1. Respect: Your students value their English courses.They can be essential for their career and University. Respect this when planning and conducting classes.

2. Motivate: Always stay positive about your classes, books and the school. If you show you don’t like something (like that annoying grammar point you have to teach) chances are your students won’t like it either. Keeping positive can really motivate yourself and students.

3. Listen to your students’ needs and goals. Get to know your students and what they need to improve on. Learn about why they need English, what they will use it for and adapt your classes around their needs.

4. Focus: There are a million and one things to consider about the English language. If you are doing one particular skill that day, stick to it. Don’t cram loads into one class – do less, but thoroughly.   

5. Challenge yourself and the students. Make every class a challenge with the right level and quality of work. Find out if your students want more work and give them extra homework. There’s nothing worse than paying for a course and not getting the full potential from it. Challenge yourself – try a different teaching technique, an alternative way to check homework or set up an activity and don’t avoid those areas your find difficult. 

1. Be open to opportunities. If you get invited to grandma’s house - then go!  See the real culture, the non sightseeing bits (obviously always be careful of safety)

2. Be wise with your money - always have a safety net. And remember, that town in Bolivia might not have a cash machine!

3. Try not to expect things (good or bad). Pre-judgements might change your whole experience in a place so it is best to reserve judgement until you are actually there.

4. Be safe and healthy!

5. Stay optimistic. You may experience some extremely different cultures, so it's important to appreciate them, no matter how different it is to home.

6. Don’t be put off by a dodgy stomach experience (it's probably going happen!)

7. Meet people. Whether local or fellow travellers, make an effort to socialise. And if you're not the most sociable person, at least have a chat with the hostel receptionist. Not only is this good for socialising, but you can learn some good tips from those people around you.