I never in a million years thought I would become an English teacher. The last thing I ever wanted to do was teach. This is because I was worried. Firstly, I was worried that I would not know how to teach anything to anyone. Secondly, I was worried I didn’t know any grammar (which I didn’t) and that students would call me out on it. Finally, I was worried that I wouldn’t know how to plan a lesson.  Well, actually the truth is that I didn’t know any of these things but thanks to the TEFL course I was taught all of it in just one month.

Through the TEFL course I transformed from a worried and inexperienced student who was terrified of the idea of teaching a class into a passionate English teacher who is confident in her experience and abilities. Because of this I have summarised the top 10 reasons why you should join TEFL Barcelona.

If you join TEFL Barcelona you will…

  1. become a better English Speaker
  2. make friends from all over the world
  3. experience a new culture
  4. travel around Europe
  5. gain references
  6. live by the Mediterranean sea
  7. gain self confidence
  8. build your resume
  9. learn to adapt
  10. grow up

Anna smiling before her trip to Barcelona, Spain, standing outside her house with her suitcases and passport.

1: You’ll become a better English speaker

My confidence with English grammar was very low, this is probably because the last time I learnt it was 10 years ago in school. The TEFL teachers will help you to re-learn all English speaking rules and grammar so you feel confident teaching it to others.

2: You’ll meet friends from different countries and states

Everyone in the program is new like you, scared like you, and just as excited to be living in Barcelona. I got so close with the people from my TEFL course that we even traveled to different countries together and now live together.

A group of nine TEFL students posing for a group photo with the London Thames in the background in the United Kingdom.

3: You’ll experience a new culture by living in such a vibrant city

Barcelona is one of the most amazing cities I’ve ever lived in. The food is amazing, the beach is close by, the nightlife is great, and siestas are real.

4: You can travel around Europe on the weekends

Usually TEFL teachers work Monday-Friday so many of us enjoy traveling on the weekends. A flight to Paris or Milan can cost as little as 20 euros round-trip! In 5 months of living here I have already traveled to 6 different countries.

5: You’ll gain references from professional English speakers

Not only are the TEFL teachers there to help, they want you to grow and be successful. They have a lot of insight about teaching abroad and can help you find jobs if you need them.

6: You’ll live a couple miles away from the Mediterranean Sea

Bright, blue waters, beach volleyball, and mojitos delivered right to your towel. That is all.

A sunny urban city on the Mediterranean coast with yellow sandy beaches.

7: You’ll gain self-confidence both in teaching and in your personal life

Teaching in front of people can be scary for the first time but after a while you start to get used to being the center of attention. Support from other teachers as well will help you feel more comfortable as time goes on.

8: You’ll build your resume with a unique experience abroad

It’s been said that employers love seeing ‘TEFL Certified’ on your resume because it shows that you are a risk-taker, you’re adaptable, and you’re more used to hearing and working with other languages.

9: You’ll learn to adapt in any situation

There has been times where I’ve spent hours preparing a lesson plan and then showed up to class and my students didn’t understand it. It can be frustrating at times but I’ve learned to think on my feet and tweak the lesson so that the students could understand it better.

10: You’ll grow up

Cheesy, but true. Not only will you learn to adapt yourself to a new environment, culture, and language but you’ll also learn how to take responsibility for your lessons, how you structure your classes, and how you organize your week. I was never organized before I became an English teacher and now I’ve learned (the hard way) that organization and teaching go hand-in-hand. Not only that but feeling homesick is normal. I’ve been able to lean on my friends that I’ve made from the course and have realized that I really can make it through anything. All in all, it’s a wonderful experience and you shouldn’t think twice about doing it. It’s worth it!

An orange terrace in the foreground and a green maze in the background

By Anna Preston