NOLWAZI MAKHATHINI

Achiever of the week: Nolwazi Makhathini 

Feb 01, 2021 | By Nqobile Mdima

This week’s feature is Nolwazi Makhathini. Nolwazi is from South Africa. She holds a BSc in Computer Science and IT.  She obtained her degree from The University of Kwa-Zulu Natal. Before she moved to China, she worked as a Digital Projects Assistant Manager for a FMCG (Fast Moving Consumer Goods) Company.  Moving abroad was a spontaneous decision which was influenced by her close friend. Nolwazi's close friend was halfway through her process of moving to China to teach English when they joked about sneaking Nolwazi into her suitcase. Then one morning Nolwazi woke up and decided to tag along. She obtained her TEFL certificate from Learntefl.com then made the big move. Nolwazi is teaching English in China, Shanghai city. She has been working and living abroad for one year. Outside of South Africa, She has been to three countries: China, Thailand and Kenya. One of Nolwazi's reasons that motivated her to move to China was to explore South East Asian countries, but travel restrictions due to Covid-19 have limited her to only travel within China. Fortunately China has a lot to offer so she's been using her holidays to explore Chinese cities and islands. 

Nolwazi shares with us her TEFL journey, what she likes and dislikes about TEFL, her travel experiences, travel tips, her expat lifehacks and lastly her future plans. 

What were you doing before teaching English abroad? 

I worked as a Digital Projects Assistant Manager for a FMCG( Fast Moving Consumer Goods) Company. I had joined the company straight after University under their graduate programme. 

Was it your plan to ever become a teacher? 

As a younger student, I had always imagined myself on the other side of the classroom but I never actually thought it was something I would end up doing one day. It turned out to be one of the best decisions I have ever made. 

What motivated you to pursue a TEFL career and why did you choose China?

I was influenced by a close friend of mine. She was halfway through her process of moving to China to teach English when we joked about sneaking me into her suitcase. One morning I woke up and thought well actually, why not. I had already been considering to make a shift from everything that was normal to me and pursue a different career path but I had no idea what that would look like and where to start.  I have always taken a free spirited approach to things, so making a last minute decision to move halfway across the world is the most me thing I have ever done. 

What do you like about TEFL?

It comes very naturally. I’m fortunate enough to be working for a company that teaches more than just English, but uses a CLIL approach (Content and Language Integrated Learning).  I get to be very creative, artistic and have a lot of fun while at it. 

What do you dislike about TEFL?

The most challenging part about living and working in China has been the language barrier. A lot of Chinese people speak English (especially in Shanghai), but also a lot of them don’t. 

Living with the language barrier, learning a bit of Chinese and using the translator app has been the most frustrating part of the journey for me. 

How often do you visit home?

When I moved away from home my initial plan was to visit once a year. However due to the corona virus I haven’t been home at all since I left, which was a year ago.

I had never imagined myself being away from my family for this long, but I’m grateful that I am happy here and found a place away from home that I’m comfortable living in for this long.

How do you take good care of yourself to ensure you stay healthy since you travel often?

I know my body well so I know what works for me and what doesn’t. I have personal dietary requirements that I don’t compromise on. 

I recommend traveling with a few essentials from the pharmacy just incase they might not be accessible to you when you need them while traveling. 

When you travel, do you take solo trips or do you travel with friends/family?

I’ve done both traveling with friends and solo trips. Solo trips are my personal favorite because I’ve always enjoyed my own company. It gives me time for quiet introspection. Solo trips are my idea of self care. 

I enjoy traveling with friends as well because I have a personal photographer 🙂. It also helps to have someone with you in social settings if you feel anxious about being in a new and unfamiliar place on your own. 

How far in advance do you book domestic/ international flights?

To be honest, I’m not much of a planner. I am impulsive and I follow my instinct. The earliest I have ever booked a domestic flight is one month in advance. The latest I have ever booked an international flight was one week in advance. 

Please share your favorite search sites for flights and hotels and also why you love them.

I use the Trip.com and Booking.com apps. 

I like third party sites because they allow you to compare different hotels and flights side by side.

For flights, once I’ve seen the flight I want to book, I sometimes peep that specific airline’s site as well just to see if there are any benefits of booking directly from their site vs on a third party site like Trip.com.

How many countries have you visited so far? Which one is your favourite?

Outside of South Africa, I’ve only been to three countries: China, Thailand and Kenya. 

Kenya has been my favorite so far because I’m yet to see clearer skies or whiter beach sand. 

Africa has so many beautiful gems and there are a lot of countries on the continent that are on my bucket list.

How did covid-19 affect your travel plans?

I would have loved to have seen more of South East Asia. That was one of the reasons that influenced my decision to move here. Travel restrictions have limited me to only traveling within China, fortunately there is plenty to see here too. 

How do you deal with homesickness?

When I start to miss my family I video call them, they always make time for me because they also miss me. But when I start to miss South Africa, the vibes, the venues, the people, I just simply log out 😂 . Social media doesn’t make it any easier for me. 

What advice or tips would you give to someone considering moving abroad?

I highly recommend that anyone moving abroad should get information from multiple sources and people too. Everyone’s experience is not the same and knowing more will help you to feel more confident about your decision.

What are your future plans?

I plan to live more fully in each moment. I want to make the most of my current surroundings and not spend too much time worrying about where to next or what is next. I want to do more of everything that I have already been doing, learning, traveling and unlearning - but this time I want to do it more mindfully. 

Oh and maybe taking some Chinese classes would be a good idea.