Job Discussion Forums

leisha.j · Joined: 02 Nov 2006 Posts: 9

Hi guys. I'm just about to complete my TEFL training and have suddenly begun to panic. This has never bothered me before, but I'm from the Caribbean (native English speaker). I'm black, and suddenly terrified at the thought of teaching english overseas. At the risk of sounding small-minded myself, do you think this will be a problem for me? I'm just trying to be realistic, but I don't want to give up on my dream.

leisha

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

Where does this fear reside? From your post, I get the idea that are concerned about your nationality or skin color in teaching overseas? I don't think that should be a barrier to your desire to teach abroad, though you might be best served by researching specific countries and their attitudes towards foreigners - black, white, or otherwise.

What countries interest you? I don't think your fears, if I've made a correct assumption, would play out anywhere in Latin America, for example.

leisha.j · Joined: 02 Nov 2006 Posts: 9

Thanks Guy,

I'm honestly not sure why I suddenly panicked about it, and you're right about Latin America. I'm looking at Mexico (Veracruz) or Costa Rica, simply because I already know Spanish, and feel I should know the local language at least for my first overseas teaching job.

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

Knowing the local language certainly helps, but it isn't often a requirement for teaching abroad. I doubt many foreign teachers speak any Japanese or Korean when they head to the Far East.

Either way, you'll probably be fine. You say you're close to finishing TEFL training? Focus on that...your abilities as a teacher should be the most important factor right now, I should think.

ls650 · Joined: 10 May 2003 Posts: 3484 Location: British Columbia

In Asia, skin colour and nationality unfortunately do play a role in hiring. The good news is that any school that won't hire you because of such background isn't worth working at; the better schools know that experience, personality, rapport, etc. are what matter.

I think you are less likely to run into this in Latin America, although it can still be a problem. At our school ethnicity wouldn't even enter into the hiring equation, but it might be considered at a private school.

tedkarma · Posted: Tue Nov 07, 2006 12:37 am Post subject:

Try this link:

http://tefldaddy.com/Not_Blond.htm

if you don't fit in the standard TEFL box.

I agree with the previous posters - many places will present no problem at all - the ones that do - well . . . you don't want to work there anyway.