Like you, I’ve been asked hundreds of times over my tenure at work, “What do you do” and “Who do you work for”? My answer, up until recently has been the same, “I recruit and raise funds for a non-profit NGO who sends teachers to Asia to teach English.” Pretty straightforward and noble work, but the blank stares give you all the feedback you need…what exactly does this mean?
At a recent family gathering I spent some time connecting with a relative who is one of those marketing geniuses that masquerades as a living, breathing, idea factory. You know the guy; he’s the one who has “stop talking” on his face when you are trying to answer his question because he already has fifteen ideas locked and loaded to share with you before you reach the pinnacle of your thought.
Peter’s statement to me on this warm, holiday evening went something like this, “Give me your elevator speech.” My mind racing, Rolodex spinning, words flying out of my mouth like one of the currency counters gone haywire. Peter stops me mid-sentence.
“No, no, no. Here’s what you guys are, you’re mentors. Yes, you teach English, but what you really do is mentor. Everyone has been mentored or has mentored.”
I thought to myself as he finished, “You know he’s right.”
Not everyone can identify with teaching English, but EVERYONE can identify with mentoring. I can name five mentors right now that have had a profound impact on my life. Can you?
Of course you can. A parent, teacher, coach, friend of the family, a friends mom or dad, the list can go on but the point is you’ve been influenced. And most likely the person influencing you had no idea the profound impact they were having on you.
So my answer today is this, “We mentor Asian and Middle Eastern learners using English.” Of course there is a lot more to what we do and it takes a little explaining, but by-and-large we have influenced hundreds of thousands of learners over 35-years and have witnessed some of the most dramatic life-transformations you have ever heard.
Are you sitting at your desk right now thinking about how stale your situation is and if you could impact people directly there’d be smoke trailing from your exit?
Do you feel stuck and need a change? Need some adventure?
You’re not alone. But you have to make the first move. Can you come along side someone and share your life with them? Are you ready to change your life and the lives of people around you? It’s not only possible; it happens everyday where I work.
I love what I do and I’d love for you join me.
Take the first step today at ELIC.org.
About ELIC
ELIC places passionately committed people in teaching roles across Asia, who primarily serve through the medium of English instruction. www.ELIC.org While we are focused primarily on university campuses and teacher training, we teach in a variety of other settings designed to best serve our host countries and government entities. In the last 30 years, more than 12,000 ELIC teachers have been placed and have taught an estimated 1,300,000 Chinese students. We have vibrant programs for college students, graduates, singles, couples, families and second-career adults. Our present countries of service include China, Mongolia, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and Myanmar.
