News from our grads
Claire and Ryan in China and Nepal
Claire Varley and Ryan Roche, 2005 Melbourne graduates, have been in touch recently to let us know they "are finally back in Australia and settling back into a life with electricity, comfy beds and, though limited, water!"
This month, Claire shares highlights of their amazing experiences in China and Nepal.
"In 2003 I finished Year 12 and threw myself straight into University. I didn't really know what I wanted to do but I chose a general course and hoped for the best. Two years later, after attempting two different courses and finding satisfaction in neither, I knew I needed a change. My boyfriend, who had experienced the same uncertainty in direction, found Teach International online and after some serious soul-searching, we decided to spread our wings, explore the unknown and escape the monotony of our Melbourne life. I felt I needed to challenge myself, to see for myself how the cultures I studied in books actually lived and to give something back to the world.
"Undertaking the Teach International course was vital for my confidence and ability to actually leave the country. With no teaching experience at all, I would have been lost without the intensive, yet utterly rewarding TESOL course. It gave me the confidence and skills to stand up in front of each class of sixty, sardine-packed Chinese students, whom I was barely older than, and facilitate and guide successful classes.
Later in Nepal, where I had to plan my own curriculum, construct my own resources and make do with little more than a blackboard and chalk, I felt confident in structuring my lessons and creating fun activities out of nothing.
"We initially taught for five months in a small town in Hunan Province, China. We found this job through a Chinese group that employs foreign teachers, finds them schools and ensures a high standard of accommodation/living expenses are provided. This was fantastic as it was our first school and we felt we had a middle man to turn to in case of any disputes or problems with the school. Each week I taught over 900 students, so I bet you can guess my answer when the students approached me and asked 'Do you remember my name?'!
Claire Varley - Teach International Graduate
