News from our grads
Amanda in Japan
Amanda's story is one that will inspire and cheer anyone who is thinking
about going overseas to teach. It was 16 months
ago that Amanda and her friend Leah first embarked on an adventure that
would truly change their lives forever. At just 19 years old, and without
university degrees, the two friends battled the odds and made the decision
to go to Japan without a job already lined-up, as Manda tells:
"At the end of July 2004, encouraged by job offers and interviews,
we decided to just take the plunge with our savings
and come to Japan and stay with my brother. 
On
our second day in Wakayama, cooped up in my brother's
small boat-sized (and styled) apartment, we used websites recommended
by Teach International
to find positions of interest. We were willing
to travel nearly anywhere but paid special attention
to positions around Osaka/Kyoto and in Northern Konshu. On that first
day of searches we applied for over 50 positions around Japan and received
15 replies. One of those replies was for the positions we now hold in
Sendai.
We stayed focused and determined. We stuck to the Teach International resume layout and refused to do what everyone does and buy fake university degrees on the internet or lie about our experience."
Manda was originally
placed in a very different position to Leah,
working for a company in
a day-care type system from
9:30am - 7pm every day! This position proved
to be challenging yet rewarding.
"I was completely responsible for the course outline, subject material, creation and development of props and games, and the lesson style. I taught 40-minute English lessons to the kids, which were followed by 20-minute kanji lessons by a Japanese teacher, and then a 10-minute lesson for the children's mothers. Every week the kids had to learn four new words - it was a HUGE challenge. I had a class with a single nine-month-old baby ranging up to a class of seven 5 and 6 year olds - all learning the same words and basically doing the same activities. The average age of my students was 2 years old and I had mothers whose attitudes to the classes ranged from extreme enthusiasm to so low they allowed their kids to attack other children with scissors. But it was the best experience I've had yet in Japan!"
Amanda Boyd - Teach International Graduate
