Education intern, Malawi
My experience in Malawi was incredible. From the ease of getting to my accommodation on the first day because it was all sorted for me to making new friends at my accommodation and feeling like an asset at the school, every single moment was amazing. I felt useful and respected daily, and it was beautiful to see the impact I was making! In my role, I provided classroom support, interventions with struggling students, painted walls, created resources, ran the social media accounts, and assisted with running school errands. I learned that in order to effectively teach English as a foreign language, you have to be willing to think outside the box and make learning so fun that students don’t even realize they're learning. This is made so much easier when you have a good relationship with them! I enjoyed how connected I felt to the objectives of the organization as a whole and how I could clearly see the impact I was making. However, I did find that some days were very busy, while other days were quieter. This experience will help me start my TEFL qualification and support my journey of teaching English in other countries. My advice: Be open to trying new things! There are so many great opportunities at Butterfly, and you don’t just have to stay working with Stepping Stones. Also, don’t travel with loads of different clothes – four outfits is plenty! Everyone wears the same things over and over again.
