From India to Italy: Nancy’s Inspiring TEFL Experience Abroad

Hi, I’m Nancy, I’m 26 and from South India. I’m usually a calm person, and I guess a bit funny too (at least that’s what my students think). I’ve always liked teaching, so I never really “decided” TEFL in a big dramatic way, it just felt like something I wanted to do.

I came to Milan for my master’s. Initially, I thought I’d just focus on studies, but after a while I felt like I wanted to do something I actually enjoy alongside it. That’s how I started teaching. First a few freelance classes, then I slowly started working with language academies and public schools. It just grew from there.

Coming from India to Italy, I honestly expected a huge cultural shock, but it wasn’t like that. Of course there are differences, but day-to-day life and people felt kind of familiar in a way. I didn’t feel completely out of place, which helped me settle in faster.

I work with kids from 2 to 15 years old, so every class is very different. The small kids are definitely the most challenging. They have so much energy and attention spans are very short, but at the same time they’re the most fun to teach.

I have this one little kid, she’s around 3.5 years old, and I started teaching her English since she was 2. Now it’s honestly become one of my favorite things. The funny part is, she has started associating English completely with me. So, whenever she hears anyone speaking English anywhere, she gets excited and says, “Oh! It’s Nancy’s language! They are speaking Nancy’s language.” Like she genuinely thinks I created English or something. Haha…It’s such a small thing, but it always makes me smile.

Teaching here made me realize very quickly that you can’t just “teach” in a traditional way with kids. You have to make it fun by games, songs, activities, anything to keep them involved. Otherwise, you lose them in like 2 minutes.

I think I’ve changed a lot since I started this journey. I’ve become more confident, more patient, and more okay with figuring things out as I go. Living in a new country also forces you to grow up in a way, you just learn to handle things on your own.

Outside of teaching, I like travelling around Italy whenever I can. Even small trips feel nice here. It’s become a good balance for studying, teaching, and also just enjoying life.

If I had to give advice to someone thinking about TEFL or moving abroad, I’d just say don’t overthink it too much. You’ll never feel 100% ready. I wasn’t either. But once you actually start, you slowly figure things out.

For me, this whole experience is just about learning, growing, and doing something I actually enjoy. And I think that’s enough.

Nancy’s journey shows that teaching English abroad can be both rewarding and transformative. From building confidence to connecting across cultures, her story is proof that TEFL opens doors to meaningful experiences worldwide. If this sounds like something you’d love to explore, take the first step by learning more about TEFL certification or getting advice on where to begin. Visit our course page or contact us at hello@teflinstitute.com for more information — we’re here to help you start your own adventure.