Teaching in Thailand Tips & Tricks

I am currently teaching at a small private school called Vanessa Rangsit School in Pathum Thani, Thailand! This is a suburb of Bangkok about 30 minutes North (give or take 20 minutes minutes due to Bangkok's insane traffic). As you read through many blog posts deciding if this is a right choice for you, you have to understand that your experience will differ completely depending on where you are in Thailand: what school you are at (private small school, private large school, or public) or by region. So take what I write with a grain of salt. Luckily, while you scavenge though many pages on the internet, little will tell you its not worth it. 

(My friend and I on our first day of school)

I initially chose central Thailand for the ease of travel around. I live 20 minutes from the Don Mueang Airport which makes flying anywhere in Thailand for a weekend trip possible! I also live 30- 45 minutes by Taxi to Bangkok which has the Suvarnabhumi Airport that flies internationally and a central hub of buses and vans giving you access to travel around Thailand.

Day in the Life of a Teacher in Thailand:

Alarm goes off at 6:30am. Right now, we are taking a taxi to and from school. The best app to use is called Grab. It's essentially Uber but in Thailand and you can link your credit card which is nice because sometimes you don't have the exact change on you. Tip: You will be using cash almost everywhere you go. 

Soon, we are getting a motorbike. This is a popular form of transportation here. I have noticed many other teachers all over Thailand renting or buying one. Depending on the length of your stay, I would most likely rent one. Some teachers have bought them and hope to sell them back at the end of their stay for a little less than what they paid for. Another popular choice is renting from a teacher at the school. Once you are established and start asking around, most likely there is someone that has an extra one lying around. Renting a motorbike should be around 1500 baht to 2000 baht including registration and insurance a month. This will be determined by whomever you are renting from. 

Around 7:30am parents and students start to flood in. Every morning, I stand out front to greet them. As each day goes by the students feel more comfortable in saying hello to me and it seriously makes my day! Depending on the day depends on when and what I am teaching. I teach Grade 1 and Grade 6 Science (which was not what I was originally was told. They had asked me if I was able teach these classes and I kindly accepted). It is common to get to your school and be teaching something different, so just a heads up. I also teach Grade 3, Grade 4, and Grade 5 Phonics and Social Studies. It seems like a lot, but I have a lot of free time to lesson plan for the entire week and make weekend travel plans! Side note: I did not have any teaching experience prior nor did I do any TEFL program. There are plenty of resources online and don't be afraid to ask teachers at your school. 

(Brianna and Sasha presenting our phonics program to parents interested in the school)

When we first arrived we were given some books and previous teachers lesson plans to go off of. This is not the case for all schools. Some teachers received additional training and some teachers were completely thrown into it on the first day they arrived. Since then, I have started to follow the book. Just following the book tends to be a little boring so I spice it up with some games and activities (most times we just end up playing Simon Says because they absolutely love that game). Each class is 50 minutes long (almost never starting on time), so lots of "Simon Says, roll on the floor, touch the window, and burst of laughs. 

(Taryn teaching small class)

Lunch rolls in around noon (I say that lightly as nothing starts on time) and for primary they all go to the "canteen" aka the cafeteria. Everyday we are served rice with some type of soup and either meat (pork or chicken) or vegetables and always some type of fruit.  They also offer breakfast at my school (some schools do not), which is usually fried rice, soup and a vegetable (not much different than lunch). 

The day here at Vanessa ends at 5pm for teachers (varies depending on your school). We call our taxi and arrive home no later than 5:30 (due to traffic because we only live about 10 minutes away). Sometimes there will be after-school activities which require you to stay later, go overnight somewhere, or work on the weekend). All three which have happened to me. I am required to stay after everyday until 6pm to practice Volleyball and Chair ball  (basketball with a chair, interesting but fun) but this is only until we have the school wide sports day. Additionally primary students went on a three day field trip to Chon Buri which of course I attended. Plus, a teachers workshop for a Saturday and Sunday in January. 

(View from our hotel in Chon Buri for our three day camp)

When you arrive home, there are an array of things you can do. Check out a happening market down the street, try a new restaurant, or because of where I live Future Park rules all. It is a massive mall with lots of western stores and food. Then 6:30am rolls around and its time to start the day all over again.

(Future Park is sooo big that there is an ice rink inside of it!)

Food in Thailand

Side note: If you are picky eater you either have to get over it or don't bother coming. Not to be harsh but it's the truth. I am (was) a picky eater especially when it came to weird looking meat. Now I don't look or ask questions, I just eat. 

You will learn that the food in Thailand varies between the different regions. If you are near a touristy area it will be easy for you to get western food but be prepared to get little something extra (peas or corn will sneak up on you). In Thailand, they only use a spoon and fork, no knife (which I've come to really like). It's been a slight struggle to find something enjoyable for me to eat. But don't get me wrong, I try almost everything (including the scorpion on Khao San Road). Luckily, I have found a dish that I basically order everywhere. White rice with ground chicken and basil and sometimes it comes with a fried egg. But I do encourage getting out there and trying everything. 

(The bowl of deliciousness)

My favorite part is the abundance of fruit stands everywhere! Pineapple, watermelon, mango, dragonfruit, and melon are amongst the most popular. The pineapple is probably by far everyone's favorite. It is not like it is back in the states. It is very sweet and juicy. So grab your bag of pineapple, your stick of pork (even if you asked for chicken) and stroll through markets getting every smell imaginable. Tip: Go to the food stands that everyone is at or you'll see yourself running to the nearest bathroom. 

(Market outside of my condo complex)

Transportation in Thailand

The best way of getting to and from school is investing in renting a motorbike. It also gives you more freedom to explore your local area. As for traveling, just expect this... nothing is on time, you don't know what's going on but somehow you always get there. 

There are a few modes of transport here. Following is a list and their most useful uses. Tip: When using public transportation other than Grab or a "scheduled" bus/van ask how much first and ALWAYS bargain by starting with half of what they asked for (eg. they say 150baht, you say 75 baht and they will either say no and drive away or say 100 baht and depending on your bargaining skills either continue to bargain (most likely ending at like 90 baht) or you say yes to 100baht and be proud that you even had the confidence to bargain in the first place (me). 

Motortaxi: Cheap, usually for one, sometimes will squeeze two. BARGAIN. They usually have clusters of them hanging around 7-11s or at the end of a market. You can also call one on the Grab app. 

Songthaew: (pronounced like song but thaew rhyming with taow): These are both used for "scheduled" pick-ups or as a form of a taxi. These usually are the cheapest form of transportation as little as 15baht.  If they are scheduled do not bargain but if they are used as a form of a taxi (yes, bargain). They are used mainly for local travel in your province or travel destination. To explain what a songthaew is, it is basically a truck with built in seating. To give you a better picture... here is a picture. 

Buses/Vans: You read on the internet where to go and what time it is suppose to leave. Most likely you'll end up looking like a lost puppy, staring at your GPS lost until magically you stumble upon where you are suppose to be (or a kind Thai person will come up to you and help you). Buses and Vans are used best for traveling cheapest to longer distances. In most cases if you are taking a bus, it will be a little more organized but they are not offered everywhere. Vans on the other hand are offered in more locations but that location could be the side of the highway or in the back parking lot of what looks like an abandoned building. Best advice, start with asking the teachers at your school. They will have a general idea and from there you can do some research. Like I mentioned Future Park rules all, so thats my go to (Pathum Thani province).

Taxis: You will end up being very familiar with waving down a taxi. Taxis are the most convenient way of transportation. If you wave down a taxi, again, always ask how much and bargain or METER! Tip: Not all taxis will use the meter. Something I have recently started doing is before hailing a taxi, I look at grab and search my destination and compare prices then I bargain a little lower than that price (Grab is always more expensive). If your taxi driver is chatty, chat-it-up because most likely they will give you their card and you can use them in the future for traveling long distances. There is also a chart online that gives you a rough estimate for how much and distance. Sorry for the bad quality, but this is what I use. 

Tuk-Tuk: ahhh the famous of them all. Sadly, I would only use one of these just for the experience. They are typically expensive and hard to bargain with but you should always try! 

 

Well... that is all for now! If you continue to follow my blog I'll be sure to delight you with how the rest of my experience teaching in a foreign country goes! 

(My Fourth Grade class after our school camp!)

If you have any more questions concerning just about anything, I've done it the hard way so feel free to contact me! My email is darienbrea@gmail.com

 

Hope you Enjoy~

Darien