I had never been to Thailand before. I thought that there was a real possibility that I might be picked up in an Ox cart. I was relieved to be picked up by someone from the school when I arrived in Bangkok. I had trouble using the payphone. I never was able to figure out how to use it. The heat and the food took quite some time to get used to. After living a year in Thailand. I realized how much I missed the American hamburger.

I first heard people talking about Thailand when I was teaching English in South Korea. At the time, I had no desire to vacation there. But after living in Thailand, I've realized that it really is a nice place to vacation. I really enjoyed the beautiful beaches Thailand had to offer. For the most part my teaching experience was a pleasant one. I only had some difficulties on occasion at the school that I taught at. I enjoyed teaching the children and making them laugh. One thing I found convenient were the state trains.

Chachoengsao is located between Bangkok and Pattaya. When the protests started taking place in Bangkok in November. I didn't go back to Bangkok until much later due to the violence and political gatherings. This is when I started spending time in Pattaya on the weekend. I was told in January that they would not be renewing my contract. I went looking for another English teaching position. I was unable to find a new English teaching position.

Not quite the Land of Smiles, although most of the people were pleasant. I expected to see people smiling more. I felt like I had smiled more than the local population. The children I taught smiled. They were generally happy. I think it must be a very hard life for many Thai people. Working along side Western teachers put me at ease when I first started working in Thailand. I hope in the future I am able to return to Thailand and teach English once again.

Mr. Cooper