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.

I did plenty of research before I decided to teach in Thailand through CIEE. I'm so glad I did! I wanted a credible and legitimate program to make for a seamless transition into a foreign country. Pre-departure emails were helpful making sure I had everything accounted for, visas situated (via CIEE) and insurance is even taken care of with them.

Once there, the week long orientation prior to going to your schools was a great learning experience. There were several Thai-language seminars and workshops to get you with some working proficiency, plus lots of extra teaching prep. They definitely get you as prepared as possible. Plus, during orientation, you meet all of the other program participants from all over, and you befriend who will be your closest friends and travel buddies for the next 5 or 10 months (or for life).

All in all, I can't imagine not teaching in Thailand, and not going through CIEE. It's truly a great program with great people helping you through it. I urge you, don't hesitate! Take the plunge. It'll all be worth it.

I went to Thailand alone, but with CIEE helping me every step of the way, I felt like I could travel to a new country with confidence. This is NOT a program that drops you off in a foreign country and you never hear from again! Their constant support helped me to easily navigate the application process, prepare me for packing and living in Thailand, and made the nightmare that can be getting a visa, stress free with their step by step instructions and assistance. Once in Thailand, I spent a week at their orientation in Bangkok making friends that I then travelled with throughout the year and talked to about teaching. When I left orientation for my new life in Thailand, my housing was already ready for me and a Thai teacher welcomed me on arrival to guide me.

With the help of CIEE I began my time in Thailand on a positive note, transition smoothly into my new life. I quickly grew to love my farming village, my silly, eager students and created a community of friends and peers. I kept in constant contact with other teachers I had met at orientation, going on weekend adventures and trading lesson plans with them! On my good days and my bad days, it was always a comfort to know that in such a foreign place, CIEE was there for me if I needed help.

I chose to teach in Thailand with CIEE for countless reasons. This was my first time abroad and I was beyond excited for the journey ahead, despite not having a clue as to how and where to begin- I needed help! I was about to embark on something that I knew would change me forever. It’s the best and scariest feeling in the world. I wanted to feel confident that I was getting everything (i.e. paperwork, visa, work permit) logistical completed, and not only completed, but completed correctly and efficiently. I also wanted a personal relationship/contact to ensure I had actual people there for me while being in a foreign country. CIEE has exceeded my expectations. This journey has been nothing short of amazing, life changing, and challenging, and when I hear from my coordinator randomly on a Monday morning before teaching, I know I went with the right program. The people of CIEE make it such a fantastic organization just as the people of Thailand make it such a beautiful place to live and work

I'm sure anyone who's gone to Thailand will tell you they had an amazing time, so I'll just second that. My experience in Thailand was great. CIEE did a great job in preparing me before going abroad, and their on-site partner OEG was constantly in contact with us, and always there to help. Even while we were working in country we'd still receive information from CIEE, just checking in to see how we were doing or wishing us a happy-Thai-holiday.

I learned that teaching is not my life calling, but I didn't regret my choice of teaching in Thailand one minute. The students I worked with were extremely smart and funny. One class would always ask me, "Teacha Jenna, can we watch Mean Girls"? - I mean, how do you say no to that?!

My school was a little stricter than others, so we didn't have many days off, but I still feel like I explored the country to the fullest. I found time to travel to northern Thailand, the islands in the south, and took many short weekend trips to cities 2-6 hours from where I worked.

I'm glad I went with CIEE and not on my own, because it was great having their support during the preparations. When we arrived in country we had a week long orientation which is where I met all my friends and travel buddies for the time I was abroad. It also created a sense of community and support that I wouldn't have had if I would have gone on my own.

If you are considering teaching in Thailand through CIEE I would encourage you to do so. It was a great experience that I haven't regretted for one second, and I know an experience like that won't come around again.

If you'd like to hear more about my experience, you can read my blog from my time in Thailand here: https://jennaleighschumann.wordpress.com/

I had a great experience with CIEE Teach in Thailand. From my initial questions pre-departure, to ongoing support throughout my time abroad, to the connections I've made with their staff in Thailand and fellow teachers, I was thoroughly impressed.

I was assigned to teach kindergarten at a private school near Bangkok. I had great housing, a great local community, and decent pay. I did find that most other teachers who found jobs on their own were making higher salaries; it is easier to negotiate and "shop around" when you don't find a job through an organization like CIEE.

However, since this was my first experience in Thailand, I was happy to trade a slightly-lower salary for the comfort of knowing I was working for a reputable school, one that treats its teachers well, pays on time, and holds to the contract, and that CIEE had my back if I had any difficulties (which I didn't).

The program provided a week-long orientation before I started teaching in Bangkok; this was a helpful way to adjust to the country and provided some good information. The greatest benefit, though, was in meeting a network of like-minded English teachers to travel with throughout my year in Thailand.

If you have experience teaching in Asia and know how to avoid the pitfalls of newbie teachers, you may want to find a job in Thailand on your own. If you want the security of going through a program, I can't recommend this one highly enough.