Meet Cassia Preston | Language Enthusiast

We had the good fortune of connecting with Cassia Preston and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Cassia, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
It’s extremely important to consider the balance between work and life. For some people, work is a means to their life, while others find work to be their life. I often considered these perspectives and wondered which seemed like the best fit for me. I found that it’s unnecessary to choose. There is a season for everything. Like a farmer who plants and sows during one season and harvests the next, I find there are times when more hard work is required and moments that are clearly just meant to be enjoyed and uninterrupted by other distractions.

It took me a long time to realize this. Frequently, society can present the idea that if we’re not productive we’re useless, but it’s far from the truth. People weren’t made for work, but work was made for people. At the end of the day, we must distinguish how our work fits into our lives and is it functional for us. For me, that means keeping an organized calendar so that I set realistic expectations for myself throughout the week, visualize periods of rest, and make decisions to accept or decline new work if it infringes on how I balance my time.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Being an English as a Second Language teacher, I’m able to engage, learn from, and teach people from all over the globe at any time of the day. This opportunity came to me at such a surprising time! At the time, I was working as a baker in an awesome donut bakery in Atlanta, Georgia in 2018. I nearly never answer unknown numbers (because we all know it’s usually spam!), but this time I felt compelled to answer. It was a recruiter in Beijing hoping for me to join their team of instructors remotely. What a blessing it was because I often struggled with illness and if I became sick while working outside, it was always a disaster! Having that opportunity presented to me really changed my whole career, broadened my world perspective, and prepared me for the unexpected pandemic we’re facing.

It was a huge risk to quit my current job and try something I had little experience in. I had so many questions and there was so much unknown to me about education in the East. With the assistance and guidance from various mentors, prayer, and persistence, I’m still in this industry continuously growing and obtaining students of my own from nearly every continent. I encourage everyone to take risks, large and small, to experiment with something new and just do your best. You’ll never know what treasure you’ll find.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
We would have to begin the day with brunch at Egg Harbor Cafe, only the best breakfast cafe in Atlanta. Atlanta has a huge art scene so every step to a destination is like walking through an outdoor museum. The majority of the city is connected by the belt line, a huge walking and riding path which features many accounts of history creatively displayed for a good stroll. We’ll take the belt line from the north district to the east side where there are a lot of unique boutiques, shops, and live music shows as well as rare coffee gems. Eventually, we’ll come across the Georgia Aquarium, one of the largest aquariums in the world and a must-see. It’s super important to be connected to nature in whatever ways you can. Finding a balance between natural exhibits and creative studio spaces is easy in Atlanta.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I dedicate this shoutout to all the students, parents, mentors, and professionals I’ve encountered, tutored, cried with, laughed with, taught and learned from all around the world. While the pandemic may have taken most education out of the traditional classroom, but with God all things are possible so learning never stops! I am so grateful for the smiling faces I see via the internet, eager to learn English, teach Korean, Chinese, and so on. It’s been an absolute encouragement in life to know so many authentic souls.

Website: http://go.italki.com/kaai

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cassia-preston-8a466a153/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCADEZylXZTh6_H_rRIVazzg

Other: https://t.mmears.com/v2/?referralCode=T484581

Image Credits
Teacher Sori, Teacher Arix