Monday, January 19, 2015

Recap: Teaching Vacation in Jamaica!

Close your eyes, and picture the bluest, clearest water you can imagine. Palm trees. Daiquiris.

Yep, this is where I was!
Now, picture yourself there for a week. A week! The best part? You're there doing what you love - teaching Zumba!



You've already read about how I found this opportunity and how I prepared, but I wanted to be sure to report back on how it went. Good news - I had a great trip! I would recommend a teaching vacation to anyone, as long as you know what to expect:
  • Many resorts have you teach at the pool or in another public place. I only had 3-8 participants in any given class, but there were a LOT of people watching. Some of them had had many drinks by the time my class started... so you're kind of putting on a show.
  • When you teach outside, it's HOT HOT HOT (are you feelin'...). I hydrated every morning before my class and drank a ton of water while teaching. After the first class I learned my lesson about sunscreen - only wear a sweatproof kind on your face when you're teaching, or else. #burningeyes
  • You'll be treated like staff by some of the other guests. This was totally fine by me, but it also means you should get to class early, walk around and encourage people to participate, and be able to answer questions. I loved getting to know the staff at the resort where I taught, so that was an extra bonus.
I can't say enough about this experience. I taught at Secrets St. James in Montego Bay, Jamaica. The property was BEAUTIFUL (seriously, five star quality!) and I highly recommend it. But, I'm sure the other resorts are also amazing so I would encourage anyone who's interested to find a placement based on your interests (kids vs. adults-only, location, regular Zumba vs. Aqua Zumba, etc.).

As you'll remember from my first post, I went through Fit Pro Travel and paid a few fees (about $700 total) and taught one 45 minute class Monday through Friday. In return, my husband and I stayed at the resort for 7 nights and enjoyed full all inclusive amenities. It was a great deal.

If you would like to book your own trip, you can visit this website. Just leave a comment if you have any questions!


P.S. Congrats to Christa J., who won last week's giveaway!!

5 comments:

  1. i recently filled out an application for FITPRO !!!!

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  2. Hi Andrea,

    I am so glad I came across this post! This is such a great idea in taking my Zumba Career into the next level. You mentioned everything came up to 700 dollars is that with or without flights?

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    1. Sorry, the question was directed at Jennifer.

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  3. Hi there! It came to $700 without flights. You book your own flights separately. I was able to use JetBlue points!

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    1. Hey, it's me again! Do you know where can I find information regarding teaching Zumba on cruise lines? Thanks!

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