Bookmark and Share

Gillian Benjamin

Director of Recruiting - Korea

Gillian Benjamin - ESL Teacher in Asia Gillian was born and raised in Canada

When I packed my bags and headed to another country across the world I couldn’t imagine the things I would find. As I stepped outside in Taiwan for the very first time, everything was new, exciting, scary, unfamiliar and amazing. There really are no words to describe the feelings you have when you pack your bags, say goodbye to the family and friends and start a new journey. Right now, you are probably thinking about traveling to another country and there are so many things you want to know, and many new things you will discover about yourself along the way. That’s where I come in. It is my pleasure to help you to experience all the things I felt myself and to guide you on your journey!

I grew up in an extremely small village of about 500 people called Canning, Nova Scotia in Canada. I am a small town girl who always wanted to travel, but never thought that there would be an opportunity. Growing up, I had a large circle of family and friends that I am still very close to, and while it has been difficult to be away from them, I wouldn’t trade my experience in Asia for anything.

I went to university in a small city and majored in journalism and human rights. My university was very diverse and there were many people with different backgrounds. I was lucky enough to become friends with people from many different cultures and to learn about them and their countries. To me, this is when travelling abroad stopped becoming a dream and started to become something that was tangible. So, I applied on the Reach to Teach website and began my journey to Taiwan.

When I arrived in Taiwan it was an overwhelming feeling. My first weeks were spent soaking in everything I could, learning new words and new customs and visiting beautiful places. Living in Taipei is a huge change from the small place that I grew up, but I have never felt like an outsider. The people here are amazing and kind, and they have made me feel at home. Taiwan is a place where old culture meets modern convenience. In one day you could go surfing at a beautiful beach, tour some of the most amazing temples in the world, eat almost any food you could think of and still go back to your house wanting more.

I have spent so much time here laughing with friends about our silly adventures. Trying to buy things has never been such a fun experience. Getting lost is pretty common, and trying to order food by gesturing and pointing has become a skill I don't know how I lived without. (Using the chicken dance to explain chicken wings isn't as helpful as I thought it would be, although barnyard noises are a sure win!) Expecting the unexpected is something I've gotten very used to. I never thought I would be able to just shrug it off when someone told me."Oh, what you're eating right now is chicken butt.", or how hard it would be to have patience with Taiwan's infamous slow walkers.

Gillian Benjamin - ESL Teacher in Taiwan Gillian with her young English students

I taught at a great school in Taipei for one year, and enjoyed every second of the experience. The kids were wonderful. Teaching them and watching them learn and grow was something I will always be happy I was a part of. My kids always made me laugh, and taught me things about their culture and in turn helped me to learn new things about myself. After having taught for a year, I gave up my job as a teacher to work for Reach to Teach as the Director of Recruiting, Korea. I was sad to leave my school and the kids I had taught, but with each new adventure comes a new reward, and helping people to come and live their dreams of traveling is something that I enjoy. If it were not for the help of the Reach to Teach team, I may not have been able to teach in Taiwan. Everyone at Reach to Teach was once a teacher, and all of us are kind, caring people who want to help others to have a great experience.

I am a person whose life philosophy is just to ride the waves. I like to take whatever comes at me and look at it as a new adventure or lesson, never as regret. I spent many years dreaming about what it would be like to explore the world, and now travelling is one of my favourite hobbies. In Taiwan on any given day I could be exploring beautiful temples, trying new and interesting food, having fun at the beach, or just exploring the city. Everywhere I travel in Asia, I can’t get enough of all the strange, new beautiful things I have seen. I am always up for a good conversation or any questions you may have about teaching abroad. Many choices in life are difficult to make, but I don’t think traveling and teaching is one of them! Please feel free to email me anytime with your questions, stories or inquiries.

Gillian Benjamin
Gillian@ReachToTeachRecruiting.com

Return to Contact Reach To Teach