As a teaching assistant the workload was not very heavy; only about 20 hours a week. From the very first day, my host institution was extremely welcoming and helpful. I worked closely with several teachers, attending their classes every week and worked with the students in those classes. I was also given my own class to organise and asked to prepare topics of my choice, which was cool as I could focus on popular culture!

Did you have any problems with your host institution? If so, who resolved the issue (BC or host institution)?
I didn’t really have any problems; if there was a problem with covering extra hours or something like that, I spoke to my host institution about it—although I knew that I could rely on the British Council in Chile if something was really bugging me.

Would you recommend it?
Absolutely! It was a really beneficial experience and it’s great for someone who’s planning on going into teaching. I perfected loads of skills like time management, organisational skills, crowd control, presentational skills and lesson planning, amongst others.

How do you feel it has added to your CV?
I feel it’s been really useful on my CV, as the British Council is an internationally recognised institution. Plus, it shows employers that I’m adaptable, resourceful and aware of the differences of working in an international context.