No no no no no no, there are waaaaaaay more than 8 reasons, but rather than jump up in your face with 8,000,000 reasons (pretty sure we could find that many if we had more time) we’ll start with 8.

If you’re finding the thought of finding a teaching job and jumping on a flight to China a little daunting, then a China internship could be for you.  We’ve made it easy to TEFL in China! Read on for just a few reasons to reserve your spot on the next internship opportunity!

1.  Everything is arranged for you. Everything.  An internship will already be set up for you.  So for the lazy – this is for you!  You won’t have to lift a finger. Well, except to pick up the chalk and write the lessons on the blackboard.  You’ll spend five months in China, during which time you’ll complete over 200 hours of practical teaching experience. By the time you’ll be done, you’ll have the confidence to enter any classroom and teach away!

2.  In-country support. i-to-i has teamed up with the reputable Beijing-based organization, TTC (Teach & Travel China) – experts in organizing cultural programs.  So when you get to China, TTC will be there to help any time you need it with 24/7 in-country support.  You’ll never be left stranded on your own, with a problem that can’t be answered.

3.  New friends from all around the globe. On the internship you’ll be joined by other interns from the UK, US, Canada, Australia, Ireland and New Zealand. You’ll automatically have a group of new international friends and you can support each other through your first months of TEFL.  These guys can help if you’re feeling homesick.  And you’ll not only be learning about Chinese culture, you’ll be learning about whether Guinness goes with dim sum.

4.  Full TEFL training – Included in the program is the full 140 hour combined TEFL course, so you’ll be totally prepped when you get to China and do your classroom course in Beijing.  And the class will be fresh in your mind when you start teaching.

5.  Your accommodation and food are provided for you and you’ll get a monthly allowance!  Again, good for the lazy.  You’ll live in a private bedroom in shared accommodation, and receive all meals during the week at your school.  You can have fun with your allowance and spend it on whatever you like!

6.  You’ll get a two week orientation in Beijing including Mandarin lessons!  TTC will cover the essentials of living and teaching in China with you, so you’ll be prepared for whatever Chinese culture has to throw at you (grasshoppers on skewers).  You’ll also have six hours of Mandarin lessons to give you basic language skills which will help you enjoy living in China and interact with the locals!

7.  And how about China itself…China is a unique place with a totally different culture.  They’re known for their delicious and experimental food, welcoming people, interesting history and incredible sites – such as the Great Wall of China.

8.  It all starts in China… but where will it end?! The Teach in China internship is a fantastic way to start out as a TEFL teacher, and it doesn’t have to stop once your five months is up, oh no! Many wise China interns have used the internship as a stepping stone to either extend their stay in China or go TEFL in a different country.  It’s up to you!

Get a job and sail off into the sunset, that’s what! However, with thousands of teaching jobs abroad all over the world, choosing a good one can be tricky. So, to help you in your job hunt, here are just a few ways to snaffle that dream TEFL job…

Planning ahead – going with a company

You’ll often find that your TEFL course provider will offer a free TEFL job placement service on completion. This is usually hassle-free, but researching your employer is always a good idea. You can use the internet to research the local area and culture, while travel guides such as Lonely Planet also offer handy tips. The organization you opt for should be able to give you information about the school and may even offer contact details for their in-country coordinators. If you can get hold of a phone number, ask to speak to any TEFL teachers currently in the school to get a true idea of what it’s like to work there.

Going it alone

If you’re arranging your own teaching job abroad the most important thing is to network. Most schools depend on local advertising and word-of-mouth, long before considering using online adverts. The TEFL community is vast, so the sooner you start making contact with both schools and other teachers, the better. Employers are looking for people who have a genuine enthusiasm for teaching so make sure your bubbly personality and love of working with children come across in your application and your resume. Your resume itself should be packed full of TEFL-related skills, up to date references and lots of experience.

Be tenacious with your applications, get back to schools you hear from and try to arrange phone interviews at schools that are far away. Large language schools will often have offices in several countries, so you may be able to talk to someone in person without having to get on a plane. Establishing contact with the school beforehand will also help you to make a much more informed decision.

Travelling first

If forward planning isn’t really your thing, then it is possible to find a TEFL job in-country. It can be risky as you’re not guaranteed to find a position as soon as you step off the plane, but it depends where you want to go. Schools in popular countries such as China, Thailand and Japan offer good standards for English teachers and recruit locally due to their popularity as travel destinations. Networking is still important though, as is establishing contact with the local schools: internet forums are a good place to start, as they often have plenty of experienced teachers as members. Being in-country is a big advantage as you meet with the school director and actually visit your prospective work place and make a decision based on your own impressions, rather than those of someone else.

You will, however, still need to have a good resume, references and, of course, your TEFL certificate (we’re hoping you’ll already have your passport!) You’ll also need to carefully consider your budget, especially if you’re arriving in Europe. Make sure you arrive at the best time for recruitment, usually a month or so before the start of the academic year. This will be more important in popular destinations in Asia or Europe, but less so if you plan to teach in off the beaten track.

Checklist

A few things for to consider before setting off on your TEFL adventure:

• What will living in my chosen country be like?
• Do my qualifications meet the standards of the country I’m going to?
• Do I have all the correct documentation: visas, passport, TEFL certificate?
• Where will I be living?
• What is the average pay in my chosen country?
• What hours should I expect to work?
• What sort of materials will be available?
• What support will there be before and during the placement?
• How big is the school I will be teaching in, in actual size and class size?
• What level of English will my students already have?
• What will my pupils’ average age be?
• What will my non-teaching duties be?

Here are a few useful websites to help you start your research:

TEFL.net Jobs Abroad

i-to-i Jobs Abroad

ESLbase.com

Dave’s ESL Cafe

Well here’s Heather! Heather works at TEFL Towers… but wait! Before she arrived here, Heather took part in our very own Thailand Internship, neat huh?

It happened to flood in Thailand when Heather was there...

She loved it so much she’s here to tell you why you should head to Thailand too!

Why did you decide to start teaching English?

I have always loved travelling and wanting to combine it with something worthwhile so I applied for the Thailand Internship. It was a choice between Thailand and China and I thought Thailand would be a better fit for my first Teaching English job abroad and it was a very, very good decision.

Did you do a TEFL course before you started teaching?

I did the 120 hour TEFL Course as part of the Internship before I went out there. I took the Online Course, Grammar Course, Specialist Modules and attended the Weekend Course before I left for Thailand.

Where are you originally from?

I always get asked this question as my accent is slightly varied. I was born in the North of England near Newcastle however I grew up in the Midlands until I was 10 years old. I then moved back up North for High School, went to University in Manchester, worked in America for a while and then moved away again to Thailand. So a little bit mixed.

What attracted you to TEFL?

I loved the idea of being able to live in another Country, meet people from different Cultures and to find out about the World. I love to explore and being placed in Bangkok I was able to explore to the max. I was also able to expand my knowledge of teaching, its practices and to improve my grammar.

Me and my students!

What attracted you to the Thailand internship in particular?

Thailand has always appealed to me. I love the hot weather, love spicy food and wanted to go somewhere where everything would be completely alien to me. I thought it would be a great fit for me and I wasn’t disappointed.

What age kids/adults are you teaching?

I taught kindergarten for a year. They were 4 and 5 year old and they were absolutely amazing. I also taught IP1 which are a year older and I taught English, Maths, Science and Health.

What were they like?

They were very active, talkative and loved having a native English Teacher. They were always asking questions, wanting to run around and were constantly smiling and laughing which was great in my classes.

My class on a school trip

How did you find the experience of teaching?

It was an absolutely amazing experience and one which I miss every day. I loved going into the classes in the morning and when you walked into the room they all gave you the biggest grin and shouted ‘Good morning Teacher Heather’. They were so loving and it was great at the end of the year to see how much they had changed and how much you had taught them. It was extremely satisfying.

How would you rate the experience out of 10?

I would grade the experience as a 9 and a half out of 10. It was absolutely fascinating, I loved it, the Students were brilliant, the School fantastic, the weather absolutely perfect for me, the food delicious, the people so friendly and helpful and the culture amazing. There was a lot of work however and a lot more than I thought it would entail. Whenever I talked to people at home they were like ‘Why aren’t you tanned?’ and I was like ‘I’m working!’. The hours are quite long and I found myself exhausted but satisfied at the end of every day.

The most amazing sunsets in Thailand!

What would be your advice for someone thinking of TEFL?

Just do it. If you want to try it just try it. You will just be thinking in a few years time ‘I should have done that’. It was a brilliant experience and one which I will never ever forget.

Random questions

Are you the same person as 5 years ago?

5 years ago I was 19 and just preparing to teach my second year in America and I have changed so much since then. Travelling, teaching abroad and having completed University have all given me much more confidence, a wider awareness of the world and have driven me to want to travel even more.

Do you have any tattoos or piercings?

I only have my ears pierced. I wanted them done when I was 14 but my parents said ‘Wait until you’re 16’. When I was 16 I was like ‘I’m too scared!!’ but I eventually got them pierced in Texas when I was 20 and I have never regretted it. With regards to tattoos I would love to get a tiny tattoo. My options were a teeny tiny volume switch, a globe or a little shelf of books as I always have my head in a book.

If you were alone on an island and you only could bring 3 things, what would it be?

3 things? That’ tricky! The first thing would have to be a book of some sort as I cannot live without reading.  The second thing would then have to be my ipod as music is my life. The third thing?? Maybe a supply of Haribo! I’m addicted.

Oh, what a commute!

And one more sunset picture just to make you feel queasy with envy…

I want to go back!

Thanks Heather!

Feeling like you could do with a Thai adventure yourself? The next Thailand Internship opportunity is in October 2012, but spaces are selling quickly! Download your free copy of the guide today to find out more and get your space sorted!

Allow us to demonstrate exactly how much support we’ll provide along your exciting journey ladies and gentlemen…

TEFL support every step of the way!

Do you have more questions about TEFL? Why not check out our fandangled FAQs page to get all your little or large questions answered!

We also offer a free call back service if you want to chat with one of our friendly TEFL superstars at TEFL Towers – we’re very nice and friendly, we love nothing more than a chat about TEFL (with a cup of tea and biscuits naturally!)

Chat to you soon hopefully!

1. Traffic

Traffic in Thailand. What a joy.

Traffic was horrendous in Bangkok. I lived in Bangkapi, about 12 km from the centre, and the first, and only, time I bussed into the centre it took three hours. One day I spent four hours in a taxi trying to get from one side to the other. Despite the stench, I was relieved to discover the klong (canal) taxi system as it only took twenty minutes to get downtown. The metro is excellent but has limited scope so you have to get a tuk tuk (great fun) or a taxi. Make sure you set a price before you set off.

2. Getting addicted to spice

I became aware of the hot and spicy chilli flakes during my first meal in Thailand. I was with Siriluck, the Thai woman who’d found me a job.

“What are these?” I asked, holding up the glass jar while shaking the flakes about.

“They good, but hot, you be careful.” She wagged her finger.

“Sure, I lived in South America,” I said, like an idiot, covering my plate of egg fried rice in a sea of red flakes. I took a mouthful, the spice hit the back of my throat, and I spluttered rice all over the table.

“I told you, many farang think not hot, but hot,” she said, cracking up.

The strange thing was that I became determined to get used to the spicy flakes. It took a while, but after a month or two I couldn’t have a meal without them. I became addicted, which damaged my taste buds, and was even worse for my stomach.

Thai Chilli Flakes!

3. Relations between the farang and Thai teachers

I doubt this is the case in all schools in Thailand, but there was a nasty relationship between the Thai and farang – foreign – teachers where I worked. When I first arrived I thought everything was fine; most Thai teachers seemed friendly and welcoming. However, over time I noticed a divide. Each of the farang teachers worked closely with a Thai teacher. Most got on well, but there was a lot of gossiping and moaning behind backs.

After three months I discovered the reason for the tension. Because the farangs were native English speakers they got paid almost three, sometimes four, times the amount of the Thai teachers. I felt guilty, especially because most Thai teachers worked harder and longer hours. Our wages were decent, about 35,000 baht a month (£700), but I couldn’t imagine living on a third or quarter of that. Some Thai teachers had families to feed too.
4. Living so close to work

Falling out of bed and landing in the playground definitely had its advantages, especially at 7.30am, and having students and parents wave to me as I went running in the evenings was funny.

However, life in Bangkapi became intense. After about two months the novelty wore off and I wanted to disconnect and have my own space. I used to bump into teachers and parents in the supermarket and even walking about at the weekends with a hangover I saw people from the school.

I’d recommend living away from your school if possible, but be warned; it’s quite common for farangs to have to live in the school’s lodgings.

5. Witnessing poverty

The unequal distribution of wealth was shocking. Not as bad as some places in South America, and from what I’ve heard about India, but at times it was disturbing to witness.

The journey into the centre on the klong taxis passed wooden, windowless shacks where Thais lived. Often kids would be messing about, jumping into the stinking canal and swimming in sewage. The funny thing was they were normally laughing.

Walking about the centre was sad at times too. Some areas in Bangkok are really built up, but a lot of beggars roam the streets. The most shocking scene I saw was at Chatuchak market. I was with my parents shopping when we saw a man lying on the floor. He only had one arm and stubs for legs and was pushing a blue plastic cup along with his head begging for money. I hated seeing the poverty, but it’s also good to appreciate how lucky we are sometimes.

So yes, go to Thailand, you’ll love the country and have an adventure, but prepare yourself because it won’t necessarily be an easy ride; but then again, the world of TEFL never is. Have any more reasons to hate living in Thailand? Leave a comment and let us know.

Baz is currently TEFLing out in sunny Seville in Spain, the lucky dude, but has previously taught English in Ecuador, Brazil, Australia and Thailand! You can either check out his personal blog here or you can also chat to Baz directly here!

Photo by YoTuT

Upbeat and enthusiastic students

I’ve taught many nationalities over my career, but none as enthusiastic and energetic as Thai students. Teaching young learners is always good fun, but my students in Bangkok were full of beans and eager to learn. A few naughty kids ran riot now and then, but generally they were interested in participating.

Every morning each farang – foreign – teacher had to get their class ready for assembly and prayers. The students were normally still half asleep as they listened to the Head Sister giving a lecture, but by the time they had walked up to the main corridor they had woken up. I would stand outside my class with the Thai assistant and each student would wai (hold their hands together just under their chin and bow slightly) and say “Good morning.” Then as we entered they would stand up behind their chairs and welcome us again. At times I thought it was a bit much, but after seeing how rude other nationalities can be I appreciate it more now.

At first it was tricky teaching such enthusiastic students as I often ran out of activities. Over the seven months I learnt how to prepare better and adapt ideas specifically for the class. It was inspiring to teach such an educated bunch of kids and I’d recommend going to Thailand to any TEFL teacher.

Expat community

If you’re after an expat community then Thailand has it all. There are plenty of bars, sports clubs, and areas where you can find expats if you’re feeling lonely. When I first arrived I tried to emerge myself in the Thai culture. I told myself there would be no Irish bars, no hanging out with expats on long binge drinking sessions, and no Western food.

I managed to stick to eating Thai food, but that was easy because I loved it. The rest was more difficult. I tried making friends with Thais; they were interesting and polite people, but I missed humour and banter. I’d picked up some Spanish in South America, but learning Thai was hard for me, especially with the tonal sounds.

After about two months I started hanging about with more Europeans and Americans. Luckily a couple of farang teachers at my school had come over with a massive group of teachers. At first I found them really cliquey; they’d been on training courses and had spent a lot of time together, but over time I made a few friends and we had some great nights out and fun trips away. This got intense at times and I questioned my reasons for hanging around in such an expat bubble, but after nearly two years away from home I guess I was just missing company.

Songkran

Apart from the Carnival in Brazil, the Songkran festival was the best party I experienced while travelling. Songkran is Thailand’s New Year and is celebrated between 13th and 15th of April. During this festival expect to get soaked. Thais take to the streets with enormous water pistols and massive buckets and throw water at each other.

For me the festival started at school. After a peaceful ceremony in the assembly hall, where the farang teachers had to dance round an inflatable swimming pool while wearing flowery necklaces, the whole school had a water fight in the playground. It was great fun, especially since the teachers won.

The next three days and nights I spent down Khao San Road (the main tourist area in Bangkok). There were no rules in the gigantic water fight where farang and locals mixed together getting drunk, wet, and covered in flour. It was amazing to see so many people having a laugh, even if it took me a couple of days to get over the hangover.

Photo by mikedarnell1974

Adventure

Living in Thailand was a constant adventure. I worked hard during the week, but weekends and holidays were full of action. During my seven months I went jungle trekking and elephant riding on Koh Chang, chilled out on the beach on Koh Samet, visited numerous wats in Chiang Mai, watched Thai boxing in Bangkok, and experienced a full moon party on the beach in Koh Phangan.

Just walking about Bangkok was an adventure. Getting the river taxi to the centre, scooting about on a tuk tuk, and getting lost in the ancient back streets was all a unique experience. If it’s adventure and an exotic lifestyle that you’re after, then Thailand is your best bet.

Photo by Prilfish

Living like a King

After scrimping and saving in South America and Australia, I felt like a king in Thailand. I earned about 35,000 baht (about £700) a month, rent free. I ate out every night, spending only 30 or 40 baht on a plate of food in the local restaurants and maybe 100 baht in a decent joint up town. Beers were only 70 baht for a litre bottle in a bar, and a taxi home (almost a 30 minutes drive) was only about 100-130 baht. I rarely worried about money.

I travelled to most towns and villages around Bangkok, went down to the Islands in the South for New Years, and saved up enough for a six-week trip home overland through North Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, China, and finished on the Trans-Mongolian Railway through to Moscow.

My experience in Thailand was great. I would have stayed longer but I wanted to live nearer home. Of all the countries I lived in, I probably miss Thailand the most. I was happy there, the lifestyle was great, the students were fun, and I never got bored.

If you have any questions then just drop me a comment and I’ll be happy to answer.

Baz is currently TEFLing out in sunny Seville in Spain, the lucky dude, but has previously taught English in Ecuador, Brazil, Australia and Thailand! You can either check out his personal blog here or you can also chat to Baz directly here!

TEFL courses offer training programmes designed to give individuals the skills and confidence needed to teach English as a foreign language. The way this new course is delivered allows the first real alternative to the current four-week TEFL courses such as CELTA and Trinity CertTESOL and gives students a more flexible method to attain the qualification. i-to-i TEFL recognises that students often find it difficult to drop everything in order to complete the four-week full time courses and the new course aims to combat this problem.

Our new course is delivered to a syllabus developed by leading awarding body EDI. It is independently accredited by the UK Government as a Level 5 qualification – equivalent to both CELTA and Trinity CertTESOL certificates. However, i-to-i’s course, which launched in the UK, Ireland and Australia in March, allows students the flexibility to study online at their own pace and gain six hours of teaching practice with English learners.

In case you need a little reminder, i-to-i TEFL was the first company to offer weekend TEFL courses and also created the first online TEFL course in 2011. Go us.

Our CertTEFL allows you to complete 120 hours of online training at your own pace as well as a 20 hour weekend classroom course. Once that is complete you undertake six sessions of observed teaching practice with English learners over the course of six weekends.

Gemma Turner, our Managing Director says, “For the first time, there is a real challenger to the dominance of CELTA and Trinity Cert TESOL courses. Our new CertTEFL course has been accredited to the same level as both of them and it will allow our graduates to gain access to the best English teaching jobs and demand the best wages. It feels like we’ve broken down a few barriers for people wanting to teach English overseas – they won’t have to give up four weeks of their lives anymore, because there’s a more flexible option now. I genuinely think this is a game changer for the whole TEFL industry!”

Check out this link for more information about the EDI CertTEFL today!

Photo by YoTuT

What about a gap chapter? Or a gap chap, if you’re cool, man. Taking your time in one place, chucking that itinerary out of the window, getting to know your surroundings and then either staying for even longer or repeating the patten again when it suits you. You might not win the competition of getting the most stamps in your passport, but you’ll get the satisfaction of digging deeper under the surface of a new country.

Yeah? Who cares? Photo by Gravitywave

But with the economy in tatters, a lack of contentment and an increasing feeling of unrest within people, there’s never been a better time to jet off and take a gap year, gap chap or just a gap episode if you can’t commit to a whole year. 

Just think about it. You don’t have to be either side of your University life to take a gap year either, all kinds are doing it these days regardless of their age, background or the amount of money they have in the bank. Here are the reasons you should get packing:

1. It shows courage. Anyone can stay in a job that is safe and secure for their whole life. It’s easy. But does it make you happy? Have you ever thought ‘there must be more than this’ and wondered about ending it all (your career that is, nothing extreme!) and starting something completely new? What would you LOVE to go and do? Write it down if you can’t bring yourself to say it anyone yet, but keep looking at what you’ve written and keep adding to it. Then go and do it.

Photo by Lucy.loomis

2. It doesn’t have to end. You might find that the nomadic lifestyle is for you, staying in one place for a while, then moving on and keeping your travel bug fresh. Or you might find somewhere that you could see yourself putting down roots, living there for a while and feeling 100% content with your lot. Sounds more appealing than how you’re feeling right now doesn’t it?

3. You’ll discover plenty about yourself that you like. You might be funnier than you thought, you might find you’re more adventurous than you ever thought or you might just find something close to some kind of inner peace – whatever it is your true test will come when you’re outside of your comfort zone and the real you comes out. Not the one who has been in the same job for years and knows the same circle of friends.

4. You’ll probably discover bits about yourself that you don’t like too. True story. Whatever you discover about yourself, please try and turn it in to a positive. No point in trying to change yourself! Being asked ‘name 3 negative things about yourself’ DOES crop up in job interviews… this is just practice for a future interview!

5. You CAN afford to do it. Oh yes you can. Depending on your destination of choice, it can actually cost very little to live like a local, but you have to be clever about it. If you choose to TEFL when you take your Gap Year, you can earn as you teach AND live as a local to learn more about the country you’re living in. You’ll be picking up skills for a future CV left, right and centre without even trying! Find a contract that offers accommodation and a teaching bonus to really save the pennies.

Hurrah! You CAN afford it! Photo by keepwaddling1

6. You know you want to. The very fact that you’re reading this article suggests that there’s some urge within your for this ‘something else’ that won’t go away. I’ll let you in on a secret… it won’t go away either. Sorry about that. You can squash it down and put it in a box on a shelf somewhere, but it’ll probably get worse and you might even feel resentment as the opportunity to get out there diminishes.

Get your gap year started and be more than a tourist in your dream location with one of our rather fab TEFL courses. Check out the whole range and pick your perfect course here.

Kelly and I have had a good natter about our adventures over email so far, so I’m really happy to hand over to Kelly to tell you all about her TEFL background so far and her plans from here!

Here’s Kelly in a boat…

Why did you decide to start teaching English?

I decided to start teaching English after a chance meeting with a Thai Teacher when I first went to Thailand. I ended up staying in Bangkok an extra night (back in the days when you had to wait for a phone call from overseas…not like one click with the internet today).

Decided to go on a random trek across a then untouristy part of Bangkok, ended up in an art gallery, started chatting to a Thai Teacher and a year later, ended up in the middle of no where (Issan in the North East), in a tiny village where there was no English spoken and no foreigner had been before.

I started helping out teaching a mixture of English and Boy Scout activities in return for board and Thai language lessons and stayed for a year before going to college – A fantastic experience especially as I was only 17!

Did you do a TEFL course before you started teaching?

I had never even heard of TEFL when I first went to Asia, though I had lots of random people asking me if I wanted to teach. I did a short TEFL certificate when I got back to the UK and then did a CELTA and TEFL Diploma whilst studying, which enabled me to get some real classroom experience whilst learning and see if teaching really was for me.

I’ve also made a point of refreshing my skills and doing additional TEFL courses and attending workshops and conferences ever since, to keep updated and not become like so many travelling teachers you see on the road – stale and bored of their job through inadequate training.

Where are you originally from?

Originally from the UK but lived and worked in Australia for many years since a teenager.

Where are you right now?

Currently based in the UK but my work and interests take me all over the world. So I’m never really in one place for long.

Where have you TEFL’d?

I have TEFL’d all over from Asia to Africa and the Middle East as well as a stint in the UK. Most interesting place I’ve TEFL’d in was in Saudi Arabia, best fun TEFLing in SE Asia but the most culturally eye opening was Ghana.

I’ve always been met by passionate local teachers, friendly parents and students and people genuinely wanting you to be part of their culture and community whilst you are there.

What age kids/adults are/were you teaching?

I’ve mostly taught teenagers 12- 18 years old, but I’ve also taught primary school students (lots of energy needed) and adults for a short period (harder to teach than youngsters in my opinion).

What were they like?

I’ve never had bored students though I’ve always made a point of including lots of activities and made every lesson real and inspiring. Its hard work to teach well and there are days when you think you’ve bitten off more than you can chew, but teaching for me, has always been about inspiring others to think out the box and apply what they’ve learnt to real situations and encourage them to persevere.

No one is successful in anything in life unless they keep trying – a message I always instill in students from day one!

How did you find the experience of teaching overseas?

I think I’ve been lucky with the schools I’ve taught at overseas. I’ve never been treated unfairly or overworked or taught out of my depth like I’ve heard people talk about in other countries. I’ve always worked for Goverment schools or private instituations that pay well (and on time), offer on going training and support and sort everything with regards visas and work permits.

I think its all about knowing before you go and doing your homework. Don’t go to teach anywhere in the world without having some classroom experience, because its hard work and it takes a special kind of person to actually get up infront of 40+ students five days a week and get results after working with them for a set amount of time.

From experience comes knowledge that not all students will pass or be as perfect as the Principal or their parents or even the student expects, not every lesson will be riveting to students but as long as you are passionate about what your teaching, you will be successful.

What are your plans now?

At the moment I’m teaching in the UK, but the plan long term is to go back into Expedition Leading and I’m joining the Scouts as an Adult Leader. I want to teach younger people outside of the confines of a classroom, to be proactive and progressive, think outside the box and teach them skills other than English. I’ve also got plans to reclimb the Annapurnas and Everest Base Camp raising money for charity and compete in the next Mongol Rally.

How would you rate the experience out of 10?

I’d rate TEFLing 10/10 if you are passionate and don’t become complacent with it just being a means to an end to stay travelling. You are responsible for teaching others and you need to do it well, else it looks bad on you and for future teachers if you don’t really care about the actual teaching just travelling.

What would be your advice for someone thinking of TEFLing?

Don’t even think of doing TEFL without a certificate and some classroom based teaching.

You will meet many people that tell you, you don’t need experience or qualifications but when you hear people saying how the school has conned them to work excess hours, not provide materials or doesn’t pay them well..there’s a reason for that! They are usually the schools that just want to get as many foreign teachers as possible and know that if you leave, someone else will take your place.

If you want to work for a good school, have a great experience and get paid well then do your research on the school, get a TEFL and see if its for you. Its hard standing up infront of a classroom of students, more so if you don’t even know what you are doing because you aren’t trained or qualified.

Would you want to pay hundreds of pounds/dollars to be taught something really important by someone who can’t teach?!

Random question time!

What did you do for your last birthday?

Last birthday I trekked in Sapa Vietnam and spent my birthday night celebrating with the Hmong Indigenous peoples – amazing!

You’ve won £2million on the lottery, what do you buy first?
If I won the lottery I’d be off to somewhere in SE Asia buying a little boat and setting up my diving and adventure sports/expeditions business.

What is your favourite type of cheese and why?
You can’t beat a vintage chedder, tangy, full of flavour and something you can search high and low for world wide but only ever get in the UK!!

Thanks so much Kelly! If you have a question for Kelly, feel free to post a comment below!

If you don’t feel the TEFL bug after reading this, please check your pulse

I’m terribly sorry I haven’t been in contact recently but life has been hectic since arriving a few weeks ago and, if I wasn’t against the use of cliché’s, I’d say it has been “an emotional rollercoaster.”

Oopps! Look at that, I said it!

In short: I love Buenos Aires!

A city with a buzzing hub of busy occupants, there’s plenty to keep you entertained and occupied both in Capital Federal and in the provinces of Buenos Aires. The nightlife is ‘loco’, the weather blissful and the city culturally enriching.

I’m beginning to build a little life here: I’ve played poker with the locals (and lost), made my Argentinean league football debut (and lost) and I’ve even started to refer to that patch of land as Malvinas (more for personal security than an alteration in viewpoint).

Despite the positives, the country isn’t in the best ‘nick’ (see what I did there!) A politically divided country with poverty becoming increasingly more visual on the streets of Buenos Aires, inflation has hit Argentina with big ramifications for ordinary working people. Whilst the exchange rate is approximately A$7/£1, that doesn’t tell the whole story. The country is’nt as cheap as it once was and isn’t all that much different to London (with the exception of public transport, which is particularly inexpensive here).

Whether a consequence of a country in decline or not, finding teaching work in Buenos Aires is difficult to come by. Approaching institutions, for me at least, has been nothing short of a waste of time. They ask for your CV but never call whilst others may ask you for your work visa – but to obtain a work visa you need a company sponsorship, a “Catch 22” if ever there was one.

You can apply for a residency visa but a visit to the immigration centre here in Buenos Aires is like a visit to a North Korean prison (I imagine) – a frustrating and non-productive procedure in the most chaotic place imaginable.

Obtaining one from your native country before arrival is possible, I’m told (though of little help to me now).

I heard on the grapevine (big love to Marvin Gaye), that teaching private students is the most common way to make money by teaching in Buenos Aires but even with then you can expect to dip into any savings you may have to live comfortably here. I’ve managed to rope in a couple of students but it’s nowhere near enough to survive and I’m looking to advertise in Universities over the next couple of days but if work doesn’t pick over the next couple of weeks I’ll be looking to flee, with Thailand or Spain as a replacement destination.

To conclude on my experience so far: a great city to live, study or work in but teaching won’t enable you to generate enough money for you to survive on its own, unless you’re particularly lucky enough to find a full-time teaching position.

I continue to hope that staying will soon become an option as it will be a shame to leave a life I’ve just started to build but realistically, without savings, teaching in Buenos Aires just isn’t sustainable.

Nothing like an uplifting blog entry to entertain you through your day, eh?!

But to end on a positive: I’ve taught my first lessons and I absolutely loved it! It’s so rewarding and I’ve only taught 5 lessons thus far. My advice if you’re sitting on the fence? DO IT, DO IT AND DO IT!

Speak soon.

Nick (or, because I’m a cultured Argentinian resident (for now), “Nicko”)

Thanks Nick! If you liked this post, you should also check out Nick’s own opinion site called Organic Baked Beans. You can also catch up with Nick’s Q&A before he left here or chat with Nick directly here

Lifestyle

I love the Spanish lifestyle. I’m lucky enough to work for an academy where I have a three day weekend (sometimes two and a half because of useful training sessions on Friday mornings). Working until 10pm can be a pain sometimes (I hate missing mid-week Premiership and Champions League football), but at least I get the mornings off to write or go to the gym.

The general way of life is more relaxed than back home. I’m not in the position to buy a house, but there isn’t that pressure to get pinned down with a mortgage (not that I’d be able to get one on my wages anyway). It has taken me a while to get used to the three-hour family lunches, having breakfast in noisy cafes with my puffy morning eyes, and leaving to go out at 10pm, but I’m part Spanish now. I’ll never get used to the siestas though; I hate waking up twice in the same day.

Semana Santa (Holy Week)

The first time I witnessed Seville’s week long religious festival I freaked out. Hundreds of men (and more recently women) dressed up in long cloaks and tall pointy hats like KKK members following huge statues of Christ around a chaotic city, wasn’t my idea of fun on my Easter break. Admittedly, if my wife and her family weren’t big fans of the festival then I would have probably taken off to the beach or gone travelling like most other TEFL teachers.

I get into the festival now though. I love the smell of azar – orange blossom – that mixes with the incense and enjoy the buzz of waiting in the crowded backstreets to listen to the brass bands accompany the Christ and Virgin on their penitence around the city. I appreciate the effort and patience that goes into carrying the heavy religious symbols. The guys underneath each carry an equivalent to about 40kgs, most end up with a huge lump on the back of their neck.

For me it’s the best time of year in Seville. Nothing that interesting happens here normally so seeing the city come to life is exciting. My favourite part is the Madrugada. The all night event to celebrate the official time that Jesus died on the cross is mysterious and spooky. The city gets packed with Sevillanos who stay up all night to watch some of the best processions.

It’s not for everyone; a lot of Sevillanos can’t stand the crowds and the way the whole city suddenly becomes extra religious for a week. There’s a lot of pushing and shoving going on and many people are disrespectful to the nazarenos as they walk past. If you are thinking about visiting during Semana Santa then book early because the hotels get full quickly.

Tapas

One of my biggest regrets of travelling the world is that I didn’t try enough different foods. I used to prefer spending my money on a beer fuelled night than splash out on a decent meal (apart from in Asia where it was dirty cheap). One thing I love about Seville is the tapas. It’s a great way to spend an evening, sampling a few different dishes while you knock back a beer or a glass of wine or two.

Some expats don’t get on with the Spanish cuisine, a lot of it is fried and you rarely get vegetables with your meal, but having tapas once or twice a week is a great treat. My favourite dishes are paella, jamon – cured ham, patatas bravas – boiled potatoes in a spicy sauce, and solomillo al whisky – pork in a whisky and garlic sauce.

Flamenco

You can’t beat a live flamenco show to feel the real passion of Seville and Andalucía. Flamenco is a product of generations of music tastes from Andalucíans, gypsies, Arabs, and Muslims. Watching passionate flamenco dancers stomp about the wooden stage while accompanied by gifted guitarists and powerful singers is a great aspect of living in Seville.

Each show is unique as the artists tend to create spontaneous performances so every time you go you notice something different. The real art of flamenco is feeling duende – a mysterious feeling of unity within the soul. Duende is not easy to describe or feel but it’s basically a physical or emotional response to music. It’s deeper than just feeling goose bumps on your neck and is something I am still trying to appreciate.

My Wife

I’m an old romantic at heart. The main part I love about Seville is my wife. Yeah it might sound cheesy, but I don’t care; it’s true. If I hadn’t met her I’d probably be in South Korea scoffing banchan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banchan) or in Dubai earning a fortune, but I’m not, I’m here, in Seville because I fell in love with a Spanish lady. Seville is not an easy place to live if you’re not in a couple. Many TEFL teachers passing through don’t survive the cliquey mentality and coupley way of life. I’ve seen loads of teachers only survive a year or two.

So those are the reasons I love living in Seville. There are probably more exciting and adventurous places to live, but that’s where I am, for now. I’d be interested to know what you love about living in other parts of Spain, just drop a comment below.

Baz is currently TEFLing out in sunny Seville in Spain, the lucky dude, but has previously taught English in Ecuador, Brazil, Australia and Thailand! You can either check out his personal blog here or you can also chat to Baz directly here!

There are plenty of exciting elements of the course that’ll blow other courses out of the water (not to mention the fact that the course takes place on six consecutive Saturdays, so there’s no need to quit your job to attend) but I wanted to run you through the most exciting part of the EDI CertTEFL course. For me, it is what makes this course stand out.

You get the opportunity to teach real adult English learners over the course of six consecutive Saturdays.

I attended two of the six sessions, observing the tutees teaching real adult English learners so I’m here to report back on how it all went and why it’s so exciting…

The English learners were divided in to two levels (pre-intermediate and upper-intermediate) and the tutees on the course were notified in advance which level they would be teaching and when.

The English learners would arrive to the classroom before the class started, giving the tutees the opportunity to interact with them, leading to a comfortable vibe in the classroom, which is what we love about our TEFLers, they’re laid back, approachable and relaxed!

All around us, Manchester carried on oblivious as we changed the world a little bit in that classroom!

There was a really authentic feel to the classes with a mixture of learners from Spain, Korea, Portugal, France and Poland present.

Unlike the classroom course, where your fellow tutees pretend to be English learners when delivering lessons, there’s no escape route in your class here! You can’t say ‘OK everyone stop pretending now, back to speaking English please!’ it’s a real test and you either sink or swim.

Don’t panic! With this course your lessons are observed by a TEFL tutor, so you’re not alone. Having the benefit of being able to look back with them and say ‘yep, that worked and that stank’ is something every TEFLer-to-be should embrace!

I’ve taught in Uganda and Kenya and I would have loved the opportunity for practice, practice, practice before stepping in to that classroom.

Sink or swim, there’s no difference between them on this course; you’ll get constructive feedback whatever the outcome. But I’d rather sink surrounded by experts and peers to help me make the next step!

Go and get your EDI CertTEFL qualification, you won’t regret it one tiny little bit! To find out more about the qualification, just click here.

Read ‘I Went to Uganda and All I Got was This Lousy Typhoid!’ and always check a banana for flies before you eat it (read the post to find out more…)

Cheers!