All About That BASE!

I'm All About That BASE!

I have been working in a private school in the province of Nakhon Pathom (just outside of Bangkok) after being placed there through BASE and I have been very happy with everything they have provided, especially after hearing horror stories from other TEFL teachers under different agencies.

The main positives from my experience with BASE have been:

- communication -
long before i arrived in Thailand, BASE provided me with a list of all the necessary documents I would require to assist me with the visa application process they were even quick to get documents from my school that i needed. Whenever I had problems I never felt bad about contacting Mike or the team as they would always respond swiftly and seemed genuinely happy to help.

- the placement -
BASE use schools with a good reputation with a history of looking after their foreign teachers. In addition, my school is one of the best in the province and has air con and motivated children.

Admin was completed very quickly by the school and we all received our non b visas and work permits so we were working legally and without the need for constant border runs which is sadly the case through other agencies. In addition, the admin staff took us out of school to set up bank accounts and for hospital visits as required for health checks for work permits.

I am also happy with the fact that the school provides opportunities to earn extra money on top of my salary with the option of after-school tutoring.

- the family feel -
You get a real family feel with BASE as they are a small team with a small amount of teachers on their roster which means they know everybody personally and you are not just a number on a sheet. The 6 of us were even allowed to stay overnight at the BASE offices in Bangkok before they took us to our placement school!

Mike and his team are easy to reach and are pretty much available at all times through the LINE app and have been quick to respond to any problems no matter how big or small. It was also a nice gesture that Mike came to see us and we all received Christmas gifts from the BASE staff in the mail!

- to conclude -
My TEFL experience in Thailand has been amazing thus far! Although teaching can be tough, there is ample time during the day (four free periods per day) to sort all lessons and marking during school so that evenings and weekends are reserved purely for downtime and exploring the rest of this incredible country!

In fact, since working here, I have camped in the Erawan national park in Kanachanaburi, visited a monkey festival in Lopburi, spent Christmas eve at a pool party in Bangkok, spent New Years in Krabi and on Phi Phi island, explored the markets and temples of Nakhon Pathom, and celebrated my Birthday on a beach in Hua Hin! And all of this with the incredible friends I have
made through the 'TEFL Heaven' course, which Mike is also the director of (if you haven't already got your TEFL certificate then these are definitely the guys to go through).

I wish the same on any of you that want to come over to Thailand and teach and would recommend BASE as the agency to ensure your dreams become a reality! Enjoy!