Oxford Seminars Graduates' Stories From Life Abroad & Course Reviews

"Even for a seasoned traveller like myself, it’s always a scary thing to travel half-way around the world to begin anew. Fortunately, when I found myself in Chongqing, China, I was greeted with open arms and warm hotpot hearts. While I would argue that no amount of preparation can prepare you for becoming a first-time EAL teacher, Oxford Seminars gave me the foundation I needed to discover, explore and share my love for teaching. Along the way, I have made plenty of friends, all of us family in this home away from home. On days when I’m not teaching my incredible students, I’m scaling mountains at 5,200 feet and learning languages I never knew existed. While I worry that the people of China have taught me more than I have taught them, I am reminded by my talented and wise students: “学至于行之而止矣” (to experience is to learn). As a result of the support I have received from my family, coworkers and friends abroad, I have had incredible opportunities that include, but are not limited to:

• Climbing to the highest peak on the Great Wall
• Eating dinner with Buddhist monks in Lhasa, Tibet
• Touring a Chongqing Hotpot Factory
• Being featured on CCTV
• Waking up to Mount Everest at Everest Base Camp
• Winning “Teacher of the Year”
• Participating in the school musical production of “Mamma Mia”
• Cuddle pandas in the Chengdu Panda Reservation

Despite my extraordinary time spent in China, once again, I find myself wanting to travel half-way around the word to start anew as an EAL teacher. While I may not know where I will go next or when I will arrive, I know that Oxford Seminars will always be there to help me figure out the next step of my grand adventure."

"After completing my TEFL with Oxford Seminars, my best friend and I decided to move to Daejeon, South Korea.  Oxford was there every step of the way and went to great lengths to find us a placement together. We were nervous, but ready for the adventure ahead. When I got to Korea I immediately fell in love-with my students, with life in Korea, and with the friendship and hospitality that greeted me around every corner.  I was shocked and amazed that I hadn’t done it sooner.  I even had the opportunity to travel to Japan on summer holiday, which was wonderful. I soon realized that teaching kindergarten in South Korea was helping me learn more about myself and my capabilities than any other job I’ve had-it was an incredible experience, and I decided soon after my contract had ended that I was ready for more.  After some time spent exploring Southeast Asia and a visit home to Canada, I was on my way again!

My next teaching adventure found me in the beautiful city of Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China, where I currently live. Everything about China has completely captivated me, from the big cities to the beautiful landscapes to the kindness and generosity that everyone here has shown me. I feel so incredibly lucky to be able to call China home at the moment, and to have had the opportunity to continue this journey.  Teaching abroad has given me the chance to connect with people I would have never met otherwise, experience new cultures and even live like a local. My students are all incredible people and I look forward to seeing them every day. I am looking forward to seeing where my adventure takes me from here!"

"I arrived in Mexico in January.  A brand new year to commence a brand new life.  I traveled with my partner for three weeks, visiting Teotihuacan, Veracruz, Playa Chachalacaus, Antigua, Taxco, Xilitla, Jalpen and Mexico City before settling into Santiago de Queretaro.  

I was fortunate to find work here before leaving Canada, a rare gift I gather for those in the ESL profession in Latin America. Oxford staff went out of their way to connect me with a language school in Queretaro.  The interview was conducted via phone in early December, and I started work on Feb. 1^st.   The school is very generous with their offers of free language classes, a variety of class options to teach, and the opportunities to work outside the classroom within various areas of the company development team.  The wage is enough to live on comfortably here, as long as one is comfortable with a modest lifestyle.  If you like to go out a couple of times a week and take many side trips to other locales, then bringing savings is advised.  

Oxford Seminars provides a thorough base for teaching ESL here in Mexico.  I access the course books anytime I need a refresher on the finer grammar points.  Queretaro is the perfect Latin American starting point for commencing your career as an ESL teacher, in my opinion.   The city is the cleanest I have seen here in Mexico so far, and as safe as any Canadian city to walk through at 5 am.  There are a plethora of restaurants, shopping options, futbol games – be they live and local or on TV, bars and cultural activities to choose from.  One could quite happily wander for days through this city and be contentedly engaged in all manner of opportunities.

Native English speakers are highly valued here in Mexico, so if you are looking for a Latin cultural adventure, consider Mexico.  

Thank you Oxford Seminars for helping make this possible."

"What to expect from Oxford Seminars? 1) A very down to earth and intense training course that is a lot of fun and educational. This course will definitely prepare you for teaching English as a Second Language. And 2) Excellent Job Search Advisors who will guide you step by step to find your perfect job. The recruitment process goes a lot smoother when you listen to your advisor. You are in good hands when you let them do their work. Oxford Seminars will arrange to have you get in contact with an overseas contact who will guide you step by step to seeking overseas work. You will be communicating via the internet to someone overseas and by the end you will be a master of desktop computer communication and will be the proud owner of a foreign work visa stamped in your passport.
The Travelling Experience Overseas: “Don’t forget your passport!” Expect the longest flight of your life that ironically goes by a lot faster than you thought only because you are asleep for most of the way. If you’ve never been to Asia before, expect culture shock. It’s actually ‘time travel’ shock. Don’t forget – Korea (Asia) has at least a 5000 year old history. You will go back in time and you will also arrive into the future. It’s the weirdest experience to say the least.
How to Kill Homesickness? (1) Keep busy. Stay professional. (2) Make friends with as many Koreans (Asians) as possible. Become part of their families. This helps. You link family with family. You also get the best tour guides when you ‘hang’ with the locals. (3) If you actually feel sick to your stomach or nauseous, etc; ask your co-worker(s) to take you to a doctor. Asian medicine always works. (4) Keep in contact with your fellow English-speaking travellers. You’ll be hanging out with them constantly. (5) Stay in contact with your family - there are so many ways. You can use the Internet, use Skype; you can even call home if you want. I just wish I packed my cats.
What to Pack? If you haven’t heard it already you’ll be hearing it very soon. You’ll be told to pack lots of deodorant because it’s very difficult to get in Korea. It’s the truth. After 7 weeks of living in South Korea I finally found deodorant. I don’t know why this is. Korean supermarkets have several different brands for every other personal hygiene product -except for deodorant. Korean stores are very well equipped. I’ll say it again and again: Koreans shop till they drop! You’ll be impressed with their style."

"My experience with the Placement Service that Oxford Seminars has to offer has been nothing short of fantastic. When I first began to think about teaching ESL overseas, I was unsure as to how to go about searching and applying for jobs. One of the reasons why I decided to go through Oxford Seminars was of their great reputation for their certificate program and the excellent placement service that they had to offer for graduates. Everyone that I was in contact with during my job search was extremely helpful and knowledgeable about teaching ESL abroad, as well as what it takes and what you have to do in order to do so. The Placement Service was there to help me during every step of the process, from assisting me with the resume and cover letter, to sending my resume to the contacts they have in the country that I want to teach in, to things that I should preparing to do before I go abroad, to everything else in between. The placement advisors were also in contact with me throughout the process asking me how the job search was going, as well as always answering any questions or inquiries I had in a very timely manner. My experience with the graduate placement service has been very positive. For anyone thinking about pursuing teaching ESL abroad, I would absolutely recommend they do it through Oxford Seminars, not only for the excellent in-class and online components of the course, but for the exceptional Placement Service."

"Thank you again for helping to place me in Qingdao, China. My first year as a Foreign English Teacher has been one of the best years of my life! I love Qingdao, my school, and most of all the children I am teaching. The children are from three to six years old. They are so smart and cute! I am now teaching classes in the whole school, as the second English teacher left for Canada at the end of January. I am also placed in the International Class full time. I am extremely busy with lesson plans, teaching and helping with the children, but I am loving every minute! I also taught on weekends during the winter months in another city one hour away by car. Yes, I worked seven days a week for four months. The students were ages eight to fourteen years old.  It was a wonderful and different teaching experience to teach the older children. I am now enjoying my weekends off to explore Qingdao and the surrounding area. I would love to help other potential English Teachers to see what a great job and life you can have by teaching English overseas.  I AM HAVING THE TIME OF MY LIFE!! Thanks again for everything."

"My experience in Quito has met and surpassed my expectations. I teach ESL at Inlingua, a Swiss-based company with offices in over 45 countries. The program is clearly laid out, but still allows enough flexibility to adapt if time permits. Most of my students work in international companies where fluency in English is a definite advantage. They are extremely motivated. 

Inlingua assigns us clients based on our competency and time constraints. Having taught for 35 years in classrooms, I am loving the one-on-one classes. At 63 years old, I am so pleased to have found a job where I can work the hours I choose; working part-time allows me the flexibility and time to be a tourist too. Transportation, visa, and accommodations are all my responsibility, but the people at Inlingua - and the Ecuadorian people in general - have been very helpful. Wages here are certainly not what I was used to in Canada, but they subsidize my living costs. I came here for the cultural experience and have been richly rewarded.

Quito has a beautiful climate. It is located very near the equator, so daylight hours are from 6am to 6pm year round. It is located high up in the Andes, so temperatures are about 10 degrees Celsius at night, reaching about 25 degrees Celsius in the early afternoon. The Pacific coast is a few hours drive away. The Galapagos Islands are a destination that I want to visit. The Amazon rain forest is close and bird-watching is on the agenda.Ecuador is a small country with much to offer."

"Oxford Seminars has been an integral part of my success as an English teacher. After I completed the program, Oxford helped me secure a job within three months! Thanks to my Job Search Advisor’s advice and commitment, I found my dream job in Japan! Not only that, but the company I work for has a reputation for being the best English school in Japan. Without Oxford's guidance, I may not have been so fortunate as to land this coveted position. At the school, the students and staff alike are very enthusiastic and friendly. The students are interested in learning about Canadian culture. I always get asked about what part of Canada I’m from and how it’s different from Japan. They're very interested in learning about foreign teachers and they made me feel very welcome. Another great thing is that the students don't have to be there, they want to be there. This makes teaching very rewarding! It's been great to apply the knowledge I've learned from Oxford Seminars to a real classroom setting.
Since Oxford Seminars provides an excellent teaching foundation, I can continue to build on the skills I learned within the program. Everything I learned has been of practical value to my daily job. My school's manager even commented on my experience with Oxford Seminars as being an asset! Aside from being reputable, Oxford Seminars is also very personable. If I ever had a question or concern about securing a job, I would contact my job search advisor who always delivered a timely response. He also assisted me throughout the application and interview process for my current job. Starting a job overseas can be a daunting task, yet my transition from Canada to Japan has been relatively painless thanks to Oxford's assistance. Oxford Seminars truly cares about the success of their teachers and I would highly recommend this program to anyone who wants to land a dream job abroad."

"I’ll admit right off the bat that I was wary and unsure of how to approach searching for jobs overseas, as the vast quantity of them was simply overwhelming. Thankfully, with the help of Oxford Seminars and its placement program, the whole process was really streamlined. My Job Search Advisors did a lot of the work on their end, and I was soon buried under an avalanche of phone and Skype interviews. Eventually, I decided upon a school in South Korea. After two interviews, a video resume, and a careful once-over of my contract with my Job Search Advisors, I accepted a one-year teaching contract for teaching in Cheonan, South Korea. I emailed my contacts at the school about three million questions each before I accepted the position. As I had neither taught nor travelled abroad previously for any significant length of time, I was pretty lost as to what to bring and how to go about obtaining a visa. Thankfully, my Job Search Advisors and South Korean recruiter helped me through it every step of the way.
I’m really enjoying my stay here, and my school is great. Although it can be a lot of work, it is rewarding, and all the kids are just hilarious and very motivated. Even after almost half a year, I’m still amazed by how hard all these kids work – many of them have various school activities for ten hours each day. That’s more than I worked at university! I’ve spent much of my free time exploring Cheonan and the surrounding area. Only a couple hours away by train, Seoul has tons of things to do, and I’ve spent more than my fair share of time wandering around the world-renowned Yongsan Electronics Market. The food here is particularly awesome... if you like extreme spice, that is. I do. Bulgogi and kimchi jjigae! Delicious!
I think it’s different for every person and school, but I haven’t experienced nearly the amount of culture shock in Korea as I expected. There was the regular “I’m-stuck-in-a-foreign-country-and-I-don’t-know-anyone-and-I-don’t-know-the-language” bit, and it certainly wasn’t a good feeling, but it faded quickly. I think it helps that all my co-workers here, both foreign and Korean, are very helpful and welcoming. I know that this may not be the case in all schools, and so I feel very fortunate in that Oxford Seminars helped set me up with such a great experience. I’m excited for what sorts of adventures the remainder of my time here will present!"

"I have been preparing myself since September of 2009 to go abroad and teach English. I got my Oxford Seminars TESOL/TESL/TEFL certificate on October 4th but still felt unready to take the challenge of going abroad. I waited and procrastinated until the month of March. Then I took the advice of my friend and contacted the Graduate Placement Service from Oxford Seminars. When I asked my Job Search Advisor to help me out, she immediately replied within a day, to tell me every step I will have to take to get a job. She helped me build a resume as well as the cover letter. She was very patient with me since I am the queen of procrastination. She sent me documents so I would get ready (in terms of physical and mental health) to meet the unknown. When I filled out my documents in accordance to what they are looking for abroad, I sent them to my Job Search Advisor saying I would like to teach in Zhongshan. She sent my documents to her contact and less than two days after, the principal of the school in question replied and told me: “with the kind recommendation of my  Job Search Advisor, we are pleased to offer you a teaching position starting as early as in two weeks.” So, with that said, I was psyched out! I had to get my work visa, I booked my flight, and I was on my way to Hong Kong airport in less than a week.
Thanks to Oxford Seminars Graduate Placement Service, I have a job from which I can find even more opportunities. I met at least three other school principals who are looking for teachers at the end of my contract. I feel confident now that my Job Search Advisor guided me through the first steps of my teaching career. I strongly advise you to not hesitate reaching them. They will be helpful and patient with every concern you may have. Also, I wish to add that my experience as a teacher abroad has been nothing but fulfilling. Being in a far away city, with only yourself and your skills to communicate, you can achieve the best of yourself. In China, the people are very kind, always smiling though very different from what we know in western countries. I am teaching to wonderful and definitely cute kids and teenagers. They bring me so much joy with their enthusiasm for learning. I assure you, this is not a waste of time. It is a cultivation of your inner strengths. If you come to a non-touristic city like Zhongshan, you will be a star. They don’t see many foreigners. It is the funniest part of my experience: if I walk in a park, the Chinese people take pictures of me as if I am a monument. They are pretty hilarious! Good luck to you, foreign teacher. Reach for the world, it is all yours!"

"The adventure began a couple of years ago when my boyfriend and I, armed with the knowledge we gained from Oxford Seminars, made our way to Japan where we began a new life. We work for a large English conversation school where we have the opportunity to teach students of all ages from as young as 4 years old right up to 75. We teach English over a multi-media system, which allows us to talk to students from all over Japan. As a couple, our employer has been accommodating by giving us identical schedules and granting our time off requests for travel. We have been able to see and do so many things that most people can only dream of, including climbing Mt. Fuji and snowboarding in Nagano. We are constantly trying new things! The friends we have made and the people we have met have helped make the adjustment to living in a foreign country much easier. Our only recommendation to others is to immerse yourself into the culture as much as possible. We sometimes miss out on learning more of the Japanese language because we are not teaching in a public school. Aside from that we are having a lot of fun and we wish good luck to all embarking on this adventure!"

"Hello fellow Oxford Seminars graduates! Congratulations on obtaining your TESOL/TESL/TEFL certificate! You've gone a long way to get where you are, so take a moment to be proud of yourself. I am 22 years old and I graduated with Oxford in June 2011, with Sujoy Gupta as my instructor. As soon as I graduated I started my Graduate Placement Service, in which I got to review country and school profiles, as well as receive help from the professional staff of Oxford's Graduate Placement Service. My advisor Rowan was very patient with me and helpful with suggesting many countries, knowing my eagerness to teach. Next thing I knew, I had 5 different offers on my plate, waiting for my reply and for a formal interview. I was so grateful, yet confused about which country to choose. So how did I decide? Well, I asked specific and important questions regarding the schools, the contracts, living conditions, etc. I liked the sample contract for a school in Georgia, and kindly declined the other offers. So now there I was, applying for Georgia. Next thing I knew, after the phone interview, I was leaving in a month's time! It was a surreal moment.
So what's my life in Georgia like? It's a travelling adventure that changes from time to time. You never know where you will get placed, either in a village or a city. Either way, it's definitely a learning experience. I was placed in a village with a nice host family, who are caring, and hard workers. I live with a host mom, dad, brother, his wife and two kids. They are absolutely amazing to be with, and always make me feel at home and comfortable. My school is amazing. I have two co-teachers of which are primary level (grades 1-5) and secondary level (grades 6-12). I teach with both of them, both splitting their schedules with me. I also run an after school program with the non-English teachers and students during Tuesdays to Thursdays. I love my school staff, for they have been patient and understanding. They use body language and the basic conversational phrases that I've taught them in order to communicate with me and improve their English skills and knowledge; a very enthusiastic staff I should say. I cannot stress how happy and comfortable I am to be part of this teaching team. The kids are amazing too! As for my life, well I try to go with the flow. A weekend off with your fellow native English teachers helps a lot! This is an experience to learn from; an experience that will make you appreciate hot water, a North American toilet, and insulated housing; and a place to go only if you have what it takes to tackle new challenges everyday. Patience is really a virtue in this country. I hope you enjoyed reading my blog, and good luck to all your future endeavours, wherever you may be placed."

"I am so grateful that I found Oxford Seminars 8 years ago! At that time I was only 19 years old, unsure of what I wanted to study in University and interested in travelling! I was the youngest student in the class and the experience was intimidating but exciting all at the same time. It also turned out to be the greatest decision I made! I had never imagined myself moving to China at the age of 20 but without a University degree and with my young age, it was amazing to find a secure position.

I realize now how lucky I was, having Oxford Seminars find a reputable school, who took good care of all foreign teachers! They provided accommodation, medical, flights, and talked us through the entire process before arriving. I never hesitated or had any reason to doubt my new employers and that year in China was the best year of my life! I learned more than I think a year in University would have taught and opened my eyes to the world!

The best part was, after finishing my amazing experience in China, I returned to Canada to obtain my BA, knowing the visa restrictions were becoming increasingly tighter, and feeling like I’d found my passion as a teacher. After graduating (five years later), I contacted Oxford Seminars, asking, but not expecting, them to put me back in contact with my old school in China, hoping I could go back and see my old students. Guess what! Within a day or two they had gone above and beyond my hopes! Putting me back in contact with the old school, following up on my experience and even offering positions they knew had interested me in other countries! I ended up going back and teaching at the same school and seeing my old students as well! I still can’t believe even 8 years later, the placement guarantee is still in effect :) 

Thank you so much for the experience and all of your support Oxford Seminars!"

"I had an opportunity to teach abroad in Changchun, China for WECI/V-Future in Jilin Province. The only word to sum up my experience living and working abroad is 'amazing'. Finding employment abroad was easy because of the job placement service Oxford Seminars provided upon completion of my TESL. I felt privileged to have an impact on the education of young kids and inspire my students to take a greater interest learning the English language. I enjoyed having the autonomy and flexibility teaching the required curriculum to my classes. Furthermore, I loved collaborating with my Chinese colleagues to build a strong relationship with my students.

As much as I was able to teach my students, I feel that I learned more about myself living and immersing myself into Chinese culture. I met and worked with wonderful people from all parts of the world and I am happy that I have a couch to crash on in many countries. The expat community was small where I worked so we were close making the group feel like a surrogate family. Apart from traveling through China, I was able to also explore Japan and Australia.

I was able to have a fantastic year because I kept my mind open and maintained a positive attitude. What I realized upon my return home is living a life of minimalism creates a life of freedom. Moreover, enriching my life with experiences and adventure far outweighs materialistic items.

Reflecting on my year abroad feels surreal and I would recommend the adventure for anybody wishing to expand their horizons and more importantly, educating young minds around the world."

"The training I received from Oxford Seminars was deep with insight and the help that the Graduate Placement Service provided was vital to me obtaining my teaching position in China. I taught absolute beginners as well as adult students and I loved every minute! The experience of teaching abroad was packed with great adventures and memories hard to put into words. The exposure to such a great culture and the people marks you for the rest of your life. Of course teaching is a challenge, but it is perhaps the most rewarding one anyone can undergo. You really feel a lot of pride for all your effort, not to say that seeing your students all adopt your speech patterns and develop confidence brings both giggles and tears. Thank you to all the dedicated and skilled Oxford Seminars staff!"

"My wife and I began this adventure because of our desire to travel and see the world. Teaching English overseas seemed the best way for us to realize our dream and still be able to support ourselves. China was one of the countries near the top of our long list of places whose culture we were eager to experience. This being the case, for us it was the perfect place for us to begin our adventure.

After graduating from the Oxford ESL course, we had a timeline in place of about a year to a year and a half to get all our affairs organized. The biggest of which was the preparation of our condo for rental. We didn’t realize at that time exactly how this timeline would change!  We answered a message someone had posted looking for teachers at a brand-new school in China. Many would consider it a very risky proposition to accept a position at a brand new institution, but we trusted the information source so we thought, “Why not?” After a Skype interview, and many emails back and forth, we accepted their offer. The only hitch….we had to be there in 6 weeks. I thought this to be an impossible task, but my wife humorously reminded me that, even if we went along with our original timeline, we would most likely be trying to get everything done in the last month anyway. After a mad scramble and much help from family, friends and our property management company, we were on our way to China. We arrived in the city of Liuyang in Hunan province on February 20th, 2018, just at the tail end of the Chinese New Year. Those first few weeks were a bit of blur. Not only was the school brand new, but it was opening for the first time just after we arrived. My wife and I and one other individual, all of us from Nova Scotia, Canada, were a trio of teachers ready to bring English to the youth of China with a Canadian East Coast flair.

I received some very bad news from home a month after we arrived. My father had passed away. The reaction of the owners was beyond anything I could have imagined. Within hours they had purchased plane tickets and arranged flights for both my wife and I. Parents of all my students were informed that I would be going home for a week for my father’s funeral, but that I would be returning. I was met with nothing but kindness and sympathy from everyone. We returned a week later and were met by many children who were very excited to see us.

The first couple of months were crazy busy and a little chaotic for sure. They were filled with the arrival of hopeful parents and excited students. The marketing and administrative talents of the school owners were amazing. Before long my wife and I went from teaching a couple of trial classes a week to a schedule of 15 to 20 classes. We were treated like royalty by the owner, their friends and family… everyone we met, really!  We were treated to more dinners than I thought I could possibly consume, and trips around the local area on our days off.  It is a very close and friendly relationship between all the staff at our school.  It is very much a democracy, as the owners only interest is seeing their school succeed and thrive. The class sizes are kept small. There are a maximum of 6 students per class, so it is very easy to give the proper attention necessary for each child to excel. We are encouraged to experiment and be as creative as we can in the classroom. This has resulted in me writing and playing some very humorous songs and some dancing that I’m sure is beyond captivating and has been documented on video somewhere!

We have just returned from three weeks’ vacation and are excited to get back to the classroom. In our absence, due to its' rapid growth, our school was renovated to add a new classroom. My wife and I are both very much looking forward to what the future holds for us here at Sunny Days school."

"I signed up with Oxford Seminars and experienced what it would be like to teach English as a second language to foreign students. The in-class experience was remarkably positive, and from that point on, I knew I wanted to be a teacher. My skills and style as a teacher today derive from that very first class in which I practiced teaching under the supervision of John Taylor.

There are several factors that contribute to my choice of working in Tunisia. After completing my TESOL certificate in 2008 I went to study in Syria, and there I was able to work as a private English teacher. In Syria I became familiar and fascinated with the Arab culture.I learned Arabic, and I envisioned working in an Arab country somewhere down my career path. In Canada, (back in 2009) I maintained my skill of the Arabic language, following my instinct that one day I may use it again. Furthermore, during my university years I developed an interest in French literature and I began studying French seriously. My knowledge of Arabic and French, and my desire to hone them ultimately compelled me to choose Tunisia. After finishing my Bachelor of Arts in 2014, and Master’s of Arts in 2016 (Specializing in English Language and literature) I decided to travel to North Africa.

Oxford Seminars was most helpful in finding a placement. Back in 2008 They had said that their placement services were free for their graduates. I called them eight years later and their offer was still standing. The staff are polite and professional, and their country information is accurate. I learned from one of the Oxford Seminar staff that Tunisia is potentially dangerous due to a recent revolution (in 2010) and a massacre (in 2015), but despite these sporadic issues the country is fairly stable. I understood the potential risk and went ahead with the application. At this time, approximately one month later, I am enjoying my time here.

Overlooking the early setbacks (such as being overcharged for a car service from Tunis to Sousse among others), my transition to Tunisia has been good overall. The hotel that I stayed in was excellent, the food was fantastic, and the scenery here is something that I had always looked forward to seeing. What I enjoy most about Tunisia are the culture and the people; especially the students. Tunisian students are very friendly and fun to be around. The students are what make my job enjoyable. Amideast is a great school. The staff are friendly and professional. I am currently working in Monastir, a small and peaceful city right by the Mediterranean coastline. I do think I have made the right choice in coming here. I sincerely thank Oxford Seminars for their practical curriculum and their graduate placement services."

My husband and I decided last year we wanted to experience life in a foreign country. We wanted to learn a different language, try new foods and experience another culture. After a friend told me about her experience with Oxford Seminars, I looked into their class availability. After attending an information session, we decided to sign up and within the month we had our TESOL/TESL/TEFL certificates.

Our teacher had 10 years of experience teaching English abroad and shared so many stories with us. She was very knowledgeable and passionate, wanting to make sure we all had the right tools to teach. Right away, we started speaking with a job placement advisor who was immensely helpful and patient with all of our questions. My husband and I don’t have the same educational background, but our advisor did everything she could to assist us in finding a suitable teaching location. Every day we had new questions and she made every effort to answer every single one.

We decided China would be an amazing place to start out new journey, and within four months of completing the Oxford TESOL Course we were on a flight to Beijing. While being here, our advisor has checked in with us frequently for updates and to assist us in planning another six-month journey in Morocco. China has been so incredible! The school we teach at is for children aged 3-6, and we have so much fun singing and playing games. I feel our TESOL course prepared us to teach through lesson planning and organization.

Our current school gave us a few more pointers on working with this specific population, and we each had our own classes after being here for three days. We have weekends to travel and time every day to explore new parts of our city. We are so fortunate to have been connected with Oxford Seminars; we couldn’t have made this change without them. They made the process of teaching abroad easy and so accessible. I never thought we would actually do this, but after taking the first step of going to an info session, I knew we were hooked!

"My name is Gary and I graduated from the Oxford Seminars TESOL/TESL certification course with my sights set on travelling to Korea. I now work at a reputable language institute, teaching adults, in the city of Daegu. The school treats me quite well and the other teachers and staff are very happy. The adult students I teach are eager to learn the English language. They love the slang, expressions, and normal everyday language. I teach early in the mornings and evenings to accommodate their university and work schedules. Many of my students are working professionals, from project managers to doctors and dentists. My students are a fun group and have shown me much gratitude. Houseware items and complimentary meals are just some of the things I have received from my students.
In a short time, I have met many Koreans and foreigners at my school. Many of the teachers come from places such as New Zealand, Australia, the US, and Canada. The people I’ve met have been very helpful in making my adjustment to Korea an easy one. I live in downtown Daegu, about a ten-minute walk away from my school, and just steps away from the downtown subway. My apartment is quite big and clean; in fact it is the largest one amongst the teachers at my school. My school has made sure that my living situation is good – they even had the walls and floors redone before I arrived. Travelling within Korea is very easy and can be done economically. There are many buses and trains that run each day. The high-speed train is the best way to travel and is fairly inexpensive. The food here is very good and reasonably priced. Most meals can be had for about $5 and tipping is not required. I have sampled a lot of the Korean food; my favourite is Bak-Galbi (chicken fried rice in spicy Korean sauce) and I eat it on a regular basis. Kim-Chi Ji-Gae (Kim-Chi soup) is also good when you are craving something hot. There are also many Western restaurants including: McDonalds, Outback’s, Subway, and Dunkin’ Donuts.
As for entertainment, there are many theatres featuring American movies, billiards, and bowling alleys. I have to admit that picking up and leaving the comforts of home was not an easy thing to do. I had many questions and worries before going like: How can I teach these people? Will I like it? Will I make any friends? It is okay if you are asking yourself the same questions. It is a difficult decision to go thousands of miles away to a foreign country and the language barrier and culture can be challenging. I have absolutely no regrets in coming here and I haven’t even been too homesick since my arrival. It has been an exciting adventure and I highly recommend teaching abroad!
Oxford Seminars prepared me practically and mentally for the challenges of going overseas. The teaching practicum component of the course was a good experience and I gained much insight from my instructor who had taught in Japan. If you are looking for change, a challenge, and a great experience, then take the chance to travel and teach abroad. I have experienced so much in a short time and I look forward to the opportunities and challenges that await me."

"I am a retired teacher from Cape Breton and Halifax, NS. I am just completing my first year of teaching in the Nova Scotia Overseas program in the city of Zhengzhou, China. I am teaching the Nova Scotia grade eleven English curriculum to Chinese teenagers in an English immersion high school program. There are almost 10,000 students in the school in which I am teaching. There are about 500 students in the immersion program, with an average of 33 students per class. The goal of the students is to obtain a diploma in English in order to gain entrance to a North American university, the first door to a new future for themselves and their families.
Teaching overseas was a desire of mine for a number of years, and through a series of serendipitous circumstances, became very real when I participated in the Oxford Seminars TESOL/TESL certification course in Halifax, NS. Although I was already experienced in teaching, ESL teaching has its own required skill sets, and having the Oxford Seminars course proved to be more than useful. I am in a very large city that is still developing. The Chinese people here do not encounter 'foreigners' in large numbers, and we are regarded as treasured resources. There are English cafés in the city where local people go on Saturday and Sunday afternoons, hoping some English-speaking foreigners will stop by for an hour of tea and conversation. The Chinese I meet are enterprising and creative, using every opportunity to further themselves and their country. I am treated warmly, and with extensive hospitality. The students are courteous and respectful, as teachers are highly revered in China. The students I teach could easily fall into the category of heroes/heroines. They are taking a full high school program (grades 10, 11, 12) in both English and Chinese. They will graduate with a NS high school diploma, and a Chinese diploma. Most of these students have extremely limited English speaking and writing skills when they begin. 
I teach the same curriculum that is taught in Nova Scotia high schools. The day starts at 7:20am, and classes end at 6:00pm, with a 2 1/2 hour lunch break. For those students who live on campus (many students in the program do not live in this city) there is compulsory supervised study in the classrooms until 10:00pm. However, foreign teachers are required to teach only a standard 24-25 hours per week, with the first class beginning at 7:50am and the last class ending at 5:00pm. The facility is limited in its A\V resources and only academic subjects are offered. At the same time, the students are remarkably resourceful and creative, love to perform, and most of all, love to laugh and have fun. Financially, life is a delight. The gym is a block away and has a top fitness trainer who speaks enough English to make communication easy. Her services are available for $15.00 an hour. Another teacher and I go to palates class twice a week in which not a word of English is spoken, but we watch closely and just do what we see. It's fun, and we are picking up some Chinese. Facials, manicures, haircuts, tailoring, and dry cleaning are all so easily affordable. And for taxis, you can take a twenty-five minute cab ride for about $4. I am still a bit awestruck that at this stage of my life (the 60+ stage) I am having what is becoming perhaps my most exciting experience. And I have indeed signed up for another year."

"Teaching in Costa Rica is a blast. The experience of living and teaching abroad has not only allowed me to mature professionally, but I have a newly found appreciation of life. Being immersed in another culture is fascinating, not to mention learning a new language. Teaching in Costa Rica offers the perfect balance of work and play. From the classroom to the beaches, my fellow teachers and I get the best of both worlds. My company's academic director is amazing. I am in awe at how well he is able to make us feel at home while simultaneously demanding the very best from us. I have been trained, evaluated, and critiqued with such care that I am progressing as a teacher at a rate faster than I have ever thought possible. I have a vast amount of teaching materials, programs, and a staff that is committed to helping everyone do their best. From grammar jams to Spanish classes, I have learned much from becoming a teacher.
Living in another country does not only teach you about how others live, but it teaches you about yourself. I was hoping to mature a bit and find myself during this experience. One month in Costa Rica has allowed me to grow more than I could in years in the US. Six months in Costa Rica will allow you to bloom professionally and as a human being. If you are a nature lover, Costa Rica is the place to be. Picture beautiful beaches with overgrown palm trees full of monkeys that are trying to steal your food. I have seen animals here that I have only dreamed of seeing. To be in the rainforests that so many wildlife films have taken place in, is an incomparable experience. If the forest and beaches aren't your thing, there are a number of volcanoes with cute towns and very relaxing atmospheres. To be honest, I thought that I would fall in love with the nature Costa Rica has to offer and that the sights would make me into a better person. But, thanks to my company, I have fallen in love with teaching and couldn't imagine doing anything else. It is great that Oxford Seminars allows so many to have this experience. This life-changing experience is exactly what I was hoping for."

"My name is Shayna Brissett-Foster and in April of 2019, I finally flew out to South Korea. I’m Caribbean-Canadian, originally from Ontario, Canada now living in Seoul!! Crazy. I completed the Oxford Seminars course in Fall 2017 during my final year of university. The course provided a lot of material to aid in lesson planning and even covered classroom management! Luckily enough for me, my Hagwon in Gangnam, Seoul has the curriculum pre-selected, however, it’s always better to be well equipped. 

I am a homeroom English teacher to a beginner kindergarten class of 7-year-olds (Korean age) and teach a handful of elementary students in the afternoon. My kindies are the cutest and I’m already so attached! My days go from 9 AM until 6 PM with multiple prep times in between. So far, this experience has been nothing but fun! My school organized a teacher trip to Everland which was a lot of fun and I’ve already been on two field trips with my students. My work environment is amazing, everyone is so kind and we frequently hang out outside of work to go to the movies or have dinner! On the weekends, I like to explore and have been to Petite France in Gapyeong modelled from the book, Le Petit Prince, Cheongna International City in Incheon as well as Itaewon, and Hongdae, both of which remind me of home due to the amount of foreigners! I’ve even explored my neighbourhood of Gangnam visiting Apgujeong, Yeoksam and Chungdahm. There is so much to do and see. The food is delicious and despite being pescatarian there are so many seafood options! One of my favourites being Shrimp Kimbap. Nevertheless, I have 8 more months left in Korea and I intend to live life to the fullest. Moving abroad alone is definitely challenging but the experience is priceless and I implore anyone who reads this to try it for yourself!"