Not only does teaching English abroad have the potential to be a life-changing experience in itself but it can also be the first step onto a path you’d never known was there. Traveling is one of the best ways to clarify your goals, broaden your perspectives and better understand your place in the world around you. And teaching English as a foreign language makes it much easier to make extended travel feasible. From there, who knows where the opportunities might lead. Let the world show you what you can do.
A TEFL certificate will open a lot of international doors for you but each trainee has a different idea of what to do when their program comes to an end. Angela is a Máximo Nivel alumna who has accumulated diverse experiences living and working abroad. After completing her TEFL course in Costa Rica, she moved on to teach English in Spain and Thailand, as well as yoga in Cambodia! You should never limit yourself. Choosing to live abroad could bring you a world of change that will carry you from one place to another. If you’d like to hear more about Angela’s adventure, keep reading for how she made her way around the globe.
Máximo created opportunities for me that I never even knew existed. I am so thankful for my TEFL certification course not only because of all that it taught me but because of how it transformed my life afterwards. I genuinely enjoyed learning to teach English but the certificate also gave me a sense of security while traveling. It’s a practical tool and a financial comfort. With it, I really can venture anywhere I want to and know that there’s a job waiting for me.
For four months, I lived in Barcelona teaching private lessons and working at a language academy. Even before being hired by a school, I found it pretty easy to get connected with clients to tutor online. Having a private clientele by itself was enough to support my lifestyle in the city. But working for a recognized academy gave me more credibility and stability in the English teaching world. And meanwhile I was able to enjoy the diverse architecture, Mediterranean coastline and fresh paella.
But I am from California and absolutely unaccustomed to the cold. So as it started to cool down in Barcelona, I began to consider other locations. Mobility was a huge part of the reason that I had gotten certified in the first place. I had a few friends who were moving to Thailand to continue teaching. So, I decided to accompany them to Asia, originally intending to return to Barcelona after dethawing for a month or so. But once I was there I didn’t see any reason to hurry back to the European continent.
I quickly fell in love with the scenery and the extremely low cost of living in Asia. And it was just as easy, if not easier, to find work in Phuket, Thailand as it had been in Spain. I was hired by a large Thai school and worked there for a few months to finish out the school year. After that I extended through the summer session and I was falling into the rhythm of things. But just as I was becoming comfortable another opportunity presented itself to me.
While living and teaching in Thailand, I had continued cultivating my yoga practice. And during a visa run to Cambodia, I stumbled upon a yoga center and joined a meditation group. The community was very nourishing, and I felt drawn back. So now, just four months later, I have returned to the yoga center as a full-time employee. I teach yoga, assist the studio with PR and am even teaching the Khmer staff English!
It is remarkable how our interests and skills can become so intertwined. Growing up amidst America’s frenetic and competitive work environment, I never imagined discovering a line of work with this much ease that I find so fulfilling. I feel both balanced and challenged and can’t believe this position was out there waiting for me. But even though I’ve found jobs quite easily in three different countries, none of this would have happened had I not decided to go in the first place.
Taking the initiative to earn my TEFL certificate got the ball rolling. My training became currency in the world of traveling and after that unbelievable opportunities unfolded along my path. I continue to keep in touch with several of the friends I’ve made along the way. I’m even considering returning to Barcelona in the not-too-distant future. But that’s the beauty, the freedom of teaching English abroad.
TEFL has taken me to Latin America, Europe and Asia already, and I get to choose what’s next. Training is only the beginning. I couldn’t have known that Barcelona would lead to Thailand and Cambodia when I accepted a position there. And I don’t know where other friendships and professional connections could lead me in the future. But I do know that I’m loving every day of my life abroad and I am so thankful for the course that started it all, as well as all of the events to follow!