Amazing Experience in TEFLHeaven Krabi 2016

I had a wonderful experience while participating in TEFLHeaven Krabi October 2016.

Pros:

4. Krabi is gorgeous and has decent nightlife. It's nearby a lot of fun islands to visit as well (Go to Phi Phi for a weekend, so fun!). Also, our hotel was clean and beautiful.

3. This program is intensely social. It's perfect for someone who has just graduated college and doesn't have a ton of travel experience (you'll likely befriend someone who will become your travel buddy). It's not so perfect for my fellow independent introverts, but you have down time every day that you can use to escape and explore the town on your own, and it's certainly nice to always have the option to be with others.

2. The manual used by this course is particularly good. It includes sections on Classroom Management, how a Language Teacher differs from a Traditional Teacher, how to Present Vocabulary and Grammar, how to Lesson Plan, how to teach to different Learning Styles, and basically every major topic every new teacher should be taught.

1. Our Main Trainer Kelly was out of this world phenomenal. Krabi could be a miserable place (it's not) and I would still recommend you select the Krabi location JUST to be taught by Kelly. Seriously, she's that amazing. I taught for two years in the USA before participating in this program and left American public education disappointed. Kelly completely renewed my faith in myself as a teacher. She gave me so many teaching strategies and tools of the trade and inspired so much confidence (shout out to Kelly: real talk, you da literal best.)

Cons:
3. The wifi in our hotel was abysmal. If you use your phone frequently, my best advice is: buy a sim card at the airport and pay for the best internet you can get monthly (I have AIS and was on it virtually the entire time).

2. We happened to be in Krabi during a particularly rainy season, so we didn't get to be outside as much as we would have liked. Just luck of the draw!

1. If you want to have a good time, expect to spend. Yes, things are cheaper over here, but many people don't get their first paycheck until the first week of December. During your first month, you have to take care of food/any touring you would like to do and it's very easy to blow your budget. The second month requires even more money from you (food, bedding, deposits on housing, a motorbike (if the town you will be teaching in doesn't have a ton of public transportation), and whatever materials/necessities you can't live without.

Oh, also, prepare yourself mentally and emotionally for possibly loving it so much here that you never want to go home.