Personal Narrative: A Career As An ESL Teacher

I never in my wildest dreams would have imagined myself being an ESL teacher. That was never the plan. But Guatemala changed me in ways that are indescribable. It was there that I found that teaching English as a Second Language is my passion. I am now starting on the journey of becoming a degree certified ESL teacher. I dream of continuing to teach ESL abroad and in the United States.
First I fell in love with Guatemala, then I fell in love with Javier. I had decided before I met Javier that I wanted to stay in Guatemala. I loved everything about it. The fireflies, the chaos, the volcanoes. The way they would cram 100 people on a little bus. The way the native Mayans had gold teeth, and the beauty of the Spanish language. I had bought a one-way ticket to Mexico two months prior and ended up travelling down to Guatemala to stay with friends. These friends introduced me to Javier. Within three weeks of knowing each other, I was living in his bedroom at his parent’s house in Guatemala City. I knew that if I wanted to stay in Guatemala, I’d have to find work. The options were slim for an American with no work visa and a minuscule amount of Spanish- either a bar or a hostel. Even the English based call centers required “papers”. Then someone suggested …show more content…
I could literally travel all over the world (some countries will pay for your airplane tickets, your room and board, and salary). I would love to teach English in as many different countries as possible! I also know that I have a special place in my heart for Guatemala and Latin America in general. I recently read an article “Correctional Education: The Success of Total Physical Response In the Adult ESL Classroom” by Susanne Gardner that talks about teaching ESL in a prison. I think this would be fascinating! I am truly just starting on my path to becoming a professional. I believe as I continue on this journey my career objectives will become more