Jamie Potts Just Returned from the Adventure of a Lifetime - Costa Rica TEFL - Earn your TEFL certification

Jamie Potts Just Returned from the Adventure of a Lifetime

May 11, 2018

 

Costa Rica, Panama, Peru, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Belize, and Mexico are just a few of the many countries our graduate, Jamie Potts, has visited since graduating from Costa Rica TEFL in 2016.

If you don’t find her scaling Machu Picchu, riding horses along Lake Atitlán, or snorkeling in Caye Caulker you might just find her in the classroom–maybe.

Jamie is currently working at Lakeside International School in Liberia, Costa Rica. Last year Jamie worked at Instituto Estelar Bilingue in Liberia. There she taught beginner, intermediate, and advanced English classes to both children and adults. Now she teaches 5th grade at Lakeside International School in Sardinal, about 30 minutes away from Liberia.

The weekends are rarely dull for this graduate. Despite having lived here for more than a year, Jamie still seeks new sights and activities within Costa Rica,  “I am usually very busy going on adventures on the weekends! Guanacaste alone has many, many beautiful beaches. More than that, I have visited national parks, waterfalls, hot springs, and rivers. In Liberia I often go out dancing at night so I have been learning Salsa, Bachata, and Merengue. I also enjoy getting drinks with friends and going to the pool at one of the nearby hotels.”

Before Jamie made the transition from Estelar to Lakeside, she decided to embark on a backpacking journey from Peru to Mexico, and back to Costa Rica again. “Costa Rica TEFL was really the start of all my traveling,” she says.  “My favorite life lesson while traveling is that sometimes you can’t perfectly plan everything, but that’s okay and often times better! The spontaneity makes for an even better experience.”

Jamie reflects on her time at Costa Rica TEFL, and believes that the classroom activity section of the course shaped the way in which she integrates her students learning. She explains, “Costa Rica TEFL helped make me aware of the variety of activities that can be incorporated to teach English rather than merely reading out of a book. It prepared me by exposing me to a variety of activities for students with different learning styles.”

When asked to recall her favorite teaching moment, Jamie hesitates.  “My favorite teaching moment.. that’s a hard one,” she laughs, “I just love to see when something clicks for the students. It’s so satisfying! I also had a lot of fun moments with the kids doing games outside. There was so much laughter and energy it was contagious.”

If you think her backpacking expedition cured her of the travel bug, think again. “It was a trip I will never forget and  I can’t wait to go on a big trip again. For me, teaching abroad inspired me to travel even more! I definitely plan on traveling to other Spanish speaking countries and will probably continue teaching English!

Follow Jamie on instagram @jamiepotts13, and be prepared to be inspired by the enticing landscapes, majestic animals, delicious food, and unforgettable friendships she documents along the way.

 

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