The teaching life
Day-to-day life as a teacher abroad.
Holiday Gifts For A TEFL Teacher
While it depends on the TEFL teacher for whom you're doing the shopping this holiday season, there are a few things that most people living far from home would love to receive in the post at any time…
Picking the Best Places to Live Abroad
When you're the kind of person who loves to travel so much that you go straight into teaching English overseas in order to get some travel into your work, then you're probably also the kind of person…
Are Peace Corps Volunteers Too Inexperienced?
The Peace Corps is one of the best known programs which places US volunteers in developing countries for about two years. Teaching English is one of the jobs volunteers do.
What To Do With All That Stuff
If you’re like me, you have accumulated a good deal memento-type stuff which you are not quite ready to part with.
How Tied To The Expat Ghetto Are You?
First of all you’ll have to consider whether you count as an expat or not , but even if you don’t (or you don’t care), I think it’s relevant to lots of us living abroad.
Improving Your Own Language Skills While Teaching Abroad
There’s no shortage of folks who imagine EFL as a great opportunity to improve your language skills. But is it? Compared to staying at home, I’d say yes.
TEFL Retirement
I will be entering early blogging retirement…as of this post. The TEFL Logue itself will remain here, but I will no longer be posting. I’m not out of ideas.
Phrasal Verb Review Game For Upper-Intermediate Or Advanced Level
I recently got a request for a game or activity to practice phrasal verbs for upper-intermediate or advanced level.
TEFL In The Limelight For A Case Of Child Abuse
Dave’ ESL Café has made the mainstream press, but not for Dave’s new collection of family photos nor the Idea Cookbook.
How Many Kisses Where You Live?
In the online comment of one expat in Poland: Pole to Pole, three kisses is the standard. Living with a bunch of ex-pats where zero up to three are all possibilities, anything can happen!
"Languages Of Love" From The Guardian Abroad
Have you ever: …dated someone from the foreign country you work in? …married someone with a different native language? …broken up with someone fitting into either the above groups?
Warm Fuzzy Group Hug Post
My readers may have noticed I sometimes err on the side of being critical or, dare I say, argumentative.
Will I Face Culture Shock?
Partly it depends on your experience – often people who have travelled before are less affected than people who are travelling abroad for the first time.
"Backpacker" Teachers As Axes Of Evil?
Threads about the term “backpacker” in the context of ESL are regular occurrences at Dave’s ESL Cafe.
Bizarro Moments In TEFL, The Sequel
Due to the popularity of the first odd moments in TEFL post , I’m back with yet another.
The Czech Republic Now Entering The Zone
Changes are on the way for one of Eastern Europe’s TEFL hotspots: the Czech Republic will soon officially be a part of the Schengen Zone .
Are Skype Lessons The Latest Threat To In Person Lessons?
Are EFL teachers doomed to be replaced by online learning? I considered this topic a while back , and Sue from an ELT Notebook added an insightful comment, and had also made a few relevant posts of…
Travel Tips & Tricks For Budget-Conscious TEFL-ers
As a budget-conscious TEFL-er, I’m always on the lookout for tips and tricks to help make life easier.
An Eastern European Hat Tip To The Daily Kimchi
Some time ago, Gdog of the Daily Kimchi ate live octopus after the TEFL Logue requested an exclusive based on his earlier vow to try that food. But how to return such a favor?
Bizarro Moments In TEFL Situations
Do you ever have a moment where you just have to shake your head and wonder how you got there?
What's That Thing In Bread That Grows?
I don’t need to know what that is before I eat it. From time to time I even accept the five second rule . Food and drink are some of the most accessible “new things to try" while living abroad.
Michael Moore Might Just Make A Good EFL Teacher
Then again, maybe not. I recently attended a showing of Sicko at a film festival, and Mr Moore himself was there to “present” the film.
A Horse Of A Different Color: Language Classes At Home
Now that I’ve taught English abroad, generally in a communicative-ish setting, I look back at my own language classes in another light. Mostly – they were really different!
The Subtitle / Dubbing Dilemma
Teaching abroad gives me a great opportunity to weigh in on the subtitle / dubbing debate.
Welcome Back, Katie
I’m back in the town where I taught my very first year and enjoying a film festival, and I’ve had the good fortune to run into a couple former students.
Does Working Abroad Make You Feel "More _____ (British/American/Kiwi/etc.)"?
There's a new “brand” of migrant workers, according to the International Herald Tribune : university professors.
I'm Too Busy Blogging
Walking down the street yesterday I thought “Oh no! I forgot to add two links to my latest post!” Could this be a sign that I am blogging too much? Is this me?
Fringe Benefit Of TEFL #10: Local Goodies
EFL has for me been a vehicle for all sorts of important realizations - about taking off your shoes , about Mexican food abroad , and about being functionally illiterate , to name just a few.
Fringe Benefit Of TEFL No. 8: Fairly Meaningless Insights That Throw You For A Loop
I’ve learned a lot in my TEFL time abroad, such as some neat local legends , how TEFL can be like psychotherapy, and that some places serve imposter Mexican food .
Start Your Own Bootsnall TEFL Blog
It's that time of year, when soon-to-be CELT-oids, Trinity-kins, and others pack their bags and set off to embark on their TEFL adventures. What is waiting, you might ask? How can you know?
I Wanted Air-Con, Not Amoebic Dystentery
These are not my words but those of Jeff, former EFL teacher and author of Pigs In The Toilet , describing his outlook in Delhi, India.
The "Big Shop"
I had a very rewarding experience today: I did the big grocery shop. The one that goes on the debit card.
OneStopEnglish.com's Methodology Debates: Teacher Burnout
If you find yourself cutting corners on lesson plans, getting annoyed with students, feeling exhausted or wondering what you are even doing teaching English...you maybe suffering from teacher…
A Notable Day For Bosnia
I’ve taught in a couple different countries, but my longest time teaching and many of my best experiences were in Bosnia, such as my little old landlady , my long-time businessman student and the…
TEFL International Cooking: Felafel
I developed a love for felafel in Budapest, of all places, where there are little felafel stands throughout the city.
Paying Bills At Home While You Teach English Overseas
Electronic banking is a good thing, and not a bad way to pay bills at home when you teach English overseas.
Paying Local Bills When You Are Teaching English Overseas
If you’re lucky, your school will pay your local utility bills as part of your job package. If you need to pay them yourself when you teach English overseas…what do you do?
Ouch! Getting Into A Fix Abroad
Reading a recent installment of Pigs In The Toilet , where Jeff survives a haircut with a razor which sounds more like a medieval torture device, I started thinking about about all the “fixes” you…
Is English Only Legislation Even Relevant To TEFL?
“English Only” legislation in the US certainly gets my attention – but why is it relevant to EFL teachers? English language is the focus of our work.
"Why Are You Outstanding?" A Former VSO Volunteer's Account Of Teaching In Sri Lanka
Former VSO volunteer Barry Arnold, who taught English at a technical college in the town of Trincomalee from 2003 to 2005, was kind enough to share his experience with the TEFL Logue in the following…
Students Who Grow On You...In A Not-So-Bad Way
Some students are a little bit harder to like than others. Some – especially student hecklers – I feel more or less resigned to dislike.
A School Inspection
The men were instructed to wear ties and the rest of us “business attire”. There was literally a big room where we were to leave things we couldn’t clear off our desks and we received admin pay for…
My Latest Daily Challenge: Avoiding The Plastic Bag
I think my way of life here is much more environmentally correct than my life in the US.
Back To The TEFL Logue Kitchen: Soup Mixes And Salad Dressing
Summer is here, and summer is the season of salad, at least for me it is. As such, you can imagine the challenge of living in a country where the salad dressings on offer are lacking in variety,…
Loss Of Privacy (Or, The Kindness Of Strangers)
At a few specific points in the past, it’s struck me that I’ve lost some elements of privacy, somehow in connection with TEFL-ing. Is this related to the job specifically?
Urban Legends In TEFL
I’ve fallen a bit behind with Pigs In The Toilet , but my last visit finds former EFL teacher Jeff on a bus to Varanassi, India – not, in fact, to teach at a call center, but instead to meet up with…
The Case Of Teacher X: Late Pay
I recently came across this account of getting paid late. Many teachers don’t want to publicize problems with their employers, so the teacher wishes to remain anonymous.
Tip For A TEFL Day Trip...
Don’t forget your passport! It sounds like a joke, or at the very least somewhat insulting advice to give as it is so basic…but in fact forgetting your passport on a trip or day trip, it can cause…
Costa Rica Classroom Blog On Adapting
Costa Rica Classroom had a great article recently, the gist of which was – to get the most out of your time in TEFL, be prepared to adapt.
What Influenced You? Or, A Handy Gift
I’ve always liked languages but my own interest in EFL originally came out of a desire to live abroad.
Fringe Benefit Of TEFL #6: More Language Trivia
One thing English is lacking (as if there’s not enough) is a second version of you.
TV While TEFLing
Watching television abroad can be an eye-opening experience. I’m sure I’ve gone on about how watching English language shows with local language subtitles improved my vocabulary.
Adventures In Accommodation: Success, More Or Less
During one job, due to extenuating circumstances, I found myself in need of housing for a couple of months before my contract ended.
(Mis)adventures In Accommodation
I arranged this set up – like another one I found much later chronologically – by perusing local language ads for roommates and rooms for rent in homes.
(Mis)Adventures In Accommodation, Part 2
Part 1 is here . One night, at about 9 pm, the woman brought back a guy she said was a medical student who wanted to see the room, to rent it after I had moved out. They had both been drinking.
Tips For Finding Your Own Accommodation
Don’t let the challenge of finding your own accommodation abroad stop you. Here are some tips I’ve picked up along the way – sometimes I’ve found my own accommodation and sometimes the school I’ve…
Adventures In Bureaucracy
I’d like to offer some tips for dealing with bureaucracy, but I think things vary enough from place to place that it would be misleading to pretend there’s a method that always works. There’s not!
Am I A TEFL Weirdo? Things I Do That Make Me Stick Out
I’ve posted about TEFLers being weird (or not) in general, and about TEFL co-worker s as possible weirdos too…but what about me? As promised, Am I a weirdo?
EFL Geek On Blogging
As mentioned in Part 1 of the TEFL Logue's interview with EFL Geek , he started blogging in an effort to organize his thoughts on the various readings he was doing for his graduate studies; I asked…
TEFL And Travelers
I’m still keeping up with Pigs In The Toilet – right now you can join Jeff for the part of his journey though an isolated village in southern China near Sanjiang , where he encounters some travelers…
The Lightbult Insight
Because of the May 1 holiday, I offered to pay my rent early. Typically my landlord – who in fact owns just the flat I live in, not the building – comes around to collect the rent at the beginning of…
Fringe Benefit of TEFL #5: Receiving Care Packages
I won’t lie: when I get a package, I tear it open like there’s no tomorrow, and I don’t mind admitting that this may say something about my character or outlook.
Skills You Develop In TEFL: Moving
With summer fast approaching, teachers are on the move - though honestly, EFL teachers don’t even need summer as an excuse to be on the move! In any case, moving is a mess.
Have You Been The Angry Foreigner?
I’m keeping up with Pigs In The Toilet , the serialized travelogue of a former EFL teacher's past journey through China; Jeff has now made it out of the oddly-pleasing Chengdu and is ready for the…
The Honor System In Practice
Do you feel guilty walking to the check out without having weighed your fruit and veg?
Dealing With TEFL Stress
Trouble with your residency permit? Can’t find an address because streets aren’t marked or have changed names recently? No working board pens in the whole school?
More From The TEFL Logue Kitchen: Mexican Food
As I may have mentioned before, I am a fan of Mexican food , and good Mexican food is one of the things I miss greatly when I am away from home.
TEFL Logue Review: Babel
After reading (some time ago) ESL Pundit’s post about Babel , which won a Golden Globe for Best Drama, and hearing the comments of others (also some time ago), I finally got ahold of this film.
TEFL Safety
There are from time to time sad stories that appear in the news about EFL teachers encountering problems with crime abroad; while these stories are no less sad than stories about misfortunes that…
Are You On A TEFL Diet?
On Pigs In The Toilet , the latest installment is about – as Jeff put it – regressing to eating western food while traveling in Tibet.
Logistical Adventures Abroad
Getting routine things done in another country can on occasion be more complicated than at home. Is it due to different (or less?) organization than at home?
Logistical Adventures Abroad, Part 2
…but I had time to jump on. One task finished. I found my way to the hotel and my stay there was all good.
My Hungarian Lessons
Reading Gdog’s post at the Daily Kimchi about learning Korean (it’s hard!) made me think back to my own experience of learning a language in-country: Hungarian.
Fringe Benefit Of TEFL #4: Visiting Other Cities You've Worked In
I recently traveled to Budapest for a day to practically and mentally prepare for some different things I’m involved in – my more intrepid readers will remember that I worked in Budapest for a time.
Asking For Help
The willingness to ask for help has to be one of the most important abilities for anyone interested in teaching and just generally living abroad.
My Tuesday Night Dinner Club
I had the good fortune to meet three very cool friends (and eventually the husband of one as well)– more or less as a group – in September of last year.
Stereotypes Abroad
This is an article from the Korea Times by a American man of Korean heritage – (“kyopo” in Korean) – thanks to EFL Geek for the heads up on this article and the comments on it at the Marmot's Hole .
Stereotypes Abroad, Part 2
Find Part 1 here . In fact it’s hard to put into words the reception I received - and I do have a theory as to why I was perceived this way and other native English speakers were not.
Cool People I've Met Via TEFL: E And A
I met E when his sister, a colleague of mine, mentioned that he was looking for English lessons.
Teaching In Chicago And Japan: A Profile Of Mary
I’m happy to report that Mary, a frequent commenter on the TEFL Logue, took the time to write up a profile of her teaching life.
Teaching In Chicago And Japan: A Profile Of Mary, Part 2
TEFL Logue supporter Mary has contributed a teaching profile so others can get additional examples of what it’s like to teach English language…read Part 1 to see how she got her start and to find out…
Should I Stay Or Should I Go?
It can be hard to decide – you’ve had an amazing experience and enjoyed the work, you’ve met some excellent people…you have no job or place of your own to live in at home yet.
TEFL Coworkers: Are They Weirdos Too?
In Are TEFLers Weirdos? , I shared my conclusion that people who have it in them to up and move to a foreign country for a year or more to live and work may be a little unusual; whether that…
Are TEFLers Weirdos?
The opinion that people who drop their regular lives for a year or more and start from scratch in a foreign country are a little strange is not a new idea.
TEFL Mystery #6: What's In That Bag?
Nearly every day, when I rifle through my bag for my keys, it strikes me that I carry around all sorts of weird stuff. Lots of EFL teachers do (I hope).
The Return of Flu Season
It’s that time of year again when you take the chicken soup and Kleenex out of storage. Pull the covers up over your head and go back to sleep for another half an hour.
Is TEFL Lonely?
One of people’s biggest fears about teaching abroad is that they won’t meet anyone and will be alone too often. Is this a realistic fear? Yes and no.
More TEFL Logue Confessions
I shared some of my secrets back in December; it’s now time for more. 1. I sometimes run to classes so I’m not late. In more than three years, I have been late to an on-premise class exactly once.
Standardized Tests For ESL Students In US Public Schools
Photo from CNN.com There have been a number of stories relatively recently about standardized tests in public schools in the US; the angle I’m concerned with is the one relating to ESL students.
The Value Of The Web For TEFL
Well, obviously: the web is a neat place! The most recent example is this: a couple of weeks ago, Sue from ELT Notebook emailed me an interesting article about Frananglais in Cameroon .
From Linguistic Life: Foreign English Teachers As Products?
A helpful reader (okay, it was the author of a blog that rhymes with ELT Totebook ) drew my attention to Foreign English Teachers: Products or People?
Machismo: TEFL Logue Friend Or Foe?
What is machismo? If you are female, will you experience it abroad? Where? Where not? All good questions that I can’t answer in full…but I’m curious to hear the experience and opinions of others.
More TEFL Recipes: Fruit
When you're living abroad, you may be trying to cook for - and heck, just feed - yourself under new and unfamiliar circumstances.
Frananglais: A Compromise Language?
Sue at ELT Notebook from time to time sends me interesting articles, such as this one on IELTS in Iran .
Foreign Language Learning For English Speakers
My experience abroad has also influenced my perspective on the foreign language learning of English speakers.
TEFL Mystery #5: Where Are The Americans?
I was recently contemplating whether it was okay to make a joke about Canadian bloggers taking over the web (sorry if that offends any Canadian bloggers) and then it struck me that I don’t seem to…
Cool People I've Met Via TEFL: Some VIPs
Arriving at our first class – or our first “meeting” as I called it so they didn’t feel like high school students – I knew only that they were four VIPs at “intermediate something” level.
TEFL And Techno Savvy?
My name is Katie and I have a Walkman. Well, it stopped working in December but I’m hoping it will work again because I have a couple of cassettes I really won’t be able to listen to otherwise.
TEFL Mystery #4: What The Hell Is Going On With Mexican Food Abroad?
I will confess here that this post is not really about any mystery…it’s a thinly veiled attempt to present a topic that’s been on my mind as of late in a way that is not obviously a rant.
Thugs And EFL Students
Thugs preying on foreign students - from Sussex - may come across as a little extreme, but it is actually a very relevant issue if you are teaching foreign students in an English-speaking country,…