I returned to my school in Bangkok today after almost two months waiting for the floods to subside. When I enquired about being paid for the last eight weeks, the staff just laughed at me. Yes, the teachers are getting absolutely nothing! I think because we are foreigners, the school thinks we all have a nice nest egg behind us and a couple of months without pay won’t make a difference. I guess the most annoying thing has been the school’s attitude - the very fact that I had dared to suggest that teachers should be paid. To be honest, I’m now in real trouble financially. I arrived here about six months ago with very little in the way of savings and I’m now paying the price. I’ve got no choice but to leave this school and try and find a better paying job, otherwise I won’t survive. I know many old hands will say that I should have arrived with more money in the bank, but no one expects half the country to flood and the situation to reach crisis level. I’m sure I’m not the only teacher in this situation either. It looks like its going to be Mama noodles for Christmas dinner.

Mike Walker