Crystal Gale – i-to-i’s teaching abroad expert – shares her top tips to make sure your TEFL job turns out as you expect in Thailand.
Photo © Getty Images/Abraham
It’s hardly difficult to see Thailand’s appeal, what with its gorgeous beaches, buzzing cities and fantastic food – but just in case you need a little persuading as to how amazing TEFLing there would be, check out these seven reasons to teach in Thailand.
1. Enthusiastic kids
Don’t believe anyone who tells you that your students will be calm and attentive. However, they will be enthusiastic, raucous and desperate to learn. Once you’ve learnt how to calm the classroom chaos, you’ll find the teaching to be fun, challenging and very rewarding – and if it all gets too much, there’ll always be plenty of local teachers on hand to help you.
2. Weekend trips
Forget a quick shopping trip, teaching in Thailand means you can take your weekends to a whole new level! Take a sleeper train to Chiang Mai, in the heart of Thailand’s hill country; relax on one of the southern Thai islands; get lost in local night markets... the list goes on!
3. Rock-bottom livingcosts
Thailand is an amazingly cheap place to live, especially when it comes to going out and enjoying yourself! A slap-up meal in a Thai restaurant costs just 250 baht (around £5/$7), and with beers costing 60 baht (around £1/$1.80), there’s no need to save that big night out just for paydays!
4. Friendly people
It’s not difficult to see why some people refer to Thailand as the ‘Land of Smiles’ – everyone seems to walk around with one permanently glued to their face! People here will go out of their way to make sure you get settled in and looked after – great if you’re new in town!
5. Parties
When you think of calm, serene Thailand, you usually don’t think of the parties that go on, but the country certainly has a hedonistic side. Take the infamous Full Moon Parties on Kho Pha Ngan that take place every month – imagine 20,000 revellers packing out a beach, buckets full of booze and dozens of sound-systems pumping out great music until the sun comes up.
6. Street Food
Take a journey of discovery through the street food stalls of Bangkok (or any other large Thai city) and you’ll be able to sample everything from deep-fried flowers to pad thai. Street food in Thailand is fresh, cheap and fabulously cooked – lots of vendors specialise in particular dishes, so ask them what they’d recommend and enjoy!
7. Temples
If you’re a culture junkie, you’ll love Thailand, with a massive 40,717 temples scattered across this beautiful country. Immerse yourself in their tranquil atmosphere, clear your mind and prepare yourself for your students’ next onslaught.
Want to Know More?
You can get your TEFL qualification or find a work placement through i-to-i’s Teach English abroad website.
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