THE CANTERBURY ENGLISH FAMILY

“Family” is kind of a big word which you have to be careful using, as it can and is misused in publicity. That’s why we say Bona-fida, because we mean it that way.

Some TEFL programs churn out Diplomas like churros (a Spanish pastry, which you will soon enjoy dipping it into rich chocolate),  take all your money, farm you out and call you family. Maybe they should be more honest and call themselves  a money making business and drop the family adage, because no real family does that to any of its members.

 Why is Canterbury English a Bona-fida family, compared to the rest?

First of all, if we all have our own families, why do some TEFL programs, including Canterbury English, who coined the term two decades ago, use the word family. Yes, we all have families, but because we now live in Spain, most of our families are living a long way a way, hence the need for an ex-patriot family.

Family is about real long term relationships with people, who, yes have paid to be a part of that family and receive a service for it, but who maintain a relationship with us for many years. The word you and us disappears after a while and you are us. You are a Canterbury English TEFL graduate and a Canterbury English Teacher, whether you have twenty five hours a week with us or one.  One of our teachers, Judy, did the TEFL almost twenty years ago and is still teaching for us. Another, Mirta, did it 15 years ago and is still with us and works in the office as well as teaching. And yet another, Michael, who did it almost ten years ago, still brings his collapsible bike into the office on pay day.

Family is about caring for people and visiting them if they have a health problem and need to go to hospital if something happens to them. John has often gone to see a graduate in hospital and Richard was there visiting two graduates just recently.