Are You Suited To English Teaching Abroad?

(Repeat from old website, 2004. Damn, am I that old?)





Indeed, the first question to ask yourself is not, "Which country would I enjoy most" or "Which certificate course would allow me maximum job prospects" but "Am I suited to being an EFL teacher?"

Here is an aptitude test to judge your potential suitability.

Please answer yes, no or sometimes.

1) Are you outgoing and enthusiastic?

2) Do you enjoy being the center of attention?

3) Do you like meeting people. . . and then saying goodbye to them forever soon after?

4) Do you enjoy being stared at?

5) Are the ideas of stability, financial reward and long-term relationships repugnant to you?

6) Do you know what "repugnant" means?

7) Do you enjoy washing your clothes in the bathtub?

8) Does the idea of going out with women or men who like you only because of your passport's color appeal to you?

9) Do you like strange foods cooked in less than sanitary conditions?

10) Are you fond of trying to defend American and British military policies?

11) Do you thrive on loneliness and uncertainty?

12) Do you like cutting up paper into small pieces?

13) Do you enjoy making yourself vulnerable to the whims of rich foreigners?

14) Is the smell of whiteboard markers much like a rare and sensual perfume to you?

15) Is the thought of owning more than one bag of possessions repellant to you?

16) Do you enjoy trying to converse with people who you have nothing at all in common with?

17) Could you easily dispense with such luxuries as a pension or Social Security?

18) Do you drink heavily?

19) Is hot water a luxury you can easily do without?

20) Does the idea of waking up early on a Saturday to try to entertain a room full of hostile nine-year-olds appeal to you?

21) Do you give a crap about the difference between the present perfect and the present perfect continuous?

22) Does the idea of paying $1500 to get a certificate to learn how to do something that you usually can't save money at sound perfectly logical to you?

KEY: For questions 1 through 21, give yourself:

2 points for each "yes" answer

1 point for each "sometimes" answer

0 points for each "no" answer

For question 22, give yourself:

1000 points for a "yes" answer

0 points for a "maybe" or "no" answer

0 - 20 points == It would seem that your are far too sane to enjoy the EFL lifestyle. I'm sure that your local Kinko's Copy Shop or Starbucks would be happy to have you, however.

21 - 44 points == You show some signs of being able to adapt well to the EFL lifestyle. If you were to say, increase your daily alcohol intake and perhaps cut yourself off from your friends and family for a while, you might begin to fit the profile.

1000 or more points == Congratulations pal. You're a natural.