ITP - 004: Motivations for Teaching Overseas

Greg: Welcome to the International Teacher Podcast with your host, Greg the single guy and Matt the family guy. We’re recording episodes from around the globe to tell you about the best-kept secret in education. That’s right—it’s teaching overseas. We’re glad to have you.

Matt: Hey, ladies and gentlemen—international teachers, would-be international teachers, family, friends, and potential sponsors—welcome to Episode 4 of the International Teacher Podcast. This is Matt, the family guy.

Matt: And I’m here with my co-host, Greg the single guy. Greg, how are you doing today?

Greg: I’m doing great. I can’t wait for this episode, Matt—this is going to be fun.

Matt: Greg, we’ve received an overwhelming amount of positive feedback for the podcast so far.

Matt: What’s probably the strangest thing you’ve heard related to the podcast since we started?

Greg: Well… my mom hasn’t called me since the last episode. I think I said something wrong.

Matt: Yeah… I think you’re in the doghouse.

Greg: Yeah, probably. It’s usually a short stay.

Matt: I think the coolest part for me has been people randomly stopping me in the hallway quoting things from the podcast. It’s like—oh wow, people are actually listening.

Greg: Same here. People I haven’t talked to in years are reaching out—friends from China, people coming out of the woodwork.

Matt: Quick reminder—if you’ve got ideas, questions, or complaints—complaints go to Greg—you can reach us at [internationalteacherpodcast@gmail.com](mailto:internationalteacherpodcast@gmail.com).

Matt: And we’re on Instagram at ITPexpats.

Greg: We are officially on Instagram. What kind of pictures are we putting up there?

Matt: NASA photos, your swim outfit, my bright orange housecoat… the classics.

Greg: We look good.

Matt: Not going to lie.

Matt: So for Episode 4, we want to talk about motivations—why go overseas? Benefits, drawbacks, and what people don’t think about.

Matt: Greg, we came into this from different paths. What was your motivation?

Greg: I heard about teaching overseas at a cocktail party—and that was it. I was in. I went to a job fair knowing I was leaving with a job. I wasn’t staying home.

Greg: I’m a traveler. Teaching is the career—but this lets you combine teaching with travel. Still—you’re a teacher first.

Matt: For me, I was burned out. Ready to quit teaching. My girlfriend Stacy suggested we try overseas.

Matt: I had no idea how much it would change my life.

Greg: So you just wanted change.

Matt: Yeah—professionally. I was stuck. Same school, same classroom, same routine.

Greg: I’ve got a friend—same building, 20 years. Same everything.

Matt: I get that. I hit that “Groundhog Day” phase. Great school—but repetition I couldn’t handle anymore.

Greg: That’s the push—change. But leaving isn’t easy.

Matt: Yeah—you leave family, comfort, everything.

Greg: But most people can do it.

Matt: I came from a small town in southern Minnesota. If I can do it, most people can.

Greg: And we had different backgrounds—you had roots, I didn’t. But both paths lead here.

Greg: Let’s talk benefits—what’s a big one?

Matt: Financial.

Matt: Teachers in the U.S. struggle. Overseas—it depends on the country, but cost of living changes everything.

Matt: Even if salaries are lower in places like Latin America, you can still save depending on lifestyle.

Greg: My first job in Honduras—$12,000 a year. But I had a maid, a car, traveled every weekend, dove monthly, and still saved money.

Matt: That’s the key—what you save, not what you make.

Greg: Housing is often included or subsidized—that’s huge.

Matt: And lifestyle—nannies, drivers, gardeners. Not everywhere—but in many places.

Greg: Europe is different—higher cost of living, fewer of those perks.

Matt: It’s always salary vs cost of living vs quality of life.

Greg: Interview tip—don’t just ask salary. Ask full package.

Matt: That determines your life—and your savings.

Greg: And it varies wildly. Some places you live like a king, others not so much.

Matt: And families too—singles, couples, kids—it all works differently.

Greg: All right—travel.

Matt: Venezuela is a perfect example.

Matt: We were on tourist visas, so every 90 days we had to leave the country for 48 hours.

Greg: And the school paid us.

Matt: Paid us to travel. First time—like $1,500 each.

Greg: Felt like winning the lottery.

Matt: We went to Miami—my first time in Florida. And after 90 days in Venezuela—no power, no water sometimes—you needed that break.

Greg: That’s not every country—but travel becomes part of the lifestyle.

Matt: And beyond that—you just travel more.

Matt: Bocas del Toro in Panama—scuba and surfing.

The Galapagos—liveaboard for a week. New island every day.

The Maldives—five times with my family.

Greg: Five times is aggressive.

Matt: It’s that good.

Matt: Caribbean, Europe, Middle East—we’ve been all over. Still have a list—Singapore, Amsterdam, Korea.

Greg: Your passport becomes your ID.

Matt: I memorized my passport number years ago.

Greg: And you’re still flying.

Matt: It becomes normal.

Greg: Your kids too?

Matt: Yeah—they’ve grown up in airports. Carry-ons, lines—they know the drill.

Greg: That’s a different life.

Matt: Totally. Now they want to go to Greece for history.

Greg: That’s the payoff—you give them the world.

Greg: And then culture and language.

Matt: Most schools are in English—but you live in another language.

Greg: People approach it differently.

Matt: Some learn nothing. Some go all in. I learned colors, numbers, and a few choice words.

Greg: Essentials.

Matt: First week in Venezuela—I tried ordering bacon. “Tiene bacon?” plus pig noises.

Greg: Solid strategy.

Matt: The butcher was not amused. Then a guy saved me in English. Even then—I got corrected repeatedly.

Greg: That’s how you learn.

Matt: Same in Honduras—you struggle, then they answer in perfect English.

Greg: Humbling.

Matt: But if you try, people respect it.

Greg: And language opens doors.

Matt: I wish I had pushed more—connecting with local staff would’ve been amazing.

Greg: I did more of that—weekends with locals, no English. Totally different experience.

Greg: And then sports.

Matt: Sports connects everything.

Matt: In Venezuela, I joined a local softball team in a barrio.

Greg: That’s already chaos.

Matt: Packed crowd—300–400 people. They thought I was a pro.

First pitch—home run.

Greg: Of course.

Matt: Absolute chaos—beer flying, sirens, people chasing me down the baseline.

Greg: You’re a legend.

Matt: Pretty sure there’s a statue somewhere.

Greg: Probably.

Matt: After that—I was in. People taking photos, coming into the dugout.

Greg: That doesn’t happen at home.

Matt: No chance.

Greg: And pro sports too.

Matt: Venezuela—MLB players everywhere. Magglio Ordóñez, Asdrúbal Cabrera, Eduardo Escobar.

Greg: Casual.

Matt: We’d go to games, then walk into locker areas, talk to players.

Greg: I remember—you pointing out players like, “he plays for Milwaukee,” and I had no clue.

Matt: Meanwhile you’re looking at the crowd.

Greg: Different priorities.

Matt: But that access—that’s unique.

Greg: Same with soccer in Honduras—fences between fans, riot gear, insane atmosphere.

Matt: Kids running around getting drinks, food—completely different setup.

Greg: And that’s how you connect with locals.

Matt: Even if you don’t speak the language—shared passion.

Greg: Exactly.

Greg: We could go forever on this.

Matt: Yeah—we’ve gone way off track.

Greg: But that’s the point.

Matt: Financial, respect, travel, culture, language, experiences—that’s why people go.

Greg: And why they stay.

Matt: We’ll hit more topics later—like professional development.

Greg: Reach out—[internationalteacherpodcast@gmail.com](mailto:internationalteacherpodcast@gmail.com).

Matt: Or Instagram—ITPexpats.

Greg: I’m Greg, the single guy.

Matt: I’m Matt, the family guy.

Greg: And this is the International Teacher Podcast.

Greg: We’ll see you next time.