WHY DIDN'T I DO THIS SOONER?!

Applying to CIEE’s Teach in Thailand program was quite possibly the best decision I ever made. Before coming to Thailand, I’d never been overseas, so I was very nervous and didn’t know what to expect. The program coordinator, Kerry, was amazingly helpful, and she walked me through the entire process. Every time I called Kerry, she answered and talked to me for as long as it took to resolve whatever issue/meltdown I was having. When I ran into trouble with my visa, she made sure my school understood that I’d be coming and didn’t give my position away. The situation was a lot less stressful than it could have/should have been.

The real benefit of teaching in Thailand through CIEE is the support and how your host school deals with you. Schools that work with CIEE have to provide their teachers with accommodations and a contract completion bonus. They stressed making sure I became independent and comfortable travelling around town on my own. I didn’t travel to Thailand alone, and my preference was to be placed in the same location with my travel partner. CIEE actually placed me in the same exact school. It doesn’t get much better than that.

This wasn’t part of the contract, but my school taught me how to ride a motorbike and drive a manual transmission truck. The school also helped me buy my own motorbike and went out of their way to ensure that I had reliable transportation around town. This experience has reshaped my values, wants, and needs. I’ve met a ton of interesting people, and I’ve made some great friends along the way. I wouldn’t trade my time in Thailand for anything. If you’re looking to teach in the land of smiles, and you want to go through a program, you won’t do much better than the Teach in Thailand program from CIEE.