Teaching in the sticks

31 cool and awesome things about living and teaching in rural Thailand

Before we get into the list I just want to mention that everything is written in good fun. Expats and Thailand veterans will understand more than first timers. Certain sentences and parts reflect my own specific experience more so than the general one. Some of it might come across as sappy, but I've had a very positive experience in Thailand and the glass is half full for me.


Reasons to be cheerful?

Postbox letter from Jeff

Foreigners working in Thailand, mostly as teachers, will often say that the low salary is okay for them because they love the lifestyle and love living in Thailand.


Marko's guide for newbies

Ten top tips for new teachers arriving in Thailand

New teachers teaching Thais in schools are often placed into an awkward and stressful situation, not really sure of their authority and sometimes not even placed with assistants who are much help


Bloody well turn it down

Noise pollution gone mad

At the risk of sounding xenophobic..., what the heck, I'll say it: Thai people don't hear noise in the same manner as foreigners. Could it be that Thais have some sort of innate (spiritual?) ability to 'tune it out'. More realistically, the reason is; Thai people 'bear it'. For them to show disdain for loud noise would be a sign of weakness.


A farang mute!

Why I have no intention of studying Thai

We all have our different reasons for being here in Thailand. Yours may be to experience adventure and to embrace different cultures. Mine's just the opposite. I came to be left in peace.


The forgotten people

Perhaps it's too easy to ignore the plight of the city's homeless?

Stroll along any sois and it is not uncommon at all to see men, wild hair unwashed, shoeless and half-naked, scavenge in overflowing bins. Drug addicts, unfortunate immigrants or just plain poor, it is hard to tell, but pitiful all the same.


A big fat wonderful Thai wedding

A different perspective on the happy event

About a month ago, my girlfriend and I were invited to attend the wedding of a Thai friend's son. I had never been to a Thai wedding before, so I was both surprised and honored when presented with the invitation.


Children's day

What this special day should really signify

One of the nicest aspects of living in Thailand is the way in which it embraces its children and families. Bangkok offers an impressive array of activities for children from Dusit Zoo to iceskating, from Lumpini Park to the Aquarium but they are only accessed by a small minority of Thailand's children.


Oh boy...I went to Loei

Amazing travel experiences in North-east Thailand

Even if it's just for a handful of days, hopping back into the traveling circuit is an epic feeling. I love my job and I'm happy everyday, but there's this euphoric buzz that runs through me every time I clip on my Osprey bag and wedge myself onto another box-on-wheels.


Welcome to Bang Sue

Life on the outskirts of Bangkok

“You live where??” I usually receive looks of concern from my students when I tell them that I live in the neighborhood of Bang Sue, about an hour away from our school. From my friends, I receive childish giggles. Yes, I get it. Ha Ha. Many people wonder why I would live so far away from my job and my friends.


Showing 10 tagged items out of 39 total Page 1 of 4



Featured Jobs

Part-time Music Instrument Teacher

฿50,000+ / month

Bangkok


Secondary Math Teacher

฿45,300+ / month

Bangkok


Part-time Lead Teacher

฿30,000+ / month

Bangkok


NES K2 Homeroom Teacher

฿60,000+ / month

Chiang Mai


Science and Maths Teacher

฿42,000+ / month

Bangkok


Kindergarten, Primary, and Secondary Teachers

฿50,000+ / month

Phuket


Featured Teachers

  • Margo


    American, 25 years old. Currently living in Thailand

  • Manuel


    Filipino, 28 years old. Currently living in Philippines

  • Darryl


    Filipino, 35 years old. Currently living in Thailand

  • Anirudh


    Bangladeshi, 25 years old. Currently living in Thailand

  • Sitti


    Filipino, 29 years old. Currently living in Philippines

  • Sanchez,


    Filipino, 24 years old. Currently living in Philippines

The Hot Spot


The dreaded demo

The dreaded demo

Many schools ask for demo lessons before they hire. What should you the teacher be aware of?


Air your views

Air your views

Got something to say on the topic of teaching, working or living in Thailand? The Ajarn Postbox is the place. Send us your letters!


The cost of living

The cost of living

How much money does a teacher need to earn in order to survive in Thailand? We analyze the facts.


Teacher mistakes

Teacher mistakes

What are the most common mistakes that teachers make when they are about to embark on a teaching career in Thailand? We've got them all covered.


Need Thailand insurance?

Need Thailand insurance?

Have a question about health or travel insurance in Thailand? Ricky Batten from Pacific Prime is Ajarn's resident expert.


The Region Guides

The Region Guides

Fancy working in Thailand but not in Bangkok? Our region guides are written by teachers who actually live and work in the provinces.


Contributions welcome

Contributions welcome

If you like visiting ajarn.com and reading the content, why not get involved yourself and keep us up to date?


Will I find work in Thailand?

Will I find work in Thailand?

It's one of the most common questions we get e-mailed to us. So find out exactly where you stand.