| Q |
Ken, welcome to the hot seat. First off, are you an EFL teacher per se or do
you specialize in one particular area? |
| A |
I am a EFL teacher by heart, but not by TEFL
certificate. I have a MA in the liberal arts and a certificate in
international development. My educational background emphasized sociology,
history, gender studies, and anthropology (all the unmarketable degrees).
However, I have taught overseas for the past five years. Like many EFL
teachers I found myself in this trade by accident. Teaching was a way to
travel and interact with other cultures at a deeper level.
I teach the basic English coursework, but I also specialize on classes
relating to the tourism industry, American studies, environmental studies,
and folklore. I try to teach English by applying it to students lives. For
example, I might teach American studies by having students make comparisons
with Thai culture, or I might teach tourism-related English by taking
students on a tour. There are some expatriates who might not consider me a
EFL instructor, but teaching English is where my soul is at. |
| Q |
How much of your teaching
career has been spent in
Thailand? |
| A |
I have taught in
Thailand for nearly two years. Almost all of this time was spent at the
Rajabhat Phranakhon Si Ayutthaya. I have also taught at the college level in
Hungary and the United States. In Korea I worked with children in what is
called a "Hag wan", basically a private school. |
| Q |
We'll get to some of the other countries
later, but teaching in
Bangkok vs
teaching in the provinces. Any thoughts on that issue? |
| A |
I prefer to teach in more remote area. I think
that students appreciate the opportunity more. I know that I can have more
impact because native speakers are more scarce in the provinces. I believe
that the smaller population size helps me to form stronger bonds with the
local community.
I have a love/hate relationship with Bangkok. It is nice to visit so that I
can find supplies, watch movies, or just escape for a while in a nightclub.
However, I would be much happier in Isan with the friendly people and nice
music. True, Bangkok is where the wealth is at, but if I was in this
vocation for the money I would go to Japan or the United Arab Emirates. |
| Q |
You’ve had a book published in
Thailand. What’s that
all about? |
| A |
Bangkok Post (Postbooks) recently published a
book that I wrote while in Thailand - Road Rash: Western Tourists and
Expatriates at Play in Asia's Global Village.
I wanted to document the historical impact of tourism in Asia. There were
over 10 million tourist visits in Thailand last year. This has made a major
cultural and environmental impact in the country. We take tourism for
granted because it now seems so commonplace. However, most of this tourism
has been recent, within the last fifty years, ever since the vehicle of war,
the airplane, was modified to transport travelers after WWII. Westerners
have since carved a path across Asia like a melting glacier. I was trying to
trace the various outcomes: pub crawling with English teachers in Korea,
drug trafficking by tourists in India, the politics of the souvenir, the
concept of home to expatriates in a global village. Basically, just wanted
to raise consciousness about tourism issues and controversies. |
| Q |
You’ve also taught in
Korea and Hungary. Hungary was
always a place where I fancied teaching and working. Summarize the situation
out there for us. |
| A |
I loved working in Hungary. I taught at the
Berzenyi Daniel College at a time when the economic system was rapidly
changing from communism to a free market. Teachers are not highly respected
in the country. The average teaching salary was only $250 US per month. The
students spoke brilliant English and the Hungarian teachers had a better
grasp of English grammar than most native speakers. I was turned onto some
great Hungarian rock and roll, fine wine, and tourism sites.
The difficulty in living and working in Hungary was the language. I was
never able to speak any better than survival level. There was also some
competitive American expatriates that made problems for everyone. The low
pay wasn't't that much of a problem. I only made $250 per month, but
traveled across Europe and got all my dental work done from the fantastic
Hungarian dentists. I know that Central Europe isn't't that appealing for
U.K. teachers, however I really enjoyed the experience. Overall, I think
Hungary would be a bad place for a "cowboy" teacher or a first time novice.
If you are willing to learn some local language it will open up many social
doors. Hungarians will be very friendly once they warm up to you and
establish a level of trust. |
| Q |
Do you think that more and more of your fellow
Americans are looking to work abroad as teachers these days? |
| A |
Up until the last decade or two Americans
worked abroad mostly in religious organizations, the military, and the Peace
Corp. There is a more recent trend of English teacher. Internet web sites
such as the eslcafe make it easy to find jobs. Unemployment increased during
the presidencies of Ronald Reagan and the Bush dynasty. The trend was that
many students graduated with a large debt in student loans and little chance
of finding a solid job. One of the fastest growing vocations in the United
States is as a temp worker. You are hired as a short term laborer with few
benefits. It is highly unstable income. The United States might be a wealthy
superpower, but it is rotting on the inside. A large amount of graduates
find that better opportunities are to be found overseas. The trend is that a
large surplus of over-educated graduates, who majored in less desirable
fields, are having to migrate out of the United States to find work.
In my own case I became homeless after graduation. I was forced into living
in my 1983 Nissan Stanza. When I teach overseas I am provided housing, a
stable income, and some health care. I couldn't even dream about these
luxuries in the United States. It is odd to think about it, but my quality
of life actually improved when I moved to Hungary and taught for $250 per
month. In Thailand I had a dream home overlooking the Chao Phraya River that
cost me less than $100. I lived comfortably. In the United States more than
fifty percent of my total income goes to pay rent alone, add utilities and
there is a serious economic crunch. This is one major reason that a large
amount of Americans are now teaching overseas. |
| Q |
What are the complications of returning back
to the USA
once you’ve had a stint teaching abroad? |
| A |
The main difficulty is finding a job.
Unemployment is still high in the United States. We have lost more jobs in
the past few years than at any other time since our Great Depression. Tax
dollars are spent on our military and to pay interest on the $7 trillion
dollar debt that the United States has accumulated over the years.
In my case, I have spent nearly five years overseas, so the resume isn't
exactly localized. Potential employers don't trust foreign references or
prefer not to spent money on long distance phone calls to check your
contacts. My employer in Korea lacked advanced English skills, which also
made it difficult for people to communicate with her about my
qualifications.
I think an important problem is that after spending five years abroad that
the excitement and adventure overseas gets into your blood. The United
States is boring to me. I miss teaching overseas. It has become who I am. It
would mean a career change for me to stay in the United States. I could
teach ESL at a community college if I went back to school and earned a
teaching certificate. However, I might as well go back to Asia rather than
to add more to my student loan debt with additional coursework. I have
adapted to life as an expatriate. I thrive on life overseas. In all
likelihood I will boomerang back to Asia soon for another round of teaching. |
| Q |
So do you think it’s a case of once you’ve
left
America’s shores, you had better forget about coming home unless it’s to
visit the folks? |
| A |
I think that it
was Hippocrates that said, "You can never step into the same river twice".
The home that you come to is different than when you left. Friends get
married, people move, and shops close down. You can never return to the same
place because you have also changed while overseas. Sure, I enjoy a visit
home and I miss my friends and family. Yet, after a while it doesn't feel
like your home anymore. I actually have worse culture shock when I return to
the United States. Its the grocery stores that hit me worse of all. The
bright fluorescent lights, multiple brand names, and Muzak blaring on
speakers almost puts me into a seizure. The bombardment of advertisements
makes me yearn for the more simple Thai family market and modest local bar
where I lived in Ayutthaya. |
| Q |
You’re back in
America now, but do you plan to
return to Thailand? Does Thailand get under your skin in any way? |
| A |
I will return to Thailand one way or another.
I loved teaching in Thailand more than anywhere else that I have taught. The
people were so friendly and fun. I even miss lecturing about copying each
others assignments or cheating on tests. I miss the tropical environment and
access to the beaches. I miss the lifestyle of Thais and the Japanese
teachers at my Rajabhat. I still research teaching jobs in Thailand. If
anything I would love to spend three months on a tourist visa, so that I can
make the final revisions on my next book (about mind frames of poverty).
I could end up teaching in China or Japan instead. I might actually get a
streak of luck and find something in the United States. However, my thoughts
of Thailand are strong and I still design strategies each day for a return
visit. |
| Q |
Do
Hungary and Korea (and any
other country you’ve worked in) get their share of the 'cowboy' teachers? |
| A |
I think that SE Asia has most of the "Cowboy"
teachers. The reason is that many people go to Thailand and later find
teaching jobs when their money runs out. Korea can't be traveled to by land
because of restrictions with China and North Korea. You have to go to Korea
with the desire to teach in advance. It is not easy or inexpensive to do a
quick visa run outside of Korea. They are also more strict with visa
extensions if you arrive on a tourist visa. In contrast, one can easily take
a train to Penang and return to Thailand as an official teacher.
In Thailand tourists are more likely to decide to extend their visit.
Teaching is one method to achieve this goal. It is very easy to troll for a
quick teaching position from Khaosan Road. Hungary and Korea don't have the
equivalent of a tourist ghetto. They hire most of their teacher while they
are still living in their home country.
For the record, the best example of true cowboy teachers is no longer in
Thailand. If you want to find the classic, drunk, stoned, teacher who never
plans a lesson or grades homework; there is a vast supply of them in
Cambodia that spent all their money on cheap prostitutes and are still
trying to find a way back into Thailand. |
| Q |
You must be reading from afar
about all the proposed visa changes and rules and regulations that may
affect teachers in
Thailand next year. Surely that must
influence your decision to ever come back here? |
| A |
These visa
changes are the only thing that prevents me from signing a new teaching
contract in Thailand. I know three teachers that have already left Thailand
because of these proposed visa restrictions. All of them are well qualified
teachers that speak fluent Thai, and have taught in Thailand for three of
more years. They would still be in Thailand if not for the visa changes.
Nobody wants to get trapped, so they haven't renewed contracts. I don't know
what the Thai government is thinking. Maybe they prefer to replace most of
the native speakers with Filipino teachers. I feel bad for the expatriates
that have married local women and/or had children. There life will likely
change soon. I was so close to signing a new contract with a Thai school. I
had to turn down the opportunity so that I could wait to see how the visa
changes will unfold. Maybe I will have to teach in China instead. They seem
to welcome American teachers these days. |
| Q |
There are jobs in
Kuwait advertised
on the jobs board. Fancy it? |
| A |
I would love to teach in Kuwait. I reviewed
some of the job offers on ajarn.com. The one obstacle is that I haven't
earned my teaching experience yet. I have a MA degree and over five years of
ESL experience, but Arabic countries seem to prefer the certificate. I
planned to invest my royalty payment for my book, Road Rash, into a
certificate program. This would be one way to advance my life to a higher
level.
As an American teacher I feel an obligation to counterbalance the impact of
our military. The military defines the United States overseas. This has
become increasingly antagonistic presence. The Koreans despised the American
troops that dominated the Itaewon district. Korean, Japanese, and Filipino
women have suffered sexual assault by American troops. The U.S. military
base is infamous for causing environmental damage in its host country. The
foreign perception of Americans is getting more negative each day. For this
reason, I am especially interested in teaching in an Arabic/Muslim country.
I want to contribute a more positive image and communicate on a more
personal level. Education is the only real key to peace. |
| Q |
Let’s go back to talk about
Korea. It
always seems there are more negative comments about the teaching life in
Korea than there are positive ones? |
| A |
Korea has earned its negative image. The fact
is that a large percentage of schools dishonor their contract. I can't tell
you how many teacher that I know who have personally been denied a bonus or
have been shortchanged on their salary. A common trick is to force teachers
into teaching private lessons without pay. It is common for teacher to go on
a "midnight run", which is to flee the country without notice after
receiving your monthly salary.
To be fair, many native English teachers are first timers in Korea. They
don't have much experience or prepare themselves for lives overseas. They
often get homesick or fail to adapt to a new culture. Like in other
countries many of these teachers are alcoholics, former convicts, or people
fleeing something from home. This young or dysfunctional type of instructor
is the Korean version of a "cowboy" teacher. Many Korean teachers resent
them for being lazy, overpaid, and unskilled. The combination of negative
elements makes for a poor working environment.
Another reason that Korea has a poor reputation is due to the "hag won"
schools. These private schools are more about money than education. In Korea
workers will often labor for twelve hours shifts. The children are sent to
private schools to learn English while their parent's are still at work. The
children have already studied at the government school for ten hours and
just want to play. It is hard to teach children English when they don't want
to be in school all day, especially if the Hag won owner is cramming thirty
of them into one classroom to maximize profits. I was lucky and found a "hag
won" that honored its contract. They paid my salary on time and rewarded me
with the bonus promised in my contract. I enjoyed Korea overall. The people
were friendly and I loved the food. I still keep contact with some of the
adult students that took evening classes. However, I learned my lesson. I
will never teach children again., it is only high school and above for me in
the future. |
| Q |
I’ve often said that Americans come across as over-cautious when
contemplating a teaching career abroad. Only a small percentage seem to
adopt the ‘let’s just do it’ attitude. Would you go along with that? |
| A |
Despite the fact that we are a superpower,
Americans tend to be very frightened, isolated, and xenophobic people.
Americans fear foreigners, although our country is comprised of migrants.
There is also a swelling anti-American sentiment across the globe. There is
the persistent belief that we are targets of terrorism the second we place a
foot on foreign soil. This partially explains the caution of Americans.
However, many Americans do go overseas on business trips. Americans are
willing to become expatriates for a substantial amount of money. Americans
tend to be motivated primarily by money and teaching salaries aren't high.
Most Americans are in major debt from credit cards and student loans, so the
low Thai salary keeps some away. Americans that want to teach overseas are
likely to look toward the Peace Corp first because this volunteer
organization has many long term benefits.
The reluctance to teach abroad is changing.
Like I mentioned earlier many graduates are heading overseas because of
unemployment at home. Like myself, Americans are learning that they can have
a higher quality of life overseas because housing is provided and the cost
of living is low. It is slowly changing. Nevertheless, I am in no rush to
witness a surge in the population of American teachers. To be honest, I much
prefer the company of a Aussie, English, Welsh, or Scottish teacher while I
am overseas. |
