| Seven years ago, I accepted a teaching job in Seoul, | | | | I simply cannot imagine how anyone can go overseas |
| South. Korea. It was a big move for me as I was | | | | to teach without first taking a TFEL course. The DOS |
| travelling alone and had never really been | | | | in Korea couldn't care less. All he wanted was a |
| anywhere....other than Spain! | | | | western face in front of his students, so his school |
| What was even more scary was that I didn't have | | | | would get paid by the parents. As for the kids learning |
| any teaching experience or TEFL training under my | | | | English? So what.... as far as they were concerned. |
| belt. Not one bit! | | | | The TEFL industry can be a minefield. Follow my |
| The director of studies assured me that teaching was | | | | advice and you will avoid the 5 big mistakes most new |
| easy and they would give me full training. As it turned | | | | TEFL teachers make. |
| out, I got no training at all. When I arrived the DOS | | | | 1/ Enrol on a recognised, 4 week TEFL course and |
| gave me a pile of books and told me to prepare a | | | | learn how to teach, manage a classroom, plan lessons, |
| lesson plan for the next day. I didn't even know what a | | | | and gain the confidence to walk into a classroom and |
| lesson plan was! | | | | face 20-50 students. Make sure you get teaching |
| Before I knew it, I was standing in front of a class of | | | | practice with local students. It's much better (and |
| 25 bright faced students trying to teach them | | | | cheaper) to take a course overseas than at home. |
| grammar. I soon realised that my lesson plan was a bit | | | | 2/ Don't accept a teaching job before travelling to a |
| short on material ( around 1 hour short) and I had to | | | | country and checking out the school, staff and local |
| think on my feet. | | | | area. Take a TEFL course in or near the country of |
| My accommodation was another story. The job ad | | | | your choice and look for work while on the course. |
| promised me free private housing as part of my | | | | You're virtually guaranteed a job on completion on a |
| package. My apartment was a small, rustic room with | | | | decent TEFL course. |
| a mattress on the floor and the smallest toilet | | | | 3/ Don't accept free accommodation (or flights |
| washroon I had ever seen. | | | | included) deals. I have seen dozens of examples |
| I somehow managed to stick the job and I got better | | | | where teachers are placed in some crap hole. Most |
| at planning lessons. The truth is, I included as many | | | | staff in Asian schools have no idea of what |
| games as i could think of. I think I spent more time in | | | | westerners expect for housing. Ask for an allowance |
| the internet cafe looking for lesson material than I did | | | | instead and assistance in finding your own |
| teaching. I just had to get through each day which was | | | | accommodation. |
| extremely difficult. | | | | There's a good reason why these schools are offering |
| When I got my first pay check I moved into my own | | | | flights and accommodation. They're desperate to get |
| apartment even though it was relatively expensive. | | | | teachers and the teachers they do get, don't stay too |
| The apartment block had around 7 other western | | | | long. |
| teachers living there and I soon hooked up with the | | | | 4/ Make sure you have some other western teachers |
| group and made some good friends. | | | | to talk to. Otherwise you will feel like the loneliest |
| I can't tell you how much of a difference it made | | | | person on the planet. |
| having my own space and a group of friends to hang | | | | 5/ Think carefully about WHY you want to teach |
| out with. My experience went from being a complete | | | | abroad. The money in Korea and Japan is great but |
| nightmare to being amazing. | | | | the lifestyle is expensive and you therefore spend |
| I loved my students and the I eventually started to | | | | most weekends at home. Also the people in Korea |
| enjoy going to work. My first month however, was | | | | are not the friendliest. Thailand offers the most |
| brutal. | | | | amazing lifestyle and it's cheap, safe & friendly. |
| Like most teachers, I soon got tired of Korea and | | | | You'll earn enough to live on but you wont get rich. |
| headed off to Thailand. I had some savings so I | | | | You can spend your weekends in a beach hut for |
| decided to invest in a 4 week TEFL course in Phuket. | | | | next to nothing. |
| This was an eye opener. I was completely blown | | | | Teaching English abroad can be a life changing |
| away with what I leant. If only I had known half of this | | | | experience for the right and wrong reasons. |
| stuff when I started teaching in Korea, it would have | | | | Follow these 5 tips and you'll probably have the time of |
| been a breeze. Instead it was the most stressful | | | | your life. |
| period in my life. | | | | |