Volunteer English Teaching | YouCanTeachEnglish

Volunteer English Teachers needed on the Thai Burma Border

Teach English in Thailand

CITY: Thai Burma Border
START DATE: throughout the academic year until 28th March, 2014.
WORKING CONDITIONS:
ANGLICAN LANGUAGE AND COMPUTER CENTRE (ALCC), Mae La Refugee Camp, Tak Province, 63110, Thailand.
ALCC is a Post-10 school in the largest Refugee Camp on the Thai Burma Border that provides English, Computer classes, and Social Science subjects to young people who have completed up to year 12 and in progression to either employment or university. ALCC works hand-in-hand with students, teachers, parents, community leaders and community based educational organizations to provide the best education possible in the camp.
ALCC is currently in need of full time volunteers who are able to teach English throughout the academic year until 28th March, 2014. Each volunteer assignment is for a minimum period of 3 months
REQUIREMENTS:
ALCC is currently in need of full time volunteers who are able to teach English throughout the academic year until 28th March, 2014.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
For more information please email alccschool@gmail.com.

Teaching English in Japan, Germany and India – Interview with Georgina Young

Georgina Young Teach English Abroad — Teach English Abroad with Georgina Young

What countries have you taught English in?

I have been employed to teach in Germany and Japan, I also volunteered to teacher train (as well as teaching myself) in India and I’ve taught German in England, Wales and Australia.

Can you give a summary of the teaching jobs you had?

Teaching English in India
In India, I was teaching in a really rural area, on a farm, in a village, an hour outside of New Delhi. I was working as part of a volunteering programme to help teach locals how to improve education in rural areas, so technically I was teaching adults, but really I was mostly leading by example so, I was also teaching the children from 2 – 18. I taught from 8am-1pm and then from 4-6pm. Teaching hours weren’t strict though and if I was feeling sick I could turn up an hour late or whatever. I only worked there for a month so no vacations but we got the weekends free to explore.
Teaching English in Germany
In Germany, I was teaching in a village half an hour outside of Frankfurt. I say village but it still had plenty of amenities banks, restaurants etc. I was teaching high school age from 10-18. It was a Haupt/Realschule which means that the kids were unable to go to university after high school, but instead would go to trade schools or into employment. I taught 12 lessons a week, always had a 3 day weekend, and didn’t have to be in school when I wasn’t teaching, meaning that I often came to school for just 2 hours and then went home. This was alongside the many weeks vacation Germans have. The base salary for the scheme I did is 800€ a month, which is just enough to get by on (just). But I did this as part of my year abroad and so got all the student loans and Erasmus grant besides, meaning I spent the whole year travelling and I saved up enough money for 3 months in Australia at the end of it.
Teaching English in Japan
At the moment, I live in Saga city and I commute 15 minutes by train to a Junior High School in a smaller town. I teach about 600 students between the ages of 12-15 and 2 special needs classes (which are my favourite). I teach around 18 – 20 classes a week but unlike Germany I have to stay in school when I don’t have lessons. I arrive in school at 8:10am and leave at 4:30pm. It’s much longer hours and days but the pay is a lot more. I’ll be honest in that I don’t know what I earn (as it doesn’t really bother me) but after bills I think I have about ¥200,000 ~ ¥250,000 (US$2,200 to $2,750) which leaves plenty of money to save. However, I don’t have the time to spend it. I still travel but just in the holidays (2 weeks, Christmas and Spring, 6 weeks for summer) and the numerous 3 day weekends that the national holidays here provide.

Can you provide an overview of your salary relative to cost-of-living in each country?

I am pretty good with money it has to be said. In India I was earning nothing, but then again things cost nothing. For the month I spent out £200 but that includes going to see the Taj and staying in nice hotels etc. I didn’t pay for food or accommodation while I was teaching.
Cost of Living in Germany
In Germany, I only spent the 800€ as part of my life in Germany and then I booked flights, trains and holiday money out of my Erasmus grant money. Rent and bills came to around 400€ for my massive 1 bed flat, and then I had 100€ a week spending money. I only spent about 20€ a week on groceries, the rest I spent on going out, travel, clothes etc. Other people constantly dove into their grant budget and had no money left at the end of the year.However, I had £6,000 saved by the time I left the country. £2,000 of which I spent on Australia.
Cost of Living in Japan
Again I know I am terrible but I don’t know how much my rent in Japan is, somewhere around ¥40,000 ~ ¥45,000 (US$440 – $495) a month and I live in a shoebox, however, my shoebox is in the city centre, compared to the German village. I spend around ¥2,500 (US$28) a week on groceries though other people tend to spend ¥4,000 (US$44). I don’t really buy clothes or anything, but I do eat out (which here is cheap ¥500 ~¥1,000 (US$5.50 – $11) per meal). Bills however are expensive and inevitable. I again spend less monthly than most ¥2,000 (US$22) each for my phone and electric (I don’t have internet on my phone) ¥4,000 (US$44) for gas (I like baths), ¥2,000 (US$22) on national health and the biggest kicker ¥15,000 (US$165) into my pension (which is compulsory) you can claim this back however, if you leave before 4 years. I can (and have) lived on only ¥110,000 in a month (US$1210) (almost exactly like Germany), and I did this living as I desired, though again I spend less than most. So I guess that means that really you can easily save ¥100,000 if you want to. You can obviously easily blow it too, as going out for a night out is EXPENSIVE you can easily spend ¥10,000 (US$110) in one night. Luckily, I don’t do that often but I do spend a lot on karaoke.

Can you give a quick overview of what you liked and disliked about teaching in each country?

In India, the children were so eager to learn, and I loved the laid back atmosphere of the place, that it was easy to say that you couldn’t come to school if you couldn’t. Bad sides were the sweltering heat and let’s just say it the constant diarrhoea. I also didn’t like how some of the people I saw treated other less fortunate people, but I guess that is just the culture. Mainly I felt that we were forced to go to nice hotels and take taxis (out of our pockets) etc. where as I would have rather lived in a little bit more normal digs, but the scheme I was on was quite controlling.
In Germany, I loved the easiness and cheapness of travel, the miniscule working hours, and the general culture. Even now I find myself being like “In Germany ….”. Bad points were definitely organisation, I was never told anything. Sometimes whole classes changed around, or school would be closed one day and I was just expected to know despite no one informing me. They also left me alone a lot without a supply. I would only find out I was meant to teach alone (with no lesson plan) when I turned up to lesson and the other teacher didn’t. I taught some pretty badly behaved kids, fights and racial slurs, which I had to break up personally. This, however, was just my school, most people didn’t have this experience.
In Japan, the kids are wonderfully behaved and well mannered. I also get really good training here. Organisation is excellent, I always know what they want me to do ahead of time, and everyone at school is really pleasant and helpful. I also love the country; I think Japan is definitely my favourite. Bad points? Well while long working hours doesn’t bother me so much (this is real life after all) 6am wake up calls do, I sleep a lot and so my bedtime rarely makes it to the darker side of 9pm. I don’t get as much time to travel, and there is a lot of bureaucracy (and faxing) which can drive you up the wall. Also as I don’t speak Japanese very well, I have to get people to read my mail for me etc, though we know this is my own fault. People have often complained that in Japan their colleagues won’t talk to them (or even try) and just treat them like a piece of the furniture, but I didn’t find this at all. Everyone was very welcoming to me, again I guess it depends on the school.

Do you have a TEFL or CELTA certification?

I have an online TEFL course from a not so reputable company that I got on Groupon for £65(US$103). It’s 120 hours. Less than that and people don’t count it

Is certification necessary to find employment in those countries?

No. I basically got it so I could be like “Look, I have one.” But by the time I got it I already had a years worth of teaching experience in Germany, which I personally feel is worth more than any TEFL certificate. Some places ask for one, but I think if you have enough experience it becomes irrelevant.
In India, previous teaching experience was required. In Germany, a high level of German proficiency was required and in Japan, I needed a degree (of any class or subject). But never a TEFL certificate.

How did you find your jobs?

India was a scheme for a charity which was run through my University, and so I first saw it advertised in an e-mail which came through the Uni system.
Germany I did as part of my year abroad and in the UK, it is pretty standard to send people through the British Council scheme. Though you don’t have to be at University to apply, students are given priority. Again my University sorted me out with my forms.
Japan I knew I wanted to go to Japan, and so I started looking around online for placements. I work for Interac and I found the position advertised on (you guessed it) my University’s careers newsletter. I also found other positions such as Aeon (for business teaching) and things like EPIK (for Korea). My cousin told me about the JET programme (her university emailed her) which is popular here. However, I’m glad I went private as the salary doesn’t matter to me, and private ALTs get much more vacation time.
I’m currently applying to a homestay teaching position in China for a few weeks over the summer which I again found through my University’s Careers newsletter (which I still receive and read despite graduating and having a job.) Even if you don’t go to a Uni you can still check out their careers website in some cases or if you’ve graduated you can still look at your old one. I have found so many jobs and placements through this service, I can’t recommend it more.
I guess the best advice in general is keep an eye out. I find most of the positions I apply for just from random emails I’m sent or simple things like looking on twitter. I would definitely advise people to make a twitter account and follow all the companies they are interested in as they often advertise positions.

Did any of the schools provide accommodations or pay for your travel expenses?

In India, my visa, flights, food and accommodation were all provided for me by my University who sponsor the charity I was working for.
In Germany, only a 3 day training course was provided for free. But my school did help me find local accommodation, and I stayed (for free) at a teachers house until I found somewhere.
In Japan, I think my flights are reimbursed when I complete my contract though I’m not 100% sure on that. My travel costs to and from school are covered as well as any travel costs I have coming to and from training sessions. Training is also free and there are regular meetings to keep you up to date with new techniques which are great. I had to pay for my visa but it was only about £26(US$41) I think.

Were your work visas arranged in advance for all three jobs?

In India, I believe I was on a tourist visa, which my University arranged and paid for before I arrived. I guess it was tourist because I was volunteering and wasn’t paid.
In Germany, I didn’t need a work visa as I live in the EU.
In Japan, my company sent me all the forms, etc. to fill out for the visa, and took me through the process which was long. They sorted the Japan half of things, but I had to go to London myself to process and pay for it. Because I graduated so late and it takes 8 weeks to process a work visa from start to finish (beginning with sending loads of forms and documents to Japan) I ended up coming to Japan in the middle of the school term, but I still found a placement from someone who was leaving. I know people have come to Japan on a tourist visa and started work, which is technically illegal, but is done. You have to leave Japan in order to process the work visa though.

What advice would you offer for others thinking of teaching English abroad?

Ignore what other people say about which destinations are good/bad and go with what your heart tells you. Go where you really want to be. It’s location, location, location and you’ll never be happy in the wrong place. Go where you feel YOU want to go, and ignore all the haters. Also ignore those who say that you are running away, or that you can’t settle down if you teach abroad. TEFL can be a genuine career if you want it to be or a break if you want that too. People keep asking me when I’m coming back to settle in Britain and it’s quite hard to get through to them that I’m not.

Follow My Journey – Feel free to send me an e-mail and ask me any questions.

Website http://georgeonthego.org
Facebook www.facebook.com/georgegoingdown
Twitter @georgieonthego
More Links
Teach English in Japan Information (More information on teaching English in Japan)
TEFL jobs in Japan (English teaching jobs available in Japan)

Volunteer Teacher Wanted in Mexico

Teach English in Mexico

CITY: Cancún
START DATE: 07th January 2013
SALARY: Competitive salary
WORKING CONDITIONS:
The English teachers from IELC are placed in elementary and public middle schools where they teach English in the morning or afternoon to teenagers and children from 6 to 15 years old. As a teacher you will work 4 to 6 hours a day, five days a week, Monday ” Friday. The schedule depends upon the placement of the teacher. The courses are either part of the children’s regular coursework or will be incorporated into other activities.
We offer to the English teachers:
-Free Spanish lessons.
-Free accommodation with a Host Families, or in an apartment..
-Free regional Trips
-Official school letterhead indicating the grade level and period of time you taught.
What you will gain:
-Competitive multicultural, international, and professional experience.
– Personal sense of achievement and satisfaction.
-The opportunity to change and make a positive impact in the lives of others!
REQUIREMENTS:
REQUIREMENTS
-Native English Speaker.(only)
-Participants must be 18 years of age or older.
-You must hold a valid passport before to enter Mexico.
-Valid ID or Driver License.
-Must be able to make a semester commitment.
-Ability to work with limited resources.
-Ability to live and work in a culture vastly different than your culture of origin.
-Have a real interest in Mexico and it’s culture.
-Have a real interest in teaching children
-Be committed, responsible and flexible/ adaptable to change.
APPLICATION PROCESS
If interested please send all the following information by e mail
-Resume (Curriculum Vitae).
-Recommendation letters (two of them should be from your academic professors andone from your previous employers).
-Please attach scanned copies of Relevant Certificates or Diplomas.
-Telephone number and Skype user name with your schedule to be reached for an interview.
-Cover letter including start date, your personal philosophy of teaching, why you feel you would like to be on our team, how long a term you are willing to commit to.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Teach_Mexico@aol.com

Volunteer Teacher Wanted in Cancún México

Teach English in Mexico

CITY: Cancún, Quintana Roo, México
START DATE: Jan 14
SALARY: N/A
WORKING CONDITIONS:
IELC-International English Language Classroom is looking for native English speaking candidates who are enthusiastic and motivated to join our small team, in teaching English classes all ages and grades.
The schools we serve are located at the most popular tourist destinations of the country of México mainly in colonial and traditional cities, yet the majority of our students come from low-income families.
Share your time and talents to help others to reach their hopes and dreams!
Country:Mexico
City:Cancún
Duration:Varied (at least 3 months)
Position start date:07th January 2013
Deadline for applications:17th December 2012.
Contract type:Volunteer.
REQUIREMENTS:
-Native English Speaker.(only)
-Participants must be 18 years of age or older.
-You must hold a valid passport before to enter Mexico.
-Valid ID or Driver License.
-Must be able to make a semester commitment.
-Ability to work with limited resources.
-Ability to live and work in a culture vastly different than your culture of origin.
-Have a real interest in Mexico and it’s culture.
-Have a real interest in teaching children
-Be committed, responsible and flexible/ adaptable to change.
The English teachers from IELC are placed in elementary and public middle schools where they teach English in the morning or afternoon to teenagers and children from 6 to 15 years old. As a teacher you will work 4 to 6 hours a day, five days a week, Monday ” Friday. The schedule depends upon the placement of the teacher. The courses are either part of the children’s regular coursework or will be incorporated into other activities.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
APPLICATION PROCESS
If interested please send all the following information by e mail (careers@ielc.com.mx)
-Resume (Curriculum Vitae).
-Recommendation letters (two of them should be from your academic professors and one from your previous employers).
-Please attach scanned copies of Relevant Certificates or Diplomas.
-Telephone number and Skype user name with your schedule to be reached for an interview.
-Cover letter including start date, your personal philosophy of teaching, why you feel you would like to be on our team, how long a term you are willing to commit to.
SALARY/BENEFIT INFORMATION:
We offer to the English teachers:
-Free Spanish lessons.
-Free accommodation with a Host Families, or in an apartment..
-Free regional Trips
-Official school letterhead indicating the grade level and period of time you taught.
What you will gain:
-Competitive multicultural, international, and professional experience.
– Personal sense of achievement and satisfaction.
-The opportunity to change and make a positive impact in the lives of others!
Keep in mind that we need all the information in order to give you an interview.
We also invite you to visit our website and learn more information about Us!
Please reference this website ( www.youcanteachenglish.com/ ) when applying.

English language volunteers needed in Ocotepeque, Honduras

Teach English in Honduras

CITY: Ocotepeque
START DATE: February 2013.
SALARY: Volunteer
WORKING CONDITIONS:
Room, three meals a day and a stipend per month are provided to volunteers with a commitment of six months or more. Volunteers will stay in an apartment just blocks from the school.
REQUIREMENTS:
Teaching experience is not required, but volunteers must be fluent English speakers.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
isfahn@live.com

Teach English in Georgia – Paid Flights – Free Accommodation

Location:
The Republic of Georgia, Nationwide
Start Date:
Immediately
Salary:
$300US/month Stipend
Working Conditions:
Apply with Reach To Teach any time between now and August 15th, 2012 for our short-term teaching contracts with the Ministry of Education in Georgia, Eastern Europe. These contracts end on December 22nd, 2012, just in time for the Christmas holidays!
We have a limited number of these contracts available. Our positions are being offered on a first-come, first-serve basis.
What’s more, your flights to and from Georgia are paid up front! There are no up-front costs to participate in this program, other than the $20USD you need to spend on your background check.
www.ReachToTeachRecruiting.com
Teaching English in Georgia is a tremendous experience. Your students, the culture, exotic food, your Georgian peers, the language, and travel options all combine to make for an incredible opportunity.
Volunteer English Teachers receive the following benefits:
– A selection of well respected and good schools with a strong track record
– A monthly stipend of 500 Georgian Lari (approximately 0 USD)
– Free round-trip airfare to Georgia and back to your home country
– Living accommodations with a Georgian family
– Medical insurance
– A safe living and working environment
– Proper working visa, work papers, insurance, etc
– There is no fee to participate in the our program
– One week of language and intercultural training classes
Requirements:
– A college or university degree
– You must speak English fluently
– American, Australian, British, Canadian, Irish, New Zealand, and South African residents are preferred, but Reach To Teach will consider applicants from all over the world who speak English fluently
– Complete a medical assessment form that attests to your good health
– Complete an online background check. (You can get your results back within 2-3 days)
– Teaching experience is not required
– You must be under 55 years of age
– A love for children of all ages and abilities
– Energy and enthusiasm…of course!
Why Reach To Teach?
At Reach To Teach we believe in giving each of our teachers direct, personal attention, just as we hope you will give your students! We understand the world of ESL and we care about our teachers and their students. You will receive ongoing support from us up until your placement and it doesn’t stop there.
Reach To Teach is here to help you through your year of cultural challenges and adventures. To find more information about Reach To Teach and the many services we offer please visit our friendly and informative website: http://www.reachtoteachrecruiting.com
How to apply to Reach To Teach!
– Please prepare your teaching resume, a cover letter attesting to your desire to teach in Georgia, and recent photo and upload it through our application form on the Reach To Teach web site.
– Visit our website to access and complete our application form:
www.ReachToTeachRecruiting.com
We look forward to hearing from you!
Contact Information:
info@reachtoteachrecruiting.com

Volunteer to Teach English Abroad – Interview with Justine Flores

How long have you been teaching English in Georgia?

I arrived in Georgia in January 2011 and renewed my original one semester contract twice, so I will be there until June 2012.

Please tell us about your job?

I work through the Ministry of Education program Teach and Learn with Georgia (TLG). They place volunteer teachers all over the country in public schools which can vary from small villages to large cities. Currently we teach grades 1-6 and additional activities with older students if desired. A typical day is teaching four 45 minute classes with a Georgian English teacher.
My original school was in a small village about 20 minutes away from the closest town. The school had 300 students, grades 1-12 and classes were typically 20-30 students each. The building was old and in desperate need of renovations. There was no electricity in the classrooms and the only heat came from wood burning stoves. The teachers I worked with were very creative with the limited resources.
There are 14 National Holidays where school is not in session and an additional month off from December – January thanks to Georgians celebrating Christmas and New Year both on the Julian and Gregorian calendars. Volunteers can return home for this month or use it to travel.

Why did you choose to volunteer rather than get a typical English teaching job?

I taught English back home in the States for a year to adult immigrants and discovered I really love teaching. I always wanted to live abroad so I did a lot of research on this program and felt it was right for me. I liked everything I read about Georgia through other volunteers’ blogs and wanted to go there more than any other location. I might not make a lot of money but I am very happy there, and it doesn’t hurt when you get treated like a celebrity by your students and the villagers.

How did you find your job?

I saw it advertised on Idealist.org from the Greenheart Travel Teach Abroad agency. I thought Greenheart was great in all the support they gave, free of charge, for the entire application process and putting volunteers in touch with each other to create a community before even leaving home.

Does your school provide accommodations, monthly stipends or pay for your travel expenses?

TLG has no program fee and provides volunteers with a round trip flight, one week orientation in a hotel, accommodation in host family houses, which includes a private room and meals twice daily, medical insurance, a cell phone that calls anyone else affiliated with TLG for free, and a monthly stipend of 500 Lari (about US$ 275) which is about average income in Georgia and enough to live simply. Volunteers are required to contribute 100 Lari monthly to their host family for rent and give private lessons to the family three hours per week. If you sign for two consecutive semesters, you get a pair 24 day vacation.

What are your rough expenses for entertainment and other costs?

If you live in a village or town it’s likely you will not spend much money all week, but the weekends are spent traveling for most volunteers. A night in a hostel can be 15-20 Lari (US$9 -12) dinner and drinks run about 10-20 Lari (US$6 -12). Many times you can find entertainment for free by going to Georgian supras, spontaneous feasts that happen for any and every reason and by going on field trips with your students. In general, things are very cheap in Georgia, you can get from one end of the country to the other for about 24 Lari (US$14) through the network of mini buses or trains. There are all kinds of ancient churches and ruins to visit, excellent hiking and camping in the Caucasus mountains, all of which are free or very cheap. If your host family does not have internet, you can purchase a USB Modem for 155 Lari (US$93) and monthly plans are between 15-45 Lari (US$9 – 27). For additional entertainment and frequent travel, a volunteer would need to earn more money or use their own savings.

Are there opportunities to earn income on the side?

I personally don’t do extra work, however we are allowed by our program to privately tutor anyone besides students in our school. Depending on where you live you could make an additional 100-300 Lari (US$60 -180) a month if you wanted to privately tutor. Also the ministry offers additional jobs, like teaching police or adult classes in the evenings for extra income.

Is it necessary to have teaching certificates or training to find volunteer teaching positions?

TLG Volunteers are not required to have a teaching certificate nor training. The requirements to apply are two years of university, pass a medical clearance and criminal background check, and an open mind.

What is Georgia like?

Georgia is unlike any other country I have ever been to. It is in the Caucasus region, between Europe and Asia. Georgian people have a proud history that goes back thousands of years. The culture there is more laid back and heavily family oriented. Living with a Georgian host family is an excellent opportunity to experience the culture fully. The food is also very unique, Georgians take pride int their foods, especially khatchapuri (cheesy bread) and khinkali (meat or potato dumplings). Food there is prepared fresh daily. Additionally, Georgia is known for its wine, it is one of the oldest wine producing regions in the world. Each little village has their own grape variety and most families make wine in their houses in the autumn.
As I mentioned, there are many great outdoors activities in Georgia. You can enjoy palm trees and beaches in Batumi in the summer and skiing and mountains in the winter. The people are known for their overwhelming hospitality, they will feed you cake and have you drink wine until you explode, or that’s how it feels sometimes. It’s a great problem to have. Georgia is the second oldest Christian country and they are very proud of their orthodox Christian heritage, yet generally very welcoming to people of all backgrounds. They tend to be socially conservative when it comes to gender and sexuality issues.

Is it a good place to travel from?

Georgia borders Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkey and Russia. It is across the Black Sea from Ukraine and a short relatively cheap flight from many European and Middle Eastern destinations. I have travelled to Armenia and Turkey, as well as Central Europe after my first contract ended last summer. Armenia and Turkey are the easiest to visit from Georgia, either one could be a weekend trip. We also get many holidays and vacation time which makes travelling a lot easier.

Do you recommend Georgia for other English teachers?

Georgia is an absolutely joyful experience for me, but it’s not for everyone. I wholeheartedly recommend it to teachers who are able to go with the flow. Time there operates on GMT – Georgia Maybe Time, planning ahead usually does not exist more than a few minutes in advance. If you can deal with a developing country and things like squat toilets, lack of central heat, intermittent electricity and running water, and being a local celebrity to the point where if you take a walk everyone in the village is talking about it the next day, then I think you would like Georgia. If you can throw yourself into a linguistically isolated language with its own alphabet, try new food and drink, bring a breath of fresh air to an education system making its way out of the Soviet era mentality, survive mad traffic patterns, then I think you would love Georgia.

What advice would you offer for others thinking of volunteering to teach abroad?

Do your research on the country and the program as much as possible. Talk to other volunteers if you can. If you think it’s sometime you would like, you probably will – so just do it! Don’t wait until later because later you might not have time. Don’t be surprised if you end up learning more about the world and yourself more than you teach.
Links
Teach and Learn with Georgia Official Site
Greenheart Travel and Teach in Georgia:
Justine Flores on Facebook

Volunteer English Teaching in Ecuador: Interview with Jon Brandt

Jon Brandt volunteered to teach English in Ecuador for 11 months. He used WorldTeach to find and organize his teaching position. Jon shares his experiences living, traveling and teaching in Latin America in this interview.

How did you find your volunteer teaching job in Ecuador?

I volunteered with a program called WorldTeach, which is a non-profit based out of the John F. Kennedy Center for International Development at Harvard University. After applying for the program and being accepted, we were given choices for where we would like to live. The directors then did their best to assess where we should be placed. I was originally placed in a small city on the southern coast called Machala, but because of a couple of incidents I wound up switching my site to Cuenca, a city high in the Andes. So long story short, no one really knew where we would be placed or why we wound up somewhere, but the directors tried their best to put us where they thought we would fit.

Why did you choose to volunteer and why Ecuador?

I chose to volunteer because after being fortunate enough to attend a university in the United States for 4 years, I wanted to give back in some way that had to do with international service. I’d done some volunteer work in Montevideo, Uruguay for a spring break my senior year and decided that I wanted to come back to South America. I was interested in WorldTeach, but the only program in South America that really interested me was Ecuador. I’d heard that their Spanish was very easy to understand and learn, and since I knew nothing about the country, I thought it would be a perfect way to learn and become an expert on it in my own way.

How easy is it to find volunteer teaching opportunities?

I’ve met a lot of people who volunteer is some way or another. You could literally visit a town while traveling and wind up staying as a volunteer for months. You probably won’t make money and will likely have to spend your own, but if you really want to do it you can. In bigger cities it might be easier to find jobs but in smaller towns it will be harder, but perhaps more worthwhile.

How did you get your visa to stay for 11 months?

WorldTeach arranged and took care of all of the visa applications. Aside from some things we had to do like signatures, our directors handled it all, which saved us a lot of hassle.

How much did WorldTeach Charge?

It costs around $5000, plus some other little expenses like the injections. There are cheaper WT programs, and this is one of the more expensive ones.

Are there many paid teaching jobs in Ecuador?

There are a lot of paid teaching jobs, but they don’t pay much. Generally, you make just enough to get by. In cities like Quito and Cuenca you might get a little more, but that is to match the cost of living. In other places, you get paid less but the cost of living is significantly less.

Is it possible for teachers to arrive without a work visa and look for a job?

I think it’s possible to show up in a city like Quito or Cuenca and find a job, but it will be time consuming and most likely involve a lot of work on your part. I have friends in Cuenca who just showed up and found jobs at institutes, but they had to get someone to vouch for them for a cultural visa, which can be difficult if you don’t know anyone. Other people started the search before coming down and had a job waiting for them. But getting the visa in the country can be hard if you’re not in Quito or Guayaquil. You will have to travel to those cities to take care of it.

What is the cost of living in Ecuador?

Cost of living depends on the city and region. I lived in Cuenca, which is one of the most expensive places in the country. Rent there could run from $70-220 on the higher end, depending on how many roommates you have. Things are generally cheaper on the coast–a big bowl of ceviche or encebollado (local dishes) could cost between 80 cents-$1.25. No matter where you are in the country, a lunch shouldn’t cost more than $2.50 or it’s a rip off. A liter of beer in a store could be 80 cents-$1.50, but in a bar could be more expensive. Living in Cuenca, I rarely spent more than $20 a night, and if I did was pretty upset. In other towns you might only need $5-10. But in Quito you need more, especially for taxis which cost more.

Did your school cover most of your expenses?

We got monthly stipends (when they paid us on time) which covered our rent for a host family and meals with the family. The remainder was ours to spend, but I never really had to dip into my own account unless I was traveling. The stipends depended on the site placement, but mine was $400 per month (though they originally only paid us $380 for about 6 months until we realized the problem). $200 had to go to our host families for food and housing, and the rest was ours.

How much savings should you plan on having to be able to volunteer for a year?

Save at least a couple thousand dollars as a back up, but as long as you live within your means, the monthly salaries should be enough to get you by.

What was the work like?

Everyone’s hours were different depending on their school, but we all worked no more than 20 hours a week and had vacations while receiving the stipend. I worked at a university, so I had mostly college aged kids, which was fun at times but also meant I had to deal with apathetic students who were tired and only took the course because they had to. So it was challenging in that I had to offer them something to bother caring about.

Did you have a lot of free time and holidays to explore the country?

I traveled a good amount on long weekends and vacations and saw a large portion of the country, as well as the Galapagos Islands. With our visa we were able to pay the Ecuadorian national price, saving us a lot of money. Transportation in the country can be difficult, so longer trips were usually saved for longer vacations.

Did your employer provide you with medical Insurance? If not, was it expensive?

WorldTeach provided us with Global Underwriters insurance, which was part of the fee for the program (the program fee was $4995 or so). Other things like Yellow Fever and Hepatitis shots, or Malaria pills were paid out of our pockets, at high prices.

Did you have computer and Internet access to blog and keep in touch with family?

My host family had an Internet connection so I was able to blog frequently, and the university had a computer lab also. But most families did not have Internet, and not all schools had it either. If that was the case, a volunteer would have to go to an Internet cafe when they had time. But the connections in Ecuador are generally slow and can be lost frequently.

Do you recommend volunteering and Ecuador for other English teachers?

I think volunteering was a good experience, though I know other people who went to Cuenca without paying for a volunteer agency and simply got a job. The same can be said in Quito. But if you want to get out of those cities and into smaller communities, volunteering is a better option. Ecuador is a great place to see some amazing cultures and diverse people. Though less traveled by tourists, it’s definitely worth spending time in.

What advice would you offer for others thinking of volunteering to teach English abroad?

I would recommend getting some experience at home, but not expecting a classroom overseas to be anything like that. I also suggest learning as much about a culture before you arrive–everything from history to etiquette at the dinner table, this way you can more easily assimilate into the society and truly learn about the place you’re in, rather than just scratching your head for 12 months and feeling like an outsider. Read books by local authors, watch the local news, and talk to people. Accept what they tell you, but ask other people for more information as well. Everyone has a different opinion in some way.
Links
Travel Guy Jon Brandt’s blog
La Vida Idealist Jon contributes to this blog about Latin America travel and volunteer opportunities
WorldTeach The organization that arranged Jon’s volunteer teaching experience
Teaching Jobs in Ecuador