Depending on where you want to go, you can find work pretty easy in South America.  I lived in California before coming to Peru and then later moving to Brazil.  Its where I´ve lived since 1995 and love it!  

Yes I have seen TEFL.com briefly. I've just heard different things about different courses, but I'm sure in the end it will all work out. I'm thinking about starting with one of the internships once I finish my degree in May as I will also be done with my 140 hours way beyond that. I will have time to do research though and figure it out. Thanks again for all the advice!! It was very helpful and appreciated ! :) 

Honestly, I don't. The 2 week classroom course has the serious draw back that you don't teach real students ever, you are still only teaching other TEFL teachers. The observed teaching practice of real students is what employers look for. 

I think Spain is possibly a better option for Americans than Italy. They are seeking native speakers more aggressively over there. The Trinity or the CELTA are just over £1000, depending a little on where you do them, plus books. As for intense, it is 4 weeks working pretty much all the time. When I was doing mine I took an evening off for my Aunts birthday, but other than that I worked pretty much every day from 9am-6pm in school then 8pm-12am at home. I loved it, and I wasn't really struggling, but you learn a LOT in a very short time. Weekends were slightly less intense, but I'd still say I did at least 3 hours each day, with a lot more some weekends.

Have you seen tefl.com, they are what I use to work out what sort of things employers in different countries are looking for (and offer in return).

Mahalath - Thanks for the detailed post! It was very helpful! 

I'm currently doing the 140 hour online course, which I know you said was a drawback without the experience. I was thinking about switching to the combined - so I can do the 4 week online course and then get the 2 week in-class prep.  course as well. Do you think it will be that much more benefitial and worth the money???  I'm still finishing my 4 year degree so the online course was really my only option due to time and finances. I just hope it doesn't set me back too much. - How much more intense and expensive is the Trinity course??

That's very unfortunately to hear about Europe! I'll try not to get to discouraged though. I'm not 100% sure where I'd want to go. I'm still weighing all my options but possibly Italy or Spain. 

Thank you again! I really appreciate the feedback :)! 

Hi, I saw your post on the discussion boards, but I'm not a member of that group so I couldn't reply. TESOL and TEFL are both acronyms for pretty much the same thing (Teching English as a Foreign Language, or TEFL, deals specifically with teaching English in a country where the first language is something different whereas TESOL, teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages is more general, and includes both TEFL and TESL (Teaching English as a Second Language) which involves teaching English to people who don't speak it yet live in an English speaking country). Sorry, it is really confusing! 

As for courses, you basically have 4 choices:
1. The weekend course- Cheap, good as a taster, but will not really prepare you for what is coming or help your CV.
2. The online course - This is what is provided by i-to-i, and it is a fairly long course but without the experience of teaching real students, which is a big drawback for employers. It is nearly always good enough for entry level positions in Asia and South America, but then so is no TEFL course. I would say this is really for you rather than your CV, although of course, it does show willing and might put you above other candidates if there is lots of competition for a job (although in South Korea, for example, where I am, there rarely is).
3. The 4 week intesive course - Most notable and recommended amoung the providers are CELTA and Trinity TESOL. I did a Trinity TESOL course, and I think they are both pretty much the same, with the exception that the Trinity course is for all ages and the CELTA is geared towards teaching adults (but will in no way preclude you from getting a job teaching children). I chose the Trinity because they offered it in my home town. This is the minimum that a lot of employers ask for in Europe, even of EU citizens, so if this is somewhere you seriously want to work, you need to get it. The disadvantage is that it is quite expensive and incredibly hard work.
4. A degree in TESOL - Obviously this is quite a hard core option. You could either do an MA or a BSc, but honestly, for your first job I probably don't recommend it!

As for Americans teaching in Europe, unfortunately, it is really difficult to find jobs. Most people want to hire EU citizens, and because America makes it so hard for people to work there, unfortunately pretty much every other country in the world does the same back to America! However, I have seen certain programmes in certain countries that have been advertising for Americans specifically. It is well worth trolling job boards, but these jobs will be in demand, so you will definitely need your 4 weeks intensive course to do these.

Hope that helps! Where in Europe were you thinking of going? 

Hi,

Im based Manchester way so will be doing everything up here. After I have finished I'll head Asia way. Not 100% decided where to yet, I'll seriously look and think once I'm further along the course :)

Good luck with your course! 

Hey Martin! 

Awesome, are you doing the in-class prep in London?? 

Thailand was awesome! The country is beautiful and the culture is very different but it makes for a great experience. I was only there for ten days though. I spent most of my time in Australia and headed to Thailand before I came back to the US. I would love to get back though at some point. It's definitely worth checking out :). Are you considering teaching there? 

Hey Veronica,

Ive just started the 140hrs combined. I hope to head Asia way once I have finished. 

What was Thailand like?

Regards,

Martin