Paid Teaching Program in Thailand with TravelBud TESOL/TEFL

My journey started back in 2016 when I embarked on an in class TEFL course in Hua Hin, Thailand. As I am sure you know I went through a wonderful company called TravelBud, who looking back were excellent in everything. From clarifying everything needed and all costs onvolved to setting me up exactly in Thailand with appropriate agencies to assist me in finding a job.

TravelBud were great in such a way where they fortunately provided me with all the information on what to expect and how life would be in Thailand. I really was amazed and taken back by their professional service and guidance throughout the entire process. When I arrived in Thailand with some of my fellow friends where we were picked up from the airprort and taken to our hotel which were all included in the fee, this was great as chaotic Bangkok was quite the place to walk into first time being abroad. So having some professional guidance and assistance was excellent.

Everything was made clear and even before leaving my home country TravelBud provided me with a packing list as well as necessities to take abroad which came in very handy throughout my time in Thailand. I think for me what is the best part was that TravelBud are always eager to give advice and suport no matter what the situation is even if you have finished your course with them and it has been months later.

Their expertise and knowledge about living abroad especially in Asia is outstanding and I highly recommened going through them if you are wanting to work and teach abroad.

The overall cost of the program is not worth what you pay, especially if you are not doing the TESOL/TEFL course. Although all the pre-departure guidance is nice, the orientation week with the partner of TravelBud was very unnecessary and had unexpected costs and also left me with more questions than answers by the end of the week. My name and contact information were only passed from one person to the next (Travelbud to the partner to an Agent). The placement process offers no option and threatens to send you to the bottom of a list and would require a long time to find a new placement if you didn't like and accept the position offered to you. No background check was done on my school, as very little information could be provided to me before I accepted the position.

I recommend finding a job yourself and doing the research on the school and organization first and do it alone. You'll find better teaching positions with higher pay and it will save you money and frustration!

TravelBud were very helpful in guidance and assistance for every detail major and minor (e.g. when it came to pre departure), putting your mind at ease knowing you were in safe hands.

Once in Thailand they provide 24 hour assistance of help if ever required. Very nice and friendly staff communicating with made it all the easier to ask questions whether big or small.

The three weeks TESOL course in Hua Hin via TravelBud's in-country partners was a memorable experience, where upon completion the placements team take into account your preferences and try to place you as best they can to the area you have requested. I was lucky enough to get mine in Krabi where I am teaching at a secondary school in Krabi Town.

I am loving the school, the kids are great fun to teach and the fellow teachers are very friendly and welcoming which has made my experience very memorable and all the more enjoyable!

I am absolutely loving my experience in Thailand. Saskia Smuts is my advisor, and she is absolutely amazing. She is always there to answer my emails, almost immediately. In addition, she continually checks in with me to make sure that everything is going smoothly. I feel such a sense of comfort to reach out to her with any conflicts I face, be it professional or personal. I am extremely grateful for her support. She has absolutely gone above and beyond the call of duty, and has make this experience that much smoother and effortless. I am very grateful that I was put in contact with you, and i have a sense of security knowing if anything begin to stress me out that I have her to lean on. I have grown so much from this experience. I have made friends with both foreign teachers in the same boat as me, as well as with some of the Thai teachers. I am looking forward to the remainder of the year I am here, and getting the feeling that I will be doing this far longer then I had originally expected.

No worries is a great way to describe my experience here in Thailand. Since I hit the ground in October of 2018 I have had so much in country and email support from Saskia and Travelbud. The program helped me with everything; getting the correct visa, packing for the trip, transportation, and all the little things in between. I have felt oddly at ease through the experience, knowing I will be taken care of in some way. Now don't get me wrong there are naturally, some stressful and worrisome times through the lifechanging experience but I was supported the whole way through. Even now, 2 months into teaching I can still reach out if I have anything I need.
Advice if you're debating on whether to do the program: Talk to a coordinator and ask ALL the questions you have. There are no silly questions and it will help you make the best decision for yourself.

Tips:
Be ready to be flexible. Very little things in Thailand go exactly as planned and the locals have a unique lifestyle that will make you "go with the flow".

Be ready to actually teach. That's what you're here doing right? Too many people from my program only came for the islands and cheap drinks and dropped out because they didn't want to do the hard work. Do this for the right reasons. All of Thailand is beautiful but it's not all beaches and pina coladas. Also, stay for at least 6 months if you can. It'll be hard to get the full experience in shorter amount of time.

Get out of your comfort zone! Do it, life is short. I've learned so much about myself and the world in only 3 short months and I wouldn't change it for anything. Endlessly grateful for this experience and I don't think you'll regret it either!

Teaching in Thailand was one of the best things I could have ever done. I applied on a whim, utterly terrified and unsure of what to expect, but the staff at TravelBud (ESPECIALLY SASKIA :D ) could not have been more helpful and supportive, it was a huge comfort to me knowing that someone was hearing and helping me.
The TESOL course was incredibly helpful, I think I would've been completely lost without it as I'm still drawing on those skills that I learnt and it proved to be incredibly useful in the classroom.
The most important piece of advice I can give when finding your feet in this lovely country is this: KEEP. AN. OPEN. MIND.
I have always sworn by this but I found that it helps, especially in Thailand. My fellow Thai teachers are just AMAZING, helpful when you ask questions and love sharing food! (And I am someone that never turns down food, haha). Keeping an open mind when trying to immerse yourself in this new culture can be trying at first but it will be the best tool to help you overcome your anxiety about being outside of your comfort-zone. For me, it turned out to be a fun, amazing experience that I wouldn't trade for anything. I'm loving every minute of it, I love the new friends I've made and my students are growing on me each day!
Lastly, I'm loving this, I am so glad I chose to do this and one FINAL, extremely special THANK YOU to Saskia for helping me keep my head on straight!
XOXO

We found out about Travelbud through a posting on Facebook. Immediately I was intrigued about the programs they offered and how everything worked. Travelling and working abroad was a bucket list item that my husband and I had discussed when we were still in high school. After having a Skype call with Peter, we were sold! This was something we needed to do and Travelbud was the company who was going to help us. We applied for the teach in Thailand course and sent through all our necessary documents. Everything was so easy! Travelbud went out of their way to provide a seamless experience for us. All of a sudden we were boarding a plane and beginning our adventure and we have never looked back.
What we learnt while abroad (just a few):
1. Yes you are here to travel and experience the culture and have an incredible experience but as a teacher, your students should come first! Always put your best foot forward for your students.
2. Embrace the culture and the people you meet. It may not be what you are used to but it doesn't make it wrong, just different. You'll be surprised at the incredible experiences you have once you accept this.
3. Do your best to make meaningful friendships while you are aboard. Your life will be so much richer for it.
Teaching in Thailand, and Thailand itself, has opened our eyes to what is truly important in life. I am sure that your experience travelling and teaching/volunteering abroad will be the same for you, should you choose to allow it.

Going through Travel-Bud was fantastic from start to end.
I had a million and one questions before I went over (The jitters were real) but dealing with Peter was great in that he answered each and everyone of them, gave his own personal accounts of what I should expect on the other side and advice for aspects I hadn't quite thought of.

The orientation month consisted of culture related excursions (making Thai food, going to temples, meeting elephants and learning the basics of Thai language)
My favourite part was the fact that we stayed with a group of 30 of us for the first month, since we were all in this together, we bonded A LOT quicker than your normal friendship. Every night we were bonding over food, games, drinking by the pool, playing guitar, doing yoga in the park, making fun of each others accents and sharing why we had embarked on this new chapter.
I'm still in touch with most of these people and during the holidays we would meet up in different cities around Thailand. Now that I'm back home we often FaceTime one another and they're friendships I'll treasure forever.

The teaching part was great too, for the first year I was a teacher at a government Thai school, where I was the only foreigner. Sometimes it would get lonely but the Thai teachers honestly put in SO much effort to converse with me and make me feel comfortable.
My last 6 months I was an MEP teacher (I taught one class of 6 year olds all the subjects from English, maths, Science, Health and Art) at a wealthier school, where I worked alongside 3 other English teachers. Both had pro's and con's but I wouldn't give up either experience!

If you're interested in going over, I would suggest DO IT. If you really don't enjoy it - fly home. But if you do, imagine all the stories you can tell your grandkids one day?! This journey honestly grows you in a way you can only understand once you've gone through it. I'm so thankful I didn't let fear hold me back because now I can't shut up about all the adventures I experienced and people I met.

Coming to teach in Thailand was the best decision I ever made for myself. I have grown in so many ways I never thought I would. What I love the most about Thailand is the Thai people that are very friendly and the delicious Thai food. Working with Thai kids is a pleasure as are keen to learn. Overall I’m so happy that I was able to have this experience and so grateful to TravelBud for making it possible!

This is an amazing program. The mandatory TESOL training course does a good job getting you prepared to be a teacher here, but nothing compares to the real thing. Working with Thai students is an absolute blast. They are fun-loving, hard-working, and simply a pleasure to be around. As the title states, DO NOT COME HERE IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR AN EXCUSE TO TRAVEL. Theses students greatly benefit from learning English, as it is the most used language between Asean countries, as well as much of the world. You can literally help open doors to the world for kids here if you are willing to work hard for them. Absolutely would recommend this program for anyone who wants to help out and enjoy the amazing country that Thailand is!

TravelBud helped me to get where I was going. Through TravelBud I got set up with their in-country partner company in Thailand. I traveled to Thailand with their help, completed a TESOL course and have been happily teaching here for 8 months. They were supportive all along and always there to answer questions and check in. It made the move across the world so much easier. Would definitely recommend this company as it is reliable and leads to a rewarding experience. Thanks for everything!

I want to thank Travelbud for all the help and assistance they provided without them it would not be possible. Saskia Smuts was a real rose as she always provided feedback on the many questions I have. I will always refer friends to the organization as I feel it makes the process al lot easier.

My trip in Thailand has been up and down with lots of good and some bad moments, but I have never regretted coming to Thailand and I wish to be doing this.

It would be pretty sick if I could win a trip overseas as my birthday is almost and would love to take my girlfriend somewhere nice.

Thank you very much

My experience was incredible. I was petrified getting on the plane 6 months ago and leaving everything behind, but as soon as I landed, and began making a new life for myself, I found not only was I fully capable of anything, but also, my home was wherever I am. This revelation led way to traveling across South East Asia, sometimes without a destination in mind, and sometimes without a place to stay. My travels have been nothing short of an adventure and I'm excited for the next chapter!

I am a naturally anxious person and going abroad to teach was one of the scariest things I'd ever done. TravelBud was so helpful in calming my nerves and ensuring everything was prepared so that I had less to worry about and could enjoy myself more. Overall it was the best decision I could have made and I'm so happy that I was able to have this experience and so grateful to TravelBud for making it possible!

I have nothing but amazing things to say about TravelBud and Saskia who helped me from the beginning of my experiences, through the transition and followed up with me once I was placed. I am someone who has always gone into all my experiences with expectations, how can you not? But my expectations were not fulfilled and it turned out to be a blessing. Thailand has changed my life for the better and I feel so thankful for everything TravelBud has done for me and XploreAsia.