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Location
  • Thailand
    • Hua Hin
    • Chiang Rai
    • Chiang Mai
    • Bangkok
Length
12 - 52 weeks
Classroom Audience
Early Childhood Pre-School

Program Details

Job Type
Teacher Exchange
Classroom Audience
Early Childhood Pre-School
Housing
Apartment Hotel
Age Min.
21
Age Max
50

Pricing

Salary / Benefits
$900+/month
Starting Price
1569
What's Included
Some Activities Airport Transfers Some Meals
What's Included (Extra)

Full support from on-the-ground staff

What's Not Included
Accommodation Activities Airfare Meals SIM cards Travel Insurance
Dec 02, 2019
Apr 02, 2014
Wish List
20 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

Thailand is a country filled with wonders and beauty. Golden beaches, prowling tigers, ancient cities, amazing culture. But Thailand is more than just that. It is a country looking to learn. The demand for English speaking teachers is great.

Visiting teachers are able to teach in Thailand in Primary or Secondary schools, sometimes with the option of teaching at both levels, depending on the placement and availability. Schools are both urban & rural, in Bangkok, central, eastern Thailand; and some limited placements in northern Thailand. Typically, visiting teachers are in the classroom and help with class planning, presentations, faculty meetings, and help with extra-curricular activities.

Program fee starting at US$1,569.

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girl smiling in thailand with elephant
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Program Reviews

4.89 Rating
based on 9 reviews
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  • Benefits 4.9
  • Support 5
  • Fun 5
  • Facilities 4.9
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Showing 9 - 9 of 9 reviews
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Bryan
40
Male
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

A Life Changing Experience

Mar 6, 2014

I came to Thailand in October 2013. Upon arrival, XploreAsia facilitated everything and made it so easy once I got here. Not only was there a driver waiting for me at the airport with my name on a sign, but I had a fallback-plan in my back pocket that they provided should anything go wrong. The first week is the cultural orientation that includes awesome stuff like a lesson at a muay thai gym, a visit to an elephant sanctuary (the elephant even plays the harmonica), receiving a blessing from a monk, as well as Thai language lessons that give you the basic words you need to get around, order food, etc. The president of the company Mike also gives multiple fascinating speeches about Thai culture and the history of the country. The week culminates with a sweet beach BBQ where you can swim and play with photo luminescent plankton in the sea when the sun goes down.

The next 3 weeks of the TESOL course were challenging but extremely helpful. The course instructors are extremely passionate and give you all of the tools you need to succeed when you arrive at your placement school. I myself have grown up with a crippling fear of public speaking, but this course really helps bring the teacher out of you. Finally, in the last week, you get a chance to put your newfound teaching skills to the test at a nonprofit english camp that XploreAsia arranges every month. It is soo helpful to get a chance to teach actual students before arriving at your job so you can get a realistic expectation of what you are going into.

XA was very upfront about their job placement process. While they do ask for everyone's personal preferences about where you would like to teach and what age range, they emphasize that securing a job at a reputable school that treats their teachers well is the main priority.

When it comes down to it, my incredible experience was a result of keeping a good attitude. No, I did not love the area I was placed in at first, but I was determined to keep an open mind and get the most out of this adventure. Plus XA continued to provide support for any problems I had even after I had completed my course and sent me off to my school. Out of the 100+ people that were on my course with me, the only ones who seemed unhappy with their experience were the ones who came to Thailand expecting the country to adapt to them, not the other way around.

Overall I couldn't be happier with my recruiting process. XploreAsia has an incredible staff that is like a little family and they truly seem to care about all of the new teachers that come through their program. This is truly a culture experience that is amazing, challenging, rewarding, and most of all, really really fun. If you want to expand your horizons and have a life changing adventure, I couldn't recommend this program more.

59 people found this review helpful.
Helpful

Questions & Answers

Do you need to have a bachelors degree to teach?

Do you know what country they are talking about? If it's Thailand then they don't need to have a bachelors, but it will limit where they can work and how much they can make. They will also not be eligible for a long term visa and will have to make a visa run every month or so (can't remember the length exactly). In Myanmar, you really can't teach without a Bachelor's degree unless you have a lot...

By Chris on December 5, 2016
See all 2 answers

Alumni Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with verified alumni.

Jeffrey Ryan Curry

Program
Paid Teaching Positions in Thailand
Jeffrey grew up in Tempe, Arizona. He's 23 years old and previously a Map Technician at his university. He enjoys traveling the world, learning about different cultures and languages, traveling the world and taking adventurous risks.

Why did you decide to teach English abroad with GeoVisions in Thailand?

Jeffrey Ryan Curry profile pic

Jeffrey: It all started with the curiosity to see what I could in a different part of the world. I stumbled upon GeoVisions while just searching for an English Teaching program somewhere abroad.

And I decided to go with Thailand as it seemed the most far-flung part of the world that you could be in. Having the insatiable appetite of always wanting to travel Southeast Asia, I signed up for Thailand for a length of 4 months.

What made this teach abroad experience unique and special?

Jeffrey: Just being immersed in a totally different culture and residing in a completely different part of world was unique in itself: Learning about the religion, culture and how the people of Thailand lived throughout their daily lives was very unique.

I have met so many amazing people I have worked with inside and outside of the school. While teaching, I never knew how much I was actually learning while teaching the material to my very own students! I was re-living my time as a young student in a classroom myself.

Tell us about one person you met you will never forget.

Jeffrey: The one person I will never forget is connected to how much Thai I have learned which is the security guard at my apartment complex. The first day I started teaching, I locked myself out of my apartment complex late at night having an already rough day.

The first person I have ever attempted to talk Thai was this security guard. Ever since he helped me, I have always greeted him every day which gradually led into longer conversations about anything that I could come up with and I would just listen to his responses as carefully as possible to understand him.

Over the past months we were just having decent conversations that spanned a half hour or more, again, about anything! By the time of my departure back to America, I told him I would be back. I did not realize until then how much he had helped me getting the Thai language down by just talking to him.

What were you most proud of accomplishing during your time as a teacher?

"I never knew I would become an English teacher in a foreign country."

Jeffrey: What I was most proud of accomplishing was learning how to speak, read and write Thai close to fluency by the end of my 8 months stay. I thought this would not be achievable as the language was quite hard to learn and study, but by talking constantly to locals, the language was developing much quicker than I thought.

The whole immersion in a completely different country to learn that specific language really does accelerate your ability to learn that language.

Another accomplishment that I was most proud of was gaining the experience to teach at a school from the ground up. I never knew I would become an English Teacher in a foreign country or even become a teacher anywhere!

Ever since I stumbled upon this opportunity, it’s hard to say when I will be back “home” since the opportunities I have come upon while teaching have spread quickly!

How has this experience impacted your future? (Personally, professionally, etc)

"I felt that I left a huge impact on the students."

Jeffrey: This experience has impacted my future completely. Over a year ago, I had a completely different mindset on what I wanted to do in my life: I wanted to become either a GIS Technician, Geographer or Map Technician, but then I realized majority of those jobs require years of experience on top of experience I could not get easily obtain because the demand for internships were so little.

I wasn’t going to sit around. I felt that I needed to change paths as I felt lost and confused with my future. I turned to the rest of the world and their opportunities. Ever since I discovered many jobs as an English Teacher in Southeast Asia, I knew this was an opportunity that may help me get to where I need to be.

Fast-forward a year later, I’m sitting here constantly looking at plane tickets to destinations I have always wanted to go to. I’ve taught in a classroom for the past 8 months which I never had in the past.

After teaching for that long, my communication skills are better, I feel more confident when I talk, I felt that I left a huge impact on the students I taught and that my creativity has been boosted.

I felt really important as the opportunities for a lot of things: tutoring students, parents, anybody who wanted to learn English, and other teaching positions, all of these opportunities were coming to me. I don’t know if I want to pursue a path I once wanted in the past because of how this part of the world made me grow as a better person.

Better yet, the job opportunities have expanded to a few countries: China: working as a transportation planner in Beijing, Japan: continue working as an English Teacher at an International Arts School, Mexico: Working as an Urban Planner in La Paz.

None of this would have happened if I decided to take the opportunity to go abroad, teach and develop everlasting connections with people.

Staff Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with program leaders.

Randy LeGrant

Program
Paid Teaching Positions in Thailand
Job Title
GeoVisions Executive Director
We are proud to feature Randy LeGrant, who is the Executive Director of GeoVisions. Randy and the rest of the folks at GeoVisions provide voluntourism opportunities in international education and exchange in over 25 countries around the world. Randy has extensive experience in teach, volunteer, and internship opportunities abroad, and we're delighted to have him here today to share his own experiences and advice. We hope you enjoy the interview and welcome further comments and questions below!
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Lets start with a brief introduction. Who are you, where are you, and what are you doing?

My name is Randy LeGrant and I'm the Executive Director of GeoVisions. Our inbound office, where we operate the J-1 Visa U.S. Work and Travel program is located in Chesterfield, NH. Our outbound office, where we operate the volunteer and teach abroad programs is located in Guilford, CT. I work in Guilford and I love it. The building we're in was built in 1750 and the town Green we overlook was built in 1639. About a mile down the road is a working harbor for Lobstermen and we even have a lighthouse. We feel like we walk around in a postcard all day.

Tell us a little about GeoVisions and what this organization aims to accomplish?

We founded GeoVisions on August 11, 2001. We hit our first real challenge a month later on September 11, 2001. But through that, and most recently the global financial meltdown, we have managed every year to grow our programs and the number of volunteers and teachers we send abroad.

Something many people don't realize is the amount of experience the three principals of GeoVisions have. We're old guys and in some respects that works against us. But combined we have 109 years of experience in this field. When we sit down at a table for a meeting, 109 years of experience is a good thing.

And before you take pitty on this old man, I'll also share that I'm a Black Belt in TaeKwon-Do and hold 5 Gold Medals in International competition. I'm in the Dojang four nights a week unless I'm traveling. Even then I research a GTF or ITF school where I'm going to be.

Describe a typical GeoVision volunteer.

Is there a typical volunteer that is drawn to GeoVisions? That's a good question. Our volunteers and teachers are mostly 22-35 years of age. 80% come from the U.S. and the other 20% from the UK, Canada and Australia. 65% are female and that actually is lower than the industry average of 80%. We attract more males, I think, because of the unique projects we have available.

When we talk to people with an interest in volunteering abroad or teaching abroad, we ask a lot of questions. A good volunteer is either going to have a very precise reason for going abroad and a very precise location in mind, or the volunteer will be open to suggestions and countries. You either need to be focused on one type of project in one location or you need to be an open canvas, ready to write or draw your experience as it happens.

GeoVisions engages in Voluntourism. We are not an aid or development organization and we don't pretend to be. The type of programs we provide give a volunteer or teacher plenty of time to experience the local culture and to travel around the country. And then we provide the time to roll up your sleeves and get a lot of experience working in a community, and living with a local family.

Many aspiring volunteers are surprised to learn they must pay hundreds (or thousands) of dollars to volunteer abroad. How does GeoVisions address this concern?

The "why do I have to pay to volunteer" is a question we get from time to time. Interestingly, as Voluntourism is now a "mainstream" travel experience, most people know they are going to have to pay. But years ago it was a question we received all the time.

When we open up a new project, we calculate fees based on what it will cost us to support the project properly. We don't want any volunteer to be a burden on the community or a host family. So we build in an insurance policy that covers death, accident, medical and dental. In countries where families need assistance with food for another mouth to feed, we calculate that cost. And almost all projects require a financial arrangement to help offset the cost of a foreign volunteer. The volunteer found out about GeoVisions and the project through the Internet and I don't think anyone understands the enormous cost of marketing programs online. Our annual online marketing fees are more than we pay in any salary to anyone on our staff. And then of course we don't set up a project unless someone from our team goes abroad and fills out a 15-page Risk Management report on the project, the people who work at the project, the community and the host family if we use one.

We maintain a page on our website that explains how we spend volunteer's money and we try to be transparent. Above all, we respect anyone who is going abroad to help others. We respect the time our volunteers are giving and the money they are spending.

I like to think we honor the commitment of our volunteers and teachers by providing solid but very unique experiences. We have a live person answering our phones 24/7 and we care about what our volunteers think and what they are doing. We write to them when they are abroad and check in from time to time with our offices there. We have a big presence on Facebook where volunteers can write anything they want and we also encourage comments on our blog. We don't remove anything that is negative because we know we aren't going to please everyone. But the fact that we are transparent and we do provide many open forums, we know that makes us a better organization each day.

What do you believe is the continuing benefit of volunteering abroad after returning home?

There is a global debate, you know, about whether an organization is for-profit or non-profit. And there is a debate on whether or not voluntourism does more harm than good or if the projects benefit the volunteer more than the local community. We engage in this debate everyday. I comment on at least three blogs each day about these topics.

What GeoVisions is really interested in is what our volunteers and teachers do AFTER the experience. Here we call it the 'Experience after the Experience'. If we do our job in finding sustainable projects that are unique and different from other organizations, and if we do our job in making sure the projects and host families have a sustainable need, and if we do our job in making sure the volunteers and teachers we send are matched appropriately to the projects, then the experience the volunteers have will be positive. What we want to do is encourage our volunteers to be engaged locally when they return. Or volunteer abroad again. We are engaged in research along these lines with Southern Connecticut State University and Voluntourism.org.

What does the future hold for GeoVisions?

We have a very bright future. We do a pretty good job of differentiation in a sea of so many volunteer abroad organizations. If you hear the name Conversation Corps or Conversation Partner, you can equate that with GeoVisions. The Corps represents 65% of our volunteers. Just this week we added Conversation Corps-Nepal and Conversation Partner-Rio.

Thanks for asking these interesting questions. We appreciate your interest in GeoVisions.

About GeoVisions Foundation

Get paid to teach English abroad or be an au pair. Volunteer to tutor English or be a language summer camp counselor. This is a great way to reward yourself with a working vacation for 1 to 12 months in Thailand, France, Italy, and 10 other countries! Earn your TEFL Certification online or in Italy or Greece. SAFETY AND SECURITY "I'm an adult with...

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