tonititan

Thanks for all the suggestions. I never even thought about downloading them (other than through the RS website, in which case they're really expensive). I'm not too familiar with many torrent sites, but I'll try to find them that way if I can.

So she resisted his come-on? Is that it? If the waitress is half-attractive, I'm sure she gets that all day long. If I was her boss, I'd say that it was not part of her JD to kiss-up to every paying customer who was hitting on her. Why is it necessary to even greet her, ask her how are you, etc.? The girl just wants to take your order.

Anyways, just giving a counter-point.

That's exactly what I was thinking. Some guys have probably just gotten too used to women here sucking up to them. Try being a western woman in Thailand. The waitresses generally don't try to kiss our asses, so we're sometimes lucky to get service at all. The type of service described in the OP isn't "bad service" to me. It's "normal service."

Does anyone happen to know if the Rosetta Stone programs are available in Bangkok? I'm not looking for Thai or English, but for other languages. From reading previous threads it sounds like the Thai version may be available in bookstores, but I don't see talk of other languages.

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I don't get it. Granted, I can't read Thai, so I don't know if the captions are offensive or something. But to me it just looks like a group of young people taking a vacation and then making a video about it. What's to puke about?

" complaining about me not paying or buying her things (like others have),"

Sounds like she is looking for a sugar daddy, what does she do for a living?

Personally I wouldnt get involved, too much baggage, head games etc.

I think the OP might have been saying that his girlfriend doesn't do that like other girls have. The sentence is a bit unclear, but that's how I interpreted it:

She doesn't really give me any problems...a little jealous, but no arguing, complaining about me not paying or buying her things (like others have), funny, good looking, near perfect body, and a pretty calm personality.

Be prepared, you're probably going to get a bunch of nasty replies about how old 31 is in Thailand, how you should "trade her in for a younger model," and how you better not pay a dime for her family since she's 31, divorced, and has kids....and therefore worthless in the eyes of some of the people who post on this forum.

As for the kids issue, I think only you can decide if that's a deal-breaker for you. I've dated a guy with kids before, and at first I didn't mind. But as time went by, I realized how restricted my life would be, and how the life I'd have to have with him wasn't the life I wanted for myself. So now I tend to steer away from men with children, but that's just my personal preference. If you genuinely think that you won't want a long-term relationship with this woman because of her children, then the kindest thing you can do is end things now, before she and her kids get attached to you. If you think that you could be happy helping to raise her children, then there's no reason to automatically end things right now.

Her PoV is the same as any other American female's.

I'm so glad he informed me what my POV was. I had no idea that we all think just like the author.

Yeah, I definitely wasn't arguing that Air Asia was the best deal for you, because clearly it wasn't. I was just saying that yes, Air Asia is still a cheap airline under the right conditions. They might not be cheapest all of the time, but they do offer incredible deals that do allow more people to be able to travel. It's nearly impossible for any airline to always be cheapest, that's why we all shop around for the best deal. Luckily, there are a range of airlines out there to meet people's different preferences. I could care less about having access to a lounge or getting free beer. I don't mind standing in line with everyone else to check in. But I do strongly prefer non-stop flights, so I'll spend a little extra to avoid wasting time with layovers. Recently I booked a ticket on Thai Airways that was actually cheaper than both Bangkok Airways and Air Asia. Go figure.

And like I said before, almost all of those things you listed are optional. Not everyone needs the expensive advance seat assignments (or any advance seat assignment at all), or the supersize luggage allowance, or the large sports equipment allowance, or the insurance. (By the way, the insurance IS optional. When you book online, you get the chance to decline the insurance...again, you just have to read before you click. I've flown with Air Asia 15+ times over the years and never once paid for insurance.)

Yeah, it pays to comparison shop...most experienced travelers know that. Sometimes Air Asia is the cheapest, sometimes it's not. Like the last poster said, you can get amazing deals through Air Asia if you book far in advance and watch for their sales. In one of their recent big sales, I bought round-trip tickets to Bali (non-stop from BKK) for about 3800 baht each. That included a "hot seat" (one with bigger legroom) and a luggage allowance of 20kg, and of course all taxes & fees.

Air Asia is cheap... when you travel empty. They nickel and dime you on everything possible and impossible (like choosing your seats B1,500 and B400+ fee to process your CC payment - like someone has a choice not pay that fee???)

The hot seats only cost 350 baht, and the regular seats only cost 65 baht to reserve. But if you want to save money, you don't have to choose your seat at all. You'll still get a seat assigned to you. Yes, it's a little annoying that the online booking system sometimes automatically places you in the more expensive hot seats, but if you know how to read carefully, it's very easy to de-select those seats. When I book, the credit card processing fee is only 180 baht, not 400+ like you mentioned. Yeah, that fee is annoying too. But I think that there IS a way to avoid the fee - by using a specific credit card - but I've just been too lazy to sign up for that card.

I'm no Air Asia cheerleader. Sometimes they annoy me too, and I haven't been thrilled about the prices & fees slowly creeping up over the years. But it is what it is, and you get what you pay for. It's not a "scam," as some people have whined in other threads, to offer services (seat choice, luggage, meals, etc.) in an "a la carte" manner rather than using the all-inclusive model. Personally, I don't mind it, because I don't usually want the in-flight meals anyway, and sometimes I'm only traveling for a short time and don't need to check luggage. I'd rather not pay for things that I'm not going to use. You just have to be careful, do your research, and figure out which airline truly offers the best deal when you add in everything you want for a particular flight.

Anywhere in the West would be a truly horrid country to be raised female in my opinion.

As a western woman, I can tell you, it's not. I have an awesome life. I'm happy. My "independent" (whatever that is supposed to mean?!?) female friends are happy too. I'm guessing that I wouldn't fit your definition of having a "good life," but I can guarantee you, I'm quite thrilled with the way I've lived my life, and in the direction it is headed. Don't assume that all western women are miserable, man-hating bitches....because we're not.

I got mine in Bangkok, but I got it at "The Mall" department store in the mall. I'd check any major department store.

I can't give you any information about the plastic surgery department, but I've been to that hospital many times for other reasons. I was always satisfied with the service. It's a very nice private hospital - clean, efficient, and plenty of staff who speak English.

In the back of your mind you know they're prostitutes and what follows is an internal struggle brought on by years of western indoctrination that tells you prostitution is bad and cannot be enjoyed while on the other hand you feel the need to let go of your inhibitions.

Or maybe the struggle involves the fact that they know that prostitution is ILLEGAL in Thailand.

I think that even in the West, when people see a 60 year old man with a 20 or 30 year old girl friend, most of them automatically assume it's all about money for her, pride for him.

I think anywhere in the world, when I see a man with his pretty girl friend, I automatically assume it's all about money for her, pride for him.

Why bring age or geography into the sentence.

I only brought geography into the sentence in response to the previous poster, who was making the case that people only "make a fuss" of huge age differences in Thailand, but not in the west. As for age, that was the whole point of our conversation. If you think that pretty girls in the west only go for guys with money, regardless of age and other factors, then I'm sad for you, but know that your opinion will probably never change.

Btw, if you are an older Western guy of some fame - Rock star or actor or so, then nobody makes a fuss if your GF is 40 years younger. It just shows the hypocrisy of the unwritten "rules".

I don't necessarily think that's true. Celebrity couples of even 15, 20, 25 years difference often get gossiped about by the media and the general population. Just dig around a little online and you'll see that. And there's a lot of whispers, judging, and dirty looks that don't even make it onto news sites. The bigger the age difference, the worse the mocking. Look at Hugh Hefner and some of his ex-girlfriends who were 40-55 years younger than him....while some people might have thought "Go Hugh," a lot of other people seemed to find it disturbing. And Anna Nicole Smith with her rich old husband. I think that was a 60ish year age difference, but she got major ridicule for that. I know those are extreme cases, but I've certainly seen age differences that big here in Thailand at times.

I think that even in the West, when people see a 60 year old man with a 20 or 30 year old girl friend, most of them automatically assume it's all about money for her, pride for him.

When I used to partake in the bar girl scene and use the local hotels, some of the front desk staff would insist on the girl showing her ID and them recoding her name, etc. Although it wasn't always welcome by me or the girl, I understood that it's a good idea (that would probably dissuade the young lady from doing something illegal).

Dissuade her from doing something illegal? Like prostituting herself????

Thanks for the info. I'll have to double check, but I'm pretty sure that my job considers me to be "employed" for the entire month, even though I wouldn't actually be working the last week or two. I think that's how they've always done it to help people out. I'll ask.

I know that I've come across several similar threads over the years, but I'm not sure if any of the situations exactly match mine (or if the info is accurate), so I'm hoping someone might have experience with my question.

I've been working in Thailand for quite awhile, so I have a visa (or is it an extension?) stamped into my passport every year. I also have a work permit, as I've been working here ever since I arrived. The current visa extension & multiple re-entry permit in my passport expire April 30th of this year. That's fine, because I am quitting my job in mid-April and plan to leave Thailand to relocate to another country.

I want to travel before I leave, though. If I leave the country towards the end of April and then try to re-enter in early May, I can just enter as a tourist, even after several years of non-immigrant visas, right? I'd only need a week or so to gather up my belongings and leave Thailand for good. If I re-enter by land I can get a 15 day tourist visa, or a 30 day tourist visa if I enter by air, correct?

I've read about people being denied back-to-back visas, but that wouldn't apply in my case? Hopefully? Thanks.

Thanks for the detailed response. One of your questions confused me, though ("Do you really make $13,000 per year BEFORE taxes in the US?"). I am assuming that you mean, do I really make $130,000 Thai baht per year? As it stands, I make approximately $50,000 USD per year as a high school teacher. While I could earn a higher income in other states, I prefer the state that I am in for innumerable reasons. I am also single and own my own condo with no credit cards and a simple, relatively low-cost lifestyle (including a very decent mortgage payment). So I manage to get by on what I am paid.

No, I meant what I said. I'm wondering if you've had some confusion/misinformation about the exchange rate. Right now it's been fluctuating between 30 and 31 baht to the dollar. So 130,000 baht/month is around $4300 (USD)/month, or $52,000/year. So really, you'd likely be making the same, or less (since some international schools pay significantly less than 130k/month) in Thailand than you do in the US. You certainly won't be making an "exorbitant" 4x what you make now....not sure where the math went wrong on that one.

If I am interested in working in Bangkok, I see absolutely no point in going to some other place to teach first. My experience in the U.S. is invaluable, and

though I have not taught internationally, I see my qualifications, background, and reputation to be as good as any. I would not be interested in the Middle East, Vietnam, Japan, South America, etc.

That's fine if you want to aim for Bangkok - I was merely explaining that there's a decent chance that if you limit your search to Bangkok, you might not get a position at a high-paying school the first time you apply. There is SERIOUS competition for those jobs, especially as a high school English teacher. Those aren't considered "hard to fill" positions. Of course everyone has to get their first international job somewhere, so of course it's not impossible. But just being a great teacher in the US isn't necessarily enough to land you a good position. I am friends with some administrators (who do the hiring) at a couple international schools in BKK, and I've questioned them about what they are looking for. Prior international experience and IB experience/certification (at the high school level) are two of the biggies. Just be prepared to be competing against tons of other teachers who have amazing qualifications, experience, and reputations, AND have the other two items I mentioned.

As for the hard work, as a teacher, that is what I do on a daily basis. I teach themes, motifs, and symbolism in Shakespeare's works; elements of poetry; short

stories; and mostly canonical literature stretching from Beowulf to Raymond Carver. I wouldn't be there to cut corners and split campus once the bell rings.

The other duties that you mentioned, such as meetings, curriculum planning, team meetings, etc. come with the package of being a teacher. However, I must ask

this: when and how often do such meetings pop up? For example, where I work now, we have one department meeting per week (Wednesday mornings) that run anywhere from ten minutes to fifty minutes. We have school-wide meetings approximately once or twice a month (on Wednesdays) that usually last from 2:10 to 3:00 on the dot (we are officially free after 3:00, though most teachers stay later to do what they do). I take a professional development course every semester (which

are free and either online or meet once every three months for approximately two hours per session). So how does that compare to Thailand?

I have at least 4-5 meetings per week, sometimes more. Some are before school, during the school day, or after school. Professional development is a couple times a month. My point was just that at the best international schools, there is a lot of work outside of teaching - way more "extra" work that I ever encountered in the US. You've made comments that teachers who bring work home have no lives and that they are "amateurs." You may feel that way, but I'd keep it to yourself when it comes to interacting with potential employers. That kind of attitude isn't going to help win you any jobs over here. The majority of international school teachers DO bring work home, and it is expected that you will be working a lot. Like Scott said, parents are paying a fortune to send their kids to these schools, so a lot more is expected of teachers.

Also, you mention that teachers rarely have any "free time." What, are you stuck there till 8:00, 9:00 at night? Please respond. Also, what about your Friday and Saturday nights? Aren't you free then?

Come on, you don't really think I was implying that teachers are at school until 9:00 p.m. and on weekends, do you? I meant free time at work. Every minute of non-teaching time seems to be filled up with meetings and other obligations, so there is little down time. That's one of the reasons why many teachers do have to stay late and/or bring work home.

Okay, Sly, forgive me if you feel this confrontational...BUT...I can not believe that they would pay that exorbitant amount (130K ThB) a month. Period. I went to Pattaya, and once my toes hit the sand, some slick came up and told me that I had won some type of lottery. I ain't buying it.

If that salary is true, as you mentioned, Thailand obviously beckons the licensed teacher's way. I am making a quarter of that here in the States, and am enjoying my lifestyle. This begs the question, then: if it is so great there in BKK (which I know it is very okay, as I stayed there and enjoyed the lifestyle, temperament, etc), why are they throwing such big fish in towards qualified applicants? Luring Westerners to an extremely polluted capital city that happens to be conveniently located to tremendous nightlife, fabulous (though sticky) weather, and other exotic delights?

Please respond with some particularly specific details. Thanks again for (if you did) actually reading this post.

Yes, it is true, but only at a few of the very best schools. The salaries go down from there. It may seem like a lot (and I know that it is compared to Thai salaries or other teaching salaries in Thailand, but it's not THAT much. I certainly wouldn't call it exorbitant. If you're making 130k baht/month, that puts you in the 30% tax range (or you may luck out and squeak by in the 20% range). So you're only bringing home maybe 90 or 100k/month. Some schools provide housing, some don't. Assumig yours doesn't, you can possibly deduct maybe 20k month for rent & utilities. (Yes, you can live more cheaply than that. But the majority of expat international school teachers aren't here to "rough it" and live Thai-style in a 5000 baht/month apartment.) But technically, yes, you could live more cheaply and save money. You could also spend much more than 20k on living expenses. I don't want to start another debate about how much money people should spend on rent, or how much money is needed to live comfortably in BKK. There are plenty of threads about that. I'm just telling you that I work in an international school, and I have friends at a few other international schools in BKK. Most spend in the 13,000 - 25,000 baht range for an apartment or house. Most are here to live a better lifestyle than they could live back at home.

So now after deducting rent, you're down to maybe 80k. Like someone mentioned, a lot of international school teachers have mortages, cars, rental units, student loans, credit card bills, etc. back at home. So if you are lucky and your mortgage is only $1000, that's another 30k you're out, bringing you down to 50k. Many people I work with have to send home more than 30k, though. You can definitely live very well off that 50k for food, entertainment, travel, shopping, transportation, household expenses, phone bills, a maid, etc. That's about $1600 - more disposable income than most teachers in the US are used to having. But it's certainly not enough to make you rich, especially if you travel around Asia during every school break as most teachers do. And schools seem to like hiring married teaching couples with children, which of course adds substantial living expenses. Finally, the years you work overseas don't contribute to your teacher retirement fund in the US, so it's wise to put money into savings or into a personal retirement fund while you're over here - that eats into the extra money as well.

I'm also wondering about your math. You said that you make a quarter of the 130k salary in the US. 130k/month is roughly $52,000/year - and that's before taxes. Do you really make only $13,000 per year BEFORE taxes in the US? I find THAT hard to believe.

As others have mentioned, jobs at the schools that pay like this are highly competitive, and you'd be extremely lucky to get a job at one of the best BKK schools right off the bat. Depending on your position, you may be competing against hundreds of other qualified applicants. I'd suggest that you don't put all your eggs in one basket, and instead be open to jobs in other countries. Sometimes you have to take what you can get your first time, then with international experience you will be considered more valuable if you look for a new job in a few years. Most teachers I know did not necessarily go into the job fairs aiming for a Thailand job. If you do that, there's a good chance you'll be disappointed. Instead, they went into the fairs looking for a good job, a good school, an attractive benefits package, and a chance at adventure, and they happened to end up at a school in Thailand.

To answer some of your earlier questions: Yes, I love my job. If you enjoy teaching at home, you'll enjoy it here. The opposite is probably true as well. If you want to work at one of these schools, be prepared to work extremely hard. Schools don't pay 130k/month for no reason. Most teachers I know find their jobs in Thailand to be just as, if not more intense than in the US. Yes, class sizes are smaller and students are generally much better behaved. Teachers aren't constantly worried about being sued or fired like in the US. However, teachers who try to slide by on a minimal amount of effort generally don't last very long. At my school, you're probably teaching about 6 hours out of an 8 hour school day. Yes, you also have preps, but you also have an unbelieveable amount of additional work & meetings - way more than I ever had in the States. Teachers generally don't have any "free" time, because we spend our time working on curriculum development, professional development, school initiatives, accredidation, communication with parents, researching best practice, putting lesson plans online, team meetings, departmental meetings, school-wide meetings, student meetings, etc, etc, etc. We are often expected to stay after school for additional meetings and trainings. Most of us prefer working overseas to working in the States, but I would never call it an "easy" job. Be prepared to work your tail off. The benefits of living overseas and exploring the world just happen to outweigh the work.

In my experience for farang teachers, and it has varied from time to time, the field is dominated by males, probably about 75%. The average age would be about 35++, but that doesn't say too much, since there is a spike of younger teachers and a second spike for older teachers.

When you add Filipino (and other Asians), the whole thing evens out. A lot of female teachers and a much younger.

I will take a look at some of our current stats on teachers, time permitting.

My experience has been different. In my international school, if you look at the whole school combinied, there is a larger number of female teachers. However, Thailand does attract a lot of male teachers, so the proportion of males is a bit higher than it would probably be in the States.

I work at an international school, and I pay about 20% in taxes. I believe it depends on your salary - I was in a lower tax bracket when I started here, and I think I only paid 10-15% at the time. I have heard of some international schools in BKK who pay tax for teachers, but I don't know if that is true.

I frequently use my credit card from the US to book AA tickets. However, I do remember that I had trouble the first time I tried to book one a few years ago. As I recall, I had to call my US bank and they were able to fix the problem. Since then, I've had no problems. Several friends have reported similar situations. I'd first try to call your bank and report the problem to them. Good luck!

The lower-income schools in Hawaii where I work have a prescribed curriculum, and it is far from ideal.

Well, this changes things a bit. I assume that you are a certified teacher in Hawaii? If so, you could also consider jobs at international schools. For most of them, the calendar would be similar to the American calendar you're used to - June/July off for summer, plus a Christmas break, spring break, fall break, and other various holidays throughout the year.

I don't mean to be insensitive, but I have to wonder what must have led the authorities to assume the man was sleepwalking. That just seems so much less likely than other scenarios, such as suicide, an accidental (drunken?) fall, a case of being pushed, etc.