Autobiography

How I become an English teacher 

By: Katherine Cortes Alarcon

I was born in Neiva more than twenty years ago and, although I still live in this city, I spend most of my time in my work place which implies that currently I do not have enough time to share with my family. I come from a loving and humble family that I value as my most precious blessing. We are four at home: my grandmother, my parents and me. Money was something that most of the time lacked at home, my father earned just the necessary (or sometimes less) for living, reason why I had always very clear that to study (in high school or at the university) was an opportunity that I had to take advantage of; but despite the lack of money I grew up as a happy little girl. Fortunately, when I finished high school,  I had the chance to study at the university because my father paid for my studies with great effort and love.

I remember that I had excellent English teachers that inspired me to become an English teacher. Their personal and professional qualities carried me to be who I am now as a language Teacher. I still remember they were kind, dynamic and passionate teachers, in general, very nice persons, who taught me many things that are useful for me knowadays. I remember they were always in good humor and their good disposition fot teaching, made my classmates and me were in good disposition for learning. In my undergraduate studies, I really enjoyed to hear my teachers talking about their experiences living and working in foreign countries, that increased my desire to learn English and to go to a foreign country too and live such kind of experiences.

I have been an English teachers for around five years and there have been many changes in my life. Now I understand better many aspects about the educational system in Colombia and all that comprises to be a teacher. I value more the work I do every day, because to be a teacher is more than teach a subject, it comprises to deal with psychological, social, political, personal and cultural situations of students and colleagues, there is always something new every day to learn and it is necessary to develop different skills and abilities to do a good job. 

It has been difficult for me to study the Master's program because it has taken me more time of the expected due to different reasons, but those contraints have become a challenge for me and I will not give up because those difficulties make me to value even more, the effort that I am doing now and what I have reach until today. I just want to finish my Master's degree and to have a good opportunity to travel abroad to improve my skills in English.

Finally, I can say that I really like what I do, that I love English and being an English teacher and that I feel satisfied of what I have reached. I took advantage of the opportunity my father gave me to study a professional carreer and a as a woman I did the things right, I prepared myself for being a professional person despite the monetary limitations my family had. I demonstrated myself and others, that we are what we want to be. I am also satisfied with the decision I took and with the things I have achieved because they are the result of dedication, effort and believe in myself.