News from our grads
Kylie in China and Spain
Globe trotting around the world
Melbourne graduate Kylie Watson shows that having a TESOL certificate really is your ticket to paid travel around the world. From one website, Kylie found great teaching jobs in both China and Spain and loved every minute along the way.
1. How/Why did you first think of doing a TESOL course and going overseas?
I wanted to gain work experience abroad and thought it would be a good way to get teaching experience and to decide if I wanted to further my education in this field. I just wanted to do something different with my life, wanted to do it overseas and to work with young people.
2. Why did you choose Teach International?
I found out about Teach International through advertising with Overseas Working Holidays at the Flight Centre Travel Expo in Melbourne. They were the most reputable company that I then researched with the most affordable prices and with the most flexible study options.
3. How did the course help you prepare for the journey ahead?
The course was fantastic in preparation for my trip. The electives help prepare for different types of teaching that you may want to specialise in. Not only is it a ‘train-the-trainer’ type of course with teaching you how to teach, but it also teaches you people skills and communication skills that I found I used while I was travelling after I finished my teaching contracts.
4. Where are you teaching, how long have you been there and how did you get the job?
I taught for one semester at a university in Shanghai, China, and for 5 weeks over the European summer in a camp at El Puerto de Santa Maria, Spain. Both jobs I got through tefl.com. I submitted my resume online. I was contacted by the Chinese employer with them using their membership to access the online resume database. For the Spanish position, I applied directly to the employer in response to their online advert on the website. LOVE that website!
5. What do you enjoy most about
living there?
Spain was fine, not really too much different from Australia because it is so westernised. China was great because the people are really interested in you and show a lot of respect to visitors. It is a safe country to live and travel in, with such a different culture to Australia which was great to experience.
I loved how different both countries were in the style of teaching. China was a lot more conversational with listening and speaking skills being the focus of Oral English classes. The classes were about 20 hours per week with each class between 20 and 40 students. In Spain, the classes were more grammar based with reading and writing skills incorporated a bit more. Those classes were again about 20 hours a week but with 10-15 students per class.
6. What do you find challenging about living there?
It is challenging in China because a lot of their behaviour is culturally acceptable in their country but wouldn’t be socially acceptable in Australia. This meant in class, you act like you are teaching Australian students so they get a Western class, not just an English class. This behaviour varied from punctuality and personal conversations in class, to spitting on the street and staring at Western people just because of their skin colour and size (because we are so much ‘bigger’ than Asian people).
7. Do you have any funny stories?
It’s amazing the people you meet. When I backpacked around China, I met an American guy whose ex-girlfriend I ended up staying with in Victoria, Canada when I travelled there! In the classes, it was interesting around the time of the earthquake – a student asked myself and 3 other foreign teachers to stand in front of our classes combined, and take 3 minutes silence in respect for the earthquake victims. This particular student didn’t believe that Western people mourned for the Chinese loss of lives. Seeing the students use humour and try and trick you is so funny as well! But excellent to see them try because generally a lot of them are quite shy to speak in fear of getting the meaning or pronunciation incorrect.
8. What advice would you give to someone planning on teaching there?
Plan for culture shock and don’t take their behaviour personally because you do need to be culturally sensitive. But explain this to students because they need to take this advice to you as well. They won’t understand why they are being asked to turn off their mobile phone during class time, for example. Also, make sure you try the Chinese street food, although it is probably the best and the worst food in China – it’s authentic and usually fabulous! Make sure you check out the markets and be prepared to haggle until the cows come home! Get in with the Chinese New Year celebrations as well because they are awesome.
9. What are your future plans? Will you keep teaching and travelling?
I’m planning to travel again in 2009 and return to Asia to teach, maybe in South Korea this time. I have been invited back for another season at the Spanish summer camp as well so who knows! I’d love to see what Central and South America has to offer though, but I think that may be further away.
10. Is there anything you would like to add?
Not that I can think of right now but I loved the support you get with Teach International and I know I made the right choice choosing them above other TEFL course providers – fantastic, I would definitely recommend and encourage the services of this company.
Kylie Watson - Teach
International Graduate
