Hard work but it was the most amazing experience!

I have to wholeheartedly agree with the review left by Anderson, but will just add a few things about my time with ABCi. I volunteered in 2014. We worked hard in those three months, but I also got to experience a lot of Austria that I wouldn't have had the opportunity to see had I not done this volunteer teaching programme. Teaching could be stressful at times but then also such a joy when you had great rapport with the kids and this certainly got easier over time as I got to know the programme better. If we had any questions there was always a senior on hand to assist and advise us. If we thought we were putting in a lot of work they put it far more! Here are some excerpts from my diary from this time:

Written after week 1: My first week has gone well. We have had some early morning starts and long days. I have to get up for 6 am which for me is a bit of a struggle. On Monday I will have my own class of 15 children for the week but I still have a lot to learn before then. I will take the odd break this weekend but I will try and prepare as best as I can. This is the calm before the storm, but I am looking forward to the challenge. Bring it on!

This was written in month three: Whilst in Austria I celebrated my birthday and I went to the Johannes Strauss Ball, spent a lovely day sightseeing at Schonbrunn and went to the Opera House and saw the ballet Sleeping Beauty. In Vienna we had some early starts for teaching – were often up at 5.30 am to get the various trains and buses to the schools on time. In Altmunster (where I lived with a wonderful host family) I get up most days at 5.30 and am now fairly used to it. As long as I go to bed early. Last month I visited Salzburg. I hadn't been there since I was an au pair at the grand old age of 19. It was funny walking back over the bridge again taking in the sights after so many years. I also visited again a couple of weeks ago with six other teachers and showed them around. I also visited the Fortress and we did the Sound of Music tour. Very good! We also went to the Augustinerbrau which is where monks make beer and might have had a tipple:)

These three months have been so full on. I have had some really tough days and then others, like today, where the kids were so wonderful! We just fed off each other’s energy. I was quite sad to leave. We teach for six hours every day and the type of teaching we do is fast pace - certainly never a dull moment :) Life has been hectic over here but I am so glad I came. I have learnt so much and realised I do enjoy teaching.
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You work hard but there is also time to play. And now I have my TEFL certificate which I may use in the future. It is a wonderful experience, full of hard work and challenges but it will be up to you to make the most of it. With the work you put in you will reep so many rewards!