[ID:5903]EDITOR'S NOTE: Teaching is always a challenging profession, and when you throw in a language barrier and a whole new culture, it gets even more complex. Below, seasoned expat teacher Victoria McGraw offers some tips for how to succeed, and how to really enjoy yourself in the classroom.

With two fun and challenging years of teaching English in rural Japan behind me, I know that I’ve learned a lot—and perhaps my students have taught me more than I’ve taught them. Let me start by saying that I feel I have the best job in the world.

I sing, dance, play, laugh and connect with people every day and, best of all, I am constantly learning.

My students include babies who can’t speak Japanese yet, people older than my grandparents and everyone in between. Officially I work for the Board of Education teaching in a junior high school, four elementary schools and four nursery schools in my town. I’ve also taught private conversational English lessons and business English. I’ve worked with classes, small groups and individuals. I’ve taught on my...