Race and non-degree jobs
Postbox letter from Xandra Martin
I am a female teacher from South Africa. I am a person of colour (or coloured) in my country. I do not have a degree in any field - only a diploma. When doing my TEFL course and doing research on the internet, people painted a picture of how easy it would be to find a teaching job in Thailand. This however does not appear to be the case.
Dancing with coordinators
Sometimes it's better to keep teaching colleagues at arm's length
The next term is fast approaching and many schools have job openings. Have you decided to apply to another school and look for a new teaching job because you have some conflict with your coordinator? If you don't plan to leave then how do you handle the conflict?
Culture of insouciance
The Cambodian rubbish dump, and my not so final, final exam
Many of the students in my class with their fancy clothes, laptops, I-phones, and I-pads, rarely experience an atmosphere where true learning takes place. Outside of the odd serious teacher they may have encountered along the way, they also live and learn in a rubbish dump, an educational one.
You are merely entertainers
Postbox letter from John in China
I really can’t see the point of teachers complaining about salaries. Time after time there are instances of corruption, bad behavior by directors and coordinators, unruly student behavior with no disciplinary procedures.
TCT waiver/exemption letter glitch
Postbox letter from Jim
My TCT waiver/exemption letter dated Jan 25, 2010 is for 2 years, but in 2011 Mukdahan Immigration only gave me my new visa until Jan. 25, 2012. I had to get a new TCT letter (another 2 years) to allow me to finish the current academic year in early March.
Be warned!
Postbox letter from Dennis Faulkner
This is just a 'be aware and take care' story. The week before last I was offered a job with a teacher agency and invited to start immediately. But as I was already working for another school so the best I could do was give the agency a week’s notice and I eventually left my old school last Friday
Grow up guys
Postbox letter from James
Strange that not being paid for not working has now turned to how badly you perceive yourselves to be employed. It's simple and there’s nothing right wing or conservative about it – you don’t like it, you leave. You go back to Europe and ‘the dole’ as people put it, where at least you’ll be fed and housed and have free medicine. What on earth is difficult to understand about that?
Did I join the army or a school?
Postbox letter from Mr Grumpy
I do agree that it is not ideal to come to work in Thailand without much savings, nor should one not try to save for a rainy day. However, two months without pay is around 60-70,000 baht in saved money that needs to be used (rent, relocation - to escape the floods, food etc.).
We just want fair treatment
Postbox letter from Vick Mackey
The fact of the matter is that the wages the teachers are being paid (i.e. teachers that look for jobs on ajarn) are barely enough to survive on. And please spare us the “you can live in a 5k a month room” speech. Foreigners who are serious about living and teaching in Thailand are not interested in living like Thais.
China is no different
Postbox letter from Kelvin
Do you think you can come here with 1,000 baht straight off the plane, never have a problem and just live the good life? I sympathize, but if you intend to live from pay day to pay day, (and just concentrate on having a good time in between) then surely the financial position you’re in is yours and not anyone else’s?
