Name:Alex Richards
Programme:   Moldova - Teaching English
Dates:13th January - 25th February 2007.

How did you feel before you joined the programme? I really wasn't sure what to expect on the programme and this suited me perfectly. I wanted to avoid pre-conceptions and just to experience things with an open mind. I deliberately wanted as little advance information as possible, but this approach might not suit everyone. What was the accommodation like? The host accommodation was fine. Some aspects were very different to UK living, but that is what I expected and welcomed.

What did you think of the programme?  I had a fantastic experience - and I've learnt so much about all sorts of aspects of the country.Despite this, I still have so much more to learn. My general attitude was to say ‘yes' to any invitation or suggestion to see where it landed me. For me, teaching at the School was only part of the experience and I was very lucky to meet so many different people - all of whom were generous with their time and hospitality.

What was the most memorable moment of your trip? During my last week I spent as many spare hours as I could find recording CDs of me reading aloud the various set texts from their textbooks for each year in the School.  With probably no exceptions, none of these students have met a native speaker of British English (although some have briefly met Americans) - the first English teacher I worked with really didn't speak English (only writing it). This wasn't her fault - she herself had only studied English for a year and a half.  I hope that by listening to me reading texts in their lessons during the months to come I will continue to have some small impact on the quality of their learning. How have you benefited from your experience? I've made a number of very good friends who I will stay in contact with. I've learnt a great deal about a country and its culture.

I'm no closer to deciding what I want to spend the rest of my life doing (one of my aims in taking this career break), but I've got another adventure in Cape Town just a few days ahead of me. What advice could you offer to someone considering this project? This is perhaps the hardest question to answer. It really depends on what someone wants to get out of his or her involvement.  For me, it wasn't primarily about gaining teaching experience and this led to my determination to experience as many different situations as possible.

• Remember not to pack too much stuff, leave some room for return gifts.
• You might have to do your own washing by hand, so take clothes that can dry easily.
• If you are going in winter, don't get too obsessed by temperatures.  It can get very cold outside, but the houses and schools are very warm. Take gloves and a woollen hat, but I personally only felt the need to wear thermals once.
• Be prepared for some very basic toilet facilities in some places.
• If you want to take presents for the School, a few children's books written in English are ideal. Small gifts of coloured pens/pencils are good.
• Take photographs of England (or your own country) and be prepared to talk about customs and traditions as well as national landmarks and perhaps basic governmental structures.
• Listen to local advice about drinking the water. The quality varies a lot across the country.  In my area people were a little ambivalent about drinking it, so sometimes I did and sometimes I didn't. I felt no ill effects.