Everyone Should Experience Teaching in Thailand!

I applied to the Teach in Thailand program in February 2018 and started in May 2018. I will be in Thailand for a whole year and would definitely recommend doing this via CIEE. While it might appear quite costly to begin with, you soon discover it is worth it in comparison with other companies.

CIEE will ensure that your accommodation is provided, placement is arranged and communicate all steps of the process, both pre-arrival and when you get there. Airport transfers were also arranged when I arrived. Furthermore, you have the opportunity to participate in a week long orientation program where you get to learn more about Thai culture, experience some TEFL training, take a cultural trip and meet fellow people on the program. It's all extremely valuable and a great way for connecting with people so that you can travel on weekends or holidays. CIEE are in close partnership with OEG (Overseas Ed Group) whose contact details we have and can reach out to for support at any point during our stay.

I was very fortunate to be placed in a great school in Bangkok and I really do love the secondary level children that I teach. There are some really beautiful things to see here along with great food and culture. The people are very friendly and will go out of their way to help you, and ensure you are looked after! I haven't had much opportunity to travel at the moment but I have plans to visit Chiang Mai, Koh Samet, Ayutthaya, Erawan Falls and more!

Things to note before you consider applying:

- This is a real job. I cannot stress this enough. You will be expected to be in school teaching every day and you should take it seriously. For the majority of people, there will be plenty of time for travel as there are longer breaks in October and April, as well as national holidays/weekends throughout the year. It is worth noting however that holidays will vary from school to school and you will find out your own specific arrangements once you arrive at your placement. For example, some schools get Christian holidays whereas others do not. Some have shorter breaks etc.
- Come with an open mind and do not expect things to always go to plan. You will often find arrangements change but that's just part of the culture here - everything is done with minimum stress levels and no matter what happens, it will always work out.
- Finally, while Thailand is quite cheap in comparison with the likes of the US or UK - you should quickly learn not to compare prices with back home. The salary you receive will be in line with Thai salaries and therefore you will just need to be considerate of that in your spending. Having said that, it's relatively easy to eat what you want and do some travelling with the money we earn.

I would definitely recommend this experience to anyone considering it. Thailand has such a rich culture and is so different to anything you will ever do anywhere else. It offers great teaching experience, especially if you are a beginner, and helps you to find yourself as a person a lot more! There's plenty of opportunity to make friends as there is a huge expat community here but it also requires some effort from you to maintain those relationships! You will never feel lonely, just hot (all the time) and be full of smiles.