There are two main ways of landing a teaching job in Asia. The first, and easiest, is to secure a position before you leave. You can do this by going through one of the many companies that, for a fee, will place you in a school, negotiate your contract, and provide pre-departure and in-country assistance. The second option is to go to your chosen country and look for the job when you get there. Both methods have advantages and drawbacks.

Option A has very obvious advantages. Someone else takes care of all the arrangements for you, all you have to do is show up and teach. However, sometimes the arrangements that are made aren't always satisfactory. You housing might be a closet with no running water, or the other teachers at the school might make a lot more than you do. If you do negotiations yourself and in person, you are more likely to get what you want. However, language barriers or lack of experience negotiating contracts can be daunting, and letting someone else handle that might be better in this situation.

Another main drawback to option A is that sometimes the program fee can be very high, running thousands of dollars for a 3-12 month placement. This is easily avoided in option B by eliminating the middle man and finding the job yourself. While the jobs are plentiful, some are obviously better than others. The best jobs are universities and private language schools. These pay the best, and the competition for them is fierce. It helps, although is not necessary, to get a TESOL or TEFL certificate before leaving the states-having one could give you the upper hand.

Choosing where to go is just as important as how, and is different for everyone. You might really want to get inside of Indonesian culture, or brush up on your high school Chinese. Or, you might want to save as much money as you can to continue traveling. If that's the case, teach in South Korea-the teachers there make the most money compared to the cost of living. You can save a bundle in South Korea if you live modestly. If you want to be in the city, go to Taiwan, Tokyo, or Bangkok. However, if you want to be isolated, try the Marshall Islands in the South Pacific. You just might be working on a small atoll with no running water, teaching English to children on a gorgeous beach every day.