TESOL course in Cambodia – what to expect

Have you been thinking about doing a TESOL course in Cambodia, but are unsure what to expect and where to do it? In this blog post, I’ll share my view on what to expect and the best place in Cambodia to do your TESOL, based on my personal experience.

What does TESOL mean?

First, let’s start with the basics. ‘TESOL’ is an acronym. It stands for Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. People like you and I do a TESOL course to learn how to teach English to students who are not native English speakers. In the TESOL training industry, there are essentially two types of courses: 1. those that are government-regulated and legitimate ESL teaching qualifications that come with worldwide recognition, and 2. diploma mill courses that might look enticing on a website page or in flashy videos but carry no academic weight.

What to expect from a TESOL course

Assuming you go down the legitimate path, refer to point one above; you can expect to acquire the knowledge, skills and government-regulated TESOL certification you need to secure a job teaching English in Cambodia or another country.

Your TESOL course in Cambodia will not be a ‘walk in the park’. Just as the provider of your TESOL course has responsibilities and obligations, for instance, delivering on job placement if promised from the outset, you’ll also have responsibilities and obligations. You’ll need to give your TESOL course your ‘best shot’. Professionally going about your business will be a core requirement from day one. Being realistic and adaptable will be expected. The entirety of your TESOL course will be one of those times in your life when you need to listen to the experts who deliver the training.

We’ve canvassed what to expect from the actual TESOL course – skills, knowledge, government-regulated certification and ‘hard yards’ – but what else can you expect given that the study programme doesn’t take place in a vacuum? You’ll be pleased to learn that your TESOL course in Cambodia won’t be ‘all work and no play’!

During your TESOL course, you’ll have ample time to explore Cambodia’s stunning landscapes and meet many amazing people, locals, classmates, and other folks who share your passion for adventure. The cost of living in Cambodia is a fraction of what it is in western countries, so your money will go further. I’m certain you’ll adore the food – think fresh seafood, crispy baguettes, and delectable fruits dripping with sweetness.

Cambodia has a rich culture and history. There are plenty of things to see and do – and getting around is cheap and relatively easy. Travelling to Cambodia for any reason, whether to do a TESOL course or otherwise, must include visiting the World Heritage listed Angkor Wat Temple, located a few kilometres outside of Siem Reap. It’s in the same ‘league’ as the Pyramids of Egypt, in my opinion, and I’ve had the good fortune to visit both.   

Where to do your TESOL course

If you agree with the idea that it’s better to do a legitimate, government-regulated TESOL course in Cambodia, as distinct from a ‘diploma-mill’ course, check out the AVSE-TESOL website: www.avse.edu.vn

The TESOL course at AVSE-TESOL is accredited by the Australian Government. It’s equivalent to Cambridge University’s CELTA programme. Skills, knowledge and government-regulated TESOL certification – you will find all three and a lot more at AVSE-TESOL. Here’s a snapshot of what’s included: 150 hours of ESL teacher training over four weeks, 14 hours of practical teaching experience with actual ESL classes in a real school environment, certification under the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF), 25 nights’ accommodation within walking distance of the training location – and hands-on job support in AVSE-TESOL’s extensive network of partner schools located the length and breadth of Cambodia.  

While the Australian Government accreditation says something about the quality of AVSE’s TESOL course, it’s the practical dimension of the programme and the meaningful job support that people rave above.

What are you waiting for? Start your adventure in Cambodia today and see where it takes you!

Conclusion

At the beginning of this post, I mentioned that I’d share my view on what to expect with your TESOL course in Cambodia – and where to do it. You can expect to acquire the skills, knowledge and certification needed to get a job and be a decent English language teacher, but you’ll need to ‘put your shoulder to the grindstone’. You can also expect time available to take in the best of what Cambodia offers. If you plan to go down the ‘legit’ path with accreditation and the like, I drew on my personal experience and suggested that the AVSE-TESOL programme in Cambodia is worth checking out.

About the blogger: Originally from Little Rock, Arkansas, Meg Innis has spent the past four years teaching English in Cambodia, Vietnam and most recently in South Korea. She’s an intrepid traveller who is always looking for the next teaching destination.

TESOL course in Cambodia – how to check if it’s ‘legit’

If you’re looking to do a TESOL course in Cambodia, no doubt the internet will be your first port of call. By doing a Google search for ‘TESOL course in Cambodia’, ‘TEFL in Phnom Penh‘, ‘teaching jobs in Cambodia‘ or similar, you’ll find page after page of TESOL/TEFL providers who want you to sign on the dotted line – and quickly!

The reality is that not all TESOL courses are the same. There are brilliant TESOL courses, mediocre TESOL courses, dubious TESOL courses and a bunch of downright ‘shockers’. In this blog post, I’ll illuminate three key elements that should be part of your due diligence before you part with your hard-earned money on a TESOL course in Cambodia. First, is the course ‘nationally’ recognised? Second, does the course include a sizable, practical teaching component that: a) offers a mix of teaching experiences; and b) is critically assessed? Third, does the course come with meaningful, ‘hands-on’ job support?

If a TESOL course that has caught your attention fails on any of the three elements that I have identified, I’d suggest that you give it a miss and resume your search. Let’s look at ‘nationally recognised’, ‘practical teaching component’ and meaningful ‘job support’ in more detail.

Nationally recognised

AVSE’s TESOL course in Cambodia, is an excellent example of a study programme that’s nationally recognised (in Australia) and therefore meets a key criterion to be internationally recognised. On the homepage of the AVSE website ( www.avse.edu.vn ), you’ll see:

• the logo of the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF), the umbrella entity for nationally recognised training in Australia;
• the AQF course code for the TESOL programme that AVSE delivers in Cambodia; and
• information about AVSE’s Registered Training Organisation (RTO) status in Australia (RTO: 45373). Only RTOs in Australia have the authority to deliver nationally recognised study programmes within the Australian Qualifications Framework, onshore or offshore.

Your TESOL course in Cambodia must be nationally recognised in the home country of the TESOL provider. To folks who know about these matters, it makes perfect sense that a course – and related certification – that’s not nationally recognised cannot be internationally recognised. Understandably, most people can’t be bothered with this level of detail. I get it, but I’d remind you that teaching is a profession and paying customers – English language students and their families – have a right to believe that their teacher holds a legitimate, nationally recognised teaching qualification. In a nutshell, if you invest in a TESOL course that’s ‘accredited’ by a self-appointed accrediting entity that supposedly lives in a mailbox in the Bahamas, or similar, there’s a good chance that the certificate you hold will carry the value of the paper and ink that was used in the printing process.

Sadly, around 80% of TESOL courses and related ‘certificates’ worldwide, including face-to-face and online courses, offer bogus qualifications. Bogus in the sense that the certificate isn’t nationally recognised and therefore cannot be internationally recognised, despite what the provider tells you – and how aesthetically pleasing the videos, promotional material and the certificate might be. Watch out for ‘weasel words’ such as ‘our certificate is accepted’. ‘Accepted’ isn’t a synonym for legitimate. 

Apart from reviewing a TESOL provider’s website, how can you tell if the study programme is ‘nationally recognised’? It’s easy – if you know where to look. Every developed country in the world – and the lion’s share of developing countries – has a national qualifications framework and related accreditation authorities mandated by law. In Australia, the principal entity is the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF). In South Africa, it’s the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA). In the United States, you’ll find nationally recognised training and related qualifications on the US Department of Education website ( https://www.ed.gov/accreditation ) and on the Council for Higher Education Accreditation website ( https://www.chea.org/ ). In the United Kingdom, it’s a tad more complicated, but when you drill down, it’s four entities – Ofqual, Qualifications Wales, The Council for the Curriculum & Assessment in Northern Ireland and the Scottish Qualifications Authority. Click here and you will see pertinent information about which entities can accredit ‘non-degree’ qualifications in the United Kingdom – including TESOL Certification.

Here’s some homework for you. If you already hold a TESOL certificate, take 5 minutes and check if it’s nationally recognised. If you’re not sure after checking yourself, reach out to AVSE-TESOL and we’ll give you a straight answer supported by documented facts. 

Practical teaching component

Quality TESOL courses include a minimum of 6 hours of critically assessed teaching practice, with exposure to various ages and skill levels. The TESOL course in Cambodia at AVSE-TESOL includes a minimum of 14 hours of practical experience with two distinct components, observation classes and physically teaching ‘real’ classes. The ‘observation’ component requires TESOL trainees to ‘shadow’ an experienced ESL teacher plying their trade for a minimum of six hours. Once the observation classes have been checked off, the TESOL trainee moves to the critically assessed teaching practice classes. TESOL trainees at AVSE-TESOL teach a minimum of two 60-minute classes and three 120-minute classes (8 hours in total), with classes one, two and three being critically assessed. If a TESOL student feels that they’d benefit from additional teaching practice classes to build confidence – or for any other reason – this can easily be arranged with one of AVSE’s partner schools. 

As the words suggest, ‘Practical teaching’ involves experience with ‘real’ students in a ‘real’ classroom environment. The idea is that you put into practice what you’ve learnt during your TESOL course and receive feedback. In a nutshell, under supervision from a qualified teacher, you give this ESL teaching caper your best shot. You hope to ‘swim like an Olympian’ during teaching practice classes, but the reality is that many newbies ‘dog-paddle’ – and others meet the same fate as the Titanic. It doesn’t matter if you’re an Olympian or have things in common with ‘Fido next door’ or Leonardo DiCaprio; teaching practice is about making a genuine effort, accepting that mistakes will happen and showing commitment to doing better next time.

While the direct experience and feedback that teaching practice affords are pivotal to skill development, this phase of a quality TESOL course is also an opportunity to show your skills to a potential employer. Anecdotally, 70% of trainees enrolled in the TESOL course in Cambodia at AVSE, are employed by the school where they did their teaching practice classes.

Job support

There’s ‘job support’ that’s fluff on a website page and there’s meaningful, hands-on job support. Most TESOL providers advertise that their programme comes with job support, but you’d be well-advised to ‘drill down’ on the meaning of the words. What will the TESOL provider do to help you land that all-important first teaching job? Where does the job support process start and finish?

If the job support consists of emailing en masse a CV that you prepared – without local input – you could be excused for feeling that you’ve been short-changed. With this scenario, the provider is doing nothing more than you can do yourself – and you could probably do it quicker. The ‘scatter-gun’ approach is, at best, tokenism.

Meaningful job support is a strategic and multi-faceted process that requires input from folks who know the local market. Job support from your TESOL provider, at a minimum, must include assistance with:

• Preparing a CV that reflects local requirements;
• Producing a short video that will allow prospective employers to see and hear from you;
• Critically assessed mock interviews with typical questions;
• Background information on the local job market – hours, salary, holidays, professional development opportunities; and
• Direct referrals to a specific person at a school within the TESOL provider’s network. 

Here’s one other point for consideration under ‘Job support’. If the course that you’ve enrolled in is not ‘nationally accredited’ – and therefore not internationally recognised – all the job support ‘under the sun’ won’t make up for the fact that you hold a qualification that doesn’t stack up and have dud certification, akin to what you’d buy from a ‘diploma mill.

Holding a ‘TESOL certificate’ that literally carries the value of a single sheet of paper, doesn’t mean that you won’t get a job. As they say, “you can fool some of the people some of the time, but not all of the people all of the time”. There are enough folks out there issuing Work Permits (Public Servants) and shonky employers (schools) that don’t care about legitimate certification, don’t know what’s legitimate and what’s not – and in some cases – don’t care and don’t know.

Doing a legitimate TESOL course in the first place will substantially reduce the likelihood that you’ll be knocking on the door of less reputable schools when the time comes to nail that all-important, first teaching job.

Conclusion

Forming a view on whether your preferred TESOL course in Cambodia is legitimate or just another ‘Diploma Mill’ charging a premium for a certificate that carries zero value, involves a bit of research. Before you sign up for a TESOL course in Cambodia, make sure: 1. It’s nationally accredited – and therefore likely to come with international recognition; 2. the course includes a sizable teaching practice component that provides exposure to different ages and skill levels and 3. you’ll receive meaningful job support once you’ve completed the programme. If you make a point of doing thorough due diligence on these three elements, you’ll be well-placed to hit the ground running as an ESL teacher in Cambodia or elsewhere in the world. Good luck!

About the writer: Peter Goudge is the Managing Director and owner of AVSE-TESOL in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Phnom Penh and Online. Peter has been living and working in Southeast Asia for the past 15 years. If you’d like to know more about teaching jobs in Cambodia (or Vietnam), check out the AVSE website: www.avse.edu.vn

Doing a TESOL Course in Cambodia comes with challenges

If you’re looking to be challenged, the Australian Government-accredited, in-class TESOL course at AVSE-TESOL in Cambodia (Phnom Penh) will ‘suit you to a T’. The coursework will challenge you; there’s a lot to get through in under four weeks. The local environment will also challenge you. Cambodia can be hard work. It’s really hot and dirty, and you’ll have abject poverty in your face. As an ESL teacher, there’s also ‘wall to wall’ kids. Collectively, the challenges that come with doing a TESOL course in Cambodia and carving out a teaching career might seem like a good reason to avoid the place. However, I’d argue that the challenges Cambodia presents for ESL teachers are why you should go there. If you wanted ‘same same’, presumably, you’d stay home.

Personally, it’s the ‘wall to wall’ kids that I found to be the most challenging during my first few months in Cambodia. I went to Cambodia naively thinking I’d teach adults. However, it quickly became apparent that 90% of the ESL teaching opportunities in Phnom Penh and elsewhere in Cambodia involve young learners, 4 to 17 years of age. While it all worked out fine for me, my TESOL course in Cambodia at AVSE-TESOL was excellent, and I grew to love teaching kids, I wanted to share my thoughts and a few kid-related tips for newcomers.   

Your exposure to Cambodian kids will go well beyond your work as an English language teacher, where you’ll be pulled, pushed, pinched, whacked, jumped on and the like. Cambodia is a developing country where abject poverty is on display for everyone to see. Poverty leads to kids (and adults) living on the street, begging for money and engaging in petty crime. Kids in the classroom, kids in the streets and laneways, kids down by the riverside in Phnom Penh, kids working in jobs that an adult would ordinarily do – no big deal, right? It is a big deal if you naturally shy away from kids. It can be an even bigger deal if you naturally gravitate towards kids and people get the wrong idea.

Here are some kid-related tips given to me by a fellow Brit who’d been teaching in Cambodia for six or so years when I first met him shortly after I arrived in Cambodia. The tips held me in good stead throughout my TESOL course in Cambodia and during my 12-month teaching stint.  

Kids in the classroom

As much as humanly possible, keep kids seated throughout a lesson. When they start wandering around in a classroom, disturbing you and their classmates, trouble inevitably happens. During my TESOL course in Cambodia, I was given a range of proactive and reactive strategies to reduce the likelihood of kids wandering around. Make sure your lesson plan contains a mix of short, sharp learning activities, have plenty of backup activities, so the students are always occupied, set class rules from the outset and clue up on non-verbal cues to manage your class. Most importantly, don’t touch a student anywhere or at any time and don’t pick them up like you would with your child. Why? First, they’re not your child. Second, you are leaving yourself open for unfounded accusations. If you’re reviewing work, do it from the side rather than the back. If a student wants to give you a high-five or similar, make it an imaginary high-five.  

Avoid giving free English lessons to kids

After you’ve completed your TESOL course in Cambodia, all being well, you’ll be working as a professional ESL teacher at a school within days; such is the demand. Whether you’re working in Phnom Penh or elsewhere in Cambodia, you’ll hold an esteemed position in the local community. In part due to the respect you’ll command, there will be all kinds of invitations to help local kids with their English outside of a regular school environment, often voluntarily. As a kind-hearted soul, your first inclination may be to ‘help out’. Unfortunately, from my observations, this kind of situation nearly always ends up in tears due to unrealistic expectations, changing circumstances and lack of professional distance – right through to dealing with false accusations and legal problems. It’s simply not worth the grief. If you feel the need to help local people outside of the classroom environment, best to donate to a reputable charity and leave it at that. Avoid giving free English classes.

Kids are not a tourist attraction

You might be surprised to learn that there are travel companies in Phnom Penh organising tours for westerners to visit poor families, orphanages and the like. While I am sure tours of this kind are a source of much-needed funds – and most of the participants are well-meaning, it’s a bizarre practice and a good example of ‘Only in Cambodia’. Exhibiting kids like we exhibit animals in a zoo is demeaning and probably violates fundamental human rights. Most people in a developed country, parents in the UK, for example, would be appalled if their child’s kindergarten group was ‘displayed’ or required to sing a cute song for a busload of foreign tourists. Give this kind of activity a miss.

Don’t give money to kids

If you give money to a student, he (or she) will tell their parents, school friends and others. Through a simple Google search, you’ll see that Cambodia has a sad history of attracting foreigners with their own agenda, who were happy to give money to kids. Being tarred with the same ‘deviant’ brush will, at a minimum, end your teaching career, and you’ll have your face on the front page of newspapers far and wide – even if your intentions were noble.

Like most English language teachers, you’re almost certainly a kind-hearted soul by nature. Imagine you’re on a day off from your TESOL course in Cambodia, and checking out a tourist site. There’s a scruffy-looking kid who asks you for $1.00. Will you give the kid some money? By handing over money when confronted with this kind of scenario, you’re essentially encouraging the child to continue begging. ‘Working’ as a beggar doesn’t leave much time for schooling, markedly increasing the likelihood of a lifetime of vulnerability and poverty. Don’t give money to Cambodian kids under any circumstances.

Professionals are the experts

Once you have completed your TESOL in Cambodia, you can rightly say you know a thing or two about teaching English as a second language, and have a certificate that says as much. However, TESOL Certification doesn’t qualify you to rescue children you believe are vulnerable any more than it permits you to work as a dentist, a medical practitioner and the like. It is irresponsible and dangerous to rescue a child in a foreign country. Instead, let the professionals with the skills and local knowledge help the child. If you encounter a situation where you believe a child is in danger, make immediate contact with a government (or non-government) child protection agency or reach out to the local police. You’re not making a fuss or bothering anyone by passing information to those qualified to deal with children at risk. On the contrary, you’re taking appropriate action to ensure a child is safe.

Summary

Doing a TESOL course in Cambodia and working as a professional English teacher in Phnom Penh or another city comes with many challenges. My greatest challenge was learning how to interact with local kids in the classroom and elsewhere. I picked up a few tips that I wanted to share with others thinking about heading to Cambodia to work as an ESL teacher. Don’t – touch local kids, hand out money, offer free lessons, participate in silly ‘kid-related’ tourist activities or take the law into your own hands trying to ‘save’ a kid. Constantly remind yourself that you are a visitor and go about your business as expected from a visitor to your own home.  

About the writer: Paul Douglas did his TESOL course in Cambodia at AVSE-TESOL in late 2018. He worked as an ESL teacher in Phnom Penh until February 2020. Paul is currently working in a few different jobs in Portsmouth, in the south of the United Kingdom, saving money for his next teaching abroad adventure.

Teaching jobs in Cambodia – grab this opportunity

If you’re looking for an adventure, have advanced English language skills and either already hold, or are willing to invest in quality TESOL training, you’ll be pleased to know there is a multitude of paid teaching jobs in Cambodia for people just like you. From an Asian backwater, with a war-torn past, Cambodia is now booming.

Demand

With an economy that is growing at a rate most developed countries can only dream about, coupled with 60% of the population being under 30 years of age, there is an insatiable thirst among Cambodian people to acquire English language skills. This directly translates into well-paid teaching jobs in Cambodia for people who hold the right qualifications (see below), are adaptable and up for the challenge.

Sure, you’ll be taking a risk grabbing your backpack and jumping on a plane because somebody wrote in a blog there’s an abundance of teaching jobs in Cambodia. It might be comforting to know that many people have gone down this path before you and have lived to talk about their adventure. These days, Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, is full of foreigners pursuing teaching jobs and having walked in your shoes, they’re more than happy to give you a helping-hand. 

Starting your search for teaching jobs in Cambodia while still in your home country can’t hurt, but the reality is that schools rarely engage foreign teachers ‘sight unseen’. Typically, employers (schools) want to see you ‘in the flesh’ and will ask you to do a ‘demo’ class before offering you a contract. This isn’t a reason to balk! With so many opportunities available, if one school doesn’t work out, there are plenty of others that will roll out the ‘Red Carpet’.

Network

Most teaching jobs in Cambodia are filled via someone’s network. Talk to as many people as you can – TESOL classmates, friends, neighbours – and knock on a few doors. With this kind of strategy, you’ll have more employment offers than you’ll know what to do with. Once you have an employment offer that includes conditions that will meet your needs, it would be wise to have someone who knows about Cambodian contracts to read over the ‘small print’.

Contracts

When flicking through the employment contract in front of you, no doubt you’ll hone in on the provisions that cover the pay rate and work hours – I get it. Money and hours, however, are only part of the deal. There will be other components in the contract that are equally important. Does the contract include an Exit Clause? Will the employer sponsor a Work Permit and related visa? What are the taxation arrangements? Is there anything in the contract related to disciplinary action, in the event that you upset the boss? Is there provision for overtime payments. Is ‘health cover’ included in the deal. Will you be required to participate in school related activities that are unpaid, for example, supervising weekend sport and parent-teacher interviews? 

Typically, teaching jobs in Cambodia allow foreign English language teachers to earn around US $1300.00 (net) for working 80 to 100 hours per month. Obviously the salary depends on where the teacher works – rural, regional, metropolitan – the number of hours, the availability of free housing, free utilities and suchlike. Regardless, with the relatively low cost of living in Cambodia, foreign teachers can realistically save (after meeting all expenses) more than half of their salary each month, working sensible hours and without scrimping. You’d surely agree that there are few people in western countries who can save this kind of money, working double the hours.

No degree – no problem

You may be interested to know that a college or university degree is not a prerequisite for: 1. teaching jobs in Cambodia; and 2. a teaching related work permit and visa. If it happens that you don’t hold a university degree, but are keen to teach English abroad, it would certainly be worth your time to check out what Cambodia has to offer. Holding a university degree will open more doors, corporate teaching jobs for example, but the pay difference between those without a degree and those with a degree is negligible.

While employers (schools) are not particularly fussed about whether a prospective teacher holds a degree, they are fussed about quality TESOL, TEFL or CELTA certification. The TESOL course in Phnom Penh offered by AVSE is perfect. How is it perfect? It’s Australian Government accredited and therefore, genuinely internationally recognised. 

Conclusion

So, what’s the upshot here? There are plenty of teaching jobs in Cambodia for folks who possess decent English language skills, quality TESOL certification and an adventurous spirit. When you find your ideal teaching job, make sure you conduct a thorough due diligence process so there are no surprises. Cambodia is a brilliant place to live and work as an English language teacher. Certainly, teaching English in Cambodia will allow you to earn a decent salary while leading an expat lifestyle. You’ll be living the dream.

About the writer: Peter Goudge has been living and working in Southeast Asia, specifically in Cambodia and Vietnam, since 2006. He is the Managing Director (and owner) of Australian Vocational Skills and Education (AVSE-TESOL). AVSE-TESOL offers an Australian Government accredited TESOL training programme in Cambodia (Phnom Penh) and Vietnam (Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City). Check out the AVSE-TESOL website: www.avse.edu.vn

Notarize & legalize US documents (in the US) for teaching jobs in Cambodia

While it’s fair to say that Cambodian officials aren’t too bothered about teaching credentials from abroad being notarized and legalized for local purposes, it’s wrong to assume that this is always the case. Unfortunately, it’s not, and consequently, you’d be well-advised to have your important documents notarized and legalized before you leave the United States (US).

Sure, notarizing, and legalizing documents in the US for use in Cambodia involves time and money. However, the time commitment and financial outlay pale into insignificance compared to the fallout associated with having your key documents rejected in Cambodia. Your key documents for teaching jobs in Cambodia – quality TESOL or TEFL certification, a university or college degree, and a background check, are only useful if they’re accepted by Cambodian authorities. In my opinion, it makes sense to get the tick of approval before you leave the US.

Let’s drill down on how to have your documents for teaching jobs in Cambodia notarized and legalized before you leave home.

Option 1: Outsource

Assuming you have the original versions of your key documents (degree, diploma, background check, and the like), there are specialist companies across the US that will complete the entire process for you. You will find a selection of these companies by doing a simple Google search with keywords such as ‘document authentication service USA’. It’s worthwhile shopping around because fees and timeframes vary markedly. There are obvious pros and cons with outsourcing the notarizing and legalizing of your documents. You’ll save time and there’s a lot to be said for letting the ‘experts do it’. On the other hand, your key documents for teaching jobs in Cambodia will be in the hands of a third-party, which comes with risk.

Option 2: Do it yourself

Step 1: Gather your documents

You’ll save a lot of time (and money) if you have your key documents at hand, but let’s assume the worst-case scenario. For whatever reason, you don’t have any of your key documents, but you want to turn this around and navigate the notarizing and legalizing processes yourself. Here’s what you need to do:

Academic: Contact the institution that issued your degree, diploma, or certificate and ask for a replacement document that’s the same as the original – sealed, stamped, and the like. Almost certainly, you’ll incur a fee. The institution that initially issued your degree, diploma, or certificate can also provide information on what’s involved with notarizing the document – at the ‘institution’ level.

Police (Background check): Contact the FBI Office closest to where you live and ask about the process to obtain a background check. If you’re asked why you need a background check, tell them straight – you’ll be applying for teaching jobs in Cambodia. While Cambodian officials have been known to accept State background checks, you are strongly advised to obtain a background check from the FBI, averting a problem in the future. Unlike your academic documents, an FBI background check does not need to be notarized at the local level.

Step 2: Contact the State Authentication Office

Once you have gathered all your documents, you can move to Step two. Authentication procedures vary from state to state. You are strongly encouraged to contact your respective state’s authentication office for more information on what needs to be done with each of your key documents. You’ll find the contact details for the proper authority in your state via the following link: https://www.hcch.net/en/states/authorities/details3/?aid=353

Step 3: Obtain the Signature and Seal of the ‘State’ Secretary of State (State Authentication Office)

This step typically involves your State Authentication Office signing and sealing your documents. “What for”? I hear you ask. It’s about ‘checks and balances’. The folks at the state level need to confirm that whoever notarized your documents at the local level (Step one) is authorized to complete the task.

Step three is where the notarizing and legalizing process can get ‘interesting’ because of the Hague Convention. In short, if you plan to use your documents for employment (or other purposes) in a country that’s a signatory to the Hague Convention, theoretically, you’re ‘done and dusted’ after finialising Step three. Unfortunately, Cambodia isn’t a signatory to the Hague Convention, so you have a couple more hoops to jump through.  

Step 4: Obtain U.S. Department of State (Federal) authentication

While it’s highly likely that the government officials in Step three will forward your documents to the Department of State (Federal) for the next layer of authentication (an Apostille), this isn’t always the case. You might have to take on the task yourself. If so, contact the Department of State (Federal) for guidance via the ‘free-call’ number noted below.

Department of State (Document Authentication Office)

518 23rd ST. N.W., SA-1, Columbia Plaza

Washington, D.C. USA 20520

Tel: (202) 647-5002 or 1-800-688-9889

Step 5: Obtain ‘legalization’ from the Cambodian Embassy

Once your key documents have passed through steps one to four, they need to make their way to the Cambodian Embassy in Washington for ‘legalization’. Give the Cambodian Embassy a call, so you know exactly what they expect you to do. Check out the following link: https://www.embassyofcambodiadc.org/

Summary

When it comes to notarizing and legalizing US documents (in the US) for use in Cambodia, you have two options: 1. outsource the task in its entirety, or 2. do it yourself. Both options come with pluses and minuses. Cost, available time, security, and the like will no doubt be pivotal in the decision-making process. Regardless, of whether you outsource notarizing and legalizing documents for use in Cambodia or complete the task yourself, the goal is the same. It’s about having your documents in order for teaching jobs in Cambodia and presenting yourself in the best possible light to potential employers.

About the writer: Peter Goudge is the Managing Director (and owner) of Australian Vocational Skills and Education (AVSE-TESOL) in Phnom Penh, Hanoi, and Ho Chi Minh City.  Check out the AVSE-TESOL website: www.avse.edu.vn

Decent money, adventure & lifestyle…

One of the key benefits of teaching jobs in Cambodia is the free time you’ll have to pursue social or recreational interests and to take in what this truly magnificent country has to offer. You might feel inclined to join a Khmer cooking class, practise yoga, sign-up at a gym or pursue a hobby that you’ve often thought about, but have never had the time (or money) to do.

Money

The majority of teaching work is in the central business district of Phnom Penh and neighbouring suburbs, during office hours, Monday to Friday. Typically, foreigners in teaching jobs in Cambodia work around 25 hours a week (100 hours a month) and earn a net monthly salary of approximately US $1,300.00. With the cost of living being low, most foreign teachers save around 50% of their net monthly income.

Adventure & lifestyle

There are many reasons why people put all their worldly possessions in a bag and leave their home to pursue teaching jobs in Cambodia. From my observations, there are a couple of common denominators; adventure and lifestyle. With free time and cash to spend, you can expect plenty of adventure and a great lifestyle in Cambodia.

During my free time in Cambodia, more specifically in Phnom Penh, I’ve tried my hand at a few pursuits, but it was old French buildings that captured my attention and interest. I know most people would find checking out old buildings incredibly dull, but it gets my blood pumping. If folks can go ‘bird watching’, I can go ‘building watching’. When was it built? Who lived there? Who worked there? What became of the occupants? What’s it being used for nowadays?

‘Truth be told’, throughout the years that I’ve pursuing teaching jobs in Cambodia and neighbouring countries, I haven’t met one other person who shares my passion for old buildings. That’s fine with me. Less crowded!

Here are some of my favourite old buildings in Phnom Penh.

Phnom Penh Post Office, Corner Streets 13 & 102, Phnom Penh, Cambodia

The Phnom Penh Post Office was designed and built by Daniel Fabre (1830-1902), a renowned French architect and town planner. The building was completed in 1895. It’s a stunning example of French colonial architecture – painted bright yellow, high arched doorways and windows, balustrades, pillars, columns – and most striking for me, an extraordinary red-tiled roof. In addition, the Phnom Penh Post Office has arguably the most impressive nineteenth-century clock tower you will see anywhere in the world.

In the late 1880s, Hyun de Verneville was appointed by the French Government to be the Senior Administrator of Cambodia, a French protectorate at the time. Apparently, Mr de Verneville went about his job with considerable enthusiasm. The Post Office building was part of his grand plan to turn Phnom Penh into a modern city, the hub of French administration in the region.

Here’s a ‘Phnom Penh Post Office’ side story. When I last visited the Post Office in early 2020, I struck up a conversation with a young, French couple named Laurent and Isabel; they were both pursing Science-related teaching jobs in Cambodia. We ended up going for coffee in the Riverside area. I was astonished to learn that neither Lauarent or Isabel, depite being French citizens, were aware that the Post Office (and the Central Market) in Phnom Penh were designed and built by French people. Note my earlier comment about not having met one other person who shares my passion for old buildings.

Central Market, Corner of Streets 67 and 136, Phnom Penh, Cambodia

As the name suggests, Central Market is located in the centre of Phnom Penh, within easy walking distance of the Riverside precinct and other key attractions. It’s a must-visit destination if you’re into shopping, people watching or, like me, drooling over remarkable, old infrastructure. The superb ‘art deco’ shape and form of this building are what make it a sight – and a site – to behold. There’s a huge dome (26 metres high) in the middle of the structure. Sizable, rectangular halls, four in total, protrude from the dome – north, south, east, and west. Each hall is home to a particular category of merchandise, making it relatively easy for shoppers to navigate the building and find what they’re looking to buy. You could be excused for thinking that you’re somewhere in North Africa or the Middle East rather than in Asia.

Following a three-year building project, Central Market was opened in 1937. At the time, it was the largest market in Southeast Asia. The idea and design were put forward by Mr Jean Desbois (1891-1971). He was the Chief Architect in Phnom Penh, working in the French Protectorate. The building works were supervised by another French architect named Mr Louis Chauchon (1875-1945).

Despite occupation by the French (twice), the Japanese, abdications, bombings, terrorist attacks, the scourge of the Khmer Rouge and a fragile economic and political landscape, Central Market is indicative of the resilience of the Khmer people. As a side point, it’s also a great place to buy cheap, professional clothes, footwear and stationery supplies for teaching jobs in Cambodia.

The Old Chinese House, 45 Sisowath Quay, Phnom Penh, Cambodia

The Old Chinese House is located in the Riverside area of Phnom Penh, immediately north of the night market, near Street 84. It was built in 1904 by Mr Tan Bunpa (1871-1952), a businessman of Chinese origin who was involved in importing and exporting food and timber. Apparently, members of Mr Tan’s family continued living in the Chinese House until 1975. They were forced to leave Phnom Penh under the Khmer Rouge, and sadly, were never seen again.

What I like most about the Chinese House is that it’s one of only a handful of buildings in modern-day Phnom Penh – that’s more than a century old – but is still pretty much in its original condition. Three smaller buildings have been added to the site over the years without diminishing the integrity of the original dwelling. During the past decade, the interior of the Chinese House has been carefully and expertly restored, with parts of the natural decay that you’d expect in a building that’s more than 100 years old being incorporated into the refurbishment. The exposed beams, brickwork and plaster from the era are striking. If you have an hour or two to spare in Phnom Penh, you really should visit this absolute gem.

Hotel Le Royal, 92 Rukhak Vithei Street, Phnom Penh, Cambodia

This place is special! Jacqueline Kennedy (wife of President John F Kennedy), Charlie Chaplin and other famous people have stayed in the Hotel Le Royal. It dates back to 1929. With a grand façade and refined interior, the Hotel Le Royal oozes influence and wealth, which typified the life of the average French colonist during the ‘protectorate’ years. 

The Hotel Le Royal was purchased by the Raffles Hotels and Resorts Group in 1995. After two years of painstaking refurbishment, the hotel recommenced trading in 1997 under the name Raffles Le Royal Hotel. While the building is simply stunning and well worth a quick look, unless you’re a king, queen or someone of that stature, you may well struggle to pay the nightly tariff.

Summary

Based on my personal experience, teaching jobs in Cambodia come with the opportunity to live life to the full while earning a decent salary. Regardless of whether you live in Phnom Penh or elsewhere in Cambodia, there’s a good chance that you’ll find yourself stumbling across examples of classic, colonial architecture. If it happens that you don’t share my passion for old buildings, no problem, there are plenty of other things to see and do in this truly magnificent country. Enjoy! Live the dream that teaching English in Cambodia affords.

About the writer: Peter Goudge is the owner of Australian Vocational Skills and Education (AVSE-TESOL). Peter’s company delivers an Australian Government accredited TESOL training programme in Phnom Penh, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Online. Quality TESOL certification is the minimum requirement for teaching jobs in Cambodia, Vietnam and elsewhere in Southeast Asia. Check out the AVSE website: www.avse.edu.vn

Teaching English in Cambodia without a degree | Yes you can…

Teaching English in Cambodia without a degree is not only possible, but also completely legal. Cambodia is one of only a few countries worldwide that welcomes non-degree holders into the local teaching fraternity. This is good news for people who think they’d make a decent English language teacher, even though they don’t have a degree. It’s equally good news for students across Cambodia because the ‘English teacher pool’ is much larger than it would otherwise be. For the purpose of this blog post, let’s assume that you don’t hold a degree, but you want to teach in Cambodia.

Despite a university or college degree not being a core requirement to take on a legal teaching job in Cambodia, there are other ‘hoops’ that you’ll need to jump through. The ‘hoops’ are all manageable, but they will require you to: 1. spend a bit of money; 2. do some self-promotion; and 3. possess the ‘patience of a saint’. Like everything else in life, if you want it enough, you’ll weave your way through what needs to be done to achieve the desired outcome. The ‘outcome’ in this instance is something to behold. Among other things, there’s a quintessential expat lifestyle on offer, a decent salary in a country where the cost of living is low, and job satisfaction that few people experience in their lifetime. Importantly, you’ll feel appreciated. Being appreciated does marvels for self-esteem.

Hoop 1: Spend a bit of money

While there’s no issue with teaching English in Cambodia without a degree, reputable schools in Phnom Penh and across the country expect foreign teachers to hold government-regulated, internationally recognised TESOL, TEFL or CELTA certification. In plain English, TESOL, TEFL or CELTA are teaching certificates. This is where you will need to part with a bit of money. Government-regulated TESOL, TEFL or CELTA is serious job training that leads to an English as a Second Language (ESL) teaching qualification that you can use anywhere in the world. The ‘government related’ requirement is the key to legitimacy.

The Australian Government accredited TESOL course at AVSE-TESOL in Phnom Penh is perfect. TESOL at AVSE-TESOL involves a time commitment of 150 hours over four weeks. The TESOL programme at AVSE-TESOL is all about ensuring that you have the skills, knowledge, practical experience, and quality certification you need to get a teaching job in Cambodia – and do the job well.  

Hoop 2: Self-promotion

Self-promotion is one of those things in life that people either shy away from or embrace with enthusiasm. There doesn’t seem to be any middle ground. In the context of finding a teaching job in Cambodia, I think you’re better placed if self-promotion doesn’t come easy for you compared to someone who embodies self-promotion. Certainly, your demeanour will be in sync with the local population.  

The ‘self-promotion’ hoop is more about putting yourself, and your quality TESOL certification, in front of prospective employers (schools) in Cambodia than ‘big-noting’ yourself. Yes, teaching English in Cambodia without a degree is perfectly legal, but you will be competing for teaching jobs with people who hold a degree. Putting your best foot forward is paramount.

Here are eight ‘self-promotion’ tips, not in any particular order, that will be well-received by schools in Cambodia – the folks at AVSE-TESOL in Phnom Penh can help you with all of these without charge:

• Produce and distribute a professional-looking, one-page curriculum vitae (resume). Your curriculum vitae needs to include a carefully worded paragraph about you, a decent head and shoulders photo and information about your government regulated TESOL certification.  

• Produce and distribute a short introduction video that shows what you have to offer – professionally-minded, culturally sensitive, hold quality TESOL certification and suchlike.

• Have hard and soft copies of your key documents readily available – curriculum vitae, notarised teaching certification, sample lesson plan, notarised background check, passport with a current visa, written teaching-related testimonials.

• Invest in professional-looking clothes and footwear (two sets). Here’s some insight – imagine that you’re going to work in a bank, that’s the standard you need to meet.

• Be mindful of your personal appearance and hygiene. Nobody expects you to look (or smell) like Tom Cruise or Beyonce, but you need to make the best of what you’ve got.

• Show that you know a thing or two about cultural sensitivity. If you have tattoos, make sure they’re covered, don’t touch people you don’t know, keep your voice down, speak slowly, be humble, be grateful for the opportunity that has presented itself.   

• Join local teaching-related Facebook Groups – there are many in Phnom Penh – let people know that you’re in town and looking for an opportunity to start teaching English in Cambodia without a degree.

• Be ready to produce a ‘half-decent’ lesson plan with minimal notice; a coherent structure is the key.   

 Hoop 3: Patience of a saint

In the third or fourth century (the exact time is unknown), Cato the Elder wrote: “Of human virtues, patience is most great.” Cato was clearly a ‘man before his time’. He’d do well teaching English in Cambodia without a degree or under any other circumstances. Why? Cato clearly understood the significance of ‘patience’.

Frequently, you’ll see and hear things as you go about your daily life in Cambodia as an English teacher and expat that will leave you ‘shaking your head’. From this day onwards, I’d suggest that you make a point of not shaking your head. It won’t change anything. It won’t make you feel better. Shaking your head, grumbling and the like feed alienation. Possessing the inner strength, the ‘patience of a saint’, not to buy into occurrences that peeve you, is pivotal to your longevity as an English teacher and expat in Cambodia. Heaven knows Cambodia is full of things that will leave you frustrated and even ‘red-hot’ angry. Frustrations experienced by expats in Cambodia are magnified by the harsh climate, abject poverty, poor infrastructure, and cultural nuances.  

What’s the key to exhibiting the ‘patience of a saint’ in Cambodia? Simple! Always remember that you’re a visitor. Acknowledge that Cambodia is Cambodia; it’s not Sydney, New York, or London. Whatever Cambodian folks do in their own country makes perfect sense to them. They don’t want or need a random foreigner telling them how to run their school, business, or life.

Summary

This blog post has focused on issues about teaching English in Cambodia without a degree. It’s crystal clear – a university or college degree is not a core requirement to work as an English teacher in Cambodia. You will need quality, government-regulated TESOL certification and the folks at AVSE-TESOL in Phnom can help you with this requirement. Moreover, you will need to engage in some self-promotion – without going over the top – and find the patience you probably didn’t know existed. It’s all manageable. It’s all central to carving out a new career path as an English teacher in Cambodia. What’s my advice? Grab the opportunity with both hands.

About the writer: Peter Goudge is the founder and Managing Director of Australian Vocational Skills and Education (AVSE-TESOL) in Cambodia (Phnom Penh), Vietnam (Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City) and online. If looking to start a new chapter in your life teaching English in Cambodia, reach out to AVSE-TESOL today: www.avse.edu.vn