We spoke with one of our newer graduates, Kayla, 3 months after completing the TEFL course. She talks about her experience before, during and after the course.
Why did you choose Prague?
I chose Prague because it was a place I had never traveled to before and had honestly never heard much about until I met someone who was from Czechia. I have been very fortunate to travel to other countries in Europe so I wanted to add Prague to my list. While traveling to a new country is one thing, living and fully immersing yourself into a new place entirely is much different and something that has also been a dream of mine, especially in Europe, so ultimately I chose Prague to do this.
Why did you choose TEFL Worldwide when you were choosing a TEFL school?
I chose TEFL Worldwide because after researching many other similar programs I felt that this program offered the most and seemed like a good fit for me. I liked that there was this feeling of community that would be there for you while not only doing the program but with aspects outside of the course they would help you with (e.g. accommodation, tips, etc.).
Were you afraid to take a step into the unknown and move to a different country/start a new career?
- Did you have any doubts? / What helped you overcome your fears?
While noted previously that I have traveled to Europe on multiple occasions, yes, I was certainly nervous about moving to Czechia but with those nerves was also a great sense of excitement. I tried to go in with an open-mind and not let any doubts I might have had over-take my excitement. I am incredibly lucky to have great people in my corner, and they are the ones that helped me overcome my fears and encouraged me to embark on this new journey in life.
Did your expectations from the course differ from the actual reality of it?
- Did you think it would be easier/harder? / Did you have all the info?
No, I knew going in that this course wasn’t gonna necessarily be a piece of cake as it is advertised as an intense 4-week course. The TEFL Worldwide website sets all expectations of the course. I wouldn’t say that anything came as a surprise. While it is an intense 4-weeks, it is a rewarding month where you will not only learn about teaching English as foreign language, but you will be able to learn a lot about yourself as well as gain more experiences in life.
How was your first couple of months in Prague?
- What was positive? / What was challenging?
My first couple of months in Prague were exciting yet nerve-wracking. I was lucky to know someone coming to Prague and therefore I wasn’t fully going into this alone. I had to adjust to a new place, the transportation system, the people, etc. The first month I got used to the customs and norms of Czech life and the people. For example, learning that you don’t need to smile at everyone in public and that you will rather get weird looks from others if you are smiling at them as they don’t know you and therefore won’t always smile back. I wouldn’t say there was anything overly challenging, but around the holidays I did get a bit homesick and missed my family a lot.
Was it difficult for you to find a job after you’d finished the course?
For me personally, no, it was not difficult to find a job after the course. You get to know people over the course and therefore start creating a network system of people to help you find a job.
What do you like the most about life in Prague/the Czech Republic/Europe?
There are many aspects to life in Prague that I love. The first one is that wherever you go around the city you will see beautiful architecture. The second would be that it is a nice level of a busy city. It is not too busy, not too quiet and there is always something to do, somewhere to go, places to see. Another part would be that Czech people are quite nice once you get to know them which brings me to another point that I like that Czech people “mind their own business” when they don’t know you. Also, the food in Prague is very diverse for the most part and it is not just typical Czech food everywhere you go. There are Asian options, some Mexican, Italian, etc.
What is the main difference you found between life in the Czech Republic and life in your home country?
The main difference from Czechia to the USA for me is that I feel relatively safe anywhere I go even when walking alone. I would not walk around the USA with headphones in my ears whereas here I can do that when I want to and feel safe doing so.
