John
Working in: Chiang Mai
Monthly Earnings: 29,000
Q. How much do you earn from teaching per month?
A. 29,000 (most schools in Chiang Mai offer B25,000 as the norm!)
Q. How much of that can you realistically save per month?
A. Zero
Q. How much do you pay for your accommodation and what do you live in exactly (house, apartment, condo)?
A. 6,000
Q. What do you spend a month on the following things?
| a) Transportation | 3,000 |
|---|---|
| b) Utility bills | 2,500 |
| c) Food - both restaurants and supermarket shopping | 12,000 |
| d) Nightlife and drinking | 4,000 |
| e) Books, computers | 500 |
Q. How would you summarize your standard of living in one sentence?
A. I exist.
Q. What do you consider to be a real 'bargain' here?
A. Crap food.
Q. In your opinion, how much money does anyone need to earn here in order to survive?
A. For a single person who doesn't have a life B20,000. To have a life then B30,000. For a family with a good lifestyle at least B40,000.
Phil's analysis and comment
John sounds a little bit jaded and I don't blame him. I would hate to live in Chiang Mai on 29,000 baht a month. Numerous people have tried to convince me down the years that Chiang Mai is substantially cheaper to live in than Bangkok but I've never bought into it. And any teacher with the experience of looking for work in Chiang Mai will tell you how low the salaries seem to be (generally)
Chiang Mai would be a fantastic place to retire to for someone who's made their money but surviving up there as a common or garden TEFLer can't be easy.
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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.
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.
