Meet Elliana! Elliana is an 18 year old, who decided to leave her hometown in Nebraska, United States to fulfill her dreams in Costa Rica. She graduated from Costa Rica TEFL in November 2022. Elliana always had the passion and goal to live abroad but didn’t know how to make it happen. She wanted to work remotely to sustain a flexible career while being able to travel; she had digital nomad dreams! Keep reading to learn more about Elliana, her TEFL experience and how she made her dreams come true right here in Sámara, Costa Rica!
Why Costa Rica TEFL?
Elliana chose Costa Rica TEFL because of its incredible location and because she had heard great things about the program. She decided that going to University wasn’t for her but that getting TEFL certified in Costa Rica would be exactly what she needed. After watching Elliana grow and develop her career and life here in Samara, we agree that she made the perfect choice!
What is she up to?
With absolutely zero prior teaching experience, Elliana did an amazing job in the TEFL course and is now teaching English full time online. Teaching online allows her to live in Samara and travel whenever she wants. Her favorite part about teaching is being able to meet people from all over the world! One of the beauties of teaching online is that you aren’t limited to one country nor one culture, but rather exposed to many different ones.
Take a look at the typical day in the life of Ms. Elliana:
6:30 am: Wake up and head to the gym
8:30 am: Have breakfast and coffee then head to the beach for a morning walk with her boyfriend and dog
10am – 2pm: Teach
2pm – 6pm: Take a break- eat lunch and go to the beach, read or go surfing
7pm – 9pm: Teach
Elliana’s days are flexible since she is able to choose her availability, so her schedule changes at times.
What did Elliana get out of her TEFL certification course?
For Elliana, meeting people and forming strong friendships in the community and within the group of trainees was the best part of her Costa Rica TEFL experience. She felt constant support and love from her peers. Her favorite teaching memory at CRTEFL was when she taught the children’s classes. Seeing their faces light up when they understood the content gave her every sense of accomplishment and confidence.
The biggest skill that Elliana learned from the program was how to keep the students engaged and interested. She also learned to look at the bigger picture, take time to slow down and process her teaching to lead her students to success.
What advice can Elliana give?
For anyone considering and contemplating getting TEFL certified with Costa Rica TEFL, Elliana quotes Nike: ‘Just do it!’. She says Samara is a great destination and the teachers at CRTEFL are wonderful and selfless. Another plus that she adds is the effortless nature of creating many friendships during the journey.
To those new teachers, Elliana advises to always show up to class in a positive mood! She emphasizes how important this is because it affects the class, the students, how they receive the content and their motivation to come back and learn more.
Why Costa Rica?
Elliana has one simple answer: nature! She spends her free time going to the beach with her boyfriend and puppy, surfing, ATVing through the jungle and going to nearby waterfalls. These activities and simple moments are the reasons why she established her life here.
Many 18 year olds have no idea what they want to do with their life and/or are scared to take the leap of faith. This is normal and completely OK! Elliana didn’t know what her future was going to hold but after taking the risk and moving to Costa Rica, she won’t ever look back. Her journey will continue to inspire all of us at Costa Rica TEFL and should inspire anyone looking for a change, no matter what age or from what background, to follow their dreams.
What about your TEFL experience?
Looking for the next step in life or a change of direction? Or to make new memories and connections? Or even to experience life abroad and travel?
Take that leap of faith like Elliana has done, just do it!
Send an email at info@costaricatefl.com for more information or for an application form!
By: Alexis Lattin
Administrative Coordinator CRTEFL