I’ve been an EFL teacher since February 1994, but with a four-to-five-year career break in journalism, so more like 20 years. I’ve been a teacher trainer since becoming an accredited ICELT tutor in 2012. I worked in radio and print journalism as a cub reporter in the UK for one year before taking Trinity Cert. TESOL in November 1993, and also as a business reporter and editor in Mexico in freelance and staff positions. In the end, I found education more satisfying than journalism, although my enthusiasm for writing persisted and informed my decision to focus on writing for teachers as a MAEd specialisation. My hopes and aspirations for my trainees are that they leave the course with an inventory of skills and knowledge to successful navigate the first months of their job but without complacency: they’ll know about the need to upgrade teaching skills on an ongoing basis.