Expat Tina

View from the CN Tower / Picture taken by me

Casa Loma / Picture taken by me

So, how does one get a job at an international school? I began working at my current job about 3 years ago. I was fascinated with the teachers there, most of them had travel the world: China, Thailand, England, Germany, etc. My goal has always been to travel, to leave the country where I was born and discover the world. I have my fair share of exchange programmes and I have travel for leisure quite a bit too, but I've never properly moved to another country. 

Being introduced to this international world has been an amazing thing and, though I never thought I'd be doing it, teaching and helping students has also been amazing. I love being a librarian, but being a school librarian has a different feeling, getting a little student or a grumpy teenager to find a book they love or finally understanding something is pretty amazing. 

So I finally found how to combine my degree and my love for knowing the world, now the tough part began: how the hell do I get a job in a school in another country!?!? 

I've always been curious and, of course, librarians have a thirst of knowing everything they can get their hands on (of course everything we like! Though I can tell you where to find any type of information on any subject!). I did what I knew best, I began questioning, talking and researching about this international teachers business. 

I was told many things and, I have to admit, a lot of them were quite discouraging: 

'You need a teacher certificate'

'You need to have gone to an English speaking univeristy'

'You need 2+ years of experience as a classroom teacher'

I have a bachelor's degree in library science, my career of choice and I was top of my class, surely that should count for something? I have done exchange programmes to the UK to improve my English skills and have ace my language tests, that should also be accounted for right? I don't want to be a classroom teacher, I want to be a school librarian, do I really need the 2+ years?

All this questions and many more where on my mind, last year I asked again (I never really stopped asking to be honest), this time I got different answers:

'Go for it'

'Why not? You're pretty good at what you do and, most importantly, you're willing to learn'

So, I did it. I signed up for Search Associates, I applied for the fairs and I waited for the end of January 2015, when I would be going to my first ever international job fair in Toronto, Canada.

Me with my lovely cousin Rosi!

Today was mother's day and for, probably the first time, I was a bit shocked as to what one of my family members had to say: but aren't they SUPER strict about EVERYTHING? Why go there?

First of all, yes they are a bit more strict about different subjects, but I have talked to several people who have lived there and they've said is not as strict as most people think. Second of all, being in Peru, everyone ignores most rules (traffic and things like that). It is also a completely different culture! So why not go? I love discovering new things and I like new adventures. I do not like the unknown, I've already start researching what to do, what to take, what activities can I do there, etc. So yes, why not go to a completely different culture and explore? It's fun and interesting!