Staff Spotlight: Jayla Rae Ardelean

Jayla Rae works as a virtual assistant and social media manager to fund her travels (and living!) within Latin America. Her background in writing and editing often make her wonder why she doesn’t have her own blog.

My absolute favorite travel memory is difficult to pin down, so I’ll split it between two trips.

I would say seeing Paris, France for the second time in 2016 will always stick out in my mind. There is an energy there that I resonate with — the food, the culture, the architecture — all of it! It helps that I also got engaged on that trip, too, on top of the Eiffel Tower!

Second and more recently, I’ve had the privilege of visiting Lake Atitlan in Guatemala, as well as a few of its surrounding towns such as Panajachel, San Pedro, and Santa Cruz. It is a truly gorgeous place! Seeing the blue-green color of the water from a kayak, admiring the lush landscape, and meeting kind and generous people feels special each time, and makes me feel lucky to be alive.

My experience with working for Teach English: ESL has expanded my knowledge on how to make traveling and teaching English abroad a reality for the average person. People often think it takes a lot to commit to a program or job overseas (and it does) or that it could never happen to them, but if they knew what was waiting for them on the other side, they’d never bat an eye!

I’ve learned more about the rewards of taking the leap to teach English abroad, and I feel inspired every day to be working for a company who truly values its participants.

I would choose the Thailand TEFL course in a heartbeat! I can’t imagine a better way to discover Thai culture (and gorgeous landscapes!) than by immersing myself in Krabi or Chiang Mai for a few weeks while advancing my career. It seems like the perfect way to get your feet wet in a place you’ll undoubtedly want to stay in.

Speaking of staying there, the fact that you receive job placement after finishing the course is a crucial reason I’d choose this program if I could. I mean, what’s the number one thing you hear from friends or family after they’ve visited?

They didn’t want to leave.

I think what makes Teach English: ESL unique is that Jessica Hill, the founder, has the experience of teaching English abroad to back up the quality and quantity of courses and jobs she chooses to offer. There’s no better person to help guide you through the application process, share stories of her experiences in Asia, and to demonstrate the rewards of teaching English abroad! Teach English: ESL isn’t a giant recruiting agency: it’s a small-scale company that invests in you personally.

I was especially proud of our team when we finished a brochure about our TEFL courses in Thailand. It’s such a beautiful product in itself, but will also help exhibit the benefits and excitement surrounding these courses in Krabi and Chiang Mai!

I believe the biggest factor in a successful company is excellent communication. Whether that communication is between clients, prospective clients, customers, team members, or viewers—it all has to be clear, accurate, and absolutely electric in order for things to run smoothly. Each individual involved needs to know where they stand, how they can improve, what they’re excelling at, and the benefits of joining the Teach English: ESL community.

My position focuses on how best to communicate the benefits and advantages of choosing Teach English: ESL, but I couldn’t do that without the effective foreground Jessica has already established within her company. I’m really lucky to be part of something wonderful!