Five, Fabulous, and Fun

Scared and alone, I flew to Shanghai in June 2007 to work with EF English First. I was hired to teach English to kids 3 to 18 years old. Although I had sufficient teaching experience, I was nervous because it was my first time to work abroad. But no sooner than I put down my suitcase than I realized I was in good hands. My DOS was warm and supportive, the staff were friendly, and the school was beautiful.
I underwent a series of training and orientation before they gave me my own kids to teach. There was a lot of support coming from the other teachers. Materials were abundant - from books, to DVDs, to toys! Teachers were kept busy with fun and not-so-fun activities. There were parties, lectures and seminars, marketing activities, as well as, parents meetings. Tiring? Yes. But it was never dull.
After three years of working with EF Kids, I moved to EF Smart - the school for adults. Sure, teachers were just as busy, the school was as fancy,and resources were just as plentiful.However, EF Kids was expanding really quickly, EF Smart was not. It was quite difficult to move up the corporate ladder.
After 5 years with EF, I felt that it was time to move on.