The i-to-i Chalkboard online travel community - Meet. Share. Travel with Purpose

Hi, I've just signed up for the china internship, and would be great to speak with others who are signed up and about to do the TEFL training.

Hi kate, me too! Have you done any teaching etc before?

Clare

Hi guys!  Im doing the internship too.  I'm glad to see others who are doing the same thing...it's kinda scary for me..I've never taught a real classroom before.

Hi guys, I have literally (about 1 minute ago) found out that I have been accepted onto the program YAY!!! Man, I am sooo excited now, have been trying to hold most of my excitement back until it was confirmed!!!!

I have never taught in a classroom either and I have never travelled alone, but I am ready for this new adventure!

Is anyone going from England??

Melek ^^ xx

Yay, so glad to see our little group growing! I have never taught before myself, so I'm a bit freaked, really hoping I will like it. Has anyone else never taught before besides me, Melek and amcacho? I actually haven't been accepted officially yet - I've applied but I still need to finish all the paperwork and send it in, wait to hear. In the meantime I'm going to start my certificate work. Has anyone else started that??

Hey guys, I havent had any teaching experience i am about to start my TEFL course and im doing the weekend session on 6th/7th march in london is anyone else doing it then too?
I havent been officially accepted yet either i am doing the forms etc now, and hope ill get through!

Melek, im from the England too!

Hiya, I'm going in August too!  But . . . I think I must be being really dumb, I've been told to log in and fill in the application form but I haven't found it yet - where will it be hiding?

As to teaching, I've been teaching adults since 1997 so I've got teaching experience.  However, I teach Management & Personal Development which is nothing like teaching English to kids.  The youngest I've taught were 16-18 year olds and they could be challenging at times!  But then we don't have such a respectful culture over here as I hear there is in China.  I'm a bit nervous about teaching young children but would like to give it a go.  As I've also trained trainers, I'm happy to share my knowledge, experiences and ideas.  I'm just hoping that at least some of the stuff I've learned is transferrable to this type of teaching!

The bit I'm really scared about is the travelling.  I've never travelled to a non-westernised country and I'm more than a bit nervous about going on my own.  So I'm really looking forward to getting to know you all as we prepare for our big adventure.

I've started the Online TEFL but it's taking me a while coz I still have school to do..I'm actually majoring in Second Language Studies so TEFL is kinda redundant.  I think Im the only one from US so far...hope to see others from here too.

Ohhh look at us all carpe diem ey guys!

Kate whereabouts in England are you from? I'm in Sheffield!

I have never travelled alone either, I'm sure we will all be well looked after though!

Melekxx

Oh btw Jayne I think the thing youre looking for is on ur home page it will say what youre signed up for, and it will say China internship 4.5 months - click that link and it should say next steps - then you can download the app form there.

Hurry though as you only get 7 days to complete it I think and you need a character reference

x

Thanks Melek - I was trying to find the application on this site, finally found it on the On-line TEFL site - doh!!!  Am now rushing round like a headless chicken trying to get things sorted for the application (didn't help going away for 3 days after signing up).  Can't find my Certificates/Qualifications as I've recently moved house and they're in a box in the garage (I hope!).  I'm not panicking . . . honestly! ;o)

Phew!  Certificates located and ready to take for scanning tomorrow!  Will be interesting to see if the fact I'm in the middle of changing my name will confuse the issue . . .  but hey, it makes it more exciting eh?!

Hello, I've signed up too but haven't yet completed the full application... have never taught before & am absolutely crapping it :)

@Jayne no problem - hey don't stress too much I was like that when i realised too the night before it had to be handed in too! (: i have also changed my name so I understand how confusing it is, deed polls etc so annoying but hey least we get the name we want right!

(: Hi Nikel, welcome !

xxx

i'm waiting for my old boss to send me my reference - i'm so glad i'm not the only one who hasn't sorted everything out yet! i've SORT OF done teaching before (classroom assistant/netball coach in south africa a couple of years ago, and in a learn-english-in-england summer school for european teenagers) but nothing on this scale and requiring a TEFL qualification! i'm in an 'oh lord, what have i done?!' phase atm...

where has anyone put as their first choice for which region they go to in china? i've gone for south because i can't be doing with the freezing cold nothern winters!

Hey Everyone! I am going to be doing the Internship in August as well. I am an elementary teacher in Florida right now. Does anyone else live in the states and want to try and schedule flights together when the time comes! Also is anyone doing some traveling before!?

Hi meld!  I'm living in Hawaii.  I'm hoping I can do my weekend course in Miami on May or June so I can do some summer vacation as well. Where are you doing yours? 

I'm going to go for South also - I'm so sick and tired of snow and freezing winters here in Canada, it would be nice to have a break from that. I was SO not meant for cold lol. According to the application form, most of the placements are in the south anyway...

I have yet to see any other Canadians going :( If you are, get in touch with me! I would love to coordinate flights with someone too. It's such a long trip it would be nice to have company! Will probably end up puddle jumping to Toronto, Vancouver then Beijing.

I'm asking for the South - first choice being the place that no one seems to know about!  Think it was the Guangdon Province - I like the look of the Five Rams Scuplture!  That and the fact that it seems to be warm but not too warm there and that's better than snow in the north.  Kim I don't know how you survive all that snow in Canada - the feel of it crunching under foot sets my teeth on edge, I'd never be able to go out!

Oh and before I forget . . . the daughter of someone I know is currently working in Shanghai.  She sent me the following tips for life in China, thought you'd all appreciate these (especially the ladies - see last 2 comments!)

"If I were too give any tips it would be start learning the language early (I find it so incredibly hard).  Accept that Chinese have so many dialects of Mandarin that you probably won't be understood anyway. Leave your manners at home- Shanghai has a culture of spitting, farting, shouting and pushing- and it grinds you down if you try to flight it- The saying 'if you can't beat them join them' is so true and saves you a lot of frustration. Oh and buy adjustable trousers- I eat so much good food here! Heaven! Bring a good supply of tampons. Don't trust chinese hairdressers (so many bad experiences)!"

haha those are some useful tips Jane! I never even thought about a hairdresser!! I'm going to have to get my haircut while I'm there - gah! I've had the same hairdresser since I was a little kid so it's going to be hard to let someone else touch it lol. Good thing I have long hair!

I don't know how I stand all the snow here either lol. We don't always get lots of snow in the winter (since we are right on the ocean in Halifax we tend to get more rain so even if it does snow it doesn't stick around long). But for some reason this winter has been really sucky - lots of snow and -15 like every day and dry dry air. Ugh, so tired of it. Can't WAIT until the summer. Despite all the cold I do love my country very much though :)

Sending my application off today - fingers crossed!!

Hey Kim,

Hairdressers . . . pah!  None of them can cut my hair so I avoid them like the plague!  Hmm, do the chinese have fine, flyaway hair?  If so, I might actually get a better haircut over there!

Gawd, I don't know how you manage temps of -15.  Ugh, we've just had 3 solid weeks of snow over here.  Its lovely when you can look at it from inside a nice warm house but if you've got to go out in it - nope, just not right!  I do fancy seeing Canada at some point - maybe in the summer eh?!

My application went off today as well.  Have received an email confirming that they've received it and will be in touch.  This is probably the most nerve-wracking bit (well so far anyway!).  I'm visualising success - we will be accepted and we will all be wonderful.

Jane - you should definitely visit Canada sometime - it's beautiful in the summer and fall (in the winter too just not as enjoyable for obvious reasons lol). If you ever wanna come over let me know and I can fill you in or maybe be your tour guide!

Hmm I didn't get a confirmation email from them so I'd better check on that...make sure they got my application....just started the course work yesterday - lots to take in!! How's everyone else doing with it?? I did the 1st two modules of the 60 hr online course. My brain is going to be mush by the time we get there, there's so much to think about lol

Hey all, Im going too! :) I can't wait - its gonna be a real adventure and im really bricking it as Ive never been past Ibiza!  Im from the UK too, although I think im the only southern fairy - I live in Suffolk.  Also Im hoping to go to the free taster session on Sat 20th Feb in London if anyone else is thinking of going?? I have so many questions that I want to ask about the whole thing.  I also have no teaching experience so it'll all be new to me.  Hows everyone finding the online coursework? Ive not started it yet but looking forward to learning it all.

Hey Abi - I started the coursework on the weekend and it's not too bad. A lot of it is common sense, but it's a lot to take in also there's TONS of info. I completed the first two modules of the 60 Hour Online portion. Does anyone have a system to completing their modules? I'm not sure I'm doing it right...not sure I'm managing my time well enough to finish it all. Jane - I noticed you posted about handing in your first written assignment - where are those??! I'm scared now because I didn't realize we had written assignments! I assume this is just a module that I haven't gotten to yet, but can you clarify? I'm petrified to miss any sections or not do things in the right order and end up completely lost at the 20 hr weekend portion. *sigh* Too...much...information...in...brain...

Hi All,

I've just literally signed up for the China internship for August...glad to see im not the only one who is travelling alone and has no teaching experience. How long is it till you find out whether you've been accepted? Would be nice to speak to a few others who are going too.