Teaching English in Peru - Part 3

Greg with his fellow trainees

An interview with Greg Zoller from the USA who graduated from TEFL Zorritos in October 2014

1. What is your name, age, where are you from originally and where are you currently

Hello, world! My name is Greg Zoller. I’m a 26-year-old from the United States, currently taking a year “off” from the world of TEFL to live and work in my hometown of Cincinnati, Ohio.

2. When did you successfully complete your TEFL Certificate course and what have you been doing since then? Please tell us about who and where you have been teaching.

I finished my TEFL certification in October of 2014 and was almost immediately recruited to work for Euroidiomas in Lima, Peru. I stayed there for a good while, teaching English to teens, adults, and business professionals until August 2015. At the moment, I’m a caseworker/life skills coach/tutor for adults with significant barriers to employment, but I’ll be heading back the world of TEFL in a few months here.

3. What has been the most rewarding thing about teaching English abroad?

Greg in one of his teaching practice classes

I’m also incredibly grateful for the fact that TEFL provides me the opportunity to learn the local language in the place where I’m teaching. Languages have been a passion of mine for years, and thanks to my TEFL certificate, I’ll be able to continue expanding my linguistic knowledge throughout my life.Teaching English abroad has been an interesting and overwhelmingly positive experience for me. Prior to beginning the TEFL program in Zorritos, Peru, I had limited classroom experience. I’d volunteered as an ESL teacher in my community and had done a bit of one-on-one tutoring, but it had never been my full-time gig. Turns out I loved it! One distinctive feature of a language classroom is that you’ll have the opportunity to talk with your students about all sorts of topics – science, art, morality, business, travel, going out – because it’s crucial that students leave your classroom being able to converse confidently in all manner of situations. This means that you’ll get to know students really well – and you’ll never go a day without learning something new yourself. Plus, there are few things more rewarding than seeing a tangible improvement in your students’ confidence and abilities.

4. What has been the most challenging thing about teaching English abroad?

Hmmmm…well, it hasn’t always been a cakewalk. While getting acquainted with the local culture was, overall, a wonderful experience, I’d say that the most difficult aspect of my experience in Lima stemmed from an unexpected cultural idiosyncrasy…a (much) laxer attitude toward time. If you have a meeting in Lima – even in a professional business context – don’t be too attached to the scheduled start time. It could very well start 30 to 60 minutes later than you expect.

5. How have the skills you learned in your TEFL course helped you so far?

Whatever small success I’ve had as an ESL teacher can, in large part, be chalked up to my time with TEFL Zorritos. Thanks to Ellie’s excellent instruction and the opportunity to teach in a real classroom setting during my time in Zorritos, I was able to approach my first paid ESL class with excitement rather than nerves, and teach it with confidence rather than uncertainty.

6. Do you have any advice for people thinking about taking the plunge into the world of TEFL?

Our September 2014 Course

Be open to new experiences. Some aspects of life in your new home will be difficult; others may be easier or more convenient than what you’re used to. The only thing that’s guaranteed is that things will be different. Go into it with an open mind and learn what you can.Take an in-person TEFL course with an incorporated supervised teaching element, if at all possible. You won’t regret it – especially if you have little to no prior teaching experience.

And don’t worry about perfection in teaching, because not even the best teachers can effectively teach everything to everyone. You’re a fallible human working with fallible humans, and your definition of success may differ from those of your students. Just be patient, pay close attention to your students’ needs, and do the best you can.

7. What are your plans for the future?

I’ve just started the process of soliciting ESL jobs abroad once again, but haven’t quite decided which country I’ll be moving to.

8. If you have anything else to add please feel free!

TEFL Zorritos was a great experience. Besides granting me the opportunity to visit a corner of the world I might never have seen otherwise, it left me well-prepared for my time as an ESL teacher. I highly recommend it!

Read more of TEFL Zorritos’ Success Stories on our website or contact us about applying to enroll.

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TEFL Zorritos: What could be better? Study in a beautiful Peruvian beach town at our outdoor beachfront training centre with great accommodations available, including delicious local food. Fully accredited 120 Hour TEFL course with a practical approach that provides you with 10 advanced certifications at absolutely no extra cost! And a job placement program in Peru and guaranteed lifetime job assistance waiting for you when you finish the course.

Class sizes are limited, so don’t wait, make your reservation today!

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Teaching English in Peru - Part 2

An Interview with Adam Stengel from the USA who graduated from TEFL Zorritos in October 2014

1. What is your name, age, where are you from originally and where are you currently living?

Adam with his fellow trainees

My name is Adam Stengel and I’m twenty-eight years old.  I am from the United States—Arkansas to be specific—and as I write this I’m residing in my home state.  By the New Year, however, I intend to go abroad and start a new TEFL adventure.

2. When did you successfully complete your TEFL Certificate course and what have you been doing since then? Please tell us about who and where you have been teaching.

I completed the TEFL Zorritos course in October 2014. When the course concluded, I moved down to Lima, and, after taking several interviews—which Ellie helped tie down—I took a job at Euroidiomas, a private language institute in the city.  Since last summer, when I returned to the States, I’ve been adjunct teaching (I also have a Master’s degree in English) and doing freelance editing/writing work.

3. What has been the most rewarding thing about teaching English abroad?

I love my students, and so making classroom connections is the most rewarding thing.  When it becomes apparent that your teaching has made a difference, well, regardless of the local currency exchange rate, that’s a priceless feeling.

Adam in one of his teaching practice classes

4. What has been the most challenging thing about teaching English abroad?

Culture shock is real, y’all.  Adjusting to a foreign environment, where you may not have family or friends or speak the local language, can be intense and difficult.  But everything I’ve learned and experienced since setting out on my TEFL odyssey has made the difficulties worth it and the regrets obsolete. 

5. How have the skills you learned in your TEFL course helped you so far?

TEFL Zorritos was intense, a pedagogical boot camp if you will, but everything in the curriculum is applicable to TEFL.  The practice teaching component especially helped show me what teaching language learners would be like.  Without the course, transitioning right into teaching would have been much more difficult.

6. Do you have any advice for people thinking about taking the plunge into the world of TEFL?

Certainly one should get TEFL certified.  Having proper training and credentials makes procuring a job much easier and something, in some markets, which you can tie up remotely.  And a top shelf certificate, like the one offered by TEFL Zorritos—120 hours, on location, practice teaching included—is all the more valuable. 

7. What are your plans for the future?

ASAP, I want to go back abroad and teach.  China, or somewhere else in East or SE Asia, given the plentiful market, is looking like a solid option.

8. If you have anything else to add please feel free!

TEFL Zorritos kicks ass, vamos! 

Read more of TEFL Zorritos’ Success Stories on our website or contact us about applying to enroll.

_______________________________________________________________

TEFL Zorritos: What could be better? Study in a beautiful Peruvian beach town at our outdoor beachfront training centre with great accommodations available, including delicious local food. Fully accredited 120 Hour TEFL course with a practical approach that provides you with 10 advanced certifications at absolutely no extra cost! And a job placement program in Peru and guaranteed lifetime job assistance waiting for you when you finish the course.

Class sizes are limited, so don’t wait, make your reservation today!

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Teaching English in Peru - Part 1

Matt with his fellow trainees

An Interview with Matt Peterson from Australia who graduated from TEFL Zorritos in April 2016

1. What is your name, age, where are you from originally and where are you currently living?

Matthew Peterson, but Matt will do. I am 42 and originally from Adelaide, South Australia. I am currently living in Lima, Peru

2. When did you successfully complete your TEFL Certificate course and what have you been doing since then? Please tell us about who and where you have been teaching.

I completed my course in April 2016 and had a lot of fun doing it. Since then I relocated to Lima and, with some help, I found a great place to live and accumulated some simple living items, ie bed, fridge, microwave etc.  Then I went on to find work. It was a little slow to start with but it picked up very quickly and I had a full schedule of approx 30 hours after about 2-3 weeks of looking. I teach a variety of people from different backgrounds. From a mountain bike mechanic and tour guide to a top flight insurance salesman. I teach anywhere in Lima that is no more than about 30-40 min ride from my house in Surco

3. What has been the most rewarding thing about teaching English abroad?

The most rewarding thing to me, has been seeing that first sign of improvement and seeing the new understanding of a particular grammatical rule or even a passage that the student is reading. Seeing the smile slowly creep across their face and they say ‘I actually understand what I am reading’ is a very satisfying feeling. Also the meeting of new and different people and how they allow you into their homes and lives is quite special.

Matt in one of his teaching practice classes

4. What has been the most challenging thing about teaching English abroad?

The most challenging thing for me, so far, has been the language barrier. Before I came to Peru I knew no Spanish at all and as I am involved in teaching English all day, most days, I find it difficult to improve my Spanish. But slowly I am picking up some things here and there. I hope to be earning enough in the near future whereby I can decrease my hours teaching and hopefully attend a Spanish language course.

5. How have the skills you learned in your TEFL course helped you so far?

One skill I am most grateful for having learnt is being able to put a lesson together from scratch. In most cases there will be some materials already available for you to use but not always. There have been times when a new student calls to take classes and starts their first class the very next day. You then get called to teach that student at 8:30am the next day!! Also if you obtain your own private students this skill is invaluable.

6. Do you have any advice for people thinking about taking the plunge into the world of TEFL?

My advice is just do it!!  If you enjoy meeting new people, forming new friendships and encouraging and developing people to reach their full potential then you will, without doubt, love this career path. You will not only learn about new people, new cultures, new foods, you will also learn more about yourself than you otherwise would have had you not started down this path. You’ll wonder why you didn’t do it earlier!!

Enjoying some pool frisbee during lunch

7. What are your plans for the future?

I am very happy where I am. I plan to remain in Lima and continue teaching as many people as I can. I hope to start my own business in the very near future as I have had a lot of people asking, from there the sky is the limit.

8. If you have anything else to add please feel free!

The first thing I would like to add is the importance of getting a TEFL accreditation. This is essential to your success. Without it you would find it very difficult to gain any sort of work anywhere, especially if you also have no previous experience teaching. This is where Ellie and TEFL Zorritos will be able to help. Calling them should be your first step!!

Here are some other things I have learnt that I will pass on. I am mostly referring to Peru when I make these observations, but they are applicable elsewhere also.

Our March crew of TEFL trainees

1. Life moves at a different pace here sometimes anything up to 30 mins or more, slower!! You are not in Australia, or the USA or Canada anymore, you are in Peru, go with the flow.
2. If you’re planning on coming to Lima to work, get a mountain bike to get around on. It is faster, cheaper and less of a headache than any other form of transport, also the ‘combi’s’ here are death traps. It also keeps you fit. Most of my students are no more than a 30 min ride away from home
3. A good mobile phone service is essential as is a good wifi service at home.
4. Drivers here are ‘loco’. If you choose to ride be extra careful. Just because the light is red it doesn’t mean people will stop!!  Just because the right hand indicator is not blinking doesn’t mean they will not turn in front of you. Pedestrian crossings??  Hahah they don’t mean anything!!!
5. You will make friends whether you like it or not.
6. Food is cheap and tastes damn good, get into it!!
7. If you come to Lima look me up.

Read more of TEFL Zorritos' Success Stories on our website or contact us about applying to enroll.

_______________________________________________________________

TEFL Zorritos: What could be better? Study in a beautiful Peruvian beach town at our outdoor beachfront training centre with great accommodations available, including delicious local food. Fully accredited 120 Hour TEFL course with a practical approach that provides you with 10 advanced certifications at absolutely no extra cost! And a job placement program in Peru guaranteed lifetime job assistance waiting for you when you finish the course.

Class sizes are limited, so don't wait, make your reservation today!

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