Thailand

Teaching in Thailand was my first experience living anywhere that was more than 50 miles from where I grew up in Long Island, New York. To put it shortly this has been one of the best experiences of my life. All the apprehensions, and fears I had before I left debunked one right after another almost instantly upon my arrival. The orientation provided by CIEE was a big part in that. Spending a week in Chang Mai with other teachers, former teachers and the support system was extremely helpful for someone like myself who has never done anything like this before. You start to get a feel for the people and culture while still having the support to answer questions and provide information. I also believe that the community of teachers who are all arriving in the same position of having no idea of what to expect is extremely helpful.
After leaving orientation the same fears and apprehensions arise again, and one more time they quickly subside. I arrived in a smaller town outside of a small city, and immediately I felt safe and welcome. The people although largely surprised by seeing an American were always smiling wanting to communicate and make me feel at home. I have met people, seen things, and had experiences that will stay with me forever. More importantly I feel that I have become a part of a community and that is something special that I do not believe happens often.
Six months or even a year may seem like a long time but as I am writing this I am weeks away from completing my time here and it feels like I arrived yesterday. I also now understand why people don't leave. CIEE provided incredible support and helped walk me through this process step by step. I would highly recommend this program to anyone looking to travel and teach.