Teaching in Thailand, Do It!

I graduated college a term early and much like many of my peers, I had no idea what the next best step was for me. I had read a lot about traveling through Southeast Asia and all of my closest friends gave rave reviews of their experiences, especially in Thailand. I knew I had a travel bug, but also knew that if I was going to delay the start of my career, I wanted to make it meaningful. My opportunity to teach in Thailand went above and beyond my expectations.

When I finally submitted my application (after lots of encouragement from my friends), I did not have any sort of relief. In fact, when I found out I was accepted through the program, and later on given my placement, I still wasn't sure if this was the right move for me. I was placed in a non-tourist destination in northeastern Thailand, and was the only one from the program placed in my city. I was scared and nervous, and still unsure if i should accept one of my pending job offers or commit to this unexpected path. I communicated with CIEE about my anxieties and insecurities about teaching somewhere and emailed every previous teacher through the CIEE community. CIEE gave me borrowed time to ensure I was happy with my decision, and after a lot of deliberation and trust in fate, I committed! And thank G I did!

Teaching in Thailand was the best experience I have ever given myself. From the lifelong friendships I've made with fellow CIEE-ers to the Thai family that was able to develop into members of my forever family and all of the people I met along the way, I am so lucky for all of my amazing memories. While structure is not necessarily a well-known concept in Thailand, CIEE and their partner, OEG, make every effort to help in the transition from a western world into the simplicity, chaos, and beauty of Thailand.