Q1. Where did you move to and when?

Back to my hometown of Boston, Massachusetts in 2011.

Q2. How long did you work in Thailand?

I began teaching in Thailand in 2005 after moving from Sri Lanka where I'd started out as an English teacher just under a year previous.

Q3. What was your main reason for moving?

A few main reasons wrapped up together: wanting to do an MA but deciding not to do it there or distance/online, my wife being interested in living abroad at least for a while, and some level of dissatisfaction with things there professionally.

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

A much more professionalized work situation. A lack of power politics and pomp and circumstance being front and center. Feeling less like a cog in a wheel that you have zero influence on. It's not necessarily better as a whole, but different in ways that are satisfying to me. I've worked really hard to go from teaching to primarily teacher training and I do feel like other opportunities are out there, when I'm ready for them.

Q5. What do you miss about life in Thailand?

A lot of things! The weather, the friendly people, the food. The appreciative students and culture of respect for teachers.

Although I mentioned opportunity above, I do think Thailand also offers a lot of great possibilities for folks to grow and advance. But you really need to be a) proactive & hardworking b) creative & flexible and c) careful! Laws can change, language and culture barriers can hack best laid plans.

Back to what I miss though...I have to mention the music! I'm a big fan of Thai traditional and country music.

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

Thailand is well-known as a suitable place for TEFL newbies to get a start. There's a lot of work and it's a fun place to live. But it's also easy to get cynical about teaching there, and there's a definite lack of quality professional development support and opportunities for foreign English teachers in Thailand.

Q7. Any plans to return to Thailand one day?

Yes. I'd really like to open a small school and also work with new and practicing teachers in Thailand to help my adopted second home reach its English language proficiency goals.

Q8. Anything else you'd like to add?

For teachers currently teaching in Thailand wondering whether a move might be warranted, a thought: there's a big world of amazing teaching opportunities out there waiting for you. Sometimes I felt so content in Thailand that the thought of ever leaving seemed absurd. But if you're young and mobile and love this educational niche, don't settle too early. Keep the wheels turning and keep finding new challenges so you can grow as a professional. If you're getting that in Thailand, great. But if it seems you're 'stuck' at all, a change of state (both physically and psychologically) might be just what the doctor ordered. Thailand isn't going anywhere. :)