Notes from the TEFL Graveyard

Wistful reflections, petty glories.

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Location: The House of Usher, Brazil

I'm a flailing TEFL teacher who entered the profession over a decade ago to kill some time whilst I tried to find out what I really wanted to do. I like trying to write comedy (I once got to the semi-finals of a BBC Talent competition, ironically writing a sitcom based on TEFL), whilst trying to conquer genetically inherited procrastination... I am now based in Brazil, where I live with my wife and two chins.

Saturday 4 April 2009

THEY THINK IT'S ALL OVER...

I've done it.

On Tuesday I finally resigned from public life as a TEFL teacher to spend more time with my family and my laptop. The owner of the school where I perform my daily masquerades tried to persuade me to stay, but, in a rare display of assertiveness, I held my ground and stated my decision was final. Now I intend to etch a better living from translation, though I'll be giving a few private classes and still teaching on Saturdays at my friend Bert's school.

No more daily 60-kilometre round trips. More male voice choir singing. Less time for blogging. An urgent need to learn touch typing.

Today, I was so made up about it all I got utterly arseholed on Brahma* at a birthday party in Piracicaba. And I don't even like Brahma.

The end of an era. Thank fuck for that.


* To avoid any confusion, Brahma is a popular Brazilian lager, noted for its bitter aftertaste. It is not a favourite steed of mine, nor a courtesan from the Indian subcontinent.

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13 Comments:

Blogger Ms Scarlet said...

Congrats, Mr Wardy!!! And good luck with the private lessons...
Sx

5 April 2009 at 06:28  
Blogger M C Ward said...

Thank you kindly, Ms Scarlet. Freedom awaits.

5 April 2009 at 09:54  
Blogger Ron Combo said...

Good luck to you old chap.

5 April 2009 at 15:40  
Blogger M C Ward said...

Thank you, kinde squire.

Drink a grappa to my health and I'll match it with cachaça.

5 April 2009 at 16:55  
Blogger No Good Boyo said...

Well done that man. These monkies can learn themselves english like I did.

Brahma had a big advertising campaign in Kiev a few years back. It didn't work, as the locals thought it came from India and was therefore not proper beer. Right assessment, wrong reason. They've not tried Cobra, of course.

7 April 2009 at 05:02  
Blogger Mrs Pouncer said...

MC, I scarce know what to say! But you seem happy, and that's the main thing. If you're happy. I'm happy. If you're arseholed, I'm arseholed. I will gladly drink to your health and future happiness. What are you having?

7 April 2009 at 10:22  
Blogger M C Ward said...

See, Boyo? It must be poisonous if even the Ukranians won't swallow it.

Mrs P - this may sound like one small step for a man, but fifteen years of repeating myself daily with little or no evidence of any point to it all makes it my own version of a lunar landing.

Saúde!

7 April 2009 at 11:20  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Bastard!!

8 April 2009 at 08:40  
Blogger Troy said...

But was the girl at the party!?

10 April 2009 at 18:15  
Blogger The TEFL Tradesman said...

Ugh, it'll all end in tears - you mark my words!

14 April 2009 at 16:09  
Blogger Gadjo Dilo said...

Well done that man. Giving up a job is a major acheivement - I've been fired more times than I've voluntarily relieved my employers of their anxiety.

Some Brasilian capoeira colleagues used to impress the virtues of Brahma upon me, but they'd have drunk dog piss if it came in a fancy bottle.

18 April 2009 at 02:29  
Blogger Gyppo Byard said...

Uncanny - almost 10 years to the day since my own escape tunnelt from TEFL emerged into the night air and allowed me to begin a new and exciting life.

Warning - it's not that much more exciting outside TEFL, unless you've taken up something exceptionally interesting...

27 April 2009 at 13:09  
Blogger Well-lighted Shadows said...

don´t stop writing man!!

28 April 2009 at 06:53  

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