Comments on: The secrets to being happy as a TEFL teacher

By: MissNicky

MissNicky — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 18:49:47 +0000

After all that – thank you Realitychick – you just put it all into perspective!!!

By: Realitychick

Realitychick — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 02:49:48 +0000

Look, London is a dive of monumental proportions – full of retarded welfare state moochers and miserable bankers; inbetween all of that misery you have the pollution, a failed multiculturalism, impoverised middle class, destitute underclass and a wealth of losers lost in an illusion of success – dead and waiting for their mortage, pensions, to finance the miserable demise of their pathetic existence – upholding fake relationships.. such utterly sad lives…

I teach and travel, average 2k a month, never pay rent and have had sustained success for over 8 years doing just so… I find teaching English internationally is the most rewarding career on the planet. The only qualification – to be above and beyond the limits of the class condemned populous of the UK.. Leave that dump and set yourself free of these morons!! Now, that’s positive thinking :)

By: Alex Case

Alex Case — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 07:57:29 +0000

“Truth Speaker”??

’nuff said

By: Truth Speaker

Truth Speaker — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 04:02:02 +0000

“The secrets to being happy as a TEFL teacher”? There isn’t much happiness in that list! It reads more like a Loser’s Manifesto, written by a jaded and miserable soul. If you have low self-esteem in London – guess what? You’ll have low self-esteem everywhere else.

I agree with John Bolt. This piece says far more about Alex Case than it does about life – as I recognise it – as an English teacher. Perhaps it’s time to go home, Alex?

By: Teflista

Teflista — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 18:52:35 +0000

Here are a few of my own:

Jewel – Somewhere Over The Rainbow
Bobby McPherin – Don’t Worry Be Happy
Outkast – Hey Ya

And one especially for Alex, who mentioned a while back that he likes tap dance:

Happy Feet ( early jazz version ):

By: Teflista

Teflista — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 17:52:48 +0000

Anyone got a list of ‘happy’ songs to listen to?

By: Neriman Güven

Neriman Güven — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 16:36:14 +0000

:( I was planning to go to London and teach Turkish or Bulgarian .But now after what you have said I wonder if I should do it or not.

By: Alex Case

Alex Case — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 23:40:44 +0000

“Be careful”????

London is fine if you have loads of money, but I hardly think you are a TEFL teacher in a language school in London, paying 160 pounds a month to commute on the most unreliable transport system in the world full of the world’s most miserable and aggressive commuters and finding you can’t afford to eat out and enjoy that international food etc.

By: Teflista

Teflista — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 15:01:13 +0000

Don’t ever be afraid to dream a dream:

By: John Bolt

John Bolt — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 11:10:05 +0000

I teach abroad Alex in three different countries and cope with three different host languages and three different diets and three different cultures but am always glad to return home to London. Your comment about London says more about you than the City and Metropolis which are two of the most exciting, highly cultured, diverse [ particularly in diets] places in the world. We moved from the beautiful Cotswolds living in Minchinhampton for Hackney. Be careful how you reveal yourself through comments such as yours.

By: Alex Case

Alex Case — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 04:39:53 +0000

Two more:

- Being totally uninterested in status (even if, as the latest edition of the Health Check podcast from Radio 4 has it, that means you will have a shorter life expectancy than your boss)
- No expensive habits, or moving to a country where you can afford them

By: Teflista

Teflista — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 02:12:23 +0000

You’re welcome and I’m happy that you’re happy! :-)

By: Neriman Güven

Neriman Güven — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 22:17:53 +0000

Dear TEFLista
Thank you very much for the link bbc series on happiness.I am really happy:)for I will use the text in my reading class tomorrow.

By: Karenne Sylvester

Karenne Sylvester — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 14:14:20 +0000

Sandy dear, check out hot4words on youtube. You shall be amused and even possibly educated. I take my hat off to her basically.

By: Andy Mallory

Andy Mallory — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 03:42:56 +0000

I agree with David V about Dave’s ESL cafe.

I have found it useful in the past when I lived in Korea, but too much time spent reading the posts there just makes my more negative and cynical.

It is a useful site in moderation – but it’s easy to fritter away hours and hours of downtime just reading about how bad everything is…

By: Sandy

Sandy — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 18:49:08 +0000

Actually, Karenne, I’m trying to chat you up – a bit of ‘cyber-courting’, but don’t tell my wife!

BTW, I’m still waiting for your promised ‘Topless TEFL’ video on YouTube. Or was that Natasha who promised it…?

By: Karenne Sylvester

Karenne Sylvester — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 17:25:36 +0000

What has David V got against Dave’s ESL Cafe? I’ve read him say this several times… don’t get it.

Oh, and Sandy, you are sounding ever more nicer. what’s gotten into you – you’re chippier these days. I might have to come visit your blog.

By: TEFLista

TEFLista — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 10:51:44 +0000

What makes us happy? Here are a few things from the BBC six-part series on the science of happiness:

“Family and friends are crucial – the wider and deeper the relationships with those around you the better…

Marriage also seems to be very important. According to research the effect of marriage adds an average seven years to the life of a man and something like four for a woman…

The third element is having goals embedded in your long term values that you’re working for, but also that you find enjoyable. ..Psychologists argue that we need to find fulfillment through having goals that are interesting to work on and which use our strengths and abilities. “

More about the series (including some video clips) here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/happiness_formula/4783836.stm

By: Alex Case

Alex Case — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 09:23:10 +0000

Clean suggestions for number 9?

Reading is a difficult one, as is listening to the radio, because there is always the danger that it could give you ideas for a lesson. Mine would be:
- Swimming
- My Bloody Valentine
- Playing with your kids or young nephews and nieces (assuming you haven’t become obsessed with language development in native speaker children)
- Mindless stuff like doing the dishes, filing etc.

By: Timorous Beastie

Timorous Beastie — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 08:16:17 +0000

This is a nice post. I’d add “keep learning” to this list. If you keep reading about teaching or language or learning or whatever it is that interests you, or keep doing further qualifications (certificates, diplomas, etc.) you can improve your own sense of professionalism and thus job satisfaction. On the other hand, maybe it would work against 1. Mmmm….