Chelsey Gruszka
Recruiting Coordinator
Chelsey taking in the beauty of Toroko Gorge, Taiwan
I caught it.
I caught it YEARS ago.
And I can still remember the exact day I was infected by it.
Could it have been that sunset horseback ride I took along that gorgeous Caribbean beach? Or was it eating the amazing Latin American food? Maybe it was snorkeling in the reefs… or being chased by monkeys that were aggressively pursuing my food (they won, by the way).
Whatever the cause, I’m starting to fear this ‘travel bug’ has no cure; the more I see, the more I’m driven to explore.
I was born and raised in some smaller towns in Ontario, Canada. I left for university and discovered the amazing multiculturalism larger cities have to offer. Studying Biology in university, the degree requirements were constricting, nevertheless, I was able to study World Religions. That really opened my eyes to the diversity of beliefs held around the world.
As graduation was nearing and I was still undecided about the path to take, a package came in the mail (I only knew the last thing I wanted to do was settle down and join the rat race). The contents outlined teaching ESL abroad in many different countries and advertised a TEFL course that would help find a job upon graduation. I took it. After all, how often do career possibilities beyond pyramid schemes and scams arrive in the mail?
Chelsey sharing some Halloween fun with her students!
Inspiring and motivating kids has always been a passion of mine. I had been considering teaching; this was a perfect opportunity to help decide if it was the right choice and I wouldn’t have to pay thousands of dollars for Teacher’s College whilst wasting a year of my life. Though EFL teaching has been A LOT more work than I expected, I can honestly say it’s been the most rewarding thing that I have ever done. It’s amazing how proud you can become of those little bundles of joy in such a short time!
I’m currently residing in Taipei, Taiwan and though others may beg to differ, I think the best part of living here is the lack of winter!!! Just kidding… well, not really… ok, just kidding. Or am I? Perhaps it’s just my Canadian bias talking...
I firmly believe the best way to prepare for going abroad is research, research, research. Though you can prepare yourself up to a certain extent, you must finally concede that you can never be fully prepared. I feel like the knowledge I acquired during my research eased my transition from life in Canada, to life in Taipei. Rest assured that Reach To Teach is here to help you out, so please feel free to ask as many questions as you can think of.
Chelsey enjoys getting out and exploring the rest of Taiwan!
So here I am: residing at the epicenter of affordable travel to the world’s most exotic destinations, loving the bright-eyed smiles of the kids I teach, for the first time, enjoying a substantial amount of money in my pocket, and I even have some time to ponder life in general. Life is good!
Chelsey Gruszka
2009 All rights reserved, Reach To Teach - Teaching English Abroad
Teach English in Taiwan | Teach English in Korea | Teach English in China