Waking up in Florence

Waking up in Florence

Can you imagine waking up to a saxophone or the smell of freshly baked pastries as your alarm clock? As someone who grew up in the suburbs of Los Angeles where cars are our only means of getting to the grocery store, I never would have thought I would be living above a bakery and just a few steps away from a bread shop. That's what it's like waking up in Florence, Italy!

How did I get here…?

I enrolled in Via Lingua’s TEFL Program in October 2016 because of my passion for education, sincere love of learning, and eagerness to explore an unfamiliar culture and language. Like you, I researched TEFL programs for hours on end in hopes of finding the right program with features like: interactive learning, step-by-step guidance from top tier teachers, and the opportunity to broaden my perspective. Truthfully, I can say first hand, Via Lingua fulfilled all of my expectations.

While some of you might be interested in teaching English overseas because you have an itch to explore a new culture and language, meet new people, or make an international impact on the lives of others, you will walk away with an appreciation for cultural sensitivity and a global awareness of how other people learn, communicate, and live. Via Lingua not only provided me with the resources and tools to become an effective teacher, but also someone who can easily and fearlessly communicate with people from totally different backgrounds.

Teaching and living abroad exposes you to new perspectives, habits, customs, traditions, and languages, allowing you to engage with culture as well as share your own. You will inevitably experience the rush of both nerves and excitement as you begin to immerse yourself into an unfamiliar culture. Everything is new from food to lifestyle to fashion to transportation. By facing all this newness head on, you will discover an inner fortitude that you may have never tapped into otherwise.

Teaching and living overseas is by no means easy. However, just like when you learned how to ride a bike for the first time, the first few pedals are the toughest, but with bravery and practice, you figure out how to maintain your balance. Embrace the discomfort and dive into your experience with an open-mind. In my experience, the fears and worries I initially had upon moving to Florence quickly faded; instead, I'm left with a wealth of experience, skills and passion both in and outside the classroom, on account of Via Lingua.

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