Rolando Tomasse

18th May 2012

Q1. Where did you move to and when?

I moved to Jeddah Saudi Arabia about a month and a half ago.

Q2. How long did you work in Thailand?

I lived in Thailand for one school year (two semesters) or about eleven months.

Q3. What was your main reason for moving?

The short answer? Money. Don't get me wrong, I love Thailand very much, but unfotunately I hate 'bein' broke' even more. The whole time I lived there I realized that I was always the only teacher on campus who actually had a bachelor's degree that didn't come from Kao San Road. Insult was added to injury when I found out that those teachers where getting paid more than me; they knew the scams, they knew that they had to nail the agent down to a higher salary. I just thought she was such a nice lady, I thought I could trust her and I got screwed.

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

The short answer? Money! I make about 100,000 baht a month out here, and that is actually what they pay you when they are 'ripping you off' in this country!

Q5. What do you miss about life in Thailand?

I miss my friends and the culture, the entire Thai aesthetic. I am living under strict Sharia Law now, so I definitely miss girls and beer, nightclubs and movie theaters. All of that is illegal out here.

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

I would tell any new ESL teacher to understand Thailand for what it is: If teaching English overseas were a board game (and for most of us it is at times) then Thailand would be the first square on the board - the starting point. So you should start your ESL career in Thailand, but you should never finish it there.

Q7. Any plans to return to Thailand one day?

Well I am only eight hours away and the semester here ends at the start of Ramadan (in August) so yes, I will be back in the land of smiles in just over two months. As luck would have it, I met a nice girl on my last night in Bangkok, so I am looking forward to seeing her and catching up with friends. Except this time I will be staying at the Baiyoke Tower instead of some crappy 200 baht a night guesthouse near Koa San Road.