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I’m a Graduate – Look Where I’m TEFLing Now! Part Three

Graduate series, final round! What journey have these graduates been on with TEFL? Can it beat becoming a Director of Studies in China or marrying a Spaniard? Meet Christina, who is enjoying a simpler lifestyle in Germany and Dimuthu whose TEFL journey kept him in his home country of Sri Lanka but has opened doors in foreign lands… 

Christina Rizleris

TEFL teacher, Christina

Hi Christina!

Which TEFL course did you complete?

I completed the 120 hour online course which included the 60 hour TEFL course, 20 hour grammar course and the Business English Course.

Which University did you go to?

I graduated from Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida in 2009. My major was Environmental Studies with a minor in Biology, concentrating on Marine Biology.

What inspired you to take up TEFL?

Teaching English abroad has been a dream of mine for quite a while. I originally wanted to do it during my studies; however, finances and time were not on my side. After graduating, I was lucky enough to score a job in the admissions department. It was fun and I enjoyed it, but there was something missing; I just needed to take a stab at my dream of teaching English abroad. I remember one day sitting late at night in my office and saw a deal pop up for i-to-i TEFL. All it took was one quick phone call and I was headed in the right direction towards my dream.

Where are you currently located, and what are you doing there?

Currently, I am teaching English in Bielefeld, Germany. With a population of 323,000, we are located in the North Rhine Westphalia area. We sit along the Teutoburg Forest and have our very own Sparrenburg Castle to walk to for a great view of the city. Bielefeld is very accessible to many cities via train transport and the cost of living is very affordable on a freelance teacher’s salary.

 

Why did you choose your current location? Continued…

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i-to-i TEFL Survey 2013

In January 2013, i-to-i surveyed 392 TEFLers about their motivations for teaching overseas and their morale. Here are the results:

 

According to the survey, the most common country to teach overseas is China.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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I’m a Graduate – Look Where I’m TEFLing Now! Part Two

Our graduate series continues…where has TEFL taken these University graduates? This time we heard all about Cat’s adventure in Seville and on following her family’s footsteps, becoming a head of studies and marrying a Spaniard. Then we met Heather, a Harvard graduate taking the EFL world in Boston, US by storm!

Ready? Let’s go!

Cat Gaa

Halloween in Spain

Happy Halloween!

Which TEFL course did you complete? 

I signed up for a weekend intensive course and completed it in my hometown of Chicago a week after graduating from college. The representative I talked with also signed me up for the 40-hour online course with a grammar specialist certificate, and they all complemented one another really nicely.

Which University did you go to?

I attended the University of Iowa, where I earned a dual degree in Journalism and International Studies with a minor in Spanish.  I still root on the Hawks, even from overseas!

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I’m a Graduate – Look Where I’m TEFLing Now! Part One

We put a message out to our graduate TEFLers to get in touch and TELL US YOUR STORY :) and boy did we get some stories! So much so, that we’ve decided to split it into three different articles… first up is Sean who moved to China, became a director of studies and fell in love! Second is Amy who, fearing UK graduate unemployment….packed up and started a new life in South Korea!

Ready? Let’s hear it!

Sean Healey

Hi Sean!

TEFL teacher with his students

Which TEFL course did you complete?

I completed the 120hrs intensive course which included an amazing weekend of classroom based training which resulted in new friends that I still speak to regularly two years later

Which University did you go to?

I studied Politics and Economics at University. I received a BA Hons 2:1. I started a Masters at Nottingham University and was going to head back to England to finish it…..then THIS happened……. :)

 

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How to Find a TEFL Job When You’re Already In Country!

Finding teaching work in country is becoming more and more popular, and with more than 1 billion English learners worldwide it’s quite do-able too! Here’s the i-to-i guide to finding teaching jobs when you’re already in country:

The Paper Trail. Put together a professional CV before leaving and make lots of copies. You don’t want to be printing out your CV on low grade paper in a Bangkok internet cafe if you can help it. In case you do run out, save a copy in your email folder for easy access. You’ll also want your degree certificate (if you have one) and a print-out of professional references with contact details. If you don’t have any teaching experience former employers and University professors make the best references.  Finally, don’t forget to make copies of your TEFL Certificate.  Most employers require a minimum level of 120 hours, with others (particularly in Europe) asking for classroom practice too.

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What’s it Like Teaching in Russia? Travelling Tim Tells All!

When we heard that Tim was having a very different kind of TEFL adventure in Moscow, Russia, we immediately wanted to find out more! As a tutor to a family Tim travels all around the world…jealous? Brace yourself for one incredibly inspirational story…

This is Tim in the Red Square!

Where are you originally from? Adelaide, South Australia.

Where are you now? Moscow, Russian Federation.

Why did you decide to look at teaching English? After working in various positions including sales, storeman, assistant manager and administrator, time had passed me by and it was 11 years later. I was bored. I needed a new challenge and I had injured my spine which limited what work I could safely manage. I have always loved children, I love history, and I had never been outside of Australia in my whole life. TEFL was a gateway to enable me to work with kids, but also to travel.

Which TEFL Course did you complete?

I completed the i-to-i 120 hour online course.
It consisted of 20 contact hours on a weekend which was priceless, and 2 years later I still keep in touch with 2 people from that weekend, and also the teacher.

Why Russia? Lots of reasons! I want to write a historical fiction novel and my setting is various areas of Russia, so partly for research. Also, I am now 32 and wanting to have a family, so the love-factor also. Moscow has 15 million people, where Australia as a country has only 20 million. I like the odds of finding Miss Right! I also felt Russia is misunderstood still due to its portrayal in movies, and I just wanted to see for myself. Probably the main reason though, when I was looking at teaching jobs abroad I was choosing between 2 or 3 countries all in Eastern Europe, but Moscow is where I received interest from schools seeking native English speakers to teach. Continued…

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China Intern Guest Blogger: Louise’s Chengdu Adventure!

Louise is on the China Internship… and she’s got a few things to share with you! Read on to discover how Louise is settling into her new Chinese lifestyle and how it is a far cry from her native Ireland!

TEFL teacher on the Great wall of China

That's Louise on the Great Wall of China everybody!!

Where are you originally from? Cork, Ireland.

Where are you now? Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China!

Why did you decide to look at teaching English? I went into University with a big question mark over my head in terms of what I was going to do with my life but I kind of shoved it to the back of my mind in first year and just concentrated on university life. Realising how fast the semesters were going I made the decision one day to sit down and work out what to do with myself afterwards-otherwise I’d be graduating before I knew it with no future prospects. So I sat in front of my laptop and quite literally Googled the phrase ‘jobs with an English degree’. I can’t remember where specifically on the internet but I came across the idea of teaching English as a foreign language and thought ‘hmmm…….that looks interesting……’

I did some research, and pretty much the more I read the more my interest grew and the rest is history!

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Asia Uncovered: Salaries, Degrees & Must-Sees – Part Three!

Back by popular request – this special edition of Asia Uncovered are all Asian destinations most requested by you guys! So which countries were the most popular? You voted for India, Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines! Enjoy :)

India

Asia Uncovered: Salaries, Degrees and Must-SeesDo I need a degree? No… but yes for competitive positions such as teaching Business English.

How do I get a visa? All visitors must obtain visas at an Indian Embassy or Consulate abroad before entering the country. If you’ve confirmed a job beforehand, your employer will help with your work visa arrangements.

How much money will I earn? There are over 1.1 BILLION people in India and it is known for its broad collection of cultures, languages, religions and class. Earning money as a TEFL teacher therefore varies from place to place and employer to employer dramatically! In poorer areas you’ll find that most employers will not be able to afford to pay you, meaning that it is not uncommon for many teaching positions to be voluntary. Teachers remain a much respected member of society, and in richer areas paid positions can be found but are competitive. Expect to earn around 47,000 INR per month.

 

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TEFL – An Adventure For All Ages: Part Three

Part Three: Retirees & The Mature TEFLer!

 

TEFL - an adventure for all ages - part three!

The third and final edition of our series on TEFL – an adventure for all ages! We’ve talked about teaching English opportunities abroad for gap year students and for career-breakers but now it’s time for our final instalment, the retirees and mature TEFLers!

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Get Your Dream TEFL Job!

How to Get Your Dream TEFL Job!

At i-to-i we speak to A LOT of TEFL employers, from Saudi Arabia right through to Spain, and whilst the actual jobs vary, many of the things they look for are the same! If you can show off these skills when interviewing, you’ll be well on your way to getting your dream TEFL job!

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