This year, I decided to follow new career ventures. I’ve been studying English since the age of three and have always dreamed about teaching the language for a while. Of course, that would happen after I graduated from my after school English class at Red Balloon. However, that never happened because I went to Morgan Hill, California for a year-long study abroad and even my teachers thought it wouldn’t be necessary for me to finish the last six months of Teen 6 (the last level). The problem was that by doing that, I was once saying goodbye to the prospect of teaching at Red Balloon.
But if you know me personally, you might not realize that teaching was a dream for me. The thing is that writing and journalism are my biggest passions and dreams career-wise. And yet, without a diploma, how could I apply for jobs during quarantine? I couldn’t! So, I applied for side hustles, tried YouTube for a while, and even worked at worse than slave labor conditions for two months. However, there were a few signs from the universe that pointed me in the right direction. After many people give you the same advice, you start to wonder if that’s not what you’re meant to be doing, right? Many people would ask me to teach them English online, and even my childhood friend who’s a German teacher told me I should give it a shot.
By then, I contacted my aunt who has been an English teacher for many years and asked her if she could lend me some materials so I could get started. Now, I am currently teaching three students and waiting a few calls to teach another four or five prospective students. That’s basically a small business, and so far, I’ve been enjoying it very much. There’s just something about being a teacher and having to be patient and compassionate to others that really makes me feel fulfilled. The joy of knowing that you’re helping someone is priceless and with each class, the nervousness of being an amateur teacher decreases considerably. I never knew I could feel this good about a career that I never thought about doing seriously before. Yes, I have thought about it, but never as my main source of income.
However, that’s just how life can surprise us. We think we know what we want and need, but we really don’t. Do I see myself teaching a few years from now? Maybe. It could also be something temporary, though, and I know I’ll fully enjoy being a teacher for as long as that lasts. Seeing my students’ progress after just a few classes and getting positive feedback encourages me to keep going. It’s like a sign that I’m on the right track and being able to help people in a way that I might have always wanted to without consciously knowing it. Most importantly, I’m joining something that I love and that is second nature to me – English – with something that is convenient and will bring financial abundance – teaching.
Now, I realize that sometimes that’s how you make money and people the correct way as when you do what you love, others can see how passionate you are about it and consequently, it helps you do a better job, in my case, of teaching. And even though this new job of mine has been extremely fulfilling, it’s just as energy draining. Much like any job if you think about it. Try being patient, clear and compassionate with students teaching classes back to back. At least in the beginning, it makes you feel like you haven’t slept in ages. Furthermore, most of my weekends go into preparing classes, worksheets and other homework assignments, so I haven’t been spending a lot of time with my family during “rest days.” But do the pros outweigh the cons? Absolutely! And to be honest, that’s all that matters.
As far as I’m concerned, I have all the right to feel proud of myself for finding something that I enjoy doing and that is pandemic-friendly and can help people in the process. I see the part in which I get closer and closer to achieving financial independence as a consequence. Before, I never worried about money, but now I’m more aware of how important it is. Besides that, teaching has taught me a lot of things about myself and made me realize my limits while also giving me a great way to practice setting boundaries. Overall, this experience allows me to help others as well as myself in many ways. Right now, I truly feel grateful for finding my current calling.