It was my first time leaving North America. I was 18 and so excited for the experiences waiting on the other side of that journey. Dallas to Brussels, Brussels to Paris. It all sounded so glamorous! I was a world traveler! As soon as the wheels lifted off the ground on that last flight, I felt my stomach drop (and not from turbulence). 

Language is at the center of nearly every part of life. Whether the words roll off the tongue or flow from fingertips tapping at a keyboard, they are essential to the way we express, relate, and collaborate to get things done. 

It’s never easy to step into a new opportunity, but as you venture out of your comfort zone, you’ll gain much more than you’d ever imagine. Living and teaching overseas is like a real-life master’s class in personal and professional development. A teacher from Laos shares her top 10 reasons that she’s forever changed by teaching overseas: 

Anndrea Scroggins