Throughout our lives we learn many lessons along the way and if you become a teacher, although you are teaching others, you are still a student - a student of life. Here are some TEFL life lessons that I learned on my road to becoming a TEFL teacher:
Imagine leaving the place where you grew up, with just 2 suitcases and a handful of cash, to go live and teach in a country you've never even visited. Some may call it stupid but many will tell you how brave you are – they too would move abroad if they weren’t so scared. And you, even though you were scared, know that courage makes up about 10% of life-changing decisions. The other 90% is purely about wanting it with all your heart and it is also quite challenging to leave your comfort zone for an entirely new experience. I’m glad I did though because it was probably one of the best decisions I've ever made. When traveling to other parts of the world, you get the opportunity to see how others live and there's nothing like witnessing other people's problems to make you aware of just how silly your own problems are. You get to know what it means to give up comfort and what starting from scratch feels like. There will be times when things don’t go your way. Trains are missed, planes are cancelled, luggage is lost or stolen, you can't find anywhere to live, etc. When you're isolated on the other side of the world, you learn to accept that it is what is. Over time you realise that working with what you’ve got is much easier than fighting it and once you apply this to your daily life, your quality of living will improve.
With a limited cash flow it's time to get creative and spend your money wisely. Make do with 2 saucepans instead of 3, buy clothes that you can mix and match, use local produce instead of expensive imported goods and learn to live cheaply.
When you're faced with having to share an apartment or living in an apartment that is a lot less luxurious than you're used to can be quite disheartening and then you see endless homeless people rummaging around rubbish bins, begging on the streets and crying because they have mouths to feed, and it makes you start to appreciate that what you have isn't so bad after all.
People standing almost on top of you on a half empty Metro and invading your personal space.
A creepy man staring at you for the whole of your 20 minute bus ride.
The local late night supermarket deciding to charge you a new price for the same item on different days.
The doctor sending you for an x-ray of your broken foot then making an appointment to see you 3 weeks after the x-ray when the bone will for sure have healed.
Being sent in the wrong direction after asking someone where the nearest bank is.
We all say that we will look back on these things and they will be funny one day. But, why not laugh now, and just enjoy the comedy of the situation in the present instead of wasting your energy getting annoyed.
Although it is extremely rewarding, teaching is also a true test of patience. Whether they need special attention, have issues at home, have attitude problems, or all of the above, as a teacher you have to be there for them through thick and thin. It may not always be easy, but it sure puts everything else in perspective.
Nothing is impossible - if you think it, you can create it.
Think you can become a TEFL teacher? Click here and start creating some new lessons in life.
