The local staff helped me with absolutely everything throughout my program. I had already been in Spain for a number of years, so a lot of my things were already sorted out regarding hous- ing, visa, bank card, etc. Even so, there are always little tweaks and kinks in the road that you can’t really foresee, and the program was there to back me up literally every time. Every little question I had about my visa, even though I was already going through the process for the fifth time, they were there to help. All of my questions about what to do when I was unsure of certain things that were going wrong with my bank account, or even the right questions to ask when renting an apartment even though I had already done it, they helped me out. Everything from serious paper- work right down to little pieces of advice, the staff in my program were there to help me. That is to say, they even did things for me that weren’t really part of their job, answered questions that weren’t really their concern, and supported me so I could get by. For that I can say they are not just staff at my program, but they are people, even friends, that just want to help, from one person to another.
Even during the most confusing parts of my process, I knew I could rely on the academy to make things clear to me. Because of this I never felt like I was alone or lost. Coming to a new country and doing a TEFL class can be both daunting and confusing, and it’s important to have a good support system because honestly the long list of things to do and the confusion can be enough to turn anyone off from going abroad. But with staff like I had, you realise it’s not really that hard, it’s just new, and with them to help you every step of the way, you realise it’s totally possible to do everything that needs to be done. And so, you are free to take the first step towards changing your life without having to worry about a million things at once. Although you can’t put all responsibility on the staff, you can always know that they are behind you to give you any support you may need.
What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
It’s awesome. You’re gonna have so much fun, honestly. I went in being all like, “ooooh I wanna teach English, I’m passionate about teaching so I’m going to get certified and follow protocol”. Fine. You should do that. That’s great. It could help you in the future. But you’ll come out with so much more than that. Not only did I leave my program with a handful of new friends, I also learned so much within the course, beyond grammar, and lesson planning, and resume organization. I learned about perspectives, and different people, and how to relax, and that everything is relative. I learned to fake it til I make it which, yes, is both important and legitimate. I learned that teachers are regular people too, just like students. Let me explain that one. I remember being in high school and seeing my language teachers for example, and these people who were not native
to the language at hand. And I used to think, wow, they’ve really got it all under control, they speak the language perfectly, they know exactly how to control the class, etc. Being up there in front of a class, I realised all the ways a teacher can mess up, and all the ways it doesn’t matter. Because my students will probably be sitting there thinking the same thing I used to think in high school. They don’t know what the deal is, they know what you tell them. It’s okay to mess up sometimes, it’s okay to be nervous, and it’s okay to be human. The best way to get through a class is to chill out and have fun with it. Think of it like a conversation or a collaboration between you and your students. You’ll learn from them the same way they learn from you.
That stuff aside, you should also know that your mentor and the staff will be with you every step of the way so you really don’t have to worry. Just get your work done, relax, have fun with it but still be productive, do it the way you think it should be done, give your classes and your work a personal touch. You’ll be fine, really. More than fine. You’ll have a ton of fun, and you’ll wish it didn’t have to end so quickly. That being said, stay in touch with your fellow classmates! You’re all here doing the same thing more or less. You’re (mostly) all in a new country, trying to get this certification and find a job. It is NOT a competition. Bounce ideas off of each other, share games and les- son plans, help each other when you feel stuck. Teaching and learning are very cooperative activities. Get and give ideas from and to your classmates and students, if you catch my drift.
