TEFL Institute Alumnus and current staffer Mike taught English in Madrid after earning his certification with TEFL Madrid. Since returning to the US and moving to Chicago, Mike has joined the TEFL Institute team to help our graduates find teaching positions all over the world. He is also currently getting his Masters Degree in Education.
In August 2009, two life-changing events happened for me: I got married and moved abroad. Since honeymooning in Europe didn't feel like it would satisfy our adventurous spirit, we opted to quit, sell and leave everything for a wine-and-tapas-filled adventure. Teaching English provided us with the means to do so.
My wife had taken the TEFL Institute Madrid course in May. A few months later, I attended the same program while she began working.
Spain is a little bit different than the rest of Europe; they don't speak a whole lot of English there. In fact, it is the only modernized western country that has a Prime Minister who is not fluent in English, so Spain really is one of the best western European markets for English teachers to find work.
The great thing about Spain is that you can really make it whatever you want it to be. A teacher can have a really full life working 20 hours per week. It offers plenty of time to enjoy the Spanish lifestyle, which specializes in late nights, wine, afternoon naps, and the consumption of large amounts of ham. 20 to 25 hours of work a week can provide enough funds, if you are frugal, to travel throughout Spain and around Europe during one of the many holiday weekends.
There is also a lot of variety in classes. I really enjoyed working one-on-one with younger students, while my wife preferred working with adult students. We were both able to fill our schedules with the classes we enjoyed teaching.
My experience went well beyond my time in Spain and followed me home. I developed a real liking and appreciation of the teaching process, especially with elementary aged children. After a full school year in Spain, we moved back to Chicago and I enrolled in a Master's program to become an elementary education teacher.
If it hadn't been for the awesome experience I had working with all of my students, I probably would not have realized my passion for teaching and enrolled in this program. I owe a lot to my experiences as a TEFL teacher.
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