Hi there! My name is Alex V Woods, and I’m an American ESL teacher who has taught English for 10 years, the last 4 of which have been in France where I live with my American wife Helena Woods.
I moved to France in 2018 as a Maitre de Langue, teaching first in Strasbourg for 2 years and then as a contractual for another 2 years on the Mediterranean island of Corsica. I love living in France and compared to my life in the United States as an ESL teacher, living in France has been a dream.
What I’m here to do
But I don’t want to be the only one living this dream. I want to share it with others, to those who love teaching (or are curious about trying it out) and are francophiles (people who love everything French) like myself.
I’m here to help you have an experience of a lifetime by moving to France to teach English.
The Experience I’ve Gained
After successfully applying for and renewing a long-stay visa for not just me but my wife too, I’ve learned how to navigate the complicated bureaucratic French system. I then learned how to move to France: how to find housing, get a French phone number, sign up for an internet plan, enroll in their universal healthcare system, pay French taxes, get the best monthly transportation passes, and much more.
And after teaching ESL for almost 10 years now, I know how to plan and deliver lessons successfully, no matter how diverse or varied in level and content (which they always are here in France!)
I started teaching ESL in 2013 after getting my CELTA and finishing my undergrad studying business in Boston. For 5 long years I taught in different private schools and universities, always part-time, but dreaming of moving abroad and finally getting a full-time position.
My Origins
I was born in Washington DC, so I guess that makes me American, but I moved to France when I was five years old. I spent my childhood living in Europe attending international schools, and became a bit of a mix of American and European. Enough so that I gave a talk about the experience of being a Third Culture Kid at the Third International Polyglot Conference in New York City.
It’s also why I’m passionate about different cultures and languages, and why I love traveling and meeting new people.
“Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore.” – Andre Gide
Andre Gide (2012). “The Counterfeiters: A Novel”, p.353, Vintage
So be brave, and dream of moving to France to teach English. Have that experience of a lifetime that you’ll never forget. And don’t worry about it being too difficult–I’m here to help.