Right after my graduation in 2013 I decided to leave Poland and explore the world. Being a rebel (as my family and friends say), I didn’t want to follow the mainstream and obtain my MA. My BA in language teaching was pretty enough for me. I applied for an internship with AIESEC and at first I was supposed to go to Algeria to work in an orphanage. Unfortunate coincidence occured and I had to look for another internship. When I was about to give up and lose any hope, someone from Morocco contacted me. “Hey Monika, we are looking for a substitute teacher and your profile seems to be matching perfectly”. I didn’t expect too much, yet I gave it a try. I sent my CV, had a Skype interview and was supposed to have results on Sunday evening.

I waited…

…and opened my Gmail at midnight. Nothing. They didn’t pick me – I thought – and went to bed. I woke up on Monday morning at 7 AM and found an email from an AIESECer. Back then I didn’t know the Moroccan understanding of time, so I didn’t expect any delay. Well, they wanted me to confirm my participation in the project. I confirmed and booked the tickets with AirFrance the same day.

The work itself was a bit different than I expected. One-to-one class, not well paid at all. A good start, I’d say. The school eventually closed due to insufficient number of students. Bad marketing strategy. Or no marketing at all. Do I regret? Not at all, even though back then I was cursing people responsible for that project. Would I recommend it? Yes, if you want to gain experience as a language teacher, have an adventure of your life, and are willing to get out of your comfort zone. Remember than internships are usually not very well paid (at the beginning I earned barely $350 a month), but they are a good start.

SO HOW CAN YOU BECOME A LANGUAGE TEACHER IN MOROCCO???

Possibilites are endless! And the good news is, you don’t always need a master degree to do something that you like. First of all, I think that languages are among the best investment a human can make. You can switch jobs and travel, which is a perfect option for people who don’t like average 8 to 5 jobs. You can work as a translator, teacher, customer service agent, writer… Whatever you can think of. I’ll give you some ideas on how to pursue your passion and try your luck as a teacher in a different country or continent. Ok, but stright to the point. Ready?

TEFL

It’s a widely recognized certificate that allows you to get any teaching job, anywhere in the world! Some language centers (like American Center or British Council) probably will choose a CELTA holder, but if you’re not aiming at big schools, this is a useful option and still cheaper than CELTA! TEFL is not very expensive so I’d suggest it to people who are not sure about their dream career and simply want to try teaching.

CELTA

That’s the best thing you can have. Briefly, the most precious certificate that an English teacher can get. Expensive though… The course takes around a month to complete and costs more or less 1000 GBP. Big investment, but if you are serious about what you want to do, I’d say go for it!

AIESEC

It’s a student-run organization that provides you experiences in different cultures. You don’t want to spend money of any certificates, you are not a language student, but you know a language well? Try AIESEC – just google it, this organization has Local Committees in over 100 countries in the world (search for one in your country if you want to go on an internship abroad). You can apply as a volunteer (accommodation and meals provided) and work in a kindergarten or an orphanage. If you want to apply for a paid internship, previous experience or a diploma will be required.

I don’t hold any of the above as I did my BA in language teaching. My diploma is recognized in entire Europe, but not on other continents. I can’t work for British council, for instance, because I have no CELTA. To work in private schools in Morocco, an interview and some previous experience was enough.

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I also wrote an article on getting an ESL job abroad on Elite Travel Blog.

Read also:

• Jooble jobs in Morocco – helpful website to find your dream job!