I Taught English Abroad

Like many TEFL teachers, Dan Wharton once found himself looking out his window and dreaming of being somewhere else. Somewhere new, somewhere exotic, somewhere totally outside of his previous experiences. He trained as a TEFL teacher, and moved to China - so far, so exciting. The next chapter of his life, however, sets him apart from any other guest we’ve had. His skill and expertise in recruitmen...

Gav and Em, of the How To English Podcast, first met in art school with designs on breaking into the world of fine art. Over 20 years later, they’ve travelled the world side-by-side as intrepid world explorers and teachers of excellent repute. The duo tell us all about their travels, the challenges they’ve encountered, building a podcast audience and much more in an action-packed hour of conversat...

I Taught English Abroad has gone Hollywood, as we meet LA English Tutor, known to her friends as Anne Crutchfield. Anne, originally from Illinois, tells us all about teaching the diverse and exciting population of Los Angeles, her experience working for the government, the challenges facing modern teachers, as well as much more. If you’ve ever wondered how to make a career from TEFL within the Uni...

You probably remember your favourite teacher. If that’s the case, chances are they’re the one who gave you creative freedom and let you express yourself. It could’ve been art, stories, songs; whatever it took to get you feeling inspired, they did it. For many, that teacher will have been our next guest, Betsy Potash. American, but now based in Budapest, Betsy’s approach to teaching is utterly, uns...

They don’t have pictures in the dictionary, but if they did, you’d maybe see Matt Mitzel’s face under the word ‘Wanderlust’. Matt, a qualified and experienced TEFL teacher, has made it his personal mission to travel to every country in the world, and he’s already made impressive inroads. We cover the niceties of Istanbul, the career of Lionel Messi and, of course, teaching around the world. Here’s...

Your favourite TEFL podcast is back for a fourth season! Yes, once again, ‘I Taught English Abroad’ is back to tell the most compelling stories from the world of English teaching, filled with valuable insights, scarcely believable career trajectories and the best stories you’ll hear on any podcast. Meet the Hollywood-based teacher working with actors and models. Hear from a teacher who wants to vi...

We take a look back through Season 3 with The TEFL Org’s social media and marketing guru, David Foster. In this episode we tackling subjects as diverse as apparitions, Liverpudlian accents, and travelling as a couple, all while shattering some long-held TEFL  myths. 

Jema Perry (Mooncake English) hadn’t always planned on being a TEFL teacher, but the mark she’s made - and continues to make with her work online - is impossible to argue. Enthusiastic, charming and inspiring, Perry’s stories of climbing the career ladder in China are infinitely inspiring

Travelling the world, finding work as a teacher and assimilating to new cultures can be difficult solo. As a couple? It’s a different story, as Celi Reeder tells us all about living and working in South Korea, Vietnam, Thailand and more!

Now an online TEFL sensation, it’d be quicker to list what the amazing Jamie Gajewski (also  known as ESL Teacher 365) hasn’t experienced in her career thus far. From fleeing revolution in Egypt, to haunted farms and teaching in castles, to changing her approach after illness, this episode makes for a truly fascinating listen.

When you have the experience of teaching young learners in countries as diverse as South Korea and Romania, you probably make some pretty astute observations along the way. This episode’s guest, Martin Sketchley, has lots of them; he tells us all about applying his theories in the classroom, publishing, and more.

It started with some curiosity about teaching in Spain, and now Mrs A is one of the leading lights in English and Spanish teaching in the country. Mrs A tells us all about establishing an awards ceremony, publishing and so much more in this action-packed episode.

It all began with a voracious hunger to learn English phrases and a love of the Backstreet Boys. Today, Lachesis Braick is an amazing example of how non-native English-speaking teachers can thrive in countless arenas. 

Imagine going from disillusionment with civil engineering to flying around China as an English teacher within 5 years? Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction, as TEFL expert Ross Thorburn recounts in this episode of I Taught English Abroad.

If you’re looking for a podcast episode that namechecks Stirling, Romania, Hungary and Beverley Hills, you’re in luck. Kitti Majorán takes us through her fantastic career to date, from watching English language TV throughout her childhood to empowering entrepreneurs today. 

‘I Taught English Abroad’ is back; bigger and better than ever. Our award-nominated podcast returns for Season 3, and has some of the most dramatic, inspiring and insightful accounts of teaching abroad you’ll ever hear. We have fantastic guests from the TEFL world, telling us about everything from escaping revolution, turning long-term illness into opportunity and teaching in a castle - and that’s...

Join host Euan Davidson and Erin MacKenzie, Content Marketing Manager at The TEFL Org, for a roundup of the second season of 'I Taught English Abroad'. They discuss their favourite moments, misconceptions about TEFL, hip-hop, and Erin tests Euan's memory.

How did a politics student become co-founder of an industry-leading TEFL course provider and an influential ambassador for Scottish women in business? Via a garden shed, of course. Find out how Jennifer MacKenzie built a TEFL titan.

Carl’s ruthless academic determination and wanderlust has seen him teach in some of the less-heralded but most eye-catching locales in the world, including Iraq, Azerbaijan, plenty of East Asia and now, from the comfort of his home office.

From Pennsylvania to the rest of the world, Cheryl Obal turned TEFL into performance art, combining world-renowned choreography and dancing skills, English teaching and a nous for business. This fascinating episode covers working for NGOs, settling in India, Saudi Arabia and Italy, and how truly transferable TEFL skills are.

From feeling aimless and working as a Hallowe’en “scarer” in Cornwall, Sophie Oliver used the momentum from a trip to Barcelona to motivate her to finish a TEFL course. Her journey since has been inspiring. 

Arthur’s story is a perfect example of changing both career and fortunes. From despondency in Portland during the global financial crisis, Arthur truly turned his life around, teaching across Asia, meeting his wife, and providing fantastic lessons for prospective TEFL teachers.

When the Covid-19 pandemic forced a change of plans, Ellie Rayner went from working on cruise ships to achieving what had seemed impossible; uprooting to Japan and establishing herself as a teacher. We discuss turning long-term goals into an idyllic existence. 

Melissa Thomson tells us all about changing careers; from the world of PR to teaching everywhere from Bilbao to Japan, via a spell working with asylum seekers and refugees in Glasgow’s old biscuit factories.

To kick off season 2, we’ve got a real treat: Fluency MC. Jason Levine, a former music industry worker and hip-hop DJ, was filmed by one of his students rapping a lesson. It completely changed his life. We talk about going viral, staying relevant in the TEFL world and so much more with Fluency MC.