A year in Ubon (part three)
The concluding episode from a first year teacher in Thailand
After work, late in the afternoon - back in my bungalow having packed my saggy suitcase with the few items I was going to need. I sat on one of the two chromed chairs in my compacted kitchen and couldn't prevent myself from thinking about the possible impending events of this coming evening.
A year in Ubon (part one)
I know. I'll go and teach English in Thailand.
Do a TEFL course, sell my bungalow, get a teaching job and move to Thailand. What could be difficult about that?
We are family
I play piggy-in-the-middle while the family feuds go on all around me
Here in Thailand, family is supposed to be everything, and quite often that is the case. But what happens when two members of the same family have a serious falling out? What side will the rest of the family take, and does it even matter who is right and who is wrong?
The best things about living in Thailand?
The expat lives without being judged or interfered with.
The best thing about Thailand for expats? Just about everything. Many things work differently here; it does not mean they are wrong, they are just different. Thailand will evolve at its own pace and to suit Thai people, not expats.
Family Thais
A tale of the simple life in Issan with a bit of financial debt, drug dealing and machete-swinging thrown in.
When we moved from the UK to Thailand via India, I firmly believed that I had made the right move for myself and my family. We’d said goodbye to dismal Britain and were here to stay. What followed was a torrid time that bore little if any resemblance to what I believed Thailand stood for.
Are TEFL teachers unambitious?
What can you do about it if you feel you're stuck in a 'teaching rut'?
So many people complain about conditions, wages and opportunities but do nothing to address these things. Some TEFL teachers seem to think this isn’t an industry or a “real” job so other aspects such as annual reviews and training aren’t relevant.
Thailand 101
Settling in as an English teacher - the journey and expenses
In my short time in Thailand I have learned so much already. The journey here has already opened me up to alternative experiences. Meeting individuals from across the globe has taught me that it is alright to be different.
Baby steps and spontaneity
An ode to a semester in the books
One thing I will say for any aspiring teachers who are even mildly contemplating the idea of hopping over the pond to teach is this: Give it a shot! I for one am 25 years old and despite being here for seven months, am still wildly unsure of what I want to do for a career.
