TESOL courses in Egypt - Alexandria

TESOL course - General location information

Alexandria is a great place to take your TEFL course in Egypt. You will learn how to teach English and yet at the same time you will have the opportunity to experience and learn about the history and culture of an ancient civilization as well as enjoying the fantastic water sports and the exciting free excursions that we offer. As there are many teaching vacancies in Egypt and throughout the region, this is a good place to take your TESOL course and start your career in teaching English abroad.

Alexandria is a wonderful city on the Mediterranean that truly contrasts the ancient and modern side by side. You will see Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Coptic, Islamic and Arab history and civilizations on one hand and modern building and shopping facilities on the other. Yet it all blends together harmoniously as though that was the way it was meant to be. Alexandria extends approximately 20 miles along the coast of the Mediterranean sea.

Alexandria was established by the great ancient ruler Alexander the Great, after whom the city derives its name, when he decided to select this small fishing village as his capital. Alexandria was once one of the world's most famous cities and remained capital of Egypt for nearly 1000 years. It is now home to a population ranging somewhere between 3.5 to 5 million inhabitants and as such is the second-largest city in Egypt, after Cairo. Alexandria is located about 2 hours from Cairo and its famous pyramids.

Modern day Alexandria is considered as a summer beach resort and many tourists visit the area to enjoy the sun and sea here. Beaches become rather busy and it is not unusual to see rows of umbrellas along the beachfront. The city itself is also busier than usual at this time of the year. The public beaches can get rather crowded in summer time but there are also private beaches (a small fee is payable) which remain relatively quiet and peaceful. The general area is also home to world famous water sports.

However, Alexandria isn't just beaches and sea. There is a wide variety of important historical monuments to visit, including the Greco-Roman Museum. This museum is home to relics dating back to the 3rd century BC. There is an impressive granite sculpture of Apis, the sacred bull worshipped by Egyptians, as well as an interesting range of mummies, sarcophagi, pottery and ancient tapestries.

Here you can also find one of the few portrayals of the Pharos of Alexandria (one of the seven wonders of the world). The only Roman Amphitheatre in Egypt was discovered in 1964 and its lovely marble terraces remain in excellent condition. Excavation of the site is till continuing slightly to the north of the theatre.

Other sights worth visiting are Pompey's Pillar, which is an enormous pink monument measuring 9m (30ft) around its base and the catacombs of Kom ash-Shuqqafa, which is regarded as the largest Roman burial site throughout the whole of Egypt and consists of a number of tiers of tombs and hallways. The catacombs were begun over 1800 years ago and are home to approximately 300 corpses.

Cleopatra's Palace is widely thought to be under the seabed off Alexandria and experts continue to search the area. Some columns have already been found and only recently archaeologists raised a lovely statue of Isis from the warm Mediterranean waters.

In your free time, you will also have the chance to see many of Egypt's most fascinating and popular tourist attractions:

In fact we offer a free trip to Cairo where you can see the world famous Pyramids, the Sphinx, all of the Pharaoh monuments in the Egyptian museum.

For January, February and March courses in Alexandria, we offer a free, three day trip to Sharm Elsheikh or Hurghada, some of the most beautiful sites in the world for scuba diving, snorkeling, swimming, sunbathing and safaris. Accommodation on the trip will be in a four or five-star hotel - depending on reservation availability - including breakfast.

About The TESOL training school

Our school is Alexandria is equipped with all the necessary facilities, materials and resources that you will need during your course. Our training staff is very experienced and friendly and all staff members are eager to make sure that you have an unforgettable experience both inside and outside of the classroom

Our TESOL training center in Alexandria is situated in an ideal location and is just a few minutes walk distance from a number of good several cafes and restaurants. The training center is also in a good position for public and private transport so getting around the city is relatively straightforward and inexpensive. Our TESOL course facility is also just a short journey to all Alexandria's major attractions.

TESOL course - Accommodation

Alexandria TESOL course accommodation in al-Agami, a seafront suburb of Alexandria, consists of a shared apartment on our private campus. Each apartment has a furnished sitting room, a bathroom with hot water and a kitchen equipped with a refrigerator, a cooker, and cooking utensils. All apartments are clean, comfortable and adequately furnished, but you'll need to bring sheets and towels. Optional free cleaning services are available once per week upon request.

Al-Agami itself is approximately 30 minutes by cab from the Alexandria city center at a cost of 20 Egyptian pounds; public transportation is also available for around 5 Egyptian pounds. Free private transportation from the campus to the city center is provided twice a week outside school hours. Transportation is also provided to and from schools during teaching practice with Free transportation is provided between school and campus on school days during school hours.

Al-Agami is a popular resort area with supermarkets, restaurants, and other stores containing all the items you may need to live comfortably. Paradise beach, a popular local beach to which the TESOL course has private access during the summer, is located within a hundred yards of the campus. Although the area is much quieter in the off-season (October to May), you will still find plenty of shops and restaurants open and busy. For further information about your living and learning arrangements, please ask to have photos or information about the campus emailed to you.

Arabic Cultural Immersion Programme

After your TESOL course in Alexandria, you then have the opportunity to teach English and learn Arabic. The Alexandria TESOL centre offers internships to Egypt TESOL graduates who successfully complete their TESOL certification course. The six-week internship consists of 48 hours of Arabic classes + 12 hours of cultural activities.

Interns teach their own EFL classes (a maximum of 10 hours per week), to gain practical experience of the more advanced areas of teaching, such as administrative issues, conducting a full workload of teaching, and getting general experience.

Program fees are US$ 300. Free accommodation is provided during the six weeks of the Arabic Cultural Immersion Program.
In order to qualify, the intern will have to:

• Achieve a satisfactory performance in the TESOL certificate program, including the teaching practice.
• Be willing to work in a professional environment while being a foreign language student.

By the end of the internship period, the intern will receive a certificate for the Arabic course, and a letter of reference from the TESOL centre in Egypt stating the tasks and jobs the graduate  has performed.

TESOL Course Dates 28 February - 25 March 2010 28 March - 22 April 2010 25 April - 20 May 2010 23 May - 17 June 2010 20 June - 15 July 2010 18 July - 12 August 2010 22 August - 20 September 2010 26 September - 21 October 2010 24 October - 22 November 2010 28 November - 23 December 2010 2 January - 27 January 2011 30 January - 24 February 2011 27 February - 24 March 2011 27 March - 21 April 2011 24 April - 19 May 2011 22 May - 16 June 2011 19 June - 14 July 2011 17 July - 11 August 2011 28 August - 22 September 2011 25 September - 20 October 2011 23 October - 24 November 2011 27 November - 22 December 2011 TESOL Course Fees US$ 1690 (£) (including accommodation) US$ 1590 (£) (excluding accommodation) Special offer for March and April 2010 courses: Free three-night trip to the Red Sea, in a 4 or 5-star hotel, including transportation and accommodation Alexandria, Egypt - Map: Click here for the map