Q1. Where did you move to and when?

I moved to Vietnam in October after securing a job from Thailand.

Q2. How long did you work in Thailand?

I was there for exactly one year. I came to Thailand with the objective of working for just 12 months,

Q3. What was your main reason for moving?

Even though I could happily have stayed in Thailand for longer, I'm on a personal journey to try and teach English in ten different countries. I've taught in Korea and Japan, Thailand was my third country and now Vietnam is my fourth.

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

I was fortunate to secure a fairly well-paying job with one of Vietnam's top international language schools so I'm earning 50% more than I was in Thailand for doing fewer contact hours. One of the main advantages is that the school itself is very well-organised and well-managed. There are no secrets or horrible last-minute surprises (and teachers in Thailand know all about those)

Q5. What do you miss about life in Thailand?

I'm still settling into life in Hanoi and while there are many things I like about the place - it certainly isn't Thailand. What can I say about Thailand? I mean, it's so laid-back and easy to get along with from day-to-day. You can live well or 'well enough' on an average TEFL salary and apart from the visa stuff, it's a very 'sabaay, sabaay' lifestyle. But what makes Thailand special is the people. I think the Thais are fantastic.

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

Don't miss Thailand whatever you do. I had a fantastic year there and I'm sure I'll end up back there someday. Be careful though - I could see how teachers got sucked into the Thai lifestyle and remained there for years and years when perhaps they should have cut and run well before. As I said, I've sampled Korea, Japan, Thailand and now Vietnam. If I could choose just one country to teach in, it would be Thailand.

Q7. Any plans to return to Thailand one day?

Actually, I'll be over in the New Year for a short holiday. I've still got plans to teach in China and Mongolia and then do a stint in Eastern Europe, but Thailand hasn't seen the last of me. I'll be back for a longer stay within the next ten years I hope,

Q8. Anything else you'd like to add?

I took about one month to decide on which teaching job I wanted to take in Thailand. That doesn't mean I found it difficult to find a job - far from it! I was 29 years old when I arrived, I had a degree and a TEFL certificate and two years of good experience. I am also about as 'farang-looking' as it's possible to get (blonde hair, blue eyes, pale skin, big nose) I knew very early on that I ticked every box in terms of what schools were looking for in a teacher so I interviewed at about ten different places and played them all off against each other. I literally sold myself to the highest bidder - and with at least six schools desperate to hire me, I was able to secure a far better salary than they originally offered. I just guess that my timing was right.