What inspired you to work for TEFL Campus?
I completed the TEFL course three years ago and they have helped me to be where I am now. I have been guided everyday during the course and it made me a confident teacher. My goal is to become a mentor in the future. I care about people and working at TEFL now gives me the opportunity to guide all kinds of individuals in a life changing choice which they have made.
Classroom fun with students
Each trainee has a unique background that made them travel across the world and start a new chapter in their life. I want to be part of this experience and help them feel confident with their decisions.
Teachers encounter students on a daily basis. Students look up to their teachers and shape their lives to what they are taught. It is important to make sure that our new teachers understand this vital part in being a teacher. Teachers should learn to be patient, understanding, caring, compassionate, non-judgmental, flexible, tolerant, and last but not least, good tempered. All these qualities are then reflected on their students.
What is your favorite part of your job as a Trainee Observer and Lecturer?
My favorite part is that I get to meet new people every month. Trainees from all around the world who have similar interests. I really enjoy watching them work so hard to be teachers and to understand their new students and the new culture. Guiding them and mentoring them brings me joy.
What challenges do you often face in your role and how do you overcome them?
There are a few challenges that we face with our trainees during the course. Some trainees need more than one month to be fully prepared to go full time into a school environment. As their observers, we have to follow policies that go hand in hand in order for them to graduate from TEFL. We have to be strict and firm in certain cases, which some trainees take negatively. It would be very good if they realize that it is for their own benefit.
We want them to be fully prepared for their new jobs as lecturers/teachers. Being a good teacher requires hard work, preparation, consistency, and structure. Any negative feedback (which doesn’t happen often) is not to hurt them, rather it is to build them up and make them stronger. We need them to be confident and ready.
Students learning actively about the environment. Let’s keep the beaches clean!
What advice would you tell your pre-travel self?
I would tell my pre-travel self several pieces of advice. First, whatever I am seeking will not always be across the oceans. It will be the same wherever I am. The answers to my questions are within me. I would tell myself that I need to build a stronger relationship with myself and come to understand my feelings and actions. It is important to make clear that I wasn’t traveling to escape from problems, rather I was traveling to explore myself and find ways to grow and develop my understanding and actions towards certain issues.
Second, I would tell myself that the grass is not always greener on the other side. If my hometown had its certain conflicts and negatives, there will be some conflicts and negativity in the new country as well. It is about learning how to accept that there will always be negatives and conflicts and not allowing them to influence our emotions and perspectives on life.
Third, I would tell myself that traveling and working doesn’t mean I should not take my job seriously. If I want to teach students around the world, I have to commit and do my best. It is real people’s lives and education that I will be dealing with. Their life and future should not be my entertainment. I would tell myself to give them the best knowledge that I can. Luckily, I had/have no issues with that, but being here and seeing how many teachers are, it is really important to be aware how we affect the lives of many young children.
Finally, I would tell myself no matter what happens, do not stress. In the beginning, and still now, I get into situations which cause me a lot of nerves. It can be issues dealing with visas, deposits, housing, culture clashes, etc..., and I might feel lost or confused. At the end of the day, everything always gets resolved and life keeps going on. These issues make me stronger and more experienced, and in the end, if it’s not meant to be, than it means time has come for me to make a big move again.
Work hard and relax harder
What makes your TEFL Campus special?
TEFL communicates very well with individuals from around the world. From the day the student signs up, there is constant communication and support, the students are fully guided so that they don’t feel confused or doubtful of their decision to move and train abroad. The staff at TEFL daily helps students once they arrive to Phuket, Thailand. Whether it’s students seeking support with housing, CVs, interviews, preparing materials for lessons, or going on certain trips around the island, TEFL Campus is fully ready to help.
Why should someone choose TEFL Campus over competitors?
Our staff and course director have all been living in Phuket, Thailand between 3-10 years. We have great knowledge about the culture, lifestyle, values, and education system in the country. We are all dedicated educators and have hands on experience in Thai government and international schools. We can help our trainees in every dimension to be fully prepared to start their new path.
Why is it important for people to travel abroad and experience new cultures?
We live in a very globalized world. Thanks to the internet, we are all connected with each other whether we want it or not. There have been way too many conflicts between races and countries mainly because of fear of the unknown. People tend to be scared of what they don’t know. The media portrays its own image for its viewers. It is not always most accurate and just. For this reasons, in order to create more peace and eliminate fear and conflicts, it is super vital to travel abroad and experience new cultures. If a person cannot go abroad, they can read about it, join intercultural communities in their hometowns, and participate in spreading cultural knowledge to people around them. The closer we are, the happier we become.
SMART CAMP with students. Team building camp.
Why do you think learning a new language is important?
It is said, the amount of languages we speak makes us that amount of persons. So since I speak four languages, I am four in one. I understand the culture more in depth and can get a better feel of the mentality and behavior of people in that country. I get to talk to people from that country, watch movies, listen to music, and participate in any cultural events. It enriches everyone.
What advice do you have for individuals thinking about going abroad?
Go and have fun. Be respectful, and if you work, be serious about your responsibilities. Do not make a bad image of your people and do your best to be your best. Understand the culture and beliefs and put effort to learn the basics of the language. If there is something you cannot live without (favorite tea, chocolate, shampoo, etc.) make sure you research whether that country has it or not. Better safe than sorry.
What does meaningful travel mean to you?
Forgetting what you are used to and adapting to new ways of life. Understanding that people are different and won’t necessarily have the same views on certain issues as you do. If you enjoy partying and drinking, staying in and watching movies, you can still do it - just ask yourself, did you travel across oceans to do the same thing you did back home? Organize your days/weeks and try to experience new moments. Moments that you cannot have back home.
What hopes do you have for the future of international education?
I really hope that students get better chances to participate in organized events for creating and building devices/ social activities to help the world be better. Rather than students sitting in classrooms eight hours a day, schools should be connected to certain international organizations that regularly interact with students and show them current world issues.
Students should be recruited at an early age to be able to go abroad and be interns in different parts of the world and have first hand experience of all kinds of situations. It is important that students understand that there are different people all over the world and we are here to help each other no matter, race, religion, education, or nationality.
