| Q |
Andy my man, ten years
in Thailand eh? I recently wrote a piece for the site on how I felt things
had changed in the Thailand TEFL game over the past decade. Do you think in
general that things have got better or worse? |
| A |
I don't think much has changed really. The pay is still
low and the teachers are probably the same bunch I was working with ten
years ago. Teachers keep saying how things have really changed but they are
not talking about the teaching, they are referring to the Thais and the
nightlife. The only real change I can see is the chance to get a job in a
proper school with regular hours is so much easier now; but you'll get the
same pay as I got 10 years ago! over the last 2 years or so it has also
become easier to train for a TEFL certificate. When I first arrived there
were few options to do this. |
| Q |
You’ve done three
years in Taiwan. In what ways is Taiwan a MORE attractive proposition than
Thailand for a newbie teacher? |
| A |
Here there is a very clear advantage to the newbie
working in Taiwan. Any idiot with half a brain and no teaching experience
can start in a job teaching kids and make loads of money. "Lack of
experience" is in great demand in Taiwan and the less you have, the more
they like you. The basic salary is about 65,000Baht for an "airhead" and
this is the minimum. If newbies want to teach kids, Taiwan is a paradise.
Experienced teachers are not in demand and it is very difficult to find
anything that requires any real teaching skills. |
| Q |
OK, back to Thailand. What about the
best and worst teaching gigs you ever had? |
| A |
The worst gig is difficult because there were so many!
Siam computer is probably the worst, but my best mates in Thailand came from
the time at Siam computer. After 8 years these guys are still good friends.
They should change their job adverts to "Come to Siam and make friends". The
teachers must group together or starve at the end of the month! The best gig
was a my last one and it was a top Government University. This is similar to
being on the dole in England 'cause you have to show your face once in a
while and you get the same amount of money. The people (foreigners) I worked
with were great and we had fun despite the Thais trying to ruin it as much
as they could. |
| Q |
Do you feel that ten years was too
long? Do you wish you had moved on earlier? |
| A |
I never thought of moving until the end. I was getting
more frustrated by the minute and something snapped. I had to go or I would
have done some serious damage to someone. It could have been a motorbike
taxi driver or a food vendor for overcharging me by 5 Baht. I was getting
more and more stressed by the minute. Another thing I remember is that I
didn't have the money to even think of moving before the 10th year, but I
don't regret my time in Thailand. |
| Q |
How many broken-hearted women were left
behind? |
| A |
I am happy to forget the lot. I looked for 7 years
before I found a half decent one, got married and had a son. I have, as
expected, split up, but I am still on speaking terms with the "Thing". My
son is great and I suppose after 10 years I was eventually going to get
something right with the Thai girls. My son is half-human, half-Thai and
I'll have all summer to beat the Thai-ness out of him |
| Q |
Ever fancied teaching in Japan? |
| A |
I was going to go there. I got a visa and then I
changed the destination to Taiwan. I am glad I did. There is too much
pressure in Japan and it's far too expensive from what I've heard. |
| Q |
What used to infuriate you the most
about teaching Thais? |
| A |
When I think back, I only had a few problems in the
early years and this was usually the odd snobby student who thinks they are
high level because they are a manager. They refuse to accept that they are
crap at English and insist on an advanced text. Students who want
entertainment are also top of my list. I tell them if they want
entertainment there is a cinema around the corner. |
| Q |
Was there an occasion when you
absolutely ‘lost it’ in a classroom? |
| A |
Never! I was a paid employee and I didn't care enough
to blow up and I was determined not to let the students stress me out. I got
more angry at the management decisions around me which took incompetence to
a new level. |
| Q |
Do you keep in touch with many of your
old Thailand teaching colleagues? |
| A |
I always try to keep in touch with my friends in
Playland. They managed to succeed in Thailand and save, whilst working as
teachers and I am in Taiwan to try and catch up to them financially. My best
friends in Taiwan are all ex Bangkok teachers as well. |
| Q |
Are you still a
regular visitor to ajarn.com? Come on, you must surf the jobs board if only
for a bit of amusement? |
| A |
Yes I look at the Thai job adverts. I am still looking
for a job that pays 60,000Baht / month and does not want me to dance around
a pole in my underwear. But a job teaching Thai supermodels for 20,000Baht /
month would also tempt me back! |
| Q |
If a student asks “how
long will it take me to become a fluent English speaker Mr Andrew?” – what’s
your usual answer? (I just hate that question) |
| A |
I hate this question too. I just tell them that after
their 10 Hour course they will be fluent or they should marry a foreigner.
Stupid student questions deserve stupid teacher answers. |
| Q |
Thai food sucks!
Discuss. |
| A |
Thai food is fantastic but it's a bit like the women;
tastes good at first and then makes you sick later. Seriously though I
should apologise to all the good women in Thailand!
I must admit the food is great and I love to eat it here in Taiwan, but I
don't like the price tag. |
| Q |
How did you find
working alongside Thai teachers? |
| A |
Generally hated it at first but when you adjust to
their tactics it can be great fun. Say yes to everything and do nothing was
a good tactic. They couldn't pick up on the sarcastic insults like "Oh it's
so good the way you teach English entirely in Thai." The secret to survival
was to keep a low profile and I could go really low. Not being around is
another favored tactic. |
| Q |
What’s your favorite
age group to teach? |
| A |
College level or above. I currently
teach in an all girls Senior Vocational College so I am fine here for now.
Higher level students make it easier to teach with group-work and pair-work
so this is the level I prefer. My students here are similar to the RaJarbats
in Thailand but they work hard and haven't had their brains kicked in. |
| Q |
Any plans to come back
and give Thailand another ten years of your time? |
| A |
I can certainly see myself back there
and I would consider semi retiring in Thailand. I would also love to give
the Thai beaches 10 more years of my time. If this place gets bombed
(Taiwan) I'll be back doing my thing. |
| |
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