Chloe works as part of a hard working fun team, who spend their days encouraging students to fulfill their dreams of travelling and teaching abroad. Having spent time teaching in China, she enjoys passing on tips for living and working in this wonderful country and encouraging new teachers to take the leap!
What is your favorite travel memory?
All of my travel experiences are my favorite. It is hard to pin down the best picks! One big highlight was spending Chinese New Year with one of the Chinese teachers that we worked with and her family. It was a great honor to be invited to a celebration which is normally reserved for family.
We headed to Tonghua, which is in Northern China, almost on the border with North Korea. It was cold...very cold!! We were met with great hospitality and welcomed as one of their own. Being invited to make dumplings on New Year's Eve is not something that would normally happen as it is bad luck for the New Year if one opens during cooking. None opened, thankfully!! Unforgettable and will be with me forever!
These types of experiences will only happen once in your lifetime; completing a TEFL course will be the best thing you do and will open doors for experiences like this one I had in China.
How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?
I have always enjoyed helping people and I really enjoy passing on the knowledge I have about the TEFL industry. Encouraging students to sign up for the course and take the plunge is something I really enjoy. I have grown in that, I now get a kick out of someone being excited about completing their course and the steps that follow. Dealing with students from across the globe has made me realise how similar we all are. Our sense of adventure and search for unforgettable experiences stretches across every culture.
What is the best story you've heard from a return student?
One of my favorite stories was from Nqobile Nontobeko Phakathi, one of our South African students.
She had been working full time and enjoyed the work she was doing, but very much wanted a change and endeavored to do something more exciting. Having completed our TEFL course, she secured a job in China. The excitement she was feeling about this new adventure was infectious and you couldn't help feeling super excited for her. She teaches in a small private school, to classes of children. She works hard, but loves what she is doing. She has said that, without us and the course she completed, she would not be where she is now. This made me happy to see that she has was achieving her dream of teaching abroad.
If you could go on any program that your company offers, which one would you choose and why?
If I had to choose one, it would be the China Shanghai Internship that we offer. The main reason being I have taught in China and I know what the experience has to offer. It really is a wonderful opportunity. They do not require a degree, which is really great for graduates who may not have this qualification, but still want to have the China experience.
What makes your company unique? When were you especially proud of your team?
The TEFL Academy is unique due to it's working environment, the team and the structure of the company itself. I have never worked in a company like this before and it is a breath of fresh air! We aim to be the best at what we do: providing TEFL qualifications to students internationally.
I am most proud of the support we offer students on their TEFL journey. It is the best you can get, both from the tutors and our student services team. Our team has a wealth of TEFL knowledge and experience, which we aim to share with every student.
What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?
Being real and honest with your customers. Providing a service you would expect yourself if you contacted a provider looking to complete a TEFL. Creating a happy workplace will encourage your staff to be pushing themselves to be the best they an possibly be. Having support for your customers whenever they need it would also be important.
