Life after the course, alumni spotlight - Tim Seel

Tim attended our January 2021 course in Siem Reap, Cambodia. We caught up with him to see what he is up to now. Here’s what Tim has to say:

I completed my TEFL course in early February 2021 in Siem Reap, Cambodia.

I have been teaching online with Engoo since I graduated. I am also working with a language school in Cusco, Peru to develop a new ESL course specialising in medical/nursing terminology. My main role is as a volunteer nurse at a charity I have set up called Kid Care. We provide first aid and healthcare at a charity school and also do outreach clinics to help the families of our students. Teaching allows me to earn a wage so I can continue the charity work.

Siem Reap has been affected by the global pandemic. Actual numbers of cases have been thankfully low, but there has been a huge drop in tourist numbers. This has had a drastic effect on the income of many people here and many businesses have closed their doors. There are still enough open to have as much of a social life as Covid restrictions allow. The area surrounding Siem Reap is beautiful and a wonderful place to explore. The World heritage site of Angkor Wat is not far from town and I spend a lot of time soaking up the tranquillity there. Tonle Sap, Kulen Mountain and Banteay Srey are also great places for a day trip.

Engoo allow a great deal of flexibility which is ideal for me. I can teach at any time night or day. I give my availability one week in advance, but can change it if commitments change. Lessons are 25 minutes long with all materials provided by the company, so there is no lesson planning whatsoever. It takes me about two minutes after the lesson to write up notes and send them to the student. All lessons are one to one.

I work at the clinic from 7.30am to 11.30am. I then start teaching about 1pm. Depending on other commitments, I do 4-5 hours of teaching through the afternoon and evening. The flexibility means I can fit it in at any time.

Some of the students choose to have Free Conversation to practice their language skills. Others use news articles that are available on the company website. There are also more formal teaching materials available to learn/improve grammar, punctuation etc

I think on the whole, it is what I expected, but I am enjoying it even more than I thought I would. All of my students are delightful and I really enjoy the time spent conversing with them. I am learning lots too especially about Japanese culture and geography.

As I only teach online, I don’t use many of the skills I learnt on the course. However, things such as phonics and back-chaining are very useful when helping students who struggle with pronunciation. Overall, the course was excellent and gave me the confidence to teach others for a living. I plan to stay in Siem Reap long term and hopefully see Kid Care grow and extend its services.

Don’t underestimate the work involved with doing a TEFL course. However, it is absolutely worth the effort. The qualification gives you ultimate freedom to earn a living. You can teach online anywhere and at any time you wish. It really is a fantastic qualification to have and I just wish I’d done it sooner!

I would like to add a huge thank you to all at Destination TEFL. Your course has opened doors and given me the opportunity to earn money doing something I enjoy. -- Tim Seel, Destination TEFL graduate.

Would you like to follow in Tim’s steps and follow your dreams to a meaningful career?

Pop us an email at admissions@destinationtefl.com for an info pack. Let 2021 be your year of adventure!