So you are graduating from college with a teaching certificate—or any degree, for that matter---and can’t find a job. What’s more, you want a little adventure in your life, maybe a chance to see the world, experience new cultures, develop self-confidence and world savvy.

Teaching English conversation in China or Korea—or a host of other developing countries--might be your ticket to all these things and a pretty good standard of living, too.

The language of diplomacy and commerce around the world is now American English. I make that distinction for a reason. In the past, British English was the standard for English language instruction around the world, but in the last decade or so, American English has risen to pre-eminence. In China and Korea, for example, while other teachers of English may be hired, American teachers are the most sought after. And when I use the word “teachers,” I do not necessarily mean people trained to teach or with ESL (English as a Second Language) training. More often, the host school/family is simply looking for a native speaker with a post-high school degree who is willing to help students learn conversational English.

Most countries now require English language instruction as part of the regular school curriculum, usually starting in the primary grades. By high school, students are expected to take advanced courses in order to pass required tests for admission into university programs: the better the student’s performance, the better the university and career available to the student. Tremendous pressure rests on the shoulders of Asian students to perform well and get into those prestigious programs. That means not only the schools and universities are looking for teachers, but small language schools and even parents are looking to host native English speakers to work for them.

A young lady I know, just after graduating from high school, went to Seoul, South Korea, to learn Korean. While walking on the street, the very first day in Seoul, she was approached by a Korean woman and offered an English language tutoring job paying $100 per hour. Of course, she took the job, made very good money, and found her own study of Korean aided by interactions with the Korean family and their friends.

In Fuxin, China, my student teachers were frequently approached by families and small language schools, asking them to teach their children American English. Chinese parents see English language proficiency as a way for children to get ahead in their studies and perhaps their future careers. A number of these teachers have returned to China or Korea to teacher because they liked the culture so much and found the people so friendly. All have been “adopted” by a Chinese or Korean host family.

Of course, this is may not happen to everyone who just drops into these countries, but it does illustrate how eager parents in at least these two countries are to find native English speakers to give their children an edge over other children. Moreover, because both of these countries’ economies are expanding (even with the recent economic crisis), many parents and schools have the money to hire tutors and teachers from abroad.

In this same vein, the South Korean government is assisting public schools hire native speakers to assist in classrooms at all levels. There is even a trend developing to create more English-only schools in the country; that is, schools where all subjects are taught in English rather than in Korean.

And the compensation offers are fairly lucrative. Most include airfare to and from the host country, transfers to the town/city where the school is located, room and board, a good stipend (generally more than the average native teacher is paid—depending on your qualification, of course), and opportunities for travel and sightseeing within the host country.

A little bit of a warning, however: some countries, like China, have a very different sense of cleanliness and hygiene from America. Therefore, although you will find this changing in the larger cities, you will most likely be required to adjust your standards in order to find a comfort. However, once you do, you will find it fairly easy to meet people, to explore the culture, and to make lasting friendships. Personally, I have found the Chinese and Koreans I have met to be both generous and kind hosts. They are eager to make exchange guests in their countries comfortable and welcome.

So if you are looking for adventure in a totally different culture, your best opportunity might just lie in teaching in China or Korea. And to make the process easier, connect to a good website that can connect you directly with families and schools who are eager to host a native American English speaker to help their children master the English langauge.