Q1. Where did you move to and when?

I moved back home to the UK. Been back two months now. I miss Thailand already!

Q2. How long did you work in Thailand?

I lived and worked in Bangkok for two years. I worked for two different schools. I only originally planned to stay for 1 year.

Q3. What was your main reason for moving?

After a while I started to feel trapped living, working in such a big busy city. I felt like I needed a break from the heat and the traffic. I was originally going to stay no longer then a year but met a girl out there and didn't want to leave her. I started to miss family and friends back home. I made some great friends in my first year in Thailand but each one moved on. I missed having that good circle of friends. As much as I loved living there, I knew if I stayed my income would never increase unless I got better teaching qualifications and tried to get employment at an international school.

Q4. What are the advantages of working where you are now compared to Thailand?

I'm not working at the moment.

Q5. What do you miss about life in Thailand?

I had the best 2 years of my life in Thailand. It was an epic adventure that changed my outlook on life. Sitting back home now I can't believe how much fun I have had, although I did have some real low points It's still is an amazing country. I miss the friendly people most of all. It's hard to not enjoy life when there is so much positivity. I miss the freedom to explore when I had time off work. I miss the fact that I could afford to eat out every night. I miss the pretty girls, the buddhist culture, cheap cinema tickets. Just not the heat!

Q6. Would you advise a new teacher to seek work in Thailand or where you are now?

Yeah I really would, I had an amazing time. I was happy. It's just hard getting your head around that at some point your going to have to leave unless you are content with staying on the same wage for the rest of your life.

Q7. Any plans to return to Thailand one day?

Yes, I would consider going back. I just would like to have the option to earn a better wage if I was going to live there for a longer time. Im looking into doing a PGCE so I could one day work at an international school. but this seems a long way off right now.

Q8. Anything else you'd like to add?

A lot of people on here have said negative things about their experience teaching in Thailand. I feel you just have to go with it and just try to accept that's the way it is over there and not try to change anything even when you feel strongly about something.
I had my fair share of bad experiences. I feel I got unfairly sacked from my first teaching job and it did knock my confidence a bit. I experienced jealousy from other Thai teachers because of the difference in pay between the Thais and foreigners. I also experienced a lot of gossiping at schools. Despite this there were way more positives then negatives. I think wherever you go you are going to meet good and bad people, good employers and bad employers.