Teachanywhere: Olympic Success

Notes from the General Manager by Diane Jacoutot

The Olympics are drawing to a close this week, and as someone who loves all things international I have loved every minute of it. Whether it was Ireland winning their first gold medal ever (Anne Marie was going wild in the Teachanywhere office yesterday), Usain Bolt’s historic 200m win (Nick was going wild in the office as well), Michael Phelps’ amazing medal count, the first brave Saudi female athletes, flawless Chinese divers, or Kazakhstan’s 6 gold medals, it’s been a feast of national and international pride.

There were calls in the paper yesterday to make the 70,000 Olympic volunteers a national Sports Personality of the Year, which is quite an honour here in the UK. Having been to some of the events I can say that they certainly deserve recognition as unsung heroes.  Pink jacketed “Games Makers” have been absolutely everywhere and incredibly helpful to the millions of visitors who have come to the games as well as those wandering around London doing touristy things. I met some lovely ones in Trafalgar square last weekend and they gave me great directions to a restaurant I was trying to find which I would imagine was somewhat outside of their call of duty.  Extending the friendly hand of welcome makes such a difference when you are new to a place and I was proud of the UK for doing it so well.

It is precisely that hand of welcome that international teachers experience when they arrive in their new country, and one that is just as unsung.   International schools will have representatives meet you at the airport, and take you to a hotel or your new apartment. You will then meet the other new international teachers for an organised orientation that covers culture, language, and everyday necessities such as setting up bank accounts, residency paperwork, medical forms, curriculum and school policies. It’s so ironic that many of the fears teachers feel before embarking on their new jobs abroad are so unfounded – the lifeblood of an international school is an international teacher and you are welcomed with open arms.   I was corresponding with a teacher yesterday who is about to embark on a job in Kuwait and I told him how jealous I was – I love the feeling of excitement tinged with trepidation that accompanies the start of a new journey. I love the challenge of working in a new environment where you don’t know precisely what’s around the corner, because once you overcome personal and professional challenges in this way, the rush of satisfaction when you turn the corner into the relative unknown becomes quite addicting. 

Speaking of personal challenges, for those who have been following the story, my 16 year old son returned home from Tanzania this morning having summited Mount Kilimanjaro and completed a community service project. He’s slightly skinnier, definitely fitter and more confident with a higher tolerance for vegetables, a hankering for a big steak and a newfound love of coffee.  He’s also got a head full of indelible memories and the knowledge that if you set your mind to something and put your fears to the side, you can do the most amazing things. 

 I think I learnt a bit of that myself in letting him go.