A Real Authentic Experience

I have been living and teaching in Tak, Thailand for a year now and I feel extremely grateful for my placement, school and agency. Tak is a small town located 6 hours north of Bangkok and 4 hours south of Chiang Mai. It has everything you need; a department store, plenty of aesthetic restaurants and cafes, multiple markets, a beautiful river lined by mountains that flows through the center of town, national parks nearby, a bus station for easy traveling, a few bars and even a dance club. My experience in this town was a bit of an adjustment at first but now I am a regular at my favorite coffee shop, my order is memorized at the papaya salad stand and the night market and I attend the local yoga class 2 nights a week. After some time and adjustment, it was easy to feel at home here.

This program is perfect for anyone looking for a real authentic experience in an entirely different environment. Someone who wants to fully immerse themselves in a new culture/way of life. A slow paced life with opportunity to travel on the weekends/holidays.

The community of teachers in the area is fantastic. Our agent includes us all in a group chat so we can keep in touch with each other as well as support each other and ask each other questions. Our agent also organizes fun activities for us constantly to bring us together such as dinner parties, hiking trips and local events/festivals. There is a strong sense of community between foreign teachers in the area.

Teaching has easily been the most fulfilling part of the entire experience. Thai students are incredibly fun and even more adorable. They will steal your heart with their smiles and their constant joy. The program prepares you well, but it should be expected that you will have to settle into your own teaching style/routine once you arrive at your placement school based on your students' proficiency and grade level.

Overall, I feel lucky to have had an authentic experience living and working in Thailand. Making Thai friends, learning a little bit of the language, and adapting to the small-town Thai lifestyle. I highly recommend this program to anyone who is interested in having a real authentic cultural experience.