Two jobs for English speakers traveling abroad are that of an English teacher and au pair. The Embassy of Spain has more than 2,000 grants available each year for North American English speakers to travel to Spanish cities and teach English to schoolchildren. These teaching opportunities are aimed at recent college graduates, but anyone can apply. Educational systems differ among countries, but inquire at the embassy of your destination of choice about teaching opportunities for English speakers. Becoming an au pair is a job opportunity that you can create for yourself by advertising your availability online. Au Pair World is an online community where families can find au pairs vice versa all over the world. English-teaching positions generally require you to obtain a work visa for the Spanish-speaking country of your choice. Becoming an au pair, however, often occurs in the informal economy, where payment is arranged between the employing family and the au pair. Remember, however, that without a work visa, you are at increased risk for exploitation, so be on your guard for prospective employment arrangements that sound too good to be true.
While you could earn money as a traveling English tutor all over Latin America, Spain or the Caribbean, it's more likely that you'll need some long-term temporary housing to serve as your home base while you live and learn abroad. Working as an au pair usually means that you will live with your employing family in their house -- families that employ au pairs may have a private room and bathroom, or a separate apartment. If you find work as a tutor or English teacher, look for a house-sharing arrangement with people around the same age as you to save money and make friends. It's most effective to start looking for housing when you arrive in the Spanish-speaking country of your choice, so book a brief stay in a hostel for a few nights while you search for a house share or apartment. You'll learn Spanish quickest if you opt to live with native Spanish speakers rather than other ex-pats or English speakers.
Learning to converse naturally and fluently is one of the hardest parts of any new language acquisition, and Spanish is no exception. Once you arrive in your chosen country, set up an educational partnership with someone who wants to learn English in exchange for practicing Spanish with you. You may want to meet once or twice a week with your language study partner for a couple hours -- for one hour, you converse in English, and for the second hour, you converse in Spanish. These arrangements don't have to involve money and can be another way to meet new people. Post fliers in coffee shops and news stands, or find the local popular classified advertising service and post an ad online. Make sure you always meet respondents in public spaces, such as cafés or bookstores, to stay safe.
In addition to the Spanish Ministry of Education, research organizations and agencies in different Spanish-speaking countries before you decide where you want to go. Exploring Abroad posts English teaching positions based in Argentina, the Dominican Republic, Chile and Mexico. Language Corps offers TESOL -- Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages -- courses for around $1,000 and help students with job placements in Latin America upon completion of the course. A TESOL or ESL certification boosts your job prospects -- these certifications teach students a methodology and give students expertise in teaching English to Spanish speakers.
Once you decide on a country where you will travel to work and learn Spanish, research the country's local culture and customs. Find out about the national cuisine, popular hobbies and activities and the local work habits and norms. Learn the name of the country's leader and find out what type of government runs the country and the country's political controversies. You can make stronger connections with people if you show them that you know something about your newly adopted country. For example, almost everyone knows about tasty tacos, but you can make an impression on new acquaintances with your knowledge of chapulines -- roasted grasshoppers from Oaxaca. Cuisines differ markedly throughout Latin America, from Mexican tortillas to Argentinean and Chilean asados to Peruvian blackened chicken. Soccer -- or fútbol -- is a passion for many sports fans in Latin America and Spain. Find out popular players' names and follow the team's progress throughout the season, and you'll have plenty to talk about once you arrive.
