Ezekiel: United Kingdom: Mar 01, 2023

Supporting others to learn new skills is something that I have always enjoyed, and is something that I have a natural aptitude for, albeit that most of my experience had been coaching sports skills such as skiing, tennis or cricket. In all cases, the process was similar; identifying where a person is starting from, and then breaking down the process required to develop from that point and then planning fun and interesting ways to practice those skills until the person had acquired them and become more confident. I find this very satisfying and have had positive feedback about my ability to support others to learn new skills.
Consequently, teaching EFL really appealed to me, as it would be an opportunity to develop these skills further whilst also experiencing life working abroad. When I first gained the EFL qualification, I was attracted to living in a new culture, although at the time I did not know what that would mean. However, after graduating in June, I spent the summer months living and working at a school in Tanzania. I loved this experience and feel that teaching English to primary-age children in this school increased my passion for EFL. I could see how valuable it is for the children to be able to learn to speak and understand the English language, additionally, I could see their excitement to be taught by a native English speaker and a young person from the UK. I was able to build strong relationships with the children by sharing my love of sports, nature, and life in general; I often found myself talking to them outside of class about their hobbies and personalities in English.