What inspired you to join the team at AVSE-TESOL?
I took the TESOL course back in September 2015 after meeting a beautiful Vietnamese girl online, and decided at the age of 18 to make the move over to Vietnam, a country I knew very little about at the time. The course taught me more than I could have expected from just a one month course and it was quite an enjoyable experience. I made new friends, tried new foods, and boy did I learn a lot.
The working environment at AVSE is what drew me to join the team at AVSE. I was not interested in looking elsewhere as I was very happy living where I was and with the staff at AVSE; it was an amazing friendly and fun place to study and live so I wanted to ensure that I could spend as long as possible there.
On the very last day of the TESOL course, once I had signed my report, scanned all ym logbooks, journal, and sent Peter my essays and lesson plans, I decided to ask him for a job teaching in the English centre (where the TESOL course is delivered). To my surprise Peter had a similar idea and before I could open my mouth he offered me a job. Peter has been a great mentor and boss ever since.
Working on a beach
Describe a typical day as the Admissions, Quality, and Student Services Manager.
As we have candidates and partners from all over the world, a 9-5 desk job doesn’t suit the role, I need to be available pretty much 24/7 and don’t often get a day off. That being said, I work from my laptop and I can do that from pretty much anywhere in the world that has decent Wi-Fi (only last month I was answering emails and sending enrolment offers while sipping a cocktail on an island in Malaysia). I get the freedom to choose my days off (if I can have one), but I need to be proactive and ensure I am not letting any of our partners, staff, or students down by doing this. There is also a huge backlog of emails.
What is your favorite part of your job?
The freedom. I have the ability to travel where I want, when I want, and (provided my work is getting done) work when I want. Also, my boss makes great “dad” jokes.
What challenges do you face in your role, and how do you overcome them?
The internet can often cause more headaches than anything else. When you have 60 students with 13 assessment tasks that need to be sent to the RTO (registered training organisation) but you can barely load Google, I can see why my boss lost is hair (sorry Peter). I overcome this by simply being prepared. I always have extra phone credit in my wallet, so I just hotspot my phone and away we go.
Sometimes things do go wrong. Students don’t get what they expected or Southeast Asia wasn’t what they expected it to be (the traffic, the food, and the culture shock). Sometimes it can be hard for people to cope and being the first and last point of contact, 95% of the time I am responsible for dealing with the problem. I handle this with experience and patience. My previous experience working in the retail electronics and repair industries helps a lot. At least when I am working for AVSE, people can’t throw toasters at me when I say “no refund.”
ESL students with foreign teacher in Vietnam
Why should prospective participants choose AVSE-TESOL over its competitors?
Due to the quality of the course and accreditation, there are few courses in the west that can compare. Very few can be found in Vietnam or Cambodia, let alone with complimentary accommodation and guaranteed employment (I thought it was a scam when I saw AVSE-TESOL at first). AVSE-TESOL is staffed by experienced trainers and staff. We have been operating in Vietnam for almost 10 years now, delivering results year in and year out. Choosing AVSE-TESOL gives you peace of mind and gets your foot in the door. We help you from the moment you sign up (often even before that) all the way through to when you find your first job.
Peter has summarised what makes AVSE-TESOL’s course stand out, quite well:
“Australian Government Accredited 150 in-class TESOL course - complimentary accommodation for the duration of the TESOL course, guaranteed employment once you finish the course, optional airport collection and early accommodation, help with visas, insurance, bank accounts, SIM cards, Vietnamese/Khmer lessons, motorbike hire, laptop hire…”
What are the biggest lessons you’ve learned from living in Vietnam?
Where do I start?! I guess the first thing is, the world is alot bigger and weirder than you think. It can be mean it can be beautiful, but if you don’t go out and live, then you aren’t living.
The power of education. I have seen in a short time my students go from only being able to say “Hello” and “how are you?” to having full conversations. That’s in just a few months! Learning English will, at the absolute least, make a positive impact on one kid, but the chances are it is going to do a lot more than that. English is helping many families get up and thrive instead of survive.
There is still beauty in the concrete jungle. Growing up in Noosa, Queensland, I grew accustomed to crystal clear beaches, fresh air, beautiful weather, and the hinterland meeting the ocean! So, you could imagine my surprise when I came to Saigon, but there are different beauties here. The food for one; I have never seen so many different kinds of food!
Mountains of the Mekong motorbike trip.
How do you help support students throughout their course?
In anyway we can. We are constantly working to improve the TESOL program. This year we have opened a new location in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, upgraded the accommodation in Hanoi and Phnom Penh just this last month, and we also added a free tour of the downtown area on the Sunday before the course.
Our staff and trainers are with students from day one; if they need anything we are there to help. We even offer extra support with the assessment. Some students are non-native English speakers, so being flexible is important. Proper training is crucial. Only recently myself, our managing director, and all the trainers upgraded their training and assessment qualifications.
Why is it important for individuals to travel and experience new cultures?
When you travel you have the ability to put things in perspective, especially when you travel to developing countries. You learn to value the little things, and the things and people you have. If you’re like me, you learn to value experience more than worldly possessions. Money is just a tool to get you to the next destination, so have some good fun on the way!
What does meaningful travel mean to you?
Meaningful travel enhances your life; you learn and grow and transform by surrendering yourself to a new culture.
What hopes do you have for the future of AVSE-TESOL?
I have very high hopes. The teaching market in Asia is booming and they need teachers, good, qualified teachers. That’s where AVSE-TESOL comes in. I see AVSE-TESOL opening more centers and really honing in on what we do best, teach the teacher.
