Dear Readers,

How do you feel about moving to a new country? My guess is that as a TEFL-er, you’re probably quite accustomed to moving from city to city or country to country. While packing might not be something we all look forward to, it’s probably not something that we dread as much as non-TEFL-ers. But what do you do with all of your belongings when you have to move to another country? Do you pack it all up and ship it to your new destination?

Do you…

… give it away to friends and family? Do you have a yard sale? Do you throw it in the dump?

The simple fact of the matter is that it is sometimes cheaper to get rid of your things and start again in your new country than to pack it all up and ship it there. However, for those of you tempted to throw it in the dump, I recommend that for the sake of our environment, you think of another option: freecycle.

Freecyel is a grassroots nonprofit organization made up of people who “are giving and getting stuff for free in their own towns”. The goal is to reduce the amount of garbage being dumped into landfills and to encourage the participation in the 2nd of the three R’s (reduce, REUSE, recycle). Not only is this an easy way to get rid of your belongings, but it’s also a way to set up a new home in a new country without buying completely new items.

For more information about freecycle, go to: http://www.freecycle.org/

Have you used freecycle? What have been your experiences with it?

Until next time…

Carol Rueckert
Writer, ESL Lesson Plan
E-mail: crueckert@eslemployment.com
Blog: www.esl-lesson-plan.com

“I hear, and I forget. I see, and I remember. I do, and I understand.” - Chinese Proverb

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