HOW I ESCAPED MY CUBICLE JOB AND HOW YOU CAN TOO

HOW I ESCAPED MY CUBICLE JOB AND HOW YOU CAN TOO

Author
Lexi Ward
2018.02.06

Does anyone else ever look at their life and think:

“Hey, wait. I didn't choose this. What am I doing? I did what they said I should do: graduated and got a steady paying job. Why am I unhappy?”

This is what age 22 looked like for me, as well as thousands of other 20 to 40-year-olds. We're in our prime, yet we're more bored than ever. Up until this point, adulthood had looked like 4 walls and a computer screen. I wanted to escape the cubicle lifestyle. The sun was out! There were rivers to float down, trails to hike. People to meet, and stories to share.

I needed a vacation - a year-long kind. But How?

And then I met someone with answers.Jo had recently returned from teaching English in China. She was there for 1 year teaching kids and teenagers. But how? All of my questions began to overflow. Here is what I learned that day:

No, I don't have to know any other language to teach English abroad.

No, I don't have to have a bunch of money to get started.

Yes, I will need a TEFL (Teach English as a Foreign Language) Certification.

Yes, I can do it alone.

Yes, there will be people to help me along the way.

Yes, you really can escape the 9 to 5 rat race.

Knowledge is power. Learning how Jo got her TEFL certificate from an online class changed everything for me.

Here is a step-by-step process of how I escaped the 9 to 5 lifestyle and how you can too:

1. RESEARCH

At this point in time, the internet has all the answers. There's endless information online about teaching English as a Second Language (ESL). I read tons of fun stories and motivational lessons from people who have moved abroad to teach. “To know the road ahead, ask those coming back.”

During my research, I paid attention to which school seemed like the best choice for me. After a few hours of reading about teaching abroad, I was on my way to escape the cubicle lifestyle!

2. DECIDE

Before anything life-altering, I knew I had to DECIDE to make a change. Being half-way invested in something is only half-way effective. It's a limbo. I knew if I was serious about wanting to escape the cubicle, I had to decide to make a big change and not let anything stop me. Once I did that, everything else in my life started to shift. I began to notice stories of adventure all throughout my day. Decisions are powerful.

3. ENROL ON A TEFL COURSE

The course taught me how to instruct an English class, then provided me with a certificate. There are 2 choices of training: online or in-person. Online classes take 2 - 3 months to complete and allow the flexibility to work from home. In-person classes last about 4 weeks with a full-time schedule. What defers many people at first: the price. I paid about $1,100 USD for good training then had the freedom to teach in all corners of the world. I hated spending that much money, but a grand is a great price for the level of freedom a TEFL certificate gives you!

(If you don't have a spare thousand, EF can help you with a TEFL sponsorship!)

4. DRUMROLL, PLEASE... QUIT. THE. JOB!

Doesn't just the idea sound liberating? Sexy, even? Before I bought my plane ticket, there was one more step to escape the 9 to 5: Quit. It was time to let my boss know the timer is up. I was professional, of course. Put in my two-weeks, finished my work, and listened to everyone tell me how crazy I was. It didn't matter because China was calling and it was louder than any haters.

5. MAKE THE MOVE

Actually getting on a plane with a suitcase in hand is the most surreal feeling yet; it's as if I was expecting someone to stop me. Once I boarded my plane, though, it was one big adventure from there. It was terrifying, I'll admit. But I did it anyway. And lived to tell about it!

So there you have it: a step-by-step guide of how to move abroad to teach English in China and escape the 9 to 5. It's far more realistic than most people think and it will open up so many doors for those willing to take a leap. Now, are YOU ready to solve your problem and escape the cubicle you're living in?

TAKE THE STEP

Apply to Teach NOW

It takes less than five minutes
to change your life.

Author
Lexi Ward

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