Ethan

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United States
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Travel information

I am currently

Travelling

My next destination:
Poland - from Aug 2025 until Jul 2026
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Description

Hello! My name is Ethan, 24 y.o. and I am an English teacher. While I grew up in Ohio in the U.S., I’ve spent most of the past 5 years living, studying, and now working in Poland.

In the early stages of my career, I’ve wanted to look at non-traditional paths away from the typical “rat race” found in my country. Leveraging my international experience and enjoyment of tutoring, I obtained a CELTA certificate and have been teaching English for close to a year now. I greatly enjoy teaching, especially when students have a chance to get hands-on and actively learn.

I’m a curious person who likes to make new connections, and I place a high value on kindness and respect. My way of being is quite spontaneous, and I like jumping at new opportunities. This has been at the heart of my interest in improving my language skills, as the better I speak them, the more opportunities that open up. I really enjoy intercultural exchange after all!

In my free time, I enjoy taking walks and reading. Having graduated with a degree in international relations, it is arguably my pet subject. In the longer term, I would love to pick up piano and continue to improve my language skills.
Interests

Animals

Nature

Sustainability

Pets

Music

Hiking

Writing

Events & social

Books

Self development

Languages

Charity work

Politics / Social justice

History

Culture

Cooking & food

Astronomy
Languages

Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Polish: Intermediate
Spanish: Beginner

More details about my language interests
I am looking to continue improving Polish and Spanish. My Polish is intermediate (B1+) and my Spanish is A2. I am happy to help anyone in English!

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Skills and knowledge I'd like to share or learn

I'm interested in:

Creative DIY projects

Light gardening

Light maintenance

Some knowledge of:

Charity Work

Languages

Teaching

Being an elderly companion

Animal Care

Creating/ Cooking family meals

Helping around the house

Hospitality/Tourism

Helping with Computers/ Internet
More details about your skills

I have experience teaching both children (7-16) and adults. My priority is to give students the space to use English in an interactive and natural manner, without an intense focus on being “pristine,” in some sense. I like using a variety of activities, from role-plays and games, to coloring and more traditional worksheets. It is especially important to build a bond with a student so you can understand their learning process and needs. It’s often what bridges the gap between a good lesson and a great lesson.   

Aside from my teaching skills, I have a great attention to detail and take initiative. My level of intercultural flexibility is high considering I’ve lived with multiple host families and roommates in a foreign country over the course of 4-5 years. Active listening and patience are two skills I’ve developed over that time too. Other than that, just keeping a generally buoyant attitude and always searching for solutions has helped me in many situations that were otherwise dreary, and while it may not be a traditional skill, I think it counts that I try my best never to be a grump! :)
Age

24
Some more information
- Smoker
- Driver's licence
- Allergies
  no
- Special dietary requirements
  no

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Feedback

4 Jul 2026

Left by host (Help with teaching at our ...) for Workawayer ()

After spending ten wonderful months with us at EA-edu as an English teacher, I can wholeheartedly recommend Ethan to any future host or employer.
From day one, Ethan brought fantastic energy to both our school and our team. He is hardworking, reliable, detail-oriented, and always open to constructive feedback. Although teaching often looks easy … read more

(Excellent )

3 Jul 2026

Left by Workawayer () for host (Help with teaching at our ...)

The 2025-2026 academic year I spent in Dobrzyca was a transformational experience for me. Being here was simultaneously a job interacting with people of all ages and a deep cultural immersion in a rural Polish town, one that required adaption and discipline on my end. Marta, her family, and various colleagues provided me with both a significant … read more degree of support and a high degree of autonomy as I became more comfortable, which I greatly appreciated. And that autonomy was in every phase of life - adjusting to the lessons I was teaching, the personal shift to such a new environment, creating relationships from scratch - which required managing challenges and growth in various areas at the same time. Marta has a deft touch to handling troubling situations, which was vital. Some things were tough at first, but I overcame these struggles and I am a stronger person now as a result

One of the most striking features of coming to rural Poland is how strong a flavor it is. Life here is slower, calmer, and in general, less intense then you might find a city. Though I know Poland well from having studied in Krakow, this was a new experience. It meant being proactive in making friends, finding activities to fill my days, and really making the most of a situation where I could focus on myself. Combined with this was a fairly light approach from Marta. Of course there were professional expectations, but without additional familial or social obligations, I had a lot of time to think about myself and initially it was a overwhelming, but as I grew into my role and found creative outlets, it ended up being incredibly positive. It is something I think anyone could benefit from in being here.

Marta is a fiercely loyal person. She will put faith in you and support you however possible. In practice, that means more than simply the kind of support you might expect on a professional level, like teaching support, logistics, etc. It means defending you when mistakes are made or support when cultural adjustment is hard. She can meet you where you are and that is important. That combination of loyalty, patience, and interpersonal flexibility is rare, and it was essential to my success and that of previous natives. This extends to Marta’s family. Marcin (her husband) was very welcoming and supportive, and she has two bright children. Nina is very respectful and smart while Kacper is feisty and always excited. It may be a big adjustment coming here, but I never felt without aid or recourse.

Another unique aspect of having been here is the job itself. I really appreciated the great diversity of people that I interacted with and their varied personalities. It was unique in the sense that I didn't have to follow a strict guidebook or ruleset during lessons. It was unstructured and spontaneous, which is incredibly fun and really a great way to learn. From time to time, I taught more formal lessons, but the norm was definitely more conversational and interactive. The students themselves were wonderful, ranging from young children to older adults, and I truly enjoyed teaching all of them. It is a very deep cultural immersion to talk with people from a different culture essentially every day for a year. If you invest in these lessons and in the students, they’ll reciprocate and you’ll learn so much about yourself on the way.

As for life outside of work, it's quite comfortable. The work week is Monday to Thursday, meaning three day weekends. The apartment is very modern and well equipped. English isn’t widely spoken here, but the people who you interact with everyday do speak English, typically better than they’ll admit. Marta offered me a variety of opportunities throughout the year to chaperone trips or engage in the community. The point is that you're set up with a very good baseline and you will get as much as you put into this.

The most positive thing I can say about being here is that it allowed me to right the ship. I was a bit unmoored beforehand, but the calm, steady routine of being here gave me the time and space to think about next steps. The fact I could actually see myself growing every few months, including towards the end with building on things I had already improved upon, was just sensational. I highly recommend coming to Dobrzyca for anyone searching for a genuine experience, a cultural immersion with a uniquely high level of support. It certainly did me wonders, and so positive in fact, that I decided to stay in Poland to get my masters degree, if that tells you anything.

Thank you to Marta, her wonderful family, my colleagues, and students for a wonderful year. It was incredibly fruitful for me and I hope I was able to make an impact during my academic year in the village.

(Excellent )