Q1. Where did you move to and when?

in October 2013 I decided to move to Vientiane, Laos, to teach at a private bilingual school.

Q2. How long did you work in Thailand?

One term.

Q3. What was your main reason for moving?

I was working at a wonderful government school in Pathum Thani, but I became frustrated with the large class sizes, and the lack of resources and support. The teachers I worked with were great and so were the students, but the lack of structure and support from the school management took its toll on me and I became very frustrated. During the holidays I took a trip to Northern Thailand and after looking across the Mekhong River to Lao, I became intrigued, and decided to follow up on a vacancy in Vientiane.

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

My fantastic school in Lao has small class sizes, it's well equipped with a proper structure and syllabus, and there is lots of support from fellow teachers. But be warned ... there is bugger all to do in Vientiane. Saying that I seem to have fallen in love with the place, as I've been here for two years now.

Q5. What do you miss about life in Thailand?

The cheap food and the weekend nightlife. Also public transport is either crap or non-existent in Lao (and the tuk tuks are way over-priced!). I definitely miss the cheap taxi vans and train travel in Thailand!

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

I think Thailand is a great place to start a TEFL career, but I wouldn't recommend staying for years (of course that's only my humble opinion). I certainly loved living near Bangkok as there was so much to do, and of course, it's well connected to the rest of SE Asia if you like travelling.

Q7. Any plans to return to Thailand one day?

All the time. Whenever I have a school vacation I generally head down to Bangkok on the Nong Khai to Bangkok night train. It's very cheap and comfortable and there is good food available too!

Q8. Anything else you'd like to add?

I should warn you about the heat and humidity. It can be overwhelming at times, and it came as a bit of a shock during my first year (compared to inclement England).