{"id":4491,"date":"2014-01-08T14:16:30","date_gmt":"2014-01-08T14:16:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.studyabroad101.com\/?p=4491"},"modified":"2014-01-08T14:16:30","modified_gmt":"2014-01-08T14:16:30","slug":"atlas-sliced-tells-us-about-teaching-abroad","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.studyabroad101.com\/blog\/2014\/01\/atlas-sliced-tells-us-about-teaching-abroad\/","title":{"rendered":"Atlas Sliced Tells Us About Teaching Abroad"},"content":{"rendered":"

THANK YOU so much for participating in the Google+ Hangout last night. You gals are awesome. It’s posted on my site right here:\u00a0http:\/\/atlassliced.com\/episode-slice-23-get-started-on-teaching-english-abroad<\/a><\/p>\n

Getting TEFL Certified in Peru and Teaching English in Korea<\/strong><\/p>\n

If you had asked me at my university graduation where I would be and what I would be doing at couple years later, I would have never guessed teaching English in South Korea.<\/p>\n

I thought for sure that I\u2019d be in an office somewhere working for a nonprofit or a PR firm. In fact, I did<\/em> get a job at a public relations firm but decided it wasn\u2019t the right fit. Having grown up with parents who took me on exotic vacations, my desire to travel became too powerful, as I sat in my cubicle daydreaming of faraway places. So, I quit my job, took out some money from my savings account, and bought a one-way ticket to Cusco, Peru.<\/p>\n

My initial plan was to volunteer in Peru. I helped paint a battered women\u2019s shelter and took care of kids at a rural daycare. I loved it. Additionally, while there, I learned that my volunteer organization (Maximo Nivel<\/a>) was a language institute and offered a TEFL (teaching English as a foreign language) certification program. After learning more about the program, I enrolled.<\/p>\n

I thought to myself, \u201cWhat better way to see the world than to teach and travel?\u201d Teaching would be a great way to fund my adventures and explore different countries.<\/p>\n

The TEFL certification program was an intense, 150-hour, four-week program. There were 11 people in the class, and we had superb instructors. We even taught practice lessons to real English students.<\/p>\n

Sometimes the best things in life come when you\u2019re not expecting them. This was the case for me at Maximo Nivel. However, if you\u2019re looking for a good TEFL program, here are some of my top tips.<\/span><\/p>\n

1) Take a look at what people have to say.<\/strong> Personal reviews are important. Do some online sleuthing and ask around.<\/p>\n

2) Do an on-site course vs. an online course if you can<\/strong>. On-site courses are more expensive, but they are more conducive to learning. Also, in an on-site course, you\u2019ll build relationships with your instructors and your peers. These connections might help you score a job later on.<\/p>\n

3) Do a course that is 100 hours or more.<\/strong> Many schools prefer to hire teachers who have taken courses that are over 100 hours. It shows that you have spent more time training.<\/p>\n

I\u2019d also like to point out a few advantages of being TEFL certified.<\/span> Let me make this clear. You can<\/em> get a teaching job without a TEFL certification. But, here is why I advocate for getting one.<\/p>\n