I took a real TESOL course. Big mistake it was. 1600 greenbacks on a piece of paper that doesn't prove squat about my ability to teach. I made the "double screw up" when I got into TEFL. I took a high-price course in a country whose schools don't normally reimburse for airfare.

Looking back now, I know I shouldn't have spent more than about 500 USD on a course. That course would also have to be in a country whose jobs frequently reimburse for the air fare to fly and take the course.

If I couldn't find one, I'd fly to Bangkok and get a fake certificate on Koh Sarn Road on the west side of the city. There are two vendors there almost daily who'd fix me up with a quality fake. Considering the poor students I had my first year, I think maybe this is the way I really should have gone. Forget the real TESOL. A fake is really the only way to go, in my opinion. There are plenty of ESL and TEFL resources out there, such as books, the internet, et. al, that you can use to learn about as much as you will taking a TESOL course.