Teach English in Honduras: Traveling Teacher Series
Updated: Apr 23, 2022
What is it like spending your summer teaching English in Honduras? I interviewed Kelly who spent time teaching in Honduras for a summer. She shares how she got started, her experiences while there, and more.
The traveling teachers series is all about people who travel and you guessed it – teach! Each interview features a different teacher, traveling to a different place, and teaching a unique group of students. So often we hear of people teaching abroad, but what is it really like? How do you find opportunities?
There are many questions surrounding traveling and teaching. Through this series, I hope you are inspired by the good work going on around the world, learn, and start to think about ways you can travel and teach abroad yourself. I’m excited to share about how to teach English in Honduras with you.
If you plan to be a traveling teacher, a TESOL certification is a great way to start. I got mine through International Open Academy for just $19! Highly recommend this as a first step in your traveling teacher journey.
This week I am excited to bring you a story about Kelly’s experience doing internships for education majors! Kelly and I connected via Instagram and really connected because we are both Texas traveling teachers. She has taught in many different places but today she’s sharing how to teach English in Honduras. She took the opportunity during her summer to teach and travel in these incredible places and shares more about how you can too. You can find her on Instagram here.
What inspired you to teach English in Honduras?
Traveling and teaching have always been one of my biggest passions. I decided I wanted to combine the two things that were the most important to me! It took me a few years into my teaching career that I decided to try teaching abroad. I felt like I grew up in a little bubble in Texas and wanted to experience teaching abroad in a different culture.
How long have you taught and where?
I’ve taught elementary school in Texas for 7 years but during the summers, I would spend most of July in Honduras. I’ve gone to Honduras 6 different times to volunteer at Llamado Eterno Christian School in Danli, Honduras which is about 3 hours from the capital.
How did you find the opportunity to teach English in Honduras?
I first visited Honduras in 2014 on a church mission trip. Our church partners with a church in Danli, Honduras. During the first trip to Honduras, the church was in the process of building/starting up a school for children in extreme need. After the first trip, I fell in love with the school, church, and children. Each summer, I would extend my trip down there and volunteer at the school, and help with the English classes.
Were any of your expenses covered with the teaching experience?
While I was there, I did not have to pay for my accommodation. I stayed with my friend that was the principal of the school. I did pay for some of my meals/groceries and I paid for my flight to Honduras.
Were you able to spend time traveling and exploring the country while teaching?
I didn’t spend a lot of time traveling through Honduras because the country isn’t very safe or touristy. There are some parts of the country I did visit that were absolutely beautiful but for the most part, I stayed around the city the school is in.
What were interactions with students like?
The students that were enrolled in the school were children that were living in the most poverty-stricken areas or in the biggest need of help. The school provided each student with a bed, a uniform, computer classes, breakfast and lunch, and English classes. When the students were at school, they were happy all the time. School was their safe place and they just loved being there. Joy radiated on their face as soon as they walked into school.
What was your favorite part of your teaching experiences?
My favorite part of teaching in Honduras was the attitude of the kids. Even with the circumstances they faced each day, they were so happy being at school. Every day, I would feel so humbled because I knew how much they valued education. They wanted to be successful and break the chain of poverty they were surrounded with. I truly felt like I was making an impact on the student’s lives.
At the end of each school year in Texas, I would ask other teachers if they had any leftover school supplies they no longer needed. I would collect the school supplies and bring them to the school in Honduras. We were able to bless the school with a year’s worth of school supplies each time I visited. It was such a blessing to the students and teachers. I loved being able to see the look on their faces when new school supplies were brought to them. The teachers were so thankful for everything they were blessed with.
What is one piece of advice you have for someone who wants to teach abroad?
If teaching abroad has always been a desire in your heart, just go for it! Especially if you are in a place in your life that you can do it. You may never be in the same stage of life to make such a big life decision. If you are nervous or not sure where you want to teach, start by visiting different countries first to get a feel for the different cultures. Rather than agreeing to a year or two in one place, try short trips first to see if you like it! The longer you desire to teach abroad, the stronger that desire will become- take that leap of faith!
You can find more specific advice and information on how to teach English in Honduras by reaching out to Kelly on Instagram and reading her website, Explorin with Plorin. Find more about other traveling teachers on my resource page!
Interested in more stories of short-term teaching experiences? Consider doing a teacher travel opportunity. Here are some others you might be interested in:
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