Greenheart Travel - Teach English in Thailand

My name is Paul Hoffman and I am an English Teacher with Greenheart Travel's Teach In Thailand May 2011 program. The orientation for my 5 month program started on May 8, 2011 in Bangkok and I'll be teaching English here in Suphanburi, Thailand until October 5, 2011. This has been an EXCELLENT adventure! The managers and staff at Greenheart Travel in Chicago have been with me every step of the way starting back in October of 2010. They offered me different teaching programs in different countries and helped me decide on the right program after answering about 150 questions from me! They helped with every step of the application / qualification process and the Thailand Non-Immigrant VISA - which can be a challenge! In fact, I still write to Greenheart Travel every Monday and send them my Blog called 'Chalk Dust' which is posted on their website. Teaching here in Thailand has been an exciting, exhilarating, nerve racking, and 'pushing me to go outside my box' experience. I've never taught in school before. In fact, I've been out of High School for 30 years and now I'm back at school teaching English to 7th and 10th grade students - and these students don't have English as their first launguage! After arriving in Thailand I had to get used to a new culture very quickly, set up my basic living space, and develope lesson plans for class - and that was in the first week and a half. Thailand is known as the 'Land Of Smiles' and the Thai people are very warm and welcoming. As long as I say a few words in Thai and smile, they are willing to help any way they can. I always remember to keep things simple when teaching or developing lesson plans because the Thai students are trying to absorb a new language - English. I remember just trying to learn how to say 'Good Morning' and 'How Are You' and Count from One to Ten in Thai and I got soooooo lost! Since I was lost with those simple words, I just imagine what the Thai students must be going through trying to learn English! So, I keep it simple and adapt the lesson quickly if need be. The weather in Thailand is hot, the food is spicy, and the way of life is laid back and fun! I now wish that I would have signed up for the 10 month program. Who knows, maybe I'll come back next year?? If you come here, always remember to look to the right first when crossing the street! I learned that the hard way - ha!