My journey here in 51Talk all started when I saw an advertisement on the Internet and told myself to give it a try. Seven months have passed and I can easily make a comparison with my previous company. I’ve given up my 5-year career in the office to become a full time 51Talk teacher and I’m so relieved to be working from the comfort of my home, on flexible time, and most importantly, without stress, the stress that made me ugly, unhappy and insulted because of a yelling boss.
I didn’t expect that I’d enjoy this. After every lesson, I feel very happy, especially when my students say “thank you” or “xie xie“. I feel appreciated and thankful because I know I have imparted something to them.
From December 30, 2014 to January 02, 2015, I went on a short vacation in Beijing, China. Before the trip, I mentioned this in passing to a regular student who took lessons with his 7-year old daughter. The daughter was so thrilled that she screamed. The father said it’s like a dream come true for her. He said they only see teachers online and it’s an opportunity for the child to meet her teacher. I said yes, I’d meet them.
When my family and I arrived in Beijing, I met my students (the father and daughter along with the mother) at a restaurant. I was still walking towards them when I heard the father tell his daughter, “Teacher Roseanne is here!” She was stunned, shy; her reaction was that of a little girl who saw Mickey Mouse for the first time! I approached her right away and gave her a hug. She was mute, but I could feel her happiness. They gave me some souvenirs. They asked me about the trip and said how happy they were to finally meet me. We talked about family life, how thankful they were to 51Talk because they not only learned English but they also gained friends. That feeling of appreciation I received from them was priceless. It was really an unforgettable highlight in my teaching career here in 51Talk.
During my trip, I also noticed that very few Chinese speak English, so it made me realize that we really have many people for our market. The more I met few English speakers there, the more it pushed me to teach English here in 51Talk. My trip helped me to do my job better, not to think only about money, but also about how I will be able to help my students as well.
51Talk helps me with many things: it helps me pay the bills, to save so I can travel to different places with my husband and son. I’ve become productive, and I’ve gained so much confidence dealing with people. I’ve become a better person, too, because through teaching, my patience and sincerity are tested. It’s not only the students here in 51talk who gain so much; so do we e-Educators. I’ve gained knowledge and money and molded the better part of me more.
* To date, 51Talk has over 4,000 online ESL teachers all over the Philippines. To know how to be a Home-Based e-Educator, visit 51Talk.com/ph.
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