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Taking the TEFL Plunge Part 2 - Is TEFL right for you



  First Things First...
An exciting world awaits if you have what
it takes to make the first step
TEFL is not for everyone. Likewise, the military is not for everyone or at 32 and 5ft 9, a career as a pro basketball player is simply not going to happen for me. You need to decide if you and TEFL are compatible or you are going to waste time, money and tons of emotional energy.

 Below is a list  to consider and are just opinions coming from a lot of experience. Individual cases of course will vary.

 Most importantly

  1. Are you crazy?  (And I don't mean a little bit:)
 You don't have to answer that out loud; you can answer it privately, but for your own good, you're going to have to answer it. If you are crazy, you should probably know this by now. If you suffer from severe emotional or psychological problems, going abroad is not going to change anything. It will actually likely make things worse. All joking aside, if you are an unstable person, the move abroad might be too much for you to handle, and your decision to do so should be thought out completely.

  Here are some other things to look out for
 Do you or are you...
 Have an untreated alcohol or drug problem?
 Untreated psychological or mental illness?
 Untreated antisocial or personality disorder?
 Medication that changes your moods and behavior?
 Irrational thinking or violent behavior in general?

 If you have any of these problems, I would suggest getting treatment first before making the plunge.

Other things to look for are
... How flexible are you?
... Do you generally have difficulty making and retaining friends?
... Do small things set you off or bother you?
... Do you have a hard time adapting to new situations?
... Are you picky in terms of the foods you eat and the people you socialize with?

 The most successful teachers abroad or those that can make friends easily, are outgoing, don't sweat the small stuff and can adapt wherever they are.

You are going to a different country.  Most likely a country less advanced and modern than your own. You don't speak the language, don't know the culture and really don't know anyone there. If you don't have these above qualities, or if you're not willing to work on acquiring them, it's going to be a rough time for you. However if you are a person that is up for change, the experience will make you a better, more confident human being.

 Overall, the experience is worth it. Whatever happens to you and wherever you end up, you have no idea what adventures await. I spend about half my time in Santa Fe now and about half my time in Prague. Whenever I'm not abroad, I'm just a different person. The world isn't nearly as interesting back home. The colors are not as bright. The food isn't as tasty. The memories aren't as vivid. More importantly, the relationships that I make with people aren't as strong. The best years of my life were most certainly in Prague. The challenges I faced. My fears and my triumphs.  My successes and failures are all in that city. That to me is what is important. Nothing really compares to it, and most people would agree. If you are a relatively sane person. If you care about the world and the people in it...

 Jump.



                                                             My favorite Prague souvenir


  If you are curious about teaching abroad and afraid of taking the plunge, please contact me. Be honest with your concerns and I'll be happy to give you some straight up advice.

 





Chris Westergaard
TEFL Courses in Prague
The Language House TEFL
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Comments

  1. UnknownJuly 18, 2013 at 10:07 AM

    How can we contact you?
    I would love to speak to someone to help me figure out if TEFL is for me.

    ReplyDelete

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