Myanmar is eager to celebrate its new fund freedom with the world. This friendly country will show you a beautiful land that has a long history of strife, but is moving forward towards a bright future. Teachers are highly respected, as they are considered one of the “five gems”, and often considered substitute parents. There is a large demand for English teachers at private schools, but public schools often lack funds to pay for ESL teachers. There are many volunteer opportunities all around the country. If you are looking to land a job teaching English in Myanmar, most hiring occurs in May and September.
Myanmar, or often referred to as Burma, is in Southeast Asia and is bordered by Laos, Thailand, China, Bangladesh and India. It is home to over 60 million people, and is the second largest country by area in Southeast Asia. Burma was a British colony in the 19 century until 1948 when it declared independence. It was established as a democratic nation, but the 1962 coup established a military dictatorship which lasted until 2011. Many racial tensions still exist within the country, and it has one of the world’s longest running unresolved civil disputes. Myanmar has one of the world’s lowest levels of human development, but the country is rich in jade, gems, oil, natural gas, and other mineral resources.