Hi all. This is just a 'be aware and take care' story. The week before last I was offered a job with a teacher agency and invited to start immediately. But as I was already working for another school so the best I could do was give the agency a week’s notice and I eventually left my old school last Friday - car loaded with essentials for my new apartment and a relative installed to take care of it.

Five minutes before setting off for my first day at the new job, I got a telephone call from the agency saying that the position, for whatever reason, was no longer on offer. So now here I am - stuck in the village with no job, no income and feeling very distressed. And it is, of course Christmas week!

My better half is in a state of deep depression and it is all my responsibility and, indeed my fault. I should have got a contract from the agency before handing in my notice at my previous school……..but I didn't. If anything similar happens to you, quell the enthusiasm and think first. I certainly wish I had. Any jobs out there?!!

Dennis Faulkner

Hi fellow ajarn followers. I moved to Thailand in October 2007. I had "tested the water", so to speak, by spending 2x3-month vacations here. I remember my first six months in Thailand very well and indeed will never forget them.

The first six months is spent re-adjusting. Thai culture, lifestyle, climate, food and working environment are alien to most. Some days I found myself getting annoyed and frustrated at the smallest issues. I spoke about this to a friend. I was quickly reminded of life back home - the pressures, weather, cost of living, attitude, food and climate.

It has been said that the first year in Thailand is make or break for most. I agree. When you come to Thailand, ask yourself the question why am I doing this? You must have genuine reasons.

So many people come to Thailand with the wrong attitude. Thais are never going to change for you; it is you who must make the adjustments. Coming here playing the big ‘I AM’ is going to cause you nothing but misery. Coming here bringing an ‘I am going to modernize the Thais’ attitude will also cause you nothing but pain. There are many more observations but I think these are the main two attitudes that cause so much frustration amongst fellow teachers.

You need an open mind and allow yourself to accept Thailand 100%, faults and all. Then you can achieve a level of happiness that you yearn for, that you felt on those previous visits. Letting go of your western values is the key to success here.

Having spent nearly three years in Thailand, I decided to try my luck in China. The boom in the TEFL industry is most apparent there. You are head-hunted. The selection of jobs, pay, conditions, contracts, free flights and housing is incredible and it is you who is in demand. This is not arrogance but an absolute fact.

I have now worked in China for 18 months. It has been a rewarding experience. I left Thailand not because I was unhappy but to widen my experience and knowledge. The experience in Thailand helped me adjust very quickly to life in China.

However, I have missed Thailand with a passion. This does not take anything away from my experience in China. Both experiences have enhanced and endeared me to life in this part of Asia.

Is the grass greener on the other side? If you have the desire to change, adapt, accept and learn then you can achieve a level of happiness I never had in my home country.

Christian Brookes

In response to Hippolyte (Foreigners have to take care of themselves’ Postbox 29th November) No one is asking for a hand out or a free ride, but just fair play. I bet you that during the floods the Thai teaching staff still got paid. Yes, that’s right, double standards! For the record any Thai citizen can pay into the social security fund, and not just the civil servants. I have Thai friends who are farmers and factory workers and they pay into it. Hippolyte, you really need to do your research first. One more point - you wrote about the exploitation of Burmese workers. Well who are exploiting them, the foreigners or the Thais? Yes, you got it, the Thais are. Have you ever had a conversation with one of the Burmese workers? No, of course you haven’t. Guess what? I have and they feel a damn sight safer here and they have money to buy food and to support their families.

Keith

Being a former teacher in China on their way to Bangkok any day now, I think it is important to shed some light on this topic. China has just as many problems if not more than Thailand.

Do most schools care about their foreign teachers? No! Can you get work without a degree? Yes! Will you get deported if caught? Yes! Can you return afterwards? No! Do you get free accommodation? Sometimes! Are you respected? Rarely! Can you work legally over 60? No!. If there is a natural disaster like a flood in China will you paid? No! Is your teaching contract enforceable by you? No! Are the students any better? No, the same. Are the girls more beautiful? No! At the end of the day where you decide to live and work is your choice. As foreigners living in another country these are the challenges we must face. I was in the same position as many of you here in Thailand while I was working in China.

I learned a valuable lesson. While working in another country it is our choice to make a positive experience out of our time there. A few suggestions to my fellow ferangs. If you think the salary is too low, don't accept the job! Save money just like you should do in your own country. Why should you be any different because you are living in Asia? Try to adjust to that countries ideals and culture.

I tried to fight the Chinese government on many things and it was like running into a brick wall every time. I expect it is the same here in Thailand. I hate to say it but at the end of the day when working in a foreign country you must be a follower and not a leader. I a convinced of this, which is why I am going to give it a second shot here in Thailand. I learned from my past mistakes and plan to use the information I learned to make my new life in Bangkok as much of a rewarding experience as possible. It is what we make of our time teaching here. Good luck to you all who have decided to work in China. Please remember that famous proverb. The grass is always greener on the other side. Cheers!

Anthony

I have been reading with interest the tennis match of letters that seem to be flying around. I by no means wish to ruffle feathers but will purely speak from my own point of view. I too have just gone from Sept 30th - Nov 27th without pay because I currently work for an agency and work for them in a private school, semester to semester. I read with curiosity about those that were not managing on their wage or weren't able to save anything.

My basic salary is 33,000 baht per calendar month and out of that I pay for my accommodation - a modest 4500 baht for a nice newly refurbished air conditioned room (40 sqm) with all the trimmings bed wardrobe work unit tv unit. I have a nice TV fridge, microwave and mini cooker. It costs me less than 8000baht to live a good life and that allows for eating out at weekends.

I suspect that the majority of the problems for those that cannot manage is that they like to really live (party) and I would expect that they get through a fair amount of baht doing that, or they have a larger accommodation bill than me. Life really is what you make it.

I said that I had gone through from Sept 30 - Nov 27 without pay and so I have, However I have embraced the school where I work and I try my best to embrace the culture and actively take part where ever possible in school activities even if they are not directly part of the English programme. To that end I have been embraced by the Thai teachers, the children and the parents, but also the director and his son who run the school. I feel sorry for those in a position where they are just a farang teacher doing his job and probably that is the extent of what they do. Maybe their bosses are really rich and mean I don't know. From my point of view, the Thais are caring and do show concern. In my case I had a back-up fund which coped with the long holiday but I also had two fantastic bosses who despite not having a contract or any obligation to pay when I was not at school, were aware of the extreme circumstances and I was given a generous gift of 20,000 baht from their pockets not the school.

I have been really lucky. I have found a great school with great kids, great teachers and great bosses. I have found great rooms and don't pay the earth for them. I have found private work which boosts my monthly wage to over 53,000 for a few hours extra a week after school and with that I finish well before 7pm on three nights and I do nothing school related between 3.30pm Friday until 7.30am Monday.

Life is what you make it here. If you need to party and live a lavish life style then you need a big wage. I think you can live very well on 30,000 a month and you don't need to splash out on western food. It really is not that expensive if you shop sensibly. If you need to buy beers every day, then its going to cost.
Make the most of it here and if you're not happy then move on. In my experience I have no problems with work or Thai people. Be happy.

Jonathan

I think James has hit a sore spot with many readers here. These whiners and crybabies can't or won't save any of their (meager) salary and expect to be taken care of as if they were in their home country (usually a welfare state that is now on the verge of bankruptcy).James is right though; foreigners in Thailand have to learn to plan and take care of themselves. Just one thing said here that I don't agree with: do readers here really think Thais 'are taken care of' by their social welfare system? Maybe the civil servants, but definitely not the millions of factory workers and farmers (and don't even get me started about the exploitation of foreign laborers such as the Burmese). These poor devils have the worst of both worlds and can't even complain about it. Foreigners in Thailand should save for a rainy day - or a flood in this case.

Hippolyte

OK, I realize my comments aren’t attracting too many favourable comments, so let’s be a little more positive and pragmatic. We’re all here in Asia and all experiencing different problems. Personally I enjoyed living in Thailand but hated the work. Yes, we were/are abused and taken advantage of, but at the end of the day we all chose to come here and we can all choose to leave.

I will definitely go back to Thailand, my home and family are there, but having said that, I doubt if I will work there again so that’s something we have in common. The reason I won’t is exactly for the same reasons many have stated. I’m not rich, I simply saw what would happen if I lived the good life and through injury, illness or ‘Acts of God’ the same thing happened to me as is happening to some of you guys now. I made provisions for myself against that happening and now simply query why I did and some of you didn’t.

I got out and have previously stated that I’d recommend others do the same if they’re unhappy with the way things are going. Thailand is not the only country in Asia and the path that they’re following is their decision and we don’t have to be a part of it.

You will always read negative and subjective reports about anywhere and especially Thailand. I’ve only been in China a short while, but from what I have seen I’m staying. Perhaps it does boil down to a question of attitude and perception; what we expect against what life is really like. There isn’t any point going on about Thai bosses, corruption and contracts. My point is that people move on and take responsibility for themselves. Perhaps again we’re too used to our own culture in which we seek to find blame in others for our own failings and ‘demand’ that we all be treated equally. I read between the lines and find a sort of ‘shock’ or incredulous approach to Thailand and again my point is that we accept it and learn to look after ourselves. I could go on the ajarn forum and find the same numpties bawling, swearing and abusing each other; the same sort of people who I would expect to be hostile to Thailand, but who it wouldn’t occur to, to leave. Try China as a last resort, but be aware that life here is even more controlled than Thailand and here you do really have to stand on your own two feet. I wish you all the best.

James

In response to James' two letters on the 25th November, I really could not believe what I read. I had to take 24 hours just too cool down. Are we working in Stalin's Gulags? Is the job of a teacher worse than a soldier in the front line? Soldiers get paid at the end of the month! And according to you teachers should not get paid? I do agree that it is not ideal to come to work in Thailand without much savings, nor should one not try to save for a rainy day. However, two months without pay is around 60-70,000 baht in saved money that needs to be used (rent, relocation - to escape the floods, food etc.).

In Thailand there are teachers with family and those who get paid 15,000 baht a month (who have to spend most of the salary to survive - without even entertaining themselves). 60-70,000 baht, used from what might have taken a year or two to save, just to go back to a school that has already received the government funding (for government schools), and all fees for the allotted foreign teachers, and is not paying the teacher? Where did that money go? And they were laughing too?

Using your same logic that the teacher is to blame, I state it is the school to blame (for private schools)! Surely the rich boss should have saved up money to survive this “rainy day”? That rich boss made a ton of money off the foreign teachers before. At the end of the day, the fat cat hopes to make more from the sweat of the foreign teacher in the future too – so, keeping the workers fed and alive might just ensure they are there to contribute towards the boss’s new Mercedes.

As for Thailand not being a socialist EU style state that takes care of people, if you are legal, you pay 750 Baht a month in social insurance – yes, the foreigners pay it too (and can claim on it) so if you pay it then you are entitled to it. There are also labour laws. However, for those that are happy to accept slavery, and your contract does sound a bit like that, then be happy as a slave – your posts indicate that you are!

Mr Grumpy

In response to James (The demise of our socialist dreams, Postbox 25th November) the fact of the matter is that the wages the teachers are being paid (i.e. teachers that look for jobs on ajarn) are barely enough to survive on. And please spare us the “you can live in a 5k a month room” speech. Foreigners who are serious about living and teaching in Thailand are not interested in living like Thais. We don’t want to live on thirty baht meals and we are not interested in drinking Chang all night on the porch with 18-25 year old Thai guys. Is it so bad we want a Krispy Kreme from Siam Paragon from time to time or want to purchase a nice shirt to wear to work that costs 1000 baht?

We all know that 30-40k is barely enough to live in Bangkok where the overwhelming majority of teaching jobs are located. So when you speak of saving your money and standing on your own two feet you should reference what working poor means in the West. It means people have jobs and still cannot eat, pay their rent and their utilities. This is commonplace in the UK and the US.

Compound that with living in a society that tolerates you rather than invites you and it makes things very difficult. Your ultra conservative attitude toward the plight of other foreigners here that have suffered as a result of the flooding is exactly the type of attitude that has led to millions protesting and camping out in capital cities all over the Western world.

Those people protesting are not asking for your socialist utopia as you describe it. Rather they just want jobs and to be treated fairly. That’s all the foreign teachers in Thailand are asking. All the teachers know that the Thai teachers are getting assistance and the agencies are still going to get their money. And we as foreign teachers don’t have Uncle Bob or Aunt Sarah to live with and feed us because our place is flooded. We have no place to go.

Just because Thais decide that they do not want to have a socialist agenda (your assessment James) does not mean we as Westerners living in the Wild, Wild West that is Thailand, have to do the same amongst ourselves. And what does a socialist agenda mean really in our respective Western countries? It means the governments we put in power and pay exorbitant taxes to will serve and help us in our time of need.

Foreigners here in Thailand have only one support system - ourselves. Your “I am better than the other foreigners because I have money” attitude is a facade. You are not better than any of us. Thais do not care about you and every foreigner living here knows this. And in your time of peril and despair you, like other foreigners, will seek out the help of your embassy. By the way, these embassies who will assist you are the same nations where socialist agendas make it so that if you are in trouble and in need in a foreign land they will assist you.

And is your statement that Thais do not have a socialist safety net true? Your statement is the furthest thing from the truth. All day long you can watch television and a large percentage of what they show is the Thai government out helping Thais whether it is now or five years ago!

God forbid you will be unable to pay your rent and eat because of no fault of your own. It would serve you right if instead of someone helping you they would show you the extreme right views you are spouting here on Ajarn.

Vick Mackey

In response to James letter (Food for thought, Postbox 25th November) As far as I'm aware the EU would not 'look after' a citizen of another country, even a citizen of the EU. What is it you do with your 30/40 or 50k baht a month? Well I never got to that stage so I can't comment. Do you think China is any different? Well one would hope so. The infrastructure should be and I'm avoiding Shenzhen as it sits on a river delta, though I can't count for typhoons of course.

Do you think you can come here with 1,000 baht straight off the plane, never have a problem and just live the good life? I sympathize, but if you intend to live from pay day to pay day, (and just concentrate on having a good time in between) then surely the financial position you’re in is yours and not anyone else’s?

Well there is more to this than meets the eye. In my case I was on the dole in London and had I not taken a decision to move, I would have been dead there too. I knew I had a greater chance of work in Asia. My bank of 30 years would not loan me for interim costs e.g. deposit - so I funded myself out of my savings. But then I got hit by a series of events; having to buy on onward ticket for the visa run and forking out two months deposit for a condo - some or all of which I might not get back. As you say we have no rights here. Some of it is my fault but I got put off going to China initially by reading too many 'negative' forum posts.

Don’t you ever think you’re going to get sick, get older or just for any other reason be unemployed in Asia? In other words, have you ever thought beyond your next pay check and what might happen if it doesn’t materialize? Yes James but in my case it is a case of starting from scratch (in China) and hoping that it all works out. Food for thought indeed.

Kelvin