CIEE TEFL Job Placement Assistance in Chile

Thus far, I cannot speak highly enough about my experience in Chile. With the help of Katy, Camila and the CIEE team, I feel confident in making Santiago my new home for the next 10 months. Katy and Camila alike were incredibly helpful throughout my very messy visa experience and supported me every step of the way until it was finally approved (the day prior to my departure). Overall, I feel as though CIEE set me up for success in my present career opportunity teaching English at DUOC. DUOC is a wonderful institution filled with a myriad of diverse students, welcoming staff members, and rigorous academic material. In the states, I am a teacher so I feel as though this experience will be very rewarding for me in having experience with teaching ENL students. Additionally, this experience provides you with innumerable contacts, resources, and colleagues that help you every step of the way. I am very grateful for the experience and ecstatic to see the opportunities that lie ahead.

Santiago is a great city to live and work in. I was given a lot of help from Katy and the rest of Ciee settling in and showing me around during the first few weeks. I knew someone in Santiago so I had moved into my room soon after I moved in. The classes consisted of about twenty students and the vast majority of them were willing to learn and were excited about being taught by a native English teacher. You teach approximately twenty hours a week and make enough to live comfortably on, but I would suggest bringing a few thousand dollars to sustain yourself before your first paycheck. There are a lot of places to travel in Chile too. Vina del Mar is not far away. It is an easy hour and half bus ride and has a fun beach. There are also a lot of great street food if you're into empanadas.

Overall a very good experience. I liked the support from Ciee when first arriving. The orientation was helpful, but I feel like it could have been a little more specific about certain Duoc expectations (maybe show us what the textbook looks like, and an example class).

I think a big take away from this experience was a type of independance. I graduated university last year, and this was the next step to really being on my own, from finding an apartment to live in or buying groceries for the week. It was a lot of responsibility but I think I learned a lot about myself in the process. I (hopefully) learned about some Chilean culture too, made a few friends and had lots of BBQ. I ended up getting a motorcycle too which was an absolute blast! It was a great year, and a good introduction to teaching, and made me really reflect on my personality and possible career paths. The other Tips in the program were very nice, but I didn't see much of them once I went down to Conce, just because they are so far away.

Teaching abroad through CIEE was an exciting, rewarding, and moving experience. I felt supported through the entire process. CIEE prepares you for job interviews, job duties, cultural awareness, pre-departure information, and all the little things in between. I felt safe my entire time abroad and always had someone to ask for help when I needed it. Among all the amazing things CIEE provides, I think the orientation and in country support exceeded my expectations the most. I never felt alone and was introduced to Santiago, Chile so that I quickly felt comfortable abroad. The in country support staff is fantastic, accesible, and a priceless resource. I was living happily on my own after just one week and I couldn’t have had that kind of success without CIEE. I appreciated follow ups, check ins, and fast responses. Mid year gatherings were fun and helpful. I owe so much of the comfort I felt in Santiago to CIEE.

The work at The Language Company has been exactly what I came for and the travel in Chile has astounded me. I came here as a seasoned language educator with the goal of having a stimulation and shift in my profession, to improve my Spanish, and travel through Chile. Within one year, I've had a great start and love it enough to hope to stay another two years! The value of the work itself and the organization and support of TLC has been very motivating; I really look forward to going to my classes every day. The work load is a good pace, but not overwhelming once you get a hang of everything. Most people don't work a full day on Fridays, which allows for weekend travels. Once I started travelling, I only realized how incredibly beautiful and pristine the nature is in this country. One year simply isn't enough to see it all. Also, if you're coming to learn Spanish, TLC does offer Spanish group classes, which really helps. Having come here with CIEE gave me the initial support I needed and a community to be a part of right off the bat. It's totally worth coming with CIEE than own your own mainly for the contacts, the peace of mind upon arrival and just having the visa status in order to hit the ground running with no legal problems.

I have had a great experience with the program. To get it out the way, the price of the program is expensive. That would be the thing that I would change about it.Other than that, I had a great time! The online courses were good as a foundation to the world of TEFL. The in-country Coordinator for our group, Camila, is awesome! Very helpful. She is extremely helpful and always available by email and whatsapp. My mentor and the English program at my site, San Andres, are great! They helped me acclimate to the environment well. If you want an experience abroad that allows you to be independent, puts some money in your pocket to travel with and gives you a balance of structure and freedom to move around, then I say go for it. This is my last month here and reflecting back on my time, I am glad I came! #noregrets

Teach in Chile provides a wonderful opportunity for the experienced or first time traveler. They offer college graduates of all ages the chance to live and work in another culture, language, community, and hemisphere. What makes this program unique is their phenomenal orientation program starting right when you get off the plane. It gives you the tools to succeed from the beginning so that you can figure the rest out on your own. This program impacted my life by directing my career choice. It furthered my passion for international education and continued to strengthen my intercultural knowledge. Going abroad teaches you how to be flexible, curious, and open-minded, but teaching abroad with CIEE goes steps further by immersing you in the Chilean workplace and pushing you outside your comfort zone to truly live as a Chilean. You always have support if you need it, but they encourage you to truly integrate. I would highly recommend this program, especially to those looking to improve their Spanish. Don't miss Parque Bicentenario!

Some days I leave the DUOC, the institute that I work at, and I quench my hunger and thirst with a delicious "rico mote con huesillos" in the plaza. On other days I board the bus to go and explore a random city. Teaching in Chile with CIEE is well worth the investigation. Whatever you do, Chile and the CIEE offer satisfaction. The program provides English teachers with a valuable teaching and learning experience. It provides you with the chance to teach as a professor in a real upper-level learning environment. With this experience you really get to test yourself and explore your passion for teaching a language and learning about another culture.