Some were frustrated at the lack of job opportunities available, while others cringed at the prospect of a far commute. During these conversations, I listened to the endless obstacles that my fellow graduates would have to overcome in order to begin their teaching journeys.

Fortunately, I knew I was not going to have to worry about any of these issues; I was going to teach abroad.

My first job placement was as a history teacher in Fahaheel, Kuwait, followed by two years teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) in South Korea. I later taught in Honduras and Kazakhstan before picking up my things again and moving to Venezuela, where I currently teach history at Escuela Bella Vista.

From each of my international teaching experiences, I have witnessed my growth as a teacher. My students in Kazakhstan were fascinated by the practices in South Korea, which I obtained first-hand when we discussed the importance of communal harmony. My students in Venezuela received a better understanding of the Sunni-Shia sectarian divide through my personal experiences discussing Muslims in Kuwait. Photographs and souvenirs retrieved from my travels have served as countless artifacts to help students better relate to the material studied in our texts.

Teaching abroad has afforded me the opportunity to travel to various countries during school holidays. I have seen the majestic Dragon-Blood trees of Socotra, Yemen, walked along the Great Wall of China, tasted the delicious flavors from local food stalls in Sri Lanka and marveled at the pristine landscapes in rural Kyrgyzstan. 

Aside from the wonders offered from each of the places visited, the real gem has been the local people. I have befriended people from all walks of life, including organized labor leaders, taxi drivers, architects, coffee farmers and fellow educators. It is from these experiences that I can truly declare that I have become what my current school aspires from its graduates; to become a ‘Global Citizen.’