Maggie helped me find a school which offered a great salary and excellent benefits and supported me throughout the interview process and beyond, answering my many questions.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
Maggie\u2019s goal as an International Adviser is to help secure the best match between schools and teachers, but she is always encouraging teachers to embark on new adventures. And Maggie is certainly no stranger to new experiences and embracing the unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In 1998 Maggie\u2019s bags were packed to head to Eritrea to work with Voluntary Service Overseas, but at the last minute the trip was cancelled when violence broke out over border disputes with Ethiopia. Left in a lurch, a stranger in the VSO office approached Maggie and convinced her to consider Nigeria instead. 20+ years later Maggie is still returning to Nigeria to visit family and friends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Maggie served as a Voluntary Teacher Trainer in a village outside the city of Jos, located in the Plateau State, known as the \u201chome of peace and tourism\u201d. But the culture shock of arriving in rural Nigeria, coming from the small village of Wedmore in the UK, and living off \u00a320 a month, took some adjusting. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Evidently, Maggie took the change in stride and settled in, assuming the daunting task of working in government offices to train teachers using self-made professional development programs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n These formative experiences shaped how Maggie gets to know the candidates she works with. To determine if people will be successful, \u201cit\u2019s important to be upfront with candidates about the good, the bad and the ugly.\u201d Maggie\u2019s excellent track record demonstrates how important candidate relationships are to successful placements.<\/p>\n\n\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n My recruiter Maggie was amazing. She was so positive and gave great feedback. The whole process was super simple and easy to follow. And the end result was fabulous.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n As any VSO volunteer can attest to, the learning curve of steep and unforgiving. But for Maggie the rewards were well worth the challenges. Road trips across Cameroon, ringing in the new millennium on chocolate-brown sand beaches, and travels through Western Africa (Ghana, Togo, Benin), undertaking near-fatal boat rides, remain some of the most vivid memories of Maggie’s time working with VSO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The rich culture, agreeable climate and promise of more adventures lured Maggie back to Nigeria after completing her work with VSO. Maggie joined the International Community School in Abuja, teaching alongside some incredible colleagues. Her extensive experience living a \u201clocal life\u201d in Jos made the transition to an established international school quite easy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n When connecting candidates to schools in places far from their friends and family, Maggie is meticulous in reminding teachers to research their potential new homes. Talking with teachers on the ground in a new country is the surest way for candidates to gain a realistic picture of what to expect from a new school.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In recommending candidates for teaching positions to schools in Nigeria, Maggie highlights that it is an amazing experience, but definitely \u201cfor the adventurous\u201d. One of the primary selling points, Maggie explains to me, is the up-and-coming nature that characterizes Nigeria (along with other schools in Africa). Which leaves enormous room for opportunities for growth for professionals who are willing to take on the unique challenges of working here. <\/p>\n\n\n\n For some, the pace of life in Nigeria can be frustrating. Maggie uses the visa process as an example of this perceived challenge; though everything is eventually sorted out, patience and an open heart go a long way in her experience. Maggie recalls of her time in Abuja that she was always prepared to change plans on a moment\u2019s notice. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The business of recruiting international educators can similarly be unpredictable. Things will go wrong, Maggie says, but by addressing problems head on and finding solutions she builds lasting relationships with teachers who continue returning to Teacher Horizons to secure their next adventures. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Speaking with Maggie, it is obvious why so many of our colleagues here at Teacher Horizons enjoy her vibrant presence. Hearing about her conversations with teachers she works with as an international adviser, it is apparent Maggie develops strong relationships to ensure the school and candidate will blossom as a result of her work to find the perfect match.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Young](\"https:\/\/www.teacherhorizons.com\/advice\/wp-content\/uploads\/Daughter-and-cousins.jpg\")
A new \u201chome of peace and tourism\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\u201cReact with an open heart and open mind\u201d <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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