Mary Long

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I am a Cambodian/American that grew up in Colorado. I had the opportunity to study abroad in New Zealand for a semester which sparked my desire to travel around the world. Upon graduation, I moved to South Korea for a year to become an ESL Instructor. I enjoy going to music shows, learning languages, trying new foods and playing sports.

What is your favorite travel memory?

It's definitely hard to choose one travel memory, but I would say I really enjoyed my time in Cambodia. I am Cambodian American, so it was great to finally visit the place that my family originated from.

It was exciting being able to meet family members, visit the famous temples and sights, explore different parts of the country and learn more about my own culture. Although it was sad to see the lingering effects of the Khmer Rouge, it was amazing to see how much development was going on with Cambodia and how the people were still so kind and motivated to keep moving forward.

I was completely unaware at how international Cambodia is becoming!

How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?

I think it has helped me improve upon my interpersonal skills. Being a teacher allowed me to confidently speak in front of a small group. Working at Teaching Nomad, as we are constantly meeting with different types of individuals from fresh graduates to administrators and clients, has helped me become a lot more comfortable speaking with all kinds of individuals.

It’s also been great helping me develop my business knowledge and skill sets through my experience of being an account manager.

If you could go on any program that your company offers, which one would you choose and why?

We offer a lot of interesting programs for our candidates, but the one that captures my interest the most would be our in-class TEFL course in Prague!

I’ve always had a fascination with Europe ever since learning about its history in high school, so it’d be great if I had a chance to visit one part of it. I love the architecture there and the country itself just seems beautiful!

Not only am I interested in the location, but I think the course itself is a great experience for individuals who want to travel and immerse themselves in another culture while learning useful skills that can help them get a new job abroad!

Being an ESL instructor can be rewarding as you'll be teaching students a new language that will open up more opportunities for them. Our TEFL course is a just a great option that combines people's desire for travel while giving them a chance to give back to their new community.

What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?

To me, the biggest factor in being a successful company is being able to truly listen and understand the needs of your candidates and clients. It’s important to understand what each party is looking for and what their goals are, so that our company can figure out how to provide for them and help them meet those goals.

Through asking the right questions and building a personal connection with each candidate and client, it ensures that we can make a good match between the candidates and the schools and that they’ll be a good fit for each other.