Know Before You Go

One of the primary reasons people move overseas is the opportunity to travel and see exotic places. This is easiest to do in small countries, because just across the boarder is an entirely different culture. This is also easiest in less developed countries - everything is cheaper and a teacher will be earning more, so he or she will have more money for travel.

Guide Books
There are so many places to visit when living in a different country that the challenge is often just having enough time to see everything you want to. Before you go to a country, to visit or to live, one of the first things you should do is purchase a travel guide book. With inside information about where to go, when to go, what to see, where to eat, sleep, or buy perfect souvenir, and how not to get lost, swindled, or worse, nothing can beat an excellent guide book you can take with you everywhere.

Weekend Adventures
Teachers overseas don't have to wait for school holidays to travel. The location of most schools allow teachers to make weekend trips to see nearby sites, visit friends in other cities, or take advantage of activities available in their host country. From your home in Indonesia, fly to Bali for a weekend getaway on the beach. If you're in Beijing, spend a Saturday afternoon strolling along the Great Wall of China. If you're in Gaborone, Botswana, drive with friends to Victoria Falls for a hike. Or, from Bratislava, Slovakia, take a 45 minute train ride across the Austrian boarder and visit Vienna. Be sure to book your hotel online before you go for the best rate and most reputable hotels. Be wary of deals that seem too good to be true when booking directly with a hotel... they are often not quite as expected.

Further Afield
If you have a few weeks to spend somewhere, maximize your enjoyment and save money at the same time, by renting a short-term apartment instead of staying in a hotel. You can share the cost with friends, cook your own meals, and use it as base for exploring the region. Or, if you're traveling during the summer, look for a university in your destination city and see if they rent out their unoccupied dorm rooms.