Who the heck are you?
I am a 24 year old vagabond who feels she can finally call herself an English teacher. I originally graduated with a degree in Biobehavioral Health, but now I have found that teaching English in foreign countries is a great passion of mine. I began by teaching for a semester in Chile, then for a school year at a women's university in Bangladesh. I'm now going to begin my third stint of teaching in Georgia, and also lead the first group of WorldTeach volunteers there.
Why teach English as a second/foreign language?
This is a question that I continue to struggle with. It feels very ethnocentric, sometimes, to enter these foreign countries and push my language at them. The number of languages in this world is slowly decreasing, and I have to wonder if soon there will be just a small hodgepodge left. I also have to wonder how much it encroaches on culture, because with English comes the globalizing force of Western culture. However, globalization won't stop. Learning English can be a valuable key in dealing successfully with foreigners and preserving the local culture. Who better to take care of the local things than the locals themselves?
What is this WorldTeach thing you keep mentioning?
WorldTeach is a "non-profit, non-governmental organization founded by a group of Harvard students in 1986 in response to the need for educational assistance in developing countries." This organization recruits volunteers from all over the United States and places them around the world in countries such as Chile, Bangladesh, Tanzania, Micronesia, and more. They provide fantastic support and coordination, making sure their volunteers are well taken care of and safe in their respective host countries. I cannot even begin to elaborate on what I have learned and gained from being a WorldTeach volunteer.
What was it like living and teaching in Chile?
I won't lie: it was very hard in the beginning. I was adjusting to a new country, language, family, teaching, everything was new. Once I was over a month in and beginning to understand things, solidify friendships with my fellow volunteers and Chileans alike, become comfortable in my classroom, and really connect with my family... everything flew by and was like a dream. Taking that position in Chile was the best decision I have ever made. I would do it a hundred times over and pay a thousand times more to repeat that experience. I now have unexplained attachments to reggaeton music, hotdogs, scarves, strange foods, and dry-erase markers, among other things.
What was it like living and teaching in Bangladesh?
Bangladesh was a completely different experience. I was at the Asian University for Women, a relatively new campus dedicated to educating women from across the southern Asian region. I was a teacher for the Access Academy, a preparatory year for the students before they entered undergraduate courses. I was also a teaching assistant for biology classes and an extracurricular adviser for a dance club and a women's health group. I have never worked so hard in my life, or been through so many ups and downs. Overall, though, I have come away with some very amazing friends and an overwhelming love for my students. I wish I could have gone back for another year, but clearly karma had other plans for me.
So what are you doing now in Georgia?
I am officially the Head Teacher, which is similar to the Field Director position that all WorldTeach programs have. I will be responsible for being an English teacher, and also being a liaison to the Teach and Learn with Georgia program. I have my own group of volunteers to oversee and make sure they are taken care of and nurtured, as both individuals and teachers. I can't wait to see what this year has in store for me.