A World Apart

If I were to say that my experience was perfect, that would be vague. It would also be unhelpful and not entirely true.

That's right-my semester teaching in Georgia through TLG wasn't perfect. Then again, whose definition of "perfect" are we using here? My definition of the word works along the lines of being supplied with everything you could possibly need, being handed the answers to ESL's challenges on a silver platter, and so on, but that's not how it works. In a developing country, that is a part of the glory of the experience as an English teacher.

When I say my semester as a teacher wasn't perfect, I mean it in the most endearing way possible. The nature of the program entices a broad spectrum of individuals looking to teach what they know and learn about an incredibly unique country, and that is part of what makes TLG the success that it is.

If we are going to get bogged down again with definitions, success is another one. With an education system that is rapidly reforming and such variation from school to school, it would be impossible to streamline the program. What that does is it leaves more doors open for creativity and positive challenges for the ESL teacher. I would hardly describe that as a bad thing!

Perhaps the most rewarding aspect of this program is the incredibly unique opportunity it gives to foreigners to get the most inside of looks at a culture known for its peoples' hospitality. To be offered a place in a Georgian home and leave it 3 months later feeling as much a part of the family as anyone in it humbled me.

For someone with an interest in discovering your passion for new languages, cultures, and a place so very far off the beaten path, look no further than Georgia. It is not for the faint of heart: unleash your biggest batch of courage and step into one of the most intriguing cultures in the world!