How I became an online English teacher after moving to France

Over the years, I have worked in several different fields. In 2005, I joined Edinburgh council as a rent officer before switching to community safety officer a few years later. The focus of the job was to reduce anti-social behaviour, so I would be dealing with noise complaints and liaising with the police about criminal activity. 

We were also responsible for moving people to safety if they were in danger of domestic abuse or other attacks. 

While it was good to know I was helping people, many aspects of the job were frustrating. Lots of people needed support but we were limited as to what we could do due to legislation, funding or politics. Sometimes it felt like papering over the cracks rather than genuinely helping those who needed it.

Challenging work environment

The unpredictability could be a challenge too. While the hours were officially nine to five, I would arrive on a Monday morning never knowing what might happen next. Some weeks could be completely out of control.

A pivotal moment was when I was issued with a stab vest. I knew there were dangers in my job, but having the vest really brought home how risky it had become.

Being around people who are in crisis, going through terrible things, also took its toll on my mental health. And while I wanted to support people and make a difference, with my hands tied the job had become a source of stress with very little hope or reward.

Something had to give.

My wife Susan and I had visited France for years and always said we would retire here. 

As my job became more stressful and dangerous, we wondered whether we might move our plans forward. 

While we were not yet of retirement age, we realised that if we bought a house in France we would be able to exist without a mortgage, meaning we could survive on a relatively low income. It was worth taking a risk.

I knew my skills in conflict resolution were probably not going to be much help on the French job market, especially as I only had basic French at the time. 

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TEFL course

However, one thing I have always been able to do is talk. I decided to take a TEFL course in Edinburgh in early 2018 with the view to helping French people improve their English.

During training, I realised just how much teaching was done online. It meant the world was my oyster – there would be plenty of work once we moved. 

I began to dip my toe into online teaching beforehand, building it up gradually. 

When we finally made the move in October 2018, I already had a few lessons a week ongoing. I was able to register as a micro-entrepreneur and arrived with an established income.

Now, I work as a tutor for two companies – one whose students all come from within France and another which caters for students globally. 

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Teaching online has been a wonderful experience. I have helped people from more than 80 different countries – thousands of students in all types of situations, from the rich to those living in shanty towns.

My life in France bears no resemblance to my life in the UK. The pace of life is better, and I have control over the hours I work. I usually stick to around 18 on an average week. 

I have time to dedicate to my writing – one of my passions – as well as plenty of space to fit in cutting the grass, which seems to grow endlessly.

My move to France and career change has also restored my faith in humanity. After working in an environment where you deal with constant crises, it has been wonderful to meet so many normal, caring people from around the globe.

Best of all, I no longer need the stab vest.