What inspired you to teach ESL?
Jan: My children had grown up and I was looking for a change in direction. Whilst I had enjoyed my career, I needed a change, and having lived in London for the past 15 years, I also needed a change from the monotony that it had become. I had already been teaching English informally in the UK for a number of years and gained so much pleasure from it, when students grasped a concept you were trying to teach, celebrating that achievement with them was euphoric. Watching how people's lives change when they are able to learn from something you teach them makes my day worthwhile.
Why did you choose TEFL International?
Jan: I had already decided to travel to Egypt and to experience life in this country, having fallen in love with it during an earlier vacation. I was already studying for a TEFL qualification online but felt that I would benefit from a taught course offering teaching practice and did a search for course providers online and found TEFL international's website. They had a course in Alexandria and for me it was an ideal way to come to Egypt to spend some time experiencing life here whilst gaining the skills I was seeking. I was impressed with the information offered for their course, including the availability of secure accommodation, the visit to Cairo and the opportunity to extend the programme to take in the cultural activities and Arabic language learning.
Describe your day to day activities as a student in TEFL International's TEFL program.
Jan: The course was quite intense and would consist of several classes a day. There were 11 others on the course at the time I chose to do mine and we benefited from this large group in being able to use group and pair work as part of our own learning experience. The classes included grammar, phonology and teaching skills that we would need to enable us to teach following the course. I have always considered my own use of English grammar quite extensive so was surprised at how much I could learn. Each class was taught well allowing for lots of practice of the rules and principles learned, enabling us to internalize the teaching. It was a safe and comfortable environment in which to learn, and the teachers were true professionals, with exceptional people skills. The students who come for the teaching practice classes are friendly and dedicated young people who make you feel very comfortable, I have made lasting friendships with many of them.
The day was long as there would be lots of homework to finish, often on top of a long day, but it's for just a few weeks. It does however demand a serious commitment to the study and learning, However, it is not all work and no play. Our free time was spent at the beach, which is just a few hundred metres from the accommodation centre, exploring the local community and enjoying the local restaurants, and getting to know the local people; visiting malls, and of course the trip to Cairo, taking in the Pyramids, the Egyptian Museum and the Khan el Khalili.
How has this experience impacted your future?
Jan:Studying with TEFL International in Alexandria has given me a new lease of life, despite the heavy schedule of the programme, throughout which I was able to live independently in Alexandria, by independently I mean shopping, cooking, doing my own laundry, etc, learning to travel throughout Egypt using public transport, both around the city of Alexandria, and via train to Cairo and Luxor, where I went for Eid and Christmas. It allowed me to experience life in a foreign country for the first time, and to gain an understanding of the culture here.
I was already enamored with Egypt before I came to Alexandria and for me it was a wonderful opportunity to come and have that experience, knowing that life at home still existed should I not enjoy it; however, such was not the case. Following a few months in Egypt I went back to my life in the UK, but I now live in Alexandria and work here full time, having returned a few months ago. It's a far cry from life in the UK, and there are many challenges here that do not exist at home. However, I am so happy to be here, with the support and love of my family and hope that I can continue to work here, teaching English that will enable those I teach to improve their own futures with greater opportunities.
What is one piece of advice you would give to others thinking about teaching abroad?
Jan: Take a TESOL course in the country you wish to teach in, even if you have a TEFL certificate already. It will give you a window into the world you are entering, afford you the opportunity to meet local students and to gain experience in a safe controlled environment, and to gain an understanding of what life is like in that country. Don't travel to any country expecting it to be the same as your own, it won't be, especially if it is in the developing world, just enjoy the differences it offers and learn to live like the locals, more importantly, learn to love them.