Stories
Do you want a break before uni? Meet Lizzy Birch!
When I first looked at the advertisement in the newspaper advertising
information seminars to teach and travel, I thought it was too good to
be true. Who would want to hire an 18 year to go and teach English overseas?
But I decided to go and drag my Mother along with me, who was adamant
I would go straight to university after I finished high school.
After listening to what Teach International had to say I was hooked. I didn't have a clue what I wanted to do after high school and thought taking a year off teaching English overseas would be an amazing opportunity for me to decide if I really wanted to get into teaching.
The course was fantastic; I had so much fun, learnt a lot and meet some really amazing people. After completing the course I started to apply for jobs in China. I applied for seven jobs, and got seven replies back saying when could I start. I was dumbfounded. But I couldn't wait to get over there.
I ended up accepting a job in Northern China in a city of 6.8 million called Changchun teaching English to kindergarten children. It was one of the most amazing experiences, and totally pulled me out of my little shell. The children I taught were fantastic and I miss them terribly now that I’m back in New Zealand. I met some amazing people who have changed my life and will become life long friends. Teaching in China gave me heaps of opportunities to traveling throughout China, Thailand, and Singapore. Visiting some of the most amazing places words can't even describe.
If you are open-minded, adaptable and enthusiastic about teaching then I would recommend anyone just coming out of high school to do TESOL and teach overseas. It has opened up so many opportunities for me in future.
I am now back at university, studying Linguistics, English, and Education, and working part time at an English school here in Christchurch. I attend to travel back to china and teach for four months while on our Christmas break from University next year.
My Mum, who was so adamant about me going straight to university, decided to take the TESOL course too and is now teaching in Japan, and my aunt is planning on going to China to teach at the end of the year! New Zealand is such a small corner of the world and we don’t know how many opportunities are actually out there! Going overseas really opened my eyes – I am a completely different person, for the better!
