I just got back from spending some time in Thailand and Japan and I have become enamored with Asia and all of the different ethnicities and cultures.
I would like to hear about peoples' experiences teaching English as a second language internationally. Specifically I would like to know about where you taught, qualifications required, compensations, how you felt about the experience, and any other thoughts you might have.
Thank you,
Robert
Teaching English
While I didn't teach in Asia, I can relate to your enthusiasm about your experience abroad. After graduating with my BA, I took a CELTA course in Berlin, Germany. Upon completing the 4-week program, I took a position in Adana, Turkey with a smaller language school that was looking for teachers with a Bachelors Degree and a teaching certificate. I would be teaching mostly adult classes 28 hours a week. They provided housing and health insurance, and a salary of 1250 TL a month.
I'm fortunate that money did not need to be an influential factor in my decision of where to go. There were a whole host of other reasons I chose Turkey; I wanted to experience a culture different from those I had observed throughout my travels in Europe, working for a smaller school was appealing in the face of the gigantic language school chains out there, I liked the thought of avoiding the more common cities of Istanbul and Ankara and pioneering my own way in a different region.
Living in Turkey as an English teacher, and not only traveling through as a tourist, was such an enriching experience. I feel sincerely indebted to my students, my colleagues, and the community members who opened their lives up to me. As a fledging teacher, I was forgiven for my mistakes as I always tried my best to improve upon my craft. My students actually tended to be offer me praise that I felt undeserving of. They often appreciated the idea of having an American friend and teacher who cared about them.
It also brought me effusive joy to learn the language of my students and community. While I am certainly not fluent, I did become confident and comfortable enough to strike up conversation often and with a broad range of people. This was the key to my integration, and made my experience infinitely more satisfying.
I look back on my experience and all I remember is the positive. The difficult moments have faded in my memory and now I wonder when I will return to Turkey. I also wonder if I will organize another opportunity to live in another culture. I could see how people could get on the track of moving from one country to the next, but I returned to the states. I don't know what the future holds.
I would love to hear about your experience teaching in Asia.
Best wishes,
Noelle
Teaching in Asia
Hi Noelle,
Thank you for sharing your experience with us. Turkey sounds like a fascinating country/culture in which to live and work. You must be proud that you were able to pick up the language. I hope that when I venture out, I am able to adapt as well as you.
My teaching in Asia has yet to happen, but I am beginning to plan for it. This reaching out to others is part of my planning process, call it research and preparation. Right now I am getting my CV together and researching the various schools where I would like to teach. Next, I'll reach out to the institutions and explore the possibility of getting a position.
Unlike you, where you acknowledgment how fortunate you were that money was not a factor, I am in a situation where money is a slight factor. I've got an underwater house here in the states I'm reluctant to let sink, though I'm not exactly sure why. This concern may ultimately keep me from teaching overseas, as it is a factor it isn't the only or main factor. I value my quality of life, and here in Seattle, it's pretty nice. I'd only trade it for somewhere tropical, and my travel / cultural growth interest right now is focused on South East Asia. I'm not sure if teaching there can support my ongoing expenses here in the States as well as my living expenses over there.
I'll keep you all posted though. In the mean time, I'd love to hear from more people.
Thank you