By Walter Wilson
In August 2016, I traveled to Prague for the first time. I was coming to visit an online friend I had known for two years. However, by the time the visit concluded, we mutually agreed that we were more than friends. We decided that we would be a couple moving forward, and that staying in Prague was a no-brainer decision. I had always dreamed of living abroad. All my life I have wanted to see other countries, learn about different cultures, and meet people that led different lives than the one I am used to. The opportunity to live in such a wonderful city, with the woman I love, was a once in a lifetime opportunity. As scary as the idea was, I just had to take the leap. There was only one problem, what would I do for a job in Prague?
From the moment I got back to Michigan, my girlfriend had the solution to my problem. “You should teach English”, she mentioned constantly. She told me that many people in the city wanted to study English, and that it was often available as a benefit at many companies, including her own. This suggestion did not sit well with me. First of all, it would mean going back to school for the first time in nine years, which I actually promised to never do again after getting my Bachelors. Secondly, I’m an introverted person, and public speaking requires a lot of effort from me. I was definitely afraid to take this risk and thought maybe I won’t go to Prague for at least a few years. It took me about four months to become comfortable with the plan. My girlfriend deserves all the credit here. I knew I loved her and wanted to be there and she convinced me that I had the qualities of a great teacher. She was the inspiration I needed to make the biggest and best decision of my life.
Teaching English as a job was something I had heard of but knew nothing about. So we needed to do a lot of research. Initially, we had decided that I would take an online course. I researched the program for many days and I almost chose to start my teaching with them. However, in the end , I decided against it because I believed that I needed to be in a class setting where my absolute focus was on learning and development. I also wanted to make sure the program I paid for would provide me with the certification needed to teach in Prague and anywhere else. I began to search for TEFL schools in Prague, since that was where I planned to live. The first school listed was www.teflworldwideprague.com.
I immediately noticed that this school had very high reviews and ratings. I couldn’t believe it. Every review was positive. When I checked the site, I saw the same thing; many glowing reviews and lots of positive feedback. I then read through the website, learning more about their methodology, schedules, benefits etc. Because this was only my first search, I knew I needed to check out more schools in the city. After three days of research, it was down to TEFL Worldwide Prague and one other program. Me and my girlfriend had previously decided we would live together as soon as I moved to Prague. So while most students need a place to stay and someone to help acclimate them to the city, I didn’t have that problem and didn’t want any extra assistance. TEFL Worldwide’s site stated that it was OK if I didn’t need help finding housing or getting from the airport. Throughout the registration process, they often asked if I was sure, and I told them that I was fine. This option, along with the phenomenal customer service, patience, fantastic reviews, and teaching style were the reasons I chose TEFL Worldwide Prague to be my academic home base in Prague. The whole time I was preparing for my travel, I felt that this school sounded too good to be true. If you are like me and feel the same, I assure you that TEFL Worldwide Prague is even better than it appears. I’ve been in Prague for two years now, and I love it. This school is where I got my start and it set the foundation for everything that’s happened since. I am where I am today for 2 reasons, my lovely queen, and TEFL Worldwide Prague!
