Submit your own 'Great Escape' »
Stevie G
Q1. Where did you move to and when?
Korea - last year
Q2. How long did you work in Thailand?
5 years
Q3. What was your main reason for moving?
restlessness
Q4. What are the advantages of working where you are now compared to Thailand?
kimchi? Being openly despised instead of passively-aggressively?
Q5. What do you miss about life in Thailand?
-ridiculous immigration rules
-ridiculous paperwork
-double pricing
-involuntary "deposit" donations
-farang management that think they are now Thai - so they treat other lesser farang accordingly..
-being talked about in not-so-pleasant fashion continuously - everywhere.
-fruit
-sun
-getting laid
-pathetic wages
-the sense of knowing that you are NEVER hearing the truth - ever!
-the dream of one day being able to afford the same mobile as my kids....
-being treated like a low-life sex tourist - really miss that.....
-driving to a national park and being told it costs 800 baht to enter....and 20 baht for a Thai!.....awesome.
-Employers choosing alcoholics/sex-slavers over "real" teachers - cos they can understand and trust their mind set better. Great role-models too.
-Priests/nuns that have gone over to the dark side...... hehehehe
How could you leave?
Q6. Would you advise a new teacher to seek work in Thailand or where you are now?
Definitely Thailand - enjoy what is on offer - pensions are good too......
Q7. Any plans to return to Thailand one day?
to work? Miss the fruit though.
Q8. Anything else you'd like to add?
Dont get excited - this section was crying out for some humour.
I love Thailand - we all do. Working for Thais is a slight challenge though!
Peace.
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Ajarn Guests
Fear of change?
In Thailand the government has set 2012 as English Speaking Year with a goal of encouraging students to converse in English every Monday. Such policies are useful but the major leap of enacting legislation to make English an official language for Thailand is also needed
Software for student tests
The integration of internet and computers with education and English learning is something students find normal, and classrooms without some access to educational software may seem quaint. Some students may even feel they can get more ‘professional' teaching from the numerous online ELT sites if a school is behind in IT.
Whatever happened to the shopping mall teacher?
They are the shopping mall English teachers - gliding like pale, undernourished phantoms amid the hordes of weekend Thai shoppers. The main reason I empathize with the shopping mall teacher is because I was once one myself. I know how desperate and soul-destroying it can be.
Most recently answered question:
Are there any teaching agencies in Bangkok that I can just walk into?
About Ajarn.com
Ajarn.com was started as a small hobby website in 1999 by Ian McNamara. It was a simple way for one Bangkok teacher to share his Thailand experiences and pass on advice. The website developed a loyal and enthusiastic following. In 2004, Ian handed over the reins to Phil Williams and 'Bangkok Phil' has run the ajarn website ever since.
Ajarn.com has grown enormously and is now the most popular TEFL site in Thailand - possibly even South East Asia. Although best-known for its vibrant jobs page, Ajarn has a wealth of articles, blogs, features and help and advice. But one principle has always remained at Ajarn's core - to tell things like they are and to do it with a sense of humor. Thailand can be Heaven or Hell for an English teacher. It's always been Ajarn.com's duty to present both sides of the equation. Thanks for stopping by.
