SAT II Chemistry Released Exam

SAT II Chemistry Released ExamThe new SAT II Chemistry released exam is now being tested out. This new release of the exam may be the same as the SAT I and SAT II. These exams are so similar in the way they test the subject matter that if a student already has taken both of these tests then they should not worry about the exams.The SAT II released exam may be divided into three sections, the classroom portion, essay and laboratory portion. The first three sections may be similar to the SAT I, SAT II and the Advanced Placement Exam. There is a lot of information included on these exams so a student will find it easier to do well with the test taker's guide by a tutor or a book.The classroom portion of the SAT II Chemistry released exam will test the student on the concepts of the subject. For example, the topics will include solubility, composition, and volatility. These topics will help the student determine what to expect in the rest of the test. The student should study the materia l and find out what the questions on the SAT II Chemistry released exam are about.The essay section of the SAT II Chemistry released exam will test the student on their written content. Students should include one to two paragraphs on the topics from the classroom portion. The essays can also cover topics from the exam because the SAT II Chemistry released exam is a great place to start learning how to write an essay.The laboratories' section of the SAT II Chemistry released exam will test the student on the topic of laboratory activities. Students will be asked to complete multiple choice questions using some of the chemistry ideas in the courses they took. The laboratory section of the SAT II Chemistry released exam should be taken very seriously because if the student fails there then it could affect their grade for the rest of the exam.The test taker's guide will help the student to know what the various subjects are included in the different sections of the laboratory. It will also give the student a good idea of what other things they need to do with the essay. The SAT II Chemistry released exam should not be taken lightly and the test taker's guide will help students make sure they are prepared and ready for the test.The SAT II Chemistry released exam is still going to be tough but will be less difficult than the previous tests. A student that already has taken the SAT I and SAT II should not worry about the new test because the sections of the old tests are not included in the SAT II Chemistry released exam.

What is Bikram Yoga

What is Bikram Yoga What Is Bikram Yoga All About? ChaptersThe Origins of Bikram YogaThe Specificities of Bikram YogaThe Effects of Bikram Yoga“Yoga is the only exercise in the world you can do at any age. There is always some posture that will improve your health, mind and soul.” - Bikram ChoudhuryThe popularity of yoga has exploded in recent years in the UK. In fact, doing yoga is also becoming increasingly popular in gyms and sports centres as a way to tone and build muscle. Of all the different types of yoga about, we’re going to focus on Bikram yoga.In recent years, a number of dedicated Bikram yoga centres have opened in the UK. The popularity of Bikram yoga is proof that people want to take care of their bodies, to get fit, to improve their mind and spirit, and generally become healthier beings.So what is Bikram yoga? Why should you do it? What’s it for?If you're considering attending yoga classes to improve your flexibility and aren't sure whether you should do Ashtanga yoga, Bikram yoga, or Vinyasa flow yoga, you can find the answers to these challenging questions in this article on Bikram yoga. CarleyYoga Teacher 5.00 (5) £100/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LynnYoga Teacher 4.89 (9) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors GenYoga Teacher £45/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JulieYoga Teacher £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AliceYoga Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LauraYoga Teacher 5.00 (6) £70/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors UndramYoga Teacher £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LottieYoga Teacher £10/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsThe Origins of Bikram YogaWhen you first start doing yoga, it’s important to decide which type of yoga and which yoga techniques you want to practice. With kids yoga, yoga pilates, yoga Nidra, and dynamic yoga, for example, there are plenty of different terms you need to decipher before you can choose what to do. You need to choose one particular yoga style, understand how it works, what the rules are, and learn about the history and origins of it, too.Bikram yoga is a blend of exercise for both your body and your mind. (Source: Helena)If you’re thinking about Bikram yoga, you should find out where it comes from and how it evolved into the style we know it as today. It’s worthwhile learning more about the type of yoga you’re thinking about doing as it can really help you to choose the right style for you. This is especially important with yoga because it requires discipline and a lot of techniques you’ll have to master.Where Does Bikram Yoga Come From?Bikram yoga was founded in Calcutta, India, in 1946, to be exact. It’s named after its founder, Bikram Choudhury. He’d practised yoga from the age of 4 with his spiritual master, Bishnu Ghosh. Bit by bit, Bikram Choudhury developed his own techniques which would later become known as Bikram yoga.Bikram yoga needs to be done at a specific temperature and humidity. (Source: TheDigitalArtist )So how exactly was this style of yoga born?Not in the nicest circumstances, to be fair. Bikram Choudhury was involved in a car accident which paralysed his legs. Following the accident, the courageous Bikram decided to carry on practising yoga and managed to drastically improve his physical and spiritual condition. This was all against the advice of his doctors (something we don't recommend!).By the end of the 1960s, he’d decided to create his own style inspired by the postures he’d been mastering from the age of 4 which were mainly from Hatha yoga. This technique, which is known as Bikram yoga, became a global success and people (including us) are still talking about it today.In 1973, Bikram Choudhury opened his first yoga centre in the United States. The success didn’t stop there and there are now nearly 600 Bikram yoga centres around the world. While his accident was inevitably sad, it gave rise to a special type of yoga which renewed an ancient discipline and allowed it t o evolve.While Bikram yoga is seemingly everywhere, it’s important to know what this discipline entails and what a typical session is like in terms of breathing exercises, stretches, and effort. We’re going to have a look at the key details of Bikram yoga, what makes it special, and how it’s more demanding than just simply chaining together a few poses or yoga postures.The Specificities of Bikram YogaTo understand the specificities of Bikram yoga, you need to understand the inner workings of the discipline. Rather than solely focusing on the practice itself, we’re going to try to also understand why and how we practise it. In short, what a typical yoga session is like and how a Bikram yoga session differs!The idea is pretty simple: you’re going to spend 90 minutes doing 26 different poses (asana) and two different breathing exercises (pranayama). That’s not all, though! To top that all off, the room is heated to 40 °C with 40% humidity.Sounds horrible, doesn’t it?Not r eally since the results of practising in a hot yoga studio speak for themselves.The high temperature and humidity are to replicate the conditions in which Bikram himself practised yoga in these conditions which helped him make the physical progress that he did. It’s very easy to get physically and mentally caught up in this type of yoga.Of course, this doesn’t mean that there are no consequences to doing this type of yoga. For example, it’s not recommended that people susceptible to hypothermia take part. If you have any concerns or pre-existing conditions, it’s recommended that you ask your doctor whether or not you can do Bikram yoga as even though it’s great for improving your physical and mental wellbeing, it’s also very demanding. It might be worthwhile doing a taster session before you start doing Bikram yoga regularly.Hot yoga can help you eliminate toxins as well as work on your mindfulness through breathing exercises and challenges. These exercises can help you to bring your body, mind, and spirit together while detoxing and toning at the same time. It’s a way to get into shape while letting go. So what are you waiting for?The Effects of Bikram YogaThe Physical Effects of Bikram YogaThe benefits of yoga speak for themselves: improving your physical health, inner peace, a better mental state, etc. Bikram yoga has all of that while focusing on making sure that you break a sweat. Thanks to the heat and humidity, you’re going to be able to also get rid of toxins through sweating.You need to think about which yoga style you want to do before you get started. (Source: avi_acl)Sweating also makes life difficult for you which, with all the poses you’re adopting, will help you become a veritable Bikram yogi. You’ll be in a better physical condition and you’ll also be able to stay in shape through regularly doing it.There are plenty of benefits to Bikram yoga, even if you haven’t done any physical activity in a few days, as you can balan ce your chakras. However, regular practice is essential if you want to get better at it. Of course, don’t forget to bring a bottle of water!Bikram Yoga: A Complete DisciplineThe first Bikram yoga session might surprise you with just how hot and humid it is. However, by your second session, you’ll start seeing all the physical, spiritual, and mental benefits. It’ll rejuvenate you, making your body feel better as well as eliminating toxins from your body through sweating for an hour and a half.Whether in London or elsewhere in the UK, you should be able to find a Bikram yoga centre near you where you can practise either in one-on-one sessions or in a group Bikram yoga class. It’ll help you lose weight and gain and tone muscles through gentle exercise. It’s one of the most complete disciplines.So if you feel like giving Bikram yoga a go, you’ll need to head along to a gym or sports centre to try it for yourself and enjoy the benefits of this technical style of yoga that has many followers around the world. Between exercise and mindfulness meditation, Bikram yoga is the way to go!Don't forget that if you're completely new to hot yoga classes, you can always look for a yoga teacher on sites like Superprof, where you can find nearby yogis who are looking for a new student yearning to gain a deeper understanding of their body and mind through yoga workshops or tutorials.The yoga community is obviously very welcoming and many yoga studios even offer drop-ins and introductory sessions for beginners who'd like to do yoga. If you can't do Bikram hot yoga, don't forget that there are plenty of other styles of yoga that may also take your fancy.Don't be shy! Everyone was a beginner once and both yoga instructors and other students will tell you that it's never too late to change your life with yoga.If you have previous injuries or any medical concerns, don't forget to speak to your doctor before taking up physical activities such as yoga. You don't want to inju re yourself in the first session!You can run a search online for 'hot yoga near me' to see what classes are available.

For vs Since

For vs Since Whats the difference between for and since? Whats the difference between for and since? Choosing between prepositions can be tricky. For French speakers, choosing which preposition to use can be especially difficult because the French equivalents are used differently. Dont worry. This article should clarify when to use for and since.     Rules and Examples RULE: Use FOR with a length or time. Use SINCE with a starting point. INCORRECT: I have been studying here  since  2 years. CORRECT: I have been studying here  for  2 years. INCORRECT: I have been working there  since  forever. CORRECT: I have been working there  forever. INCORRECT: We have lived here  since always. CORRECT: We have lived here  since I was born. INCORRECT: I have lived in Longueuil  since all my life. CORRECT: I have lived in Longueuil  all of my life.     Practice exercise for FOR and SINCE For vs Since     Free Grammar Checkers Virtual Writing Tutor grammar checker website Grammarly plugin for Chrome         Please follow and like us:

Interview with Canadian Poet Peter Van Toorn

Interview with Canadian Poet Peter Van Toorn Peter Van Toorn is the author of three books of poetry, Leeway Grass, (1970); In Guildenstern County, 1973; and Mountain Tea, 1985. As editor, he has published various collections over the years: Cross/cut: Contemporary English Quebec Poetry (with Ken Norris), 1982; The Insecurity of Art: Essays on Poetics (with Ken Norris), 1982; Lakeshore Poets, 1982; Sounds New, 1990; and most recently, Canadian Animal Poetry, (1993). Sketch by Kendra Boychuk Born July 13th, 1944 in a bunker near The Hague, Netherlands, Van Toorn has lived in and around Montreal since 1953. A former student of Louis Dudek, F.R Scott, and Hugh Maclennan, he worked for a while as a teacher’s assistant to Hugh MacLennan at McGill University grading papers. During the late 60s and early 70s, he taught at Concordia University. Now, after 29 years of teaching Creative writing and Canadian poetry at John Abbott College in Ste. Anne de Bellevue, he is retired. He lives in a small semi-detached rented house with three dogs, seven cats and his girlfriend of 11 years, Annie. I’ve always admired his translations in Mountain Tea, so when I reached Peter by phone Monday evening, October the 24th, 2000, I asked him to talk a little about translation. Phone interview NW: What is translation? PVT: The word itself is interesting: it comes to us from translatus,the past participle of the Latin transferre, ‘to carry across’ without death. Right there you have the mandate of the poetic translator like me. There’s no point translating something, unless it lives in the language into which it goes. If doesn’t live in the new language, it’s like a transplantâ€"it gets rejected. It’s not successful. NW: Peter, where did translation start? PVT: It was Babel, a plain in the land of Shinar, tradition tells us, where they first discovered a need for it. A long time ago, the men who lived there said, “Let us build a city and a tower that it may reach unto heaven. And let us make us a name lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth. And the Lord said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language. Nothing will be restrained from them which they have imagined to do. Let us go down and confound their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.” And the people of Shinar said, “Let us use slime for mortar and brick for stone.” In other words, they were going to have to extemporize, and adlib, and use materials that were handyâ€"they were being ingenious and creative, right? And they thought this was clever. But they had given up trying to reach God through prayer and meditation. What they wanted was technological power. They wanted a real, physical power to reach God, as if he’s really up there. That, in itself, is problematic. They had become literalists of the imagination. So God smashed the tower and scattered the bricks, and suddenly people couldn’t understand each other. They’d lost their ability to collaborate and got scattered across the earth. That’s where the need for translation started. NW: So translation has been valued ever since, right? PVT: In fact, no. The opposite is true. There’s been a taboo on translation that has beleaguered translators since Babel. To this day, Jewish scholars are not allowed to translate. They are not even allowed to touch a text until they’ve washed their hands and performed certain rituals and said certain prayers. They’re very, very afraid of what they call an irreption, which is a kind of corruption where a little deviation crawls into the text through a smudge or a tired moment of the copyist. Translators to this day have been beleaguered by this taboo. And you see that every time you pick up a book that has been translated. The translator always has a heavy apology in the front saying, “In my translation, I have sought to preserve the alliteration of the Norse text without imposing too high of a diction…” and they go into a whole elaborate explanation of how they’ve translated the damn thing, which nobody really wants to hear. We just want to see a poem that works! If it doesn’t work in the new language, if it isn’t a poem in its own right, then it’s not a good translation, so there’s no point in doing it. I’ll give you a little illustration of the whole problem of translation. During the 1940s there were musicians living in Czechoslovakia during the Communist era who really prized and loved to play jazz. They just loved it. To them, jazz was the symbol of the freedom of America, of everything that was tantalizing. So they would send away for sheet music to New York City and get standard jazz pieces, which they would then play. One piece they got in the mail, one day, was called, “Stomping at the Barbecue.” And this is how they translated it: “Dancing Slowly at an Outdoor Cooking Device.” You can see how clumsy that is. It doesn’t live in the new language. It’s a literal translation, but it isn’t interesting, it isn’t funky. It doesn’t live in Czech. The whole thing then is for the Czech translator to find what Elliot calls the objective correlative, something in Czech culture that is familiar to them like the barbecue, their word, their thing for it. And if there’s no barbecue, then to find another object, to make “Stomping at the Barbecue” live in Czech. Otherwise, they’re not extending the national, linguistic, temperamental, and chronological boundaries of the source text. NW: What do you mean by temperamental boundaries? PVT: A translation has to carry a poem across boundaries of geography, language, and time, as well as temperament. The temperament of the translator may be very different from that of the poet of the source text. Only at certain moments will the translator be congenial enough to the source poet to accommodate that certain point of view that he, himself, would maybe never write about. Then translation becomes the one permissible way for the translator to write about something that’s very personal. NW: Forgive me for asking this: Isn’t translation just another form of cultural imperialism, you know, going around the globe swiping masterpieces and pocketing the proceeds? PVT: It can be. It’s not supposed to be. I know what you mean, though. Translation requires reciprocity. You have to give something back to the original. A translation should always carry the poem further, into the next time, into the next Zeitgeist, into the next cultural mood. If Beaudelaire were writing that poem now, if he were writing in English and he wanted to translate the poem himself, this is what he would have done. You have to ask yourself: what if he were translating his poem into English and not me. That’s what you aim at, so the poem extends its readership. A good translation can give the source text an immensely wider circulation than it originally had when it was just confined to the French readers of that century. Another country or another time may be more receptive to a Beaudelaire poem than even the Parisians were at the time it was first written. NW: How did you get started doing translations? What was your first translation? PVT: First translation? Good question. Gee, that’s a toughie. Okay, yeahâ€"Latin. In high school, I don’t know about you, but I took Latin. That was my first real experience as a translator. In high school, all kids had to translate Caesar and Tacitus and all the groovy guys like Ovid into English. So you learned another language mechanically. I think the first thing I translated successfully is my poem in Leeway Grass, the one about the sword maker, “Elegy on War: Invention of the Sword,” from Tibullus. From there I went on to French, because you learn French at school if you grow up here. I translated Beaudelaire, Villon, Ronsard, Charles d’Orleans, Rimbaud, Manger, Hugo, Saint-Amant… NW: Any Quebeckers? PVT: Sure. Gilles Vigneault and Sylvain Garneau. NW: What about your translations from languages you don’t speak? PVT: Here we get into another thing. [Coughs] I see that problem as being a problem of research. When you do anything in research, you don’t just read one book. You come at it from a hundred directions. You look a hundred different texts by scholars who are very knowledgeable in the original tongue. Let’s say Chinese in this case. So you read the famous scholars who have translated it, and you read other people who have tried it. Because they’re not fully translated in the sense we talked about earlier and since they are still kind of klutzy and eminently forgettable, that stuff gets to be dust in the next century. But if you look at all these different texts, they all seem to be pointing at something. You can find that point by triangulation. When you know points around something you can find where the center is. So I would go to different Chinese translators and found their translations not sparkling enough, but I could sort of smell the original. Goethe said, “Translations are like pictures on matchboxes; they make you hungry for the original.” Often, translators demote poetry to prose in their translations. Robert Frost said something very witty about translation once. His definition of poetry went like this: “Poetry is what gets lost in the translation.” [Laughs] So a poetic translation is as Elliot says, a raid on the inarticulate. Il faut etre poet, d’abord! Translation means taking that poem one step further, back into poetry where it belongs. ‘Cuz if it ain’t got that swing, it don’t mean a thing…[Chuckles]… NW: Thanks, Pete. PVT: Anytime. Related posts Grammar checker poemTranslation card gameTranslate your grammar checker feedback to one of 70 languages How I met Peter Van Toorn Peter Van Toorn and I first became friends in 1987. Our friendship started with an argument over a word. Halfway through the semester at John Abbott College, Professor Van Toorn gave our Creative Writing class an assignment that started an argument that has never been settled. The assignment was “to find ten uses of the word ‘spit’ and put them into ten sentences, each illustrating one of the meanings of the word.” The rest of the class groaned when he announced the assignment because it meant a trip to the library and laborious use of dictionaries. I was intrigued. I took it as a challenge and went directly after class to the library determined to find a use of “spit” that he was unlikely to encounter in the papers from the groaning population of the class. There in the college library, I found several giant dictionaries and went through them looking for the one with the most entries under the heading “spit.” I can’t remember the name of the dictionary I found, but it was so large that a librarian came over to help me lift it. It had 18 entriesâ€"more than enough to complete the assignment. Of course, there were the common uses that most people know: spit meaning to eject phlegm, spit meaning sputum, spit meaning a rotisserie rod, and the idiomatic usage, “spit and image” mistakenly pronounced “spitting image.” Also listed were the ones people usually don’t know: spit meaning to run through, spit meaning a short sword, spit meaning a sandy promontory, and spit meaning the quantity of earth taken up by a spade at a time. But it was the final entry that really intrigued me: spit-kit meaning a tin box used by military personnel to hold tobacco and rolling papers with a compartment to extinguish lit cigarettes and store the butts. Upon reading this, I was reminded of my grandfather back in England who kept his tobacco, papers, and “fag-ends” in a tin he kept in his breast pocket. “Professor Van Toorn is going to love this one,” I thought. “I bet even he hasn’t discovered this usage!” I completed my assignment putting “spit-kit” first in my list with the sentence, “The soldier extinguished his cigarette in his spit-kit,” and gave it in the following week.When I got my assignment back a week later, I was horrified that Peter had given me 9/10 with an “X” next to my first sentence and the word “argot” in the margin. I had no idea what “argot” meant, but I was quite sure of my research and that he had just never encountered “spit-kit” before. I was right. He hadn’t seen that usage before but explained that “spit-kit” was a usage of “spit” not belonging to the general current of English and was therefore unacceptable, as would be slang, jargon, or other highly specialized uses of the word. Well, that got me miffed. I felt he had unjustly penalized my work for going further in my research than anyone else in the class including himself, the professor. Sensing my indignation, he suggested we settle our quarrel over a beer at the brasserie in the village.Peter is a good talker. I learned more in the four hours we spent drinking together than I had learned all semester in any of my other courses. I could not, however, get him to agree to change my grade. He said, “If I haven’t heard of it, it doesn’t exist. You must have made it up.” Something changed inside me. I couldn’t believe how arrogant that was. Peter, by his intractability, had awoken in me the strength to dare to disagree with my professors, to trust my own research, to go further in my reading than them, and, above all, to distrust orthodoxy of any kind in the realm of ideas. Years later, he related to me how his professor at McGill University, Louis Dudek, had taught him never to trust any scholar as having the final word on a subject. “Scholarship,” Peter said, “means maintenance. Trust no one, not even yourself. Everybody gets things wrong sometimes. Read and reread and never stop. Keep going back to your research time and again until it becomes impossible to forget.” “Spit-kit,” I said. “Grade change,” he replied. Please follow and like us:

Are Border Fences Americas Only Hope at Halting Illegal Immigration

Are Border Fences America's Only Hope at Halting Illegal Immigration Despite spending over $4 billion on border fencing, 1,300 miles of the US-Mexico Border remains open to defectors. The majority of illegal immigrants entering the United States do so through the country’s southern border from Mexico, a boundary stretching almost 2,000 miles from California to Texas.   As of February 2012, the United States has constructed 651 miles of fencing along the US-Mexican border, covering just over 33% of the total length of the boundary. A U.S Government Accountability Office report in 2011 found the U.S Border Patrol had “operational control” of 873 miles of the US-Mexico border, but with over 50% of the international border unprotected by fencing and more than $4.5 billion spent constructing more fences in the past five years, are fences America’s best option at halting illegal immigration? Lower estimates derived from recent fencing projects implemented by U.S Border Control put the cost of one mile of fencing at roughly $16 million. With 1,300 miles still fenceless and open to Mexican defectors, estimates show the total cost of fencing the remaining border at over $22 billion, a figure which does not take into account land acquisition costs or fence maintenance. As more illegal immigrants enter the United States, the idea of a physical border is becoming less and less pragmatic during times of economic recovery, but what other options does the United States government have to stop illegal immigration? The increase in drone and UAV aircrafts by the U.S military in recent years sheds light on a new option to beef up border security. Currently the United States has roughly 680 drones, 172 of which are Predator drones, an unmanned aircraft which is used for air-to ground combat, surveillance and intelligence all over the world;  however, the weapons on the aircraft can be removed. Drone usage has been on the rise by the military as the United States gathers more information on potential national security threats, with the added benefit being that drones eliminate the loss of human life when gathering intelligence. A U.S. Air Force MQ-1 Predator unmanned aerial vehicle.Photo Credit: U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Stanley Thompson Predator drones cost a little over $4 million per aircraft, but recent technology has drastically improved their ability to see a full picture of the area they are scanning. The development of the ARGUS sensor (Autonomous Real-Time Ground Ubiquitous Surveillance) by multinational defense company BAE Systems brings UAV surveillance to levels never seen before. The ARGUS sensor can be mounted on any Predator drone and is equipped with 368 cell phone cameras, enabling the sensor to mold together a 1.8 billion pixel video that spans fifteen square miles. With the highest quality video ever produced available to Predator drone operators in real time, the ARGUS sensor has the ability to pinpoint every moving human being in the fifteen square mile area with colored squares, zooming close enough to watch a solitary bird soar across the sky. Surveillance of the remaining open regions of the U.S-Mexico border could be conducted with the use of just under 100 Predator drones, each equipped with an ARGUS sensor. The cost of manufacturing the necessary drones hovers around $400 million, less than 2% of the lowest estimate cost of constructing fencing on the rest of the United States’ southern border. While the estimated total cost of manufacturing the Predator drones needed does not take into account the cost of the ARGUS sensors and drone operators, Predator drones clearly are winning the battle of the most cost-effective options to sure up America’s southern border and put a stop to illegal immigration.

4 Things Job Rejection Teaches You

4 Things Job Rejection Teaches You pexels.com The wonderful thing about rejection letters, as ironic as that sounds, is that they can teach you something maybe not a lesson you want to learn, but in the end, you can use that rejection as something to strengthen you for next time. Perhaps that job wasn’t meant for you or just maybe there is something you could have done better that would have made you a more sought after candidate. You thought your personal statement was great, but maybe it needed a second layer of proofreading. Even rejection can teach you something. 1. Don’t be a fake: Sometimes we go into job interviews pretending to be something that we aren’t. We pretend to be something that the employer would want. Believe me, dedication is a good thing, but lying isn’t. Ultimately, that’s what you are doing. You aren’t being yourself; you are being someone that you think they would like. That can only mean that if they hire you, they aren’t hiring you for you, but for the person that they think you are. Do you think you can pull off that façade for the duration you hold that job? I don’t think so. And honestly, why would you? Be you and if they don’t like you, then the job wasn’t meant for you. Period. 2. Confidence is key: Interviewing can be intimidating, to say the least. You can clam up, go blank when asked a question, stutter, start sweating (a lot), etc. When you are about to go into the interview, take deep breaths and tell yourself you can do this. Confidence is one thing that every employer likes in their employees. They want to know that you know what you are talking about and that you honestly believe in your abilities to do the work. I think they can live with some slight intimidation, but remember that they were in your shoes once and if they are a good employer, they want you to just feel good about yourself fully. 3. Improvement, improvement, improvement: As I said earlier, what you think is perfect may not be as perfect as you think. Maybe your resume needed a bit of a touch-up or maybe you should have elaborated more when they asked you about your past experience. Maybe you should have remembered to take that negative about yourself and turn it into strength somehow. Everything can do with some improvement, even when you think it’s perfect. If you get a rejection, sometimes employers are willing to let you know how you can improve for another interview you may have. You have already been rejected by the company, so what do you have to lose by asking them how you could improve? 4. Rejection: the silent blessing: Lastly, sometimes rejection could quite possibly be the best thing that ever happened to you. Did you ever think that maybe that company just wasn’t right for you? You could have been miserable there and wanted to quit immediately. Sometimes things happen to us and we realize that certain jobs would have gotten in the way of what’s happening at the moment. You never know, so try to move on and move forward with life, putting rejections behind you.

Teaching English abroad A step-by-step plan

Teaching English abroad A step-by-step plan Hey you. I know you. I was you. At long last, you’ve finished your college degree. Your hard-earned diploma is sitting in a leather folder or framed in a place of honor on your parents’ wall. But now what? Let’s face facts. This generation of recent graduates is experiencing a tough job market, where even a degree in mechanical engineering might not guarantee you a job. It’s all you’ve been reading about in the news. What they don’t tell you is how to fix it. How do you find a job without job experience? Where can you gain some valuable work experience that pays well right out of college? And what if you are not ready for the 9-5 corporate life in a cubicle? How many side hustles are you currently planning? How many roommates are too many? How long are you going to live in your parents’ basement? Calm down! It’s ok! Breathe! Ever thought about combining travel and a job instead? Just kidding. I know you have, and I’m here to give you guidance, tips and basically be your personal cheerleader to help you on your way. If you’re looking to meet amazing, like-minded people, travel to foreign lands and teach a language you already know then follow me to your new life adventure teaching English abroad. The best part is, you’re already halfway there with your degree in hand. And the second part is very simple. With a TEFL certificate, all the world (and the awesome paying English teaching jobs it has to offer) will open to you. You in? OK, let’s cover the basics. HOLD UP! What is this TEFL thing I hear you harping on about? The acronym stands for Teaching English as a Foreign Language. When it comes to requirements for teaching English abroad, TEFL certification invariably tops the list. In a nutshell, a TEFL certificate shows employers that you’re qualified (and able) to teach English abroad. Think of it as your passport to get your real passport filled with stamps. Recommended reading: What is TEFL? Should I get TEFL certified? Comparing different ESL certifications: TEFL vs. TESL vs. TESOL 1. Get TEFL certified. Bet you saw that one coming! When I first made my decision to teach English in South Korea, I had no idea what to expect. But by getting TEFL certified, I was able to propel myself one critical step closer to living out my globe-trotting dreams. And helped me a pretty kickass teacher when I arrived, if I do say so myself. I know, I know, you just finished school. Maybe you vowed never to take a test again. If this sums up your feelings on the matter, then online TEFL courses can take as little as three weeks to finish and are relatively painless to move through the course materials in your own time. Aside from a TEFL being a prerequisite for any decent English teaching job abroad, it also gives you the foundational skills and knowledge you need to get the job done. Strolling into a room of students who speak another language and can easily use that language to make fun of your woeful teaching skills behind your back should make you perspire a little. Take it from someone who’s been there! Caveat: There’s no one-size-fits-all profile of the perfect candidate for English teaching jobs abroad. If you’re not sure whether you fit the bill, here are some more common FAQs on the topic: Will I face age restrictions teaching English abroad? Where can I teach English abroad without a degree? Can I teach English abroad without experience? Can I teach English abroad if I’m a non-native speaker? 1.5. Start saving for your TEFL course. This depends on where and how you decide to get TEFL certified (online or in person) but look to spend $,1000 and up for a reputable online course. The old saying you get what you pay for rings true in this case as well. A TEFL course suddenly becomes well worth the investment when it helps you get hired for a better-paying teaching job overseas with a reputable school. Related: How to spot common ESL job scams Aside from your TEFL, you need to set a realistic budget for teaching abroad, including housing, food, travel and health insurance, airfare and transport, excursions, and miscellaneous expenses. Your job benefits may help offset the cost of these, depending t=on the program or hiring school you’re working with. 2. Identify your ideal teaching destination. With the right qualifications and experience, the world is your oyster. Now that you have your TEFL certificate, you are the pearl. So where do you want to go? While there are plenty of fun resources to guide you on where to teach abroad, don’t forget to follow your own instincts. Asia is quickly becoming the most popular region to teach abroad because it has a wealth of travel and job opportunities for graduates who are fluent in English. But don’t forget about South America and Europe, where countries like Spain and Argentina are eager to hire TEFL-certified English teachers with a degree. Central America is also often overlooked but they are hiring a ton of new graduates in places like Mexico, too. I may be a little biased, but if you’re looking to immerse yourself in a completely new culture, then South Korea tops the list. Seoul is an amazing city full of excitement and culture. It’s busy and crowded but it’s fun and has plenty of English teaching jobs. Be prepared for moments of culture shock. You may not recognize the pizza and dried squid is definitely an acquired taste. Is it your priority to make the most money possible teaching abroad? If you have a degree in education and building up a healthy bank account is your focus, then consider the Middle East. If you’re not a licensed teacher but you still want to make bank, teaching English in China could be a good move for you. China’s relatively low cost of living, combined with great employee perks like free housing, make it a really attractive option for travel-motivated teach abroad hopefuls. Sign up to Teach Away today for access to the latest teaching jobs around the world. 3. Understand visa conditions. Red tape is never fun to navigate but getting a visa to teach abroad is an important step. If you’re like me, you probably just want to get going and maybe forget to do some quick research visa requirements for teachers in your top destination. It is, however, super duper important to investigate visa requirements for anywhere you want to teach, as these really do vary from country to country. The visa process in countries in Asia, for example, are generally pretty straightforward. As long as you meet some basic requirements, you shouldn’t have much trouble obtaining a work permit to teach there. If you’re a non-EU resident, however, you might not have such an easy time getting a visa to teach in Europe. Latin America is an easy region for North American graduates when it comes to applying for visas. We hate to break it to you, but if it turns out that you don’t fit the requirements to teach abroad in a certain country, then it’s back to the drawing board (see step 2 above). Some countries impose very specific (and seemingly arbitrary) rules and timelines when granting work permits for overseas teachers, while others may be less strict, so don’t despair. Often, employers will take responsibility for obtaining a work visa due to the complicated processes involved (or guide you, at the very least). That said, you’ll still have to fill out plenty of paperwork, so have your pen ready. Either way - hold off on booking that flight until your visa is sorted. 4. Search and apply for jobs. If you’re feeling particularly impulsive and happen to be flush with cash, you might opt to conduct your teach abroad job search in person. Of course, you’ll need to be 100% sure that somewhere is the destination for you and that you meet all the requirements. Many countries also frown on people entering the country on the tourist visa and kicking off a job search, so beware. But the fact is, there’s no need to take this drastic step. It’s never been easier to find a job abroad. The internet is responsible for the world’s greatest invention: cat videos. But next to that is its ability to make finding your dream job so much easier. Nowadays, you can apply for jobs with hiring schools anywhere in the world with a simple search on the Teach Away job board. With some quick clicking, you can apply to scores of jobs in one evening. Need a nudge in the right direction? Here are the five best teach abroad programs hiring right now! As you’re researching opportunities, note what expenses might be paid for. For example, whether a housing stipend is offered, and what you’ll be expected to contribute. (Believe me - you don't want any surprises on the ground!) 5. It’s time to set the wheels in motion! Dream job in the bag? First, make sure you understand your teaching contract thoroughly. After that, it’s time to plan your move. Are you going for a year, or maybe longer? Do you need a local bank account? Do you have a pet? What about your current apartment? Will you sublet or give up your lease? Remember, this is a big move if you decide to go for a year and a lot can happen. You may extend your stay, you may find a new job or perhaps you will fall in love! Who knows what can happen in a year. You may also struggle and find out teaching isn’t for you. It’s best to create a checklist and consider a fallback plan if you decide to come home early. This is also the time to start figuring our housing and determining what might be provided by your school or program, and what you will need to take care of independently. I’m too excited, can I just go and teach English abroad without a certificate? Since you just spent four years alongside thousands of other smart, eager job-ready colleagues, it only makes sense to give yourself all the advantages you possibly can. By all means, you can certainly try to get a teaching job abroad without a TEFL certificate but competition is fierce and most ESL jobs require you to have one. Plus, you will qualify for higher-paying teaching jobs if you are TEFL certified. Is teaching abroad after graduation the right move for me? If you’re excited at the prospect of teaching abroad but still have a strange little worry in the pit of your stomach, don’t worry! That just means you’re giving the process of teaching abroad the serious consideration it deserves. After all, if teaching abroad is really as amazing an experience as people say, why isn’t everyone doing it? Well for starters, it takes a certain type of adventurous personality to leave their native country to do a job they’ve never done before. Not only that, are you a good teacher? Do you like kids? Are you comfortable in front of a class? Are you imaginative? What about disciplining kids in a foreign language? If you’re nodding your head to the above then, chances are, you probably have what it takes to teach English abroad. But then there is living in a totally unfamiliar place. Trying to figure out where to eat, how to meet other people and generally navigating life in a brand-new country is not for everyone! My advice: get TEFL certified and the rest will fall into place. I had the best experience in South Korea. Not only did it boost my self-esteem, I learned about myself and how to face a variety of exciting challenges. Since my time abroad, I’ve been able to face any job interview or life obstacle with a certain level of confidence and diplomacy I would never have if I hadn’t taught abroad.