TEFL Teacher: Eamonn Hurley
Hometown: Cork
Teaching Location: South Korea

As an engineer during the dreaded ‘R’ word (aka recession), Eamonn Hurley decided to do something different and avoid the long hours and wage cuts, he said.

“I saw i-to-i at a jobs expo,” he said, “and I had a chat with the i-to-i person and I liked what she told me.”

Without prior teaching experience, Eamonn took his TEFL course through i-to-i and is using the free job placement service offered, plus he was given good Web sites from a friend already based in Korea, he said.

“I like travelling and I suppose it’s a good way of doing some around Korea and Asia while earning, before I possible strike back to Ireland when the country sorts itself out,” Eamonn said.

For Eamonn the benefits of TEFL are being able to travel the world and teach various levels of people, while dictating how much work and teaching you want to do, he said.

“If a person wanted a change in life or direction, then I feel TEFL is ideal as you will meet loads of new people and experience different cultures,” Eamonn said. “Basically just indulge it and enjoy it…if you don’t like it then you can easily stop.”

Now having completed the course, Eamonn has planned to teach in South Korea for 12 months and then see what happens after that, he said.

“Take a chance and enjoy,” he said. “(There’s) nothing to lose!”

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© i-to-i, 2009