A Day in the Life of an English Teacher in Thailand

​ ​

My name is Kyle Vick. Here is a snapshot of a day in my life as an English teacher in the small, North Eastern town of Nakhon Phanom Thailand. 

6:40 am-7:20

A day in my life in Thailand starts at about 6:40 am. My alarm clock goes off, and I begin preparing for school. Once I've showered and had my bags packed, I grab a banana and Betagen (a fermented, probiotic milk drink) from the fridge before heading out the door.

7:20-7:30

My ride to school is less than 10 minutes and as a short as 5 if I'm running late. The town is small enough for me to bike pretty much everywhere, so I don't have a motorbike, which saves me money and gives me great exercise on the weekends.

7:30-8:20

Once at school, I sign in and grab some breakfast. My typical breakfast is about 30 baht ($1). It consists of two pieces of grilled chicken, a hunk of sticky rice, a banana, Betagen milk, and a bag of small muffins from school. It's nothing fancy, but it does the trick. After I eat and greet the other foreign teachers, we all head out to observe the assembly, national anthem, and an announcement, which lasts for about 20 minutes.

8:20-11:40

When the announcements end, then class begins. My morning schedule varies from 1-3 classes, usually three. I teach 20 hours a week, which keeps me busy but is definitely manageable, Also it's very common to have classes canceled. Some common causes of canceled classes are academic testing, field trips, and birthday parties.  

The classes themselves last 50 minutes. Usually the first 5 minutes of class I'm setting up and greeting the students. Once I've gotten settled, we usually have a simple conversation on the days topic. When most of the students have answered, I will move on to the lesson and cover the topic in more detail for 15-20 minutes. After that, I assign either a worksheet or a verbal exercise, which usually takes anywhere from 15-20 minutes. This is a very general schedule, which often is altered depending on the content, but it gives you a rough idea of the class flow. When I have an open period, I mostly prepare content for later classes or spend time grading student work.   

11:40-1:00pm

I eat the school lunches for 10 baht (30 cents) a meal. Most of the time I eat them, but sometimes the food is a bit too authentic for my taste. When I can't discern what I'm eating, I'll usually pass! My other options are ramen I keep at school, outdoor street vendors, or 7-eleven. There's also an amazing Boba place and smoothie shop down the street, so sometimes I'll get a treat after lunch.

1:00-4:00

The afternoon is very similar to the morning, except I typically only have 1-2 classes. With a lighter load of teaching, I continue to prepare content and grade. Although, this also is a perfect time to take care of trip planning or any other online tasks.

4:00-4:20

Outside of school is a small market for the kids. They sell all sorts of treats like ice cream, candy, soda, boba, sushi, noodles, fried everything, and kebab. It's a great place to grab a snack after school. Usually, I get spicy fried chicken and french fries, which comes out to 20 (60 cents). I've gotten to know a lot of the vendors and talk with them after school. One even cooked me a separate meal and brought it for me after school one day as a gift.

4:20-6:00

Once I get home, I will usually sit down and decompress. My studio apartment isn't very well-lit, so I'll usually open the doors to let light and air in. During this time before dinner, I'll either read, check social media, or work on some sort of writing project. Sometimes I'll bike down to the river for some fresh air before dinner.

6:00-6:40

For dinner, I have several options. Often I'll just grab food at the market after school and keep it for later. My next choice is riding to the night market to get authentic Thai soups, curries, salads, or kebab for about 40-50 baht ($1.50). Other than markets, I can go out to one of nearby restaurants or swing by KFC. These meals are a little more expensive ranging from 100-200 baht ($3-$6).

6:40-10:00

After dinner sometimes I'll stay in to read, write, or watch a movie. Other times I’ll go spend the night at one of my favorite coffee shops. Occasionally, I'll even head over to my Filipinos coworkers house for dinner and drinks.

This is a day in my life! The rhythm is a welcome rest from the regular trips I make. It's nice to be able to come home to a simple and familiar routine. I've been amazed at how fast I've managed to adapt to my new life in Thailand. In America, I was concerned whether or not I would ever be able to adjust and feel comfortable. Now, sitting 7 months in, I don't even think twice walking up to a street vendor while speaking broken Thai. It's not quite ordering from McDonald's, but it all feels normal to me now!