Q1. Where did you move to and when?

Moved home to Naperville...a suburb of Chicago, IL in October, 2016.

Q2. How long did you work in Thailand?

8 years total. My original plan was for around 2 years!

Q3. What was your main reason for moving?

Salary. There are lots of reasons, and as much as I have to listen to people proclaim "it's not about the money" the truth is that its always about the money. I want to work hard and be compensated fairly. That doesn't happen in Thailand. I don't want to live paycheck-to-paycheck, and even the teachers that save 5-10k baht a month (I saved around 8k a month on average)...that's not much in the grand scheme of things.

Q4. What are the advantages of working where you are now compared to Thailand?

Too many to name. Thailand is great. Honestly, it's just one big, long extended holiday. Great for visiting, but so many pitfalls if you want to try and live/work here. I am just frustrated and disappointed in myself that I stayed probably around 5 years too long. I didn't realize how big of a mistake it was, and how disconnected from reality I was until I returned to the USA.

It's a shame so many foreigners speak badly about their home countries....I never fell into this camp, but was always taken aback at the anger and frustration people talked about. Mostly, it was about being a "corporate slave" and never having any holiday time. The reality is that I work less hours for more money, and have more holiday time (4 weeks total + holidays all paid) that I never had in Thailand. Also, salary is more than triple what I was making before. My conclusion is that a lot of teachers working in Thailand have rejection or social issues back home. They know that Thailand won't judge them.

Q5. What do you miss about life in Thailand?

Exploring. Checking out cool hikes and trails in the North, and eating seafood in the South.

Meeting new, interesting people that were not constantly blowing their paychecks at lame nightclubs, girls, and alcohol. I worked with several teachers that would consistently stop at 7-11 near the office after work and grab a few big Leos to bring home on a regular basis....in the early afternoon!

Q6. Would you advise a new teacher to seek work in Thailand or where you are now?

Tough question. If you are young (under 30 for sure, preferably under 25) and feel that you can commit yourself to 1-2 years max, then go for it. If you have a support system, and job security back home at the end of your little adventure, then why not? I had a lot of good experiences in Thailand. It just takes courage and commitment to return home, and have a realistic plan.

Q7. Any plans to return to Thailand one day?

Not really. The world is too big to be so fixated on one country. Also, the rising costs are getting out of control. I can find good food, nice beaches, and friendly people anywhere.

I noticed flights from Chicago to Bangkok are at an all-time low right now... around $460 r/t. That is tempting, but not tempting enough.

Q8. Anything else you'd like to add?

It is hiring time (February) right now. I am sure there are a lot of first-timers and people considering making the move to become teachers. Perhaps they have heard all of the good, and just filtered out the bad. Confirmation bias. If you don't know what that means, look it up. Thailand can be a fun, rewarding experience. But it WILL be challenging, disappointing at times, and low-paying as well. I don't know if its true, but it sure feels like there are more bad, unqualified teachers than good. The turnover is high.

Take a step back and ask yourself, "why do I want to be a teacher in Thailand?" Hopefully you want to make a positive impact in student's lives. More likely though, it is because it is the only job that you know is easily available in Thailand, and you want to escape whatever social or personal problems you have at home. Make sure you come for the right reasons, because a lot of people don't.