Alumni Spotlight: Terence McTague

I decided I wanted to become a teacher towards the end of college. I hadn't taken any education classes, and I had no experience teaching. Teaching ESL was a great opportunity to see if I liked teaching and to experience a new culture.

My friends and I chose Santiago because it was a big city, yet close to the mountains and the beach. We were excited to rock climb, and knew that the Andes would provide endless climbing. Bridge seemed to have the strongest presence in Santiago, so it was an easy choice. I was pleasantly surprised when we arrived. I remember it vividly: we were lost exploring Santiago, and stumbled upon Bridge. We popped in unannounced, and they were excited to see us and gave us a tour. They also hooked us up with a realtor to find an apartment. After that, we knew we made the right decision.

I typically taught a class at lunch, and a class in the evening. Once in a while I would teach morning classes, but the morning rush in Santiago is crazy so I tried to avoid that. I'd have a coffee and pastry at a cafe, plan my lesson, and then go home for a while, usually to check out the street markets. Then, in the evening, I'd teach a lesson, and walk back, hitting the awesome street vendors on the way home for dinner. I'd have a few glasses of vino, or check out the protests, which were exhilarating.

I was admitted to several graduate schools for a Masters in Education, and I think that my experience as an actual teacher, my life experience, and my bilingual abilities really set me apart from the average applicant. I cherished my time in Santiago, and it's something I will never forget. It's a special bond to meet someone who has been to or is from Chile.

If it is feasible, do it. Life seems to move pretty fast, so any time you have the opportunity to live in another country (especially an awesome one like Chile) you have to go for it. My biggest regret about the experience is not staying longer.