Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.

Postbox letter from Russell

Vietnam is a stunningly beautiful country and well worth a visit. But it is 15 years behind Thailand in every sense.

Choice as a source of wealth

Real "wealth" is not primarily about having material possessions or money

Being a native speaker of the language people around the world use gives me wealth as it is an incredible source of international career opportunities.

Thais and speaking English

Postbox letter from Steve

In Thailand they have a genuine disinterest to talk and communicate with foreigners. They're generally not eager to learn about other cultures. They are closed. Why? who knows. Maybe its because its a big country that houses everything that you'll ever need in your lifetime.

Book review

The essential guide to teaching English and living in Thailand

As they neared the end of their first year in Thailand, Michael and Sarah suddenly realized that while chatting with new arrivals, they were answering the same questions over and over again. So they began to compile a guide to help others who might want to give TEFL in Thailand a try.

A Guinness book of records candidate?

I know a man whose worked for 19 schools

Ben said that he didn't plan to hop from one school to another. It just happened. From the time he started teaching at age 20 - but now in his 60's - he had taught in 19 schools (excluding tutorial centers). He taught in thirteen schools in the Philippines, five in Thailand and one in Afghanistan.

Happy hour at the ESL bar and grill

Amusing the students to death

Students are being scammed out of their money by an industry that is content to amuse the students to death by turning English language education into a perverted version of happy hour at Joe's Bar. Teachers and students deserve better than that.

Small talk with big results

The art of teaching English forwards

"Hi, how are you?" "I'm fine thank you, and you?" "I'm fine thank you." Now, where have we all seen and heard this longwinded, nigh on nonsensical way of communicating before?

Get with the program or fall off the bus

Postbox letter from Dave

The writing has been on the wall since 2006. Six years after the fact there is no excuse for anyone to not have a degree if they want to be a teacher.

Stay positive

Postbox letter from Steve B

I had tremendous trouble finding a decent job when I first arrived, in fact it was two months from the time of arriving in Thailand to my actual first day as a teacher.