, koreans, indonesians, romanians, iranians etc so the conditions for crew are very hard and unforgiving. Forget fishing boats...its illegal and they get impounded and destroyed and immigration will give you a really hard time even if you do make it. Work your way to Asia and hop on a budget airline flight to Aus and look for work. Just thinking Monica has a really good point...take it easy and see how you go in Aus. If you can save up while you are working here you may be able to get a good deal on a flight to south america.
I guess dont lock yourself into an absolute itinery so you dont get disappointed if you dont reach all the places on your list this time. Theres always that next trip 😊
Reply to this OZ and NZ can be a grand a month easy if you are going crazy, east coast of OZ is dear (and not worth it tbh) and there are so many crazy things to do in NZ your cash is easy spent. £225+/- per month on accommodation, another grand for flights then £300+ for fully comp. backpackers insurance. It soon mounts up.
Reply to this You can make money as a TEFL teacher, if you have a degree and you are in the right country.
You can save good money in Korea, Japan and Taiwan and you don't need a TEFL certificate to teach there, the companies will train you.
Money in China will be ok to live on and travel during your holidays.
South America doesn't pay much, although allegedly Chile is the best paid.
Reply to this Thanks for the replies. I've been doing alot of research over the past week. The boat idea wasn't a very good one I admit and its true flights from Aus to SA are very expensive.
I know along the way sacrifices will have to be made and looks more likely to be australia. Its such an exciting possibility travelling!
Rat on the Road- How much did it cost to get your TEFL certificate in Thailand?? Sounds like you have had a lot of success finding jobs over there.
Reply to this We did our TEFL course with TEFL International. We did the Special Thai Project, which meant we paid a reduced rate for the certificate (I think it was $250 each) and in return we worked in the school they placed us in for 5 months. We got paid for the job, of course, but at a slightly reduced rate.
The CELTA course is more widely recognised Worldwide, but is more expensive. It depends where you want to work and for how long.
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