People are central to the ELIC story. We exist because we care about the people we serve and the teachers we send. We think of them like family. So what does it look like to take care of this family? This question drives how we think about member care for our teachers, equipping them to thrive and serve their local communities well.
Our teachers are supported through their entire journey, starting before they decide to go with us and continuing through their transition back into their passport country. If you are considering teaching overseas, this will give you an overview of what to expect with ELIC. Click on the links throughout for more information about specific services.
Before You Leave
Support for your journey starts before you even commit to go! You'll connect one-on-one with a member of our Candidate Care Team as you go through the application process. They'll work with you to address questions and concerns and help you get to know ELIC to discern if we'll be a good fit for you.
Once you commit, you’ll have regular calls with your Candidate Advisor where they'll provide coaching, help you set goals, and check in on how you’re doing overall as you get ready to transition into your new life. You’ll also have access to online resources and onboarding materials to help you prepare.
Before you leave, you'll receive extensive pre-field training including how to navigate the org's support resources, a master's-level TESOL certification to equip you for the classroom, cultural training, and more.
Living Overseas
Many ELIC resources focus on the time you spend overseas. Whether it's for a year or a couple of decades, flourishing and sustainability in your overseas life are high priorities.
Sending new teachers into existing, supportive teams is a core strategy to ease the transition into a new country. Your teammates will already know the ropes, and they'll help you get your home set up, learn to navigate your city, and provide a home base for community so you're not starting from scratch.
Each region has designated Member Care Specialists who connect with teachers regularly. These global workers have years of experience teaching with ELIC. They understand the challenges of life as a cross-cultural teacher firsthand. The support and resources they provide mean that someone is right there with you as you experience the personal growth that comes with the territory of living in the beautiful, challenging places where we teach.
Professional development is also an important part of equipping teachers to thrive long-term, so ELIC partners with several universities to offer discounted online master's degrees that you can complete from your host country. With this Master's+ program, you'll be ready to advance your career as master's degrees become more and more necessary for higher-level teaching jobs.
Whether you start your overseas career with a family or build one along the way, the Family Resource Team pulls together experience, research, and understanding from ELIC families and beyond so that you are well equipped to help your kids thrive in the unique life of a TCK (Third Culture Kid).
As you explore your host country, learn the language, work hard in the service of students and colleagues, and invest in your local community, the home office will be working for you in the background. Our Global Support Services team will help with logistics like visas and insurance and keep an eye on safety concerns in your region. The Communications team will help you stay connected with friends and family in your passport country. The Finance team will help you navigate fiscal health across cultures. There are all kinds of challenges associated with cross-cultural life and work, and you will have a team at your back as you tackle each one.
When You Return
Re-entry into your passport country comes with its own set of difficulties—things like reverse culture shock and leaving the team and community you've belonged to overseas. It is important to have support from people who understand as you navigate this transition. To help with this, you'll spend some time on the Alumni Bridge with access to debriefing resources and retreats, coaching, and classes to help you adjust back to life in your country of origin.
Thriving in another culture as an educator overseas is no small feat, but just ask our teachers—it is absolutely worth it for the beautiful experience of building a cross-cultural community and the impact on you, your team, and your friends in your host country. You'll grow in ways you never imagined and come away knowing you have made a difference in your students' lives.
We are passionate about seeing you succeed, and we'll be here to equip and support you however we can.
