It is about time to join the amazing Mama Kat at her Writers Workshop again:
Explore
Outlook
Expectation
Develop
Establish
Research
Search
Yes. Search.
I am searching this year. Researching too. I want my dream to work abroad with victims of trafficking to become a reality – I want to get there, wherever that is, or at least come much closer to it.
So I signed up for the Master 140 hours TEFL course. The what?!, you say? TEFL, I answer.
Teaching
English as a
Foreign
Language.
Thus TEFL.
What’s thát got to do with anything?
You see, the one big thing that really stands in the way of chasing and achieving my dream is money. I can’t live off of the air. (I know, I wish I could too 
) so I got to earn a living abroad somehow. While doing what I really like to do. Work in a shelter. Teach in schools, colleges and universities about how to prevent being trafficked and/or forced into prostitution.
Sad fact: prevention is the only cure to trafficking and/or forced prostitution. Trafficking and prostitution are right up there with arms and drug trafficking. With the advantage that a girl/boy can be resold again and again. To break free is something near to impossible most of the time.
It breaks my heart that young girls ánd boys and women are being tricked into slavery. Some are so young, they can’t defend themselves. They end up as objects, commodities, used over and over and over again until they are finally thrown away as a broken doll.
It happens in my country, the Netherlands, too. But I want to work where there isn’t yet any help or shelter for the victims. The places where a lot of victims come from or are trafficked to but where hardly any knowledge is available of how to defend oneself against these things.
You see, I am a pioneer.
I want to explore and go where no one else has gone. Well, nearly no one, let’s keep it real. I want to be part of a team and a network, after all, there is strength in numbers! I’d love to be part of the solution to the dangers of trafficking and prostitution. I’d love to spend time with kids, adolescents, grown-ups and be a positive influence for their future. I’d love to strengthen their hopes and dreams, their talents and skills. I’d be honored to be an instrument in calling forth their true identity and help them make changes happen in their lives.
So to prepare for that, I am going to immerse myself in the English language in a way I have never done before – 140 hours in 75 days. Exploring English to the hilt.
I have great expectations. Cuz I think it came around just in the right time. And I don´t believe in coincidences. However, I do believe in God-incidences.
Thus I have a great outlook on the year ahead. Also, it fits in with my OneWord365: Being intentional about my future.
And who knows which doors will open up for me to enter and realize my dream?
Well, one of them anyways!
What are you dreaming of doing?
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I loved reading this. For a few reasons. A former writing professor of mine also developed a TESOL (the name of her course) class. And you hit on a subject that has been tugging at my heart. Human trafficking. How exciting that you are moving forward in your quest.
Well, Jamie, TEFL is a course offered by Cambridge ESOL – so I imagine it has much the same elements as your professors course. I have been involved in the subject of trafficking/prostitution in Ukraine before, like 6-7 years ago, and had to leave due to illness. It is really exciting to see what this year will bring!
Thanks for reading!
Fantastic, and I wish you the best. I am an EFL teacher (via the CELTA course, instead of TEFL, though), and it’s been a wonderful way of connecting with other cultures. If only I could get a teaching job here in the States, though. So far, no luck.
Your desire to put a stop to trafficking is a great one, and I truly hope you’ll be able to help in a way that will satisfy you. Good luck!
Hey, that is interesting Madeleine! CELTA is part of the Cambridge ESOL, the same institution/university that TEFL is through.
What a shame you can;t find work in USA – I wouldn;t mind to be able to work there for some time too. I lived State side for over three years, would love to go back to catch up with friends!
Where did you teach, as in which countries? I think it opens wildly interesting possibilities! And I love to explore other cultures too.
I’m from Australia, but did the CELTA when I lived in London, then taught for several years in the UK, then again back in Australia… not in any non-English speaking countries, but it allowed me to meet so many lovely and different people from many cultures. Loved it! Have had time off because of babies, moving overseas (again), applying for a US work permit etc, but now that I’ve started looking for work again, it’s not happening. It’s a little disheartening but I think the economy is not great at the moment.
Did you do full time teaching? I recently looked at the ‘net for teaching ESOL jobs in the world and noticed there are openings in Asia mostly. At least, for peeps like me, without official teaching experience.
Keep at it, Madeleine, it is hard work to find a job nowadays, but don’t give up, you never know what might happen!
PS Meant to say I LOVE the Netherlands. It’s one of my favourite countries I’ve been to, and I’m deeply envious of the Dutch people’s multilingual skills! Mine suck.
Oh my, thank you! May I ask what makes it your favorite country? Just curious!
And as far as multilingual skills go: it’s just because hardly anyone outside the Netherlands speaks Dutch, we have to learn other languages!
I just love the open-minded Dutch attitude to so many things. Very pragmatic, too, and everyone I met was incredibly helpful and friendly.
I taught full-time for many years, in both the UK and Australia, then after I had my eldest daughter, was lucky to be able to switch to part-time teaching. Then when I left to have my second daughter, the school went bust and closed (and my husband was offered a job in LA)… so here we are, three years later!
That’s a very worthwhile endeavor. Good luck exploring!