Always Smiling in the Land of Smiles

Making the decision to step out of my comfort zone to embark on a new adventure was a scary and daunting thing. I had just finished studying and was in no way ready to settle into a job at home. I wanted to travel and experience a new culture in all its beauty. There was something about Thailand that had drew me in, I knew that there was something there for me to see and experience. I honestly didn't even bother looking at other companies I knew from the moment that I wanted to teach in Thailand that I wanted to get there through Travelbud! Travelbud helped me pave the way on the journey to Thailand. They held my hand every step of the way on what would have been a stressful path. They made sure that I was fully prepared and informed about what to expect once I got there and in making sure all my paperwork (visas health requirements photocopied and certified documents) were collected and together. Travelbud stayed in constant contact with me, making sure that I had landed safely and was in the capable hands of their partners on the ground in Thailand. They checked in on me throughout the year and remainder a company that I could rely on if I had any concerns or questions (even if it was where they would recommend I Travel to first on my first long weekend off work).
The experience itself of teaching in Thailand was hands down the most enriching and humbling experience of my life to date. I lived in a small town in the south of Thailand called "Thung Song" where I taught a variety of subjects (English, maths, sport and art) to primary school children. My students have been such a blessing in my life and I can honestly say that they taught me more than I could ever tried to teach them. Being in the classroom making learning fun and spending time with them, despite the language barrier we formed such bonds that I learned communicating is never just about words. Life was never all work and no play. Everyday was a blast at school and on the weekends myself and good friends (friends that I made on my teaching course and have remained so close to) would hop on the last mini van to Krabi ( which was only a 2 hour drive away) where we would spend the weekend exploring the beaches there or catching a ferry to Phi Phi for the night. Life was a constant adventure and one that I was sad the end when I left. But apon my arrival home to SA Travelbud was there, I chatted about my concerns finding a job and they sent me straight to Pentravel (a well known travel agency) they told me to submit my CV in to Pentravel I took their advice and having a deep love travel knew that this was the right job for me get into. I am now a Travel Agent working at Pentravel. Every major decision that I have made in the past two years Travelbud has been there guiding me and offering me support. They never abandoned me and made sure that I was happy working Thailand and even after making the decision to come home making sure that I found my feet here again. Travelbud makes the transition from moving aboard easy and even assist in making the transition in coming home a breeze! Looking back the best decision I have made was contacting Travelbud all those months ago when I wanted to work in Thailand. They are at the root of it all to me, and without them I wouldn't have experienced Thailand the way I did and I wouldn't have found this job I have now. Doing all this alone is a scary task and one that can be overwhelming! This world is too big to go through things like moving aboard alone, having a support system behind you is so crucial, and I recommend Travelbud as the ultimate support system. They have all traveled abroad before and can answer all your concerns first hand because they have done it. They such an awesome team of young and vibrant people who truly understand what you want from this experience and want to help make it everything you want to it to be and more!