Job Discussion Forums

newbie147 · Joined: 17 Jun 2011 Posts: 8

How did you guys feel the very first time you were flying out, leaving family and friends behind to go work on the oposite end of the globe?

What about the very first lesson you ever taught? Did it go according to plan? Did the above have an effect on your teaching for the first few weeks?

Basically how long does it take to kill off the nerves and homesickness and just settle down and enjoy what you are doing?

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

I couldn't wait to get away and get started....and honestly don't remember the first lesson now and didn't really think much about it then.

Basically, I'd say that in most cases it takes a full contract period (like 10 months to a year) to really get oriented and settled in (this might obviously vary quite a bit).

The first few months, even daily routines can be challenging, and exciting, and daunting. You'll likely have successes and failures on all levels - teaching, daily life, social contacts.

Then, you get the basics down and the next stage is noticing and experiencing the second level of where you are. This can include getting settled in to your students/work and starting to feel more relaxed - and more effective. Most people also get settled into a routine of daily life and are freer to travel around their region and establish social contacts, etc.

By the third stage, you've established some relationships, both professional and social, and have a decent feel for the place. This is when one begins to feel more 'at home.'

Usually Very Happy

Some people and places just don't work together, but I think it's pretty true that the first few months are just getting established in job and daily stuff - try not to let defeats in that time period affect you too much - they're to be expected.

Perilla · Joined: 09 Jul 2010 Posts: 792 Location: Hong Kong

Before my first time in front of a class I was terrified - a bag of nerves, I'd probably have felt better if I was going out to face a firing squad. Glad to say that very quickly, even during that first class, I gained confidence and it was never as bad again.

But, when I've been out of a classroom for a while I still get a flutter of nerves, though it quickly subsides once I'm started.

As for heading off overseas, that's a different thing altogether, and much more pleasurable. Nerves yes, but lots of excitement and anticipation too.

hollysuel · Joined: 07 Oct 2007 Posts: 225 Location: Connecticut, USA

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

AGoodStory · Joined: 26 Feb 2010 Posts: 738

Sef · Joined: 26 Mar 2007 Posts: 74 Location: UK

My first lesson was one of an intensive course and I'd been given the wrong information about what to teach so I ended up having to go in and teach completely unprepared. It didn't go too well but I'm sure it was character building or... something.
I was almost in tears on the metro home. But like Spiral said, you have to expect setbacks and problems like that.

Come to think of it, things like that still happen. But you get much better able to deal with them.

As far as leaving home/family goes - the first time I was absolutely bricking it. I almost changed my mind at the last minute. But the time just before getting on the plane was the most difficult bit by a long way. As soon as I arrived, I loved it!

General Disarray · Joined: 23 Jun 2010 Posts: 58 Location: Kent

The only nerves came from standing up in front of a class. As a previous poster stated, I still get a little bit of nerves if I haven't taught in a while and have a new class coming up. I like to think of them as good nerves though, my first lesson was a shambles (CELTA lesson so it wasn't too bad in the grand scheme of things.)

I was teaching intermediate and got nervous in the introduction in telling them a story that I ended up speaking to them as if htey were my mates;

"I was down the pub the other night and these two geezers came over to me and asked if they could join in."

That was said in the space of about 4-5 seconds.

Every teacher has their own way of getting over the nerves though. I struggled for the first 3 lessons big time with them, I just kept reminding myself that millions of people do this every day all over the world, it can't be that hard.

Living in a foreign country is great though (Living with a friend I have known since I was 11 makes it easier I suppose) and I've just come back of the best year of my life to date. I got a bit homesick towards the end, however 4 days spent in England made me realise how much I miss Budapest and have grown to dis-like living in England.