Next step: CELTA Ecuador

Extreme Language College

Half a year teaching English in Arequipa seems to have gone by really quickly. Thursday 29th March marks my last day as a teacher at Extreme language college.

When I was first offered the job I must admit I was nervous. Not knowing anything about Peru or the city we were going to, we had many concerns. I had joined ESL forums and websites and it was the horror stories that other teachers had shared that stood out the most. The least of my worries was that it was going to be the first class I had ever taught.

San Pablo University

Luckily I chose one of the better language institutions in Arequipa. Here I have gained experience in all ages and levels of learners and made my mark, I hope, teaching English (Yorkshire!). My colleagues, who have always been friendly and supportive, and my students, who have on the most part been enthusiastic learners, will be missed.

My next step will be to start a CELTA (Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) course in Ecuador. This is an intense 5 week course of 170 hours, which is a week longer than the usual 120 hour 4 week course.

I found this image on Google to give you a glimpse!

The course is set on a beach on the Ecuadorian coast between the small fishing village of Manglaralto and a popular surfing beach called Montanita. Sophie and I will be living on the beach, just a stones throw away from the pacific ocean, in rustic style beach huts called cabanas. We have been told the cabana will come with en suite facilities but we have been informed it will be basic.

I already have a TEFL qualification but have decided to do this course, and choose Ecuador in particular to do it, for a number of reasons:

1. CELTA is more respected and recognisable all over the world since it is awarded by Cambridge ESOL, part of the University of Cambridge. There are institutions in countries around the world, especially ones I would like to teach in, that only accept teachers with CELTA. 
2. I feel it will show employers that I am serious about my trade. I see it as the next step in my professional development. I enjoy what I do and want to be the best I can be.
3. This course in particular is 5 weeks rather than 4 weeks, so I feel like I am getting value for money and the stress of an intensive course seems more manageable.
4. The course works out cheaper than it would do in England. Also included in the price is accommodation and food. Plus we'll be living on a beach!
5. We were travelling through Ecuador anyway, so why not make the stay an educational one.

We are both really looking forward to moving on to Ecuador. It's going to be sad to say goodbye to a place we've called home for the last seven months but we both feel like we are ready for the next phase of our journey around South America. 

We leave Arequipa on Friday 30th March on a week long travel up to Ecuador with some interesting stops along the way. You'll have to wait to read about them in our next blog :)

Thanks for reading,

Tom