NatashaStevens
Mar 14, 2011
Undergraduate / "Why I want to teach English abroad" -Essay for Teaching Assistantship in Spain [2]
I am to write a one-page essay about why I want to go to Spain to teach English. The instructions are very general and I am not required to write about anything specific, besides why I want to go to Spain. This Assistantship is sponsored by the Spanish government, so my essay needs to be practically perfect. This is my fourth attempt and I feel like I am on the right direction. ANY feedback is greatly appreciated! Thanks a lot!
"To live is to choose. But to choose well, you must know who you are and what you stand for, where you want to go and why you want to get there." Quoted from the Nobel Peace Prize winner Kofi Annan, who founded the Global AIDS and Health fund for developing countries. After graduating from University I knew I wanted to work abroad, gain an understanding of international travel and see the world from my own eyes, moving beyond college textbooks and stories from professors. There are a number of reasons of why I am choosing to teach English abroad, but the top three are opportunity, awareness and passion.
Teaching English abroad would, of course be the opportunity of a lifetime, but more than that it will give me the opportunity to see the world from another perspective, and broaden my view of the situations I come across and the people I meet. While in college I had the chance to meet people from all over the world; we shared cultural similarities and differences, but this time I want to be the foreigner in another country, meeting native Spanish speakers and understanding their traditions and way of life. As the Spanish language has evolved, spreading to other parts of the world, along the way, naturally the language lost its origin and modernized itself. Being that Spain is the mother tongue of the Spanish language I want the opportunity to learn Spanish from which it began. Going beyond just the language itself, my interest extends to the history and cultural customs, beliefs, cuisine and traditions of the people. While in college I had four different teachers of Spanish, all with a different story of living in a Spanish-speaking country, ranging from Central and South America to Spain and I have all of them to thank for my growing interest and knowledge of this language. Awareness is a consequence of an opportunity taken advantage of.
I want to become a global citizen, someone that is aware outside of my home country. I will practice what I have learned from being an American citizen, share it with the world and have an open mind with those I come across. I want to bring the English language to others to further the global connection we are working toward. Learning another language is the first step in understanding and accepting other ways of life. I believe more often than not we take refuge in our own comfort zone and forget there is an entire world, full of people that we can learn from and experiences just waiting to happen. Language is the number one form of communication, and sharing my knowledge of the English language is a deep passion of mine. As a native English speaker and having worked with those who want to learn the language, there is such a rewarding experience in helping someone achieve their goals and in my opinion that is one of the greatest feelings in the world. Being well educated is crucial and being multi-lingual is so important nowadays, but sadly there is not enough emphasis on teaching other languages to children, which is when it is easier to grasp a new language. Not only am I passionate about teaching, but also I am passionate about traveling and experiencing as much as I can.
We only live once and I intend to fully take advantage of the opportunities I come across. I am confident in my maturity and I believe I have the necessary skill set to live, work and immerse myself into another culture. I will be coming to Spain as a representative of my country and as an open-minded educator who wants to teach and be taught.
I am to write a one-page essay about why I want to go to Spain to teach English. The instructions are very general and I am not required to write about anything specific, besides why I want to go to Spain. This Assistantship is sponsored by the Spanish government, so my essay needs to be practically perfect. This is my fourth attempt and I feel like I am on the right direction. ANY feedback is greatly appreciated! Thanks a lot!
"To live is to choose. But to choose well, you must know who you are and what you stand for, where you want to go and why you want to get there." Quoted from the Nobel Peace Prize winner Kofi Annan, who founded the Global AIDS and Health fund for developing countries. After graduating from University I knew I wanted to work abroad, gain an understanding of international travel and see the world from my own eyes, moving beyond college textbooks and stories from professors. There are a number of reasons of why I am choosing to teach English abroad, but the top three are opportunity, awareness and passion.
Teaching English abroad would, of course be the opportunity of a lifetime, but more than that it will give me the opportunity to see the world from another perspective, and broaden my view of the situations I come across and the people I meet. While in college I had the chance to meet people from all over the world; we shared cultural similarities and differences, but this time I want to be the foreigner in another country, meeting native Spanish speakers and understanding their traditions and way of life. As the Spanish language has evolved, spreading to other parts of the world, along the way, naturally the language lost its origin and modernized itself. Being that Spain is the mother tongue of the Spanish language I want the opportunity to learn Spanish from which it began. Going beyond just the language itself, my interest extends to the history and cultural customs, beliefs, cuisine and traditions of the people. While in college I had four different teachers of Spanish, all with a different story of living in a Spanish-speaking country, ranging from Central and South America to Spain and I have all of them to thank for my growing interest and knowledge of this language. Awareness is a consequence of an opportunity taken advantage of.
I want to become a global citizen, someone that is aware outside of my home country. I will practice what I have learned from being an American citizen, share it with the world and have an open mind with those I come across. I want to bring the English language to others to further the global connection we are working toward. Learning another language is the first step in understanding and accepting other ways of life. I believe more often than not we take refuge in our own comfort zone and forget there is an entire world, full of people that we can learn from and experiences just waiting to happen. Language is the number one form of communication, and sharing my knowledge of the English language is a deep passion of mine. As a native English speaker and having worked with those who want to learn the language, there is such a rewarding experience in helping someone achieve their goals and in my opinion that is one of the greatest feelings in the world. Being well educated is crucial and being multi-lingual is so important nowadays, but sadly there is not enough emphasis on teaching other languages to children, which is when it is easier to grasp a new language. Not only am I passionate about teaching, but also I am passionate about traveling and experiencing as much as I can.
We only live once and I intend to fully take advantage of the opportunities I come across. I am confident in my maturity and I believe I have the necessary skill set to live, work and immerse myself into another culture. I will be coming to Spain as a representative of my country and as an open-minded educator who wants to teach and be taught.