Are you a teacher who once taught in Thailand but decided to seek out pastures new? Has the grass been greener on the other side? Maybe you swapped Thailand for the financial lure of Japan or Korea? Read about those who have left Thailand, and their reasons for moving...
Martin
Q1. Where did you move to and when?
I headed to the Middle East in September 2013 - specifically, Saudi Arabia.
Q2. How long did you work in Thailand?
I stayed at my first school for two years then moved on and stayed a further three years at my second.
Q3. What was your main reason for moving?
The three main reasons were: salary, salary and salary! My schools were great and I was the highest paid foreigner at both of them. I lived comfortably and didn't have to compromise my out-of-school lifestyle. However, I needed to make some long-term saving plans and for that, I needed a seriously good salary. In addition, I became increasingly frustrated with my native-speaking co-workers. I won't go into details but incompetent, lazy, unprofessional and unqualified are a few words I could use to describe them.
Q4. What are the advantages of working where you are now compared to Thailand?
Three main things: salary, salary and salary! Many aspects of the lifestyle here in Saudi Arabia are similar to Thailand: crazy driving, frustrating visa rules, crazy driving, hot weather, strange food and crazy driving. A lot of teachers in SA don't survive much more than a year before they have to move on but luckily, I have generous holidays and regular (paid) flights home so I can reduce my time here to bite-size portions.
Q5. What do you miss about life in Thailand?
Everything - the crazy driving, hot weather, strange food but especially my students and Thai co-workers. I miss every day that I am not in Thailand but my current short-term 'pain' is for a greater good and I will return financially stable and able to help in areas that I previously couldn't.
Q6. Would you advise a new teacher to seek work in Thailand or where you are now?
Saudi Arabia sets high standards for the best teachers. I was one of five out of several hundred applicants that passed the selection process. They can afford to be choosy when they pay such high salaries. You are not even considered without a BA, Masters, TEFL and at least four years teaching experience post-qualification. Thailand is great for a newbie but you need to be dedicated and professional. I saw too many amateurs that were seemingly there to earn beer money and it wasn't fair on the students.
Q7. Any plans to return to Thailand one day?
Of course! I consider Thailand my home now. I have many Thai friends there and both of my former schools have asked me to return. I will see out my current assignment in SA for one more year. This will set me up financially so that I can officially retire! Any role that I subsequently take on in Thailand will be for intellectual stimulation only and on my terms with regards to hours, salary etc.
Q8. Anything else you'd like to add?
Those that can - teach!
Many that can't seem to head to Thailand :-(
I hope the new regulations and recent crackdown will lead to an improvement in foreign-teacher standards. The great Thai students deserve it. One more year in SA then I'll be heading back to resume where I left off :-)
David
Q1. Where did you move to and when?
I returned to The USA at the end of the last school semester in March 2014.
Q2. How long did you work in Thailand?
I was there for about five years but I was lucky enough to find a great school to work for in Southern Thailand. It was the only school I taught at. Great students! Great staff! Couldn't say a bad word about the place.
Q3. What was your main reason for moving?
I just felt that five years was enough. I arrived in Thailand when I was in my mid-20's and I turned thirty and thought I don't want to be teaching English for the rest of my life. My passion has always been graphic design and I wanted to get back into that field in The US, even though I'm no youngster anymore.
Q4. What are the advantages of working where you are now compared to Thailand?
Well it's been a roller-coaster couple of months getting settled back in my native land. In fact I haven't even started a serious job hunt yet. It's taken me all of my time to find a decent apartment (I didn't want to move back in with my family) and to re-connect with old friends. I hadn't even been home for a short vacation during my five years in Thailand so I still feel a bit like a stranger in a strange land. The environment hasn't changed that much - but I guess I have!
Q5. What do you miss about life in Thailand?
Honest answer? All of it. Sometimes Thailand feels like living and working in the craziest country on earth but in a strange way, that's part of the appeal. Every day brings a new experience. I suppose I miss my teaching colleagues most of all. As I said earlier, I worked in a great school and we really were 'one, big happy family'. I forged some terrific friendships and even now, I miss them terribly.
Q6. Would you advise a new teacher to seek work in Thailand or where you are now?
If you're just looking for a short-term adventure - definitely! You'll have the time of your life. Everyone should experience Thailand. If you're looking for something long-term (say three to four years) I would only come if you're qualified. We had a few unqualified teachers at our school, and while they were great teachers in the classroom, the school was constantly having to go that extra mile to keep them in employment. Luckily, we had some good admin staff who knew the ropes. From what I'm reading in the media - and I'm still keeping in touch with Thai news - it doesn't look like it's going to get any easier for unqualified teachers anytime soon.
Q7. Any plans to return to Thailand one day?
Oh, I would love to come back for a vacation but not to teach though. That time has passed. I had a fantastic five years and I'll always be grateful for the experience but it's in the past.
Q8. Anything else you'd like to add?
There are so many great places to travel in Thailand. I spent a fantastic week motorbiking around the north of Thailand with some other foreign teachers and there are some great beaches in the south. But it was only when I got to the final two years of my stay in Thailand, that I got out and saw some of the country. I wish I had spent more time travelling because there's so much to see. Don't stay stuck in your own little town like I tended to do far too often.
Damien
Q1. Where did you move to and when?
I moved to China in early April of this year.
Q2. How long did you work in Thailand?
I was there for three years and worked at three different secondary schools.
Q3. What was your main reason for moving?
I think there were two main reasons. Firstly, I got tired of changing schools at the end of every school year and moving apartments, etc. Secondly, I really wanted to give China a go. I have a good friend who has just completed his fourth year in China and his school were desperate for teachers, so I thought why not give it a go. The time just felt right to make a move.
Q4. What are the advantages of working where you are now compared to Thailand?
Well, I've only been here for a couple of months so it's difficult to make any comprehensive judgments but I have to say 'so far, so good'. The students are generally polite and motivated. The school has paid on time and sorted out decent accommodation for me. In short, they've done everything they promised to help me settle in. Ask me the same question in a year's time and the answer might be very different though :)
Q5. What do you miss about life in Thailand?
Nothing really at the moment. I suppose outside of school hours, life feels a lot more relaxed in Thailand, but inside the classroom, teaching English is teaching English. It doesn't really matter where you are.
Q6. Would you advise a new teacher to seek work in Thailand or where you are now?
Oh, I think Thailand is a great choice for a first-time, inexperienced teacher. The schools put very little pressure on you to perform to the highest standards and as long as you do a decent job and the students are smiling, everyone goes home happy. I don't think I was ever observed once in my whole time there. I would like to have been but school management didn't seem to care as long as there were no complaints coming in.
Q7. Any plans to return to Thailand one day?
I think I need to get a year in China under my belt first - and then I'll let you know.
Q8. Anything else you'd like to add?
I think the fact that Thailand is a very 'easy' country to teach in is both its advantage and disadvantage. You can easily find yourself just drifting from day to day and not really getting anywhere, certainly in terms of professional development - but I suppose much depends on what school you work for.
Ben
Q1. Where did you move to and when?
I moved back home to the UK. Been back two months now. I miss Thailand already!
Q2. How long did you work in Thailand?
I lived and worked in Bangkok for two years. I worked for two different schools. I only originally planned to stay for 1 year.
Q3. What was your main reason for moving?
After a while I started to feel trapped living, working in such a big busy city. I felt like I needed a break from the heat and the traffic. I was originally going to stay no longer then a year but met a girl out there and didn't want to leave her. I started to miss family and friends back home. I made some great friends in my first year in Thailand but each one moved on. I missed having that good circle of friends. As much as I loved living there, I knew if I stayed my income would never increase unless I got better teaching qualifications and tried to get employment at an international school.
Q4. What are the advantages of working where you are now compared to Thailand?
I'm not working at the moment.
Q5. What do you miss about life in Thailand?
I had the best 2 years of my life in Thailand. It was an epic adventure that changed my outlook on life. Sitting back home now I can't believe how much fun I have had, although I did have some real low points It's still is an amazing country. I miss the friendly people most of all. It's hard to not enjoy life when there is so much positivity. I miss the freedom to explore when I had time off work. I miss the fact that I could afford to eat out every night. I miss the pretty girls, the buddhist culture, cheap cinema tickets. Just not the heat!
Q6. Would you advise a new teacher to seek work in Thailand or where you are now?
Yeah I really would, I had an amazing time. I was happy. It's just hard getting your head around that at some point your going to have to leave unless you are content with staying on the same wage for the rest of your life.
Q7. Any plans to return to Thailand one day?
Yes, I would consider going back. I just would like to have the option to earn a better wage if I was going to live there for a longer time. Im looking into doing a PGCE so I could one day work at an international school. but this seems a long way off right now.
Q8. Anything else you'd like to add?
A lot of people on here have said negative things about their experience teaching in Thailand. I feel you just have to go with it and just try to accept that's the way it is over there and not try to change anything even when you feel strongly about something.
I had my fair share of bad experiences. I feel I got unfairly sacked from my first teaching job and it did knock my confidence a bit. I experienced jealousy from other Thai teachers because of the difference in pay between the Thais and foreigners. I also experienced a lot of gossiping at schools. Despite this there were way more positives then negatives. I think wherever you go you are going to meet good and bad people, good employers and bad employers.
Frank
Q1. Where did you move to and when?
I moved to Milan, Italy at the beginning of the year (2014)
Q2. How long did you work in Thailand?
I worked in Thailand for five years at two different secondary schools and also taught literally hundreds of private students at the weekend.
Q3. What was your main reason for moving?
I just got up one morning and felt like I needed a complete change of scenery. I had recently split from my Thai partner of five years and I would be lying if I said that the break-up didn't have a lot to do with my decision. It was an extremely difficult parting of the ways but she was forging ahead with her career and I felt as if I was holding her back. I wanted to experience teaching in Europe again as well. I taught in Spain and Poland for several years and really enjoyed my time in both countries.
Q4. What are the advantages of working where you are now compared to Thailand?
I thought I would struggle to pick up teaching work in Italy and I didn't have a huge amount of savings behind me, but I've found plenty of private language schools here, all looking for an experienced teacher. Within two weeks of arriving I had picked up enough hours to live on. I'm earning in the region of about 60,000 baht a month, which is enough to rent a small apartment and eat well enough. At the end of the day, it's a major European city though, so your money is never going to go as far as it does in Thailand.
Q5. What do you miss about life in Thailand?
The life out there is just so easy isn't it? OK, the actual teaching and dealing with the school administration can be stressful at times but once your working day is over and time is your own, life is so simple. Wherever you are, you can reach out and touch a food vendor. Everything is taken care of from your laundry to cheap motorcycle repairs. I miss the simplicity of life in Thailand. I made a lot of good friends too and I'm trying to keep in touch with as many as I can via Facebook, etc.
Q6. Would you advise a new teacher to seek work in Thailand or where you are now?
Go for it! You'll have a great time.
Q7. Any plans to return to Thailand one day?
Not at the moment. I'm enjoying life in Europe and it's giving me a chance to really recharge my batteries. I wouldn't mind eventually giving somewhere like Vietnam or Cambodia a try but I just know that if I decided on SE Asia as a TEFL destination, the lure of Thailand would be too great and I'd probably end up back there.
Q8. Anything else you'd like to add?
As much as I loved my five years in Thailand, you can never feel truly settled. You never knew when there were going to be changes to the teacher licencing laws or the immigration rules, etc. That always worried me (as it did many of the other teachers I worked with) I think it's less of a problem for a 'free spirited' single guy because they can just move on to another country, but it's a lot harder for those who have put down roots and married a local and maybe had a child or two. I wouldn't fancy dealing with the day to day uncertainly of only ever being a guest in the country and having no rights as such.
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