Taking TESOL Overseas │ Caeley Griffith’s Summer in Ukraine
For Caeley Griffith, a General Biology senior at ԭ,herշԴǰ (Teaching English to speakers of other languages) provided a unique addition to her career outlook after college. Most General Biology majors seek jobs in the science field post-graduation. Caeley, however, now feels called to TESOL after her five-week experience in Ukraine this past summer.
Originally, Caeley had made plans to travel to Guam over the summer to practice her English-teaching skills, but the opportunity unexpectedly closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, along with several other missions opportunities she had been pursuing. Nearing the end of the spring semester of her junior year, Caeley faced the reality that she wouldn’t be going overseas that summer. Then, three weeks after finals, she received a call from Josiah Knight and Jeremy Robertson, two senior ԭ students completing internships in Ukraine. They wanted her to come and help with the foreign ministry there. Caeley saw this opportunity as a way to minister to others while also practicing her English-teaching skills, and she left two weeks later.
A Changed Perspective
Caeley stayed in Odessa, Ukraine,and worked at Lighthouse Baptist Church, planted in 2002byAmerican missionaryPastor Mark Priemandhis Ukrainian wife Lydia.In order to practice her TESOL skills, shetaughtEnglishat the churchevery Saturdayfor three hours.Caeley admittedthat she had to take time to adapt to the new experience, butshewas gratefulfor thereal-world skillsshe gained. “The understanding that I had of TESOL before I left was really structured,” she said. “When I got there, I realized I had to be a lot more flexible. Unlike in the US, I needed to learn how to adapt, because thePowerPointdidn’t always work, and I wasn’t always able to print things out.”
Caeleyalsorecalled hersurpriseather students’ excitementto learn English. She taught three classes, eacha different level ofdifficulty, and she had the same students inallof them.Even though each person was learning English for a different reason, whetherto watch their favorite movieor in preparationfor admittance intoa university,shestill found purpose in helping them advance their knowledge of the language.
In eastern Ukraine, the population speaks mainly Russian, and Caeley found that a significant language barrier separated her from her students. Still, she didn’t let it stop her from teaching. “It’s possible to teach English without knowing the language,” she said. “You use simplified language or pictures, or you conduct some homework on your part to find the Russian word for something and check with the students that it’s correct.”
Different Culture, Same God
Though Caeley spent timeimprovingher English-teaching skills, she also helped extensivelywith other ministries at Lighthouse Baptist Church. Shehad the privilegeofconversing withbabushkas, orelderlymembers of the church.She helped with VBS, conducting games and lessons, and making crafts with the children.Shealsotraveled allaround eastern Ukraine with Josiah, Jeremy, and other members ofLighthouse BaptistChurch, passing out tracts in every city theyvisited. During their travels, Caeley learned more about Ukrainian culture. Sheexperienced first-handthat peopleoftensqueezed into trains and trolleys with little regard to personal space, andshe quickly developed a habit of looking out for trams, whose tracks ran right next to city sidewalks.
In addition, Caeley also connected with missionaries from around the world. Her team passed out Christian literature to missionaries in Kiev, a city in eastern Ukraine. She met a Nigerian missionary and prospective missionaries to Ukraine. Perhaps the most influential missionary Caeley worked with was Sara Sager, an American missionary to Russia who had moved to Odessa. “She was a great person to learn how to deal with people,” Caeley said. “She’s good at adapting in classroom situations.” Sara also taught Caeley about Ukrainian customs and practices that helped her adapt to her new environment.
Even as Caeley grew accustomed to Ukrainian culture, another aspect of her trip that surprised her was her busyschedule. “We’d be doing translations on Tuesdays and running around every other day of the week,” she commented. The days were long, and sometimes Caeley wouldn’t get back until eleven o’clock at night, only to get up early the next morningto facethe same routine.Therigorous schedule helped Caeley realize how important—as well as how busy—a missionary’slifecan bein the midstof anactiveministry. “There are a lot of moving pieces,” Caeley said. “Pastor Priem definitely made sacrifices.”
Through her busy schedule and her new relationships,Caeley learned thatno language or cultural barrierultimatelykept her frompraising Godwith her friends and co-workers.Onespecific instanceCaeley recalledhappened one eveningwhenabout twenty members of hernew church family and friendssqueezed inside one of thedeacons’apartments.Someone started to play the piano, and theybeganto sing hymns. “We were singing in both English and Russian, so it was really encouraging to see that even though we spoke different languages, we were still worshiping the same God,” Caeley said.
Long after she hadflown home from Ukraine, Caeleyhas stillrememberedthese moments with joy, and theyhavegreatly influencedwhat shenowknows as God’s calling for her life.After she graduates from ԭ,sheplans to find a job teaching English as a second language,eitherin the United States or overseas. “After this trip, I realized TESOL isn’t really something I can live without anymore,” she said. “I don’t think it’s just going to be a career, but an opportunity God has given me to minister.”