Job Discussion Forums

[kamlesh]

Hi. I'm a 29-year-old single male sports writer from South Africa. After reading an article about the TEFL career I came here to find out more. I'm not sure whether I have the qualities / personality needed for such a career, or even lifestyle. Besides just teaching, moving to a foreign country must offer loads of lifestyle adaptation challenges. Doing the CELTA course might give me some idea of whether this career is meant for me, but I'd still like to know from those in the job what kind of personality / character traits are necessary for a TEFL career / lifestyle.
Also, have any of you ventured into other careers after heading overseas to teach? I'm just wondering what other opportunities people have enjoyed. Even if you haven't stopped teaching, maybe you've taken up a secondary career. I'd like to hear of different experiences.
Personally I'm a bit too tentative to venture into something new, especially because I made wrong choices previously and only realised it afterwards. So before I decide to do this expensive CELTA course & uproot my life I'd like to hear of other people's experiences.

[Roger]

Personally, I think two personality types do well in this occupation:
a) the "young at heart", i.e. mature people who can survive in a some-
what challenging environment; generally, these people are over 30 of
age, many in their 50s and sixties. They don't expect to start
at the civilisation level where they left off at home. They can
make compromises.
b) at the other age extreme, it might be young fellows who have a
sufficiently open and flexible mind and who have some affinity
for foreign languages and cultures. Ideally, they know a couple of
foreign tongues already, not necessarily those their students speak
natively.

[denise]

You have to be independent enough to accept that

a) you will probably be able to keep in touch with family and friends, but you won't see them terribly often

and

b) life back home will go on without you.

These things may seem terribly obvious, but they're harder to accept in reality than in theory. I remember several people from my TEFL course heading back home after a few months because they were homesick. My family wasn't very close-knit while I was growing up, so I've always been OK living away from them (although I would like to see them more than once every year or two!).

Hmm... Just an aside--maybe people from very close families can comment on whether it's easy or difficult to be away. Maybe easy because you know you've got a support network but difficult because they're not part of your daily life?

Oh, and--

c) it may take you a while to establish a good group of friends, so until you do you'd better like your own company!

Just in case you get the impression that I'm down on EFL--I'm not! I love this job!

d

[kamlesh]

Thanks for the input regarding personality. As for alternative careers, hasn't anyone switched jobs mid-stream, for whatever reason? There must be some who did something on the side, or drifted into another career completely. For example, if I don't cut it as a teacher I think I might try to find something in newspaper sub-editing if I don't want to head back home.

[denise]

I know some folks who've gone into, or thought about going into, editing and translating. The latter, of course, would require a strong proficiency in the local language--something that teaching does not require.

d

[Cyan]

Hey kamlesh

Im also from South Africa (25 yo Male) and I am about to go to Vietnam to experience the world of TEFL. I have had Internet Marketing and some cusotmer care experience but I feel the engaging mix of travelling and teaching can be a great experience.

The thing about the corporate work is that it canget a bit stale and unchallenging. Although I have no experience - I am sure this will be challenging and fun. If it does not turn out that way there are other options.

Good Luck!

Peace

Cyan