Q1. Where did you move to and when?

I returned to my home city of Sydney, Australia in March 2024.

Q2. How long did you work in Thailand?

I was there just under two years at a large private school on the outskirts of Phuket City.

Q3. What was your main reason for moving?

I think there were three main reasons. Firstly, my parents are getting on a bit and aren't in the greatest of health. I'd been travelling around in Asia for about six years (working in some places and just bumming around in others) and it was probably time for me to come home for a while. Secondly, it was difficult to earn enough money to survive in Phuket (I earned 40K a month in my first year and 45K in my second) I suppose I was the classic TEFLer, looking to make a dramatic change of career in his late 40s. Finally, I just got a little bored of the day-to-day school routine, teaching the same half a dozen lessons to low-level learners.

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

It's nice to have real conversations with real people again, rather than stilted conversations with Thai staff and talking about the same old shit with teaching colleagues and listening to the same old moans. Although the job market isn't that great in Australia at the moment, I've had the chance to try new things career-wise and actually been given some decent opportunities. Most of all, I want to find hope and a sense of purpose again, to feel like life is worth living and there’s room to grow.

Q5. What do you miss about life in Thailand?

Although I complained about lack of money earlier on, one thing I do like about Thailand is how you can seriously downgrade your lifestyle and live much more cheaply if you fall on hard times, or money is running a bit short at the end of the month. That isn't always easy to do outside of Asia. I had days when I lived on a couple of hundred baht and managed OK.

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

I haven't heard anyone say this in these cost of living surveys but if you're a lowly TEFLer (like me) and you're looking at earning in the ball-park of 40K a month, don't go and live in the big cities or the tourist places like Phuket, Pattaya and Bangkok. You either won't survive or you'll be full of regret and bitterness about what you can't afford. Choose somewhere like a quiet town in the north east where you don't have the temptations and your money will go further. OK, you might get bored easier but that's better than having no money. On 40K a month, be absolutely sure what you are signing up for by teaching in Thailand and where you stand in the grand scheme of things. Those big cities can be expensive!

Q7. Any plans to return to Thailand one day?

Certainly not to work, but as a holiday destination with plenty of spending money in your pocket, Thailand is hard to beat. I would never rule out coming back for a holiday.

Q8. Anything else you'd like to add?

There are rarely yes or no straight answers in Thailand. Every answer has strings attached or perhaps an element of doubt and uncertainty. Nothing is black and white. If you're a planner-type person who craves a semblance of order and predictability, Thailand will push you to your limits. Of course, others will see that as part of some great adventure.