Did I Screw Myself?

[Bowery99]

I got here on the 5th of February, I didn't try to get any special visa, just a 30 day thing, I thought I would just hop over a boarder and broaden my horizons if my time ran out on it (didn't do my homework I know). I was here for a vacation in January (for 10 days) and I must say I like Thailand quite a lot. I have read quite a lot of the posts on here and the more I read the more I am confused by it. It sounds as if the Thai authorities are on a sweeping crackdown about credentials and visa control.

I am here looking for work. I am from the US I am 47 and spent the last year teaching English at a hagwon in Seoul Korea (the land of no smiles). So, first question will I have to go to the US if I get a job here, to get my visa (and criminal check)? I am on a kind of limited budget, can survive for a while with my savings but am not able to travel to US and come back and stay unemployed for long (if at all).

About my age, I really look much younger than my 47 years, my last girlfriend was 32 and no one ever guessed the age gap unless they asked also, it is hard to get a job in Seoul if your that old and look it. I am not sure if this culture has the age discrimination that Korea does?

I don't have a tefl or a crime check. I do have a BFA (which I have the original of with me and sealed transcripts) in Painting and 99% of a Masters in Painting and Sculpture (why it is 99% is a long story but it was years ago now so let's just say I can't have it right now at ((least from them)) and basically I didn't like the school is the biggest reason). I have loads of experience teaching as I worked as an art teacher for 2 and a 1/2 years at a catholic school 17 years ago and a year teaching when I was a grad student (besides my year teaching in Korea).

I have a lot of other experiences as well as I lived in NYC for 12 years before I went to Korea, I started and ran a not for profit gallery (in my home town and it is still running 14 years later) and even owned an art gallery (in NYC) for a while (to me this is the equivalent of going to business school). Anyway, teaching is not a hard thing for me and I like it. I think it is a good sideline for an artist. I also think I am pretty naturally gifted as a teacher as well, regardless of the subject.

I thought coming here was a good idea to look for work as that was how it was best handled in Korea. Do you think I was wrong or right? Are there going to be problems getting a job or dealing with the visa issue?

Any advice would be warmly welcomed. Please try to make it simple though as I really am not sure from reading the posts on here what the rules are (even the stickies) and it seems to be changing day to day. Thanks in advance. I look forward to your replies.

[jeebusjones]

If you have a degree and a TEFL it should be no problem to get a job. You should be able to get the correct visa in Singapore or Kuala Lumpur. I don't think you'd need to go all the way back to the US.

It may even be possible to change a tourist visa into a non-B visa at the immigration office in Bangkok. I heard of something like that not so long ago, but I'm not sure if it still exists.

Don't know about criminal background checks...

[Ijustwannateach]

Assuming you're for real, the succinct answer to your thread topic is: yes, probably. This is not the right time to be here on a casual basis. As this seems to be a teaching-related thread, I am moving it to the Teacher's Forum. You would be well advised to read the rules for both the general forum and the teacher's subforum.

[Bowery99]

Sorry supermod, Ijustwannateach. I just got tired of reading all the rules here, never made it to the teaching forum rule page and yet it seemed like a visa thing to me. I will try harder in the future. You have a huge site here, can't beleive I never saw it when I was in Korea. Thanks

LOL, btw "on a casual basis" you wouldn't beleive how many times me and my old girlfriend had THAT conversation.

Assuming you're for real, the succinct answer to your thread topic is: yes, probably. This is not the right time to be here on a casual basis. As this seems to be a teaching-related thread, I am moving it to the Teacher's Forum. You would be well advised to read the rules for both the general forum and the teacher's subforum.

[Ijustwannateach]

Your OP is more about qualifications, teaching, and jobs here, so unless you want to talk purely about visas (in which case I would be happy to edit and move your OP), it belongs here. In fact, the more I think about it, your post really belongs as part of our never-ending "Questions About Qualifications" thread pinned at the top, which I think would be excellent reading for you, along with all the recent "crackdown" threads in the news forum.

When you opened your account at TV, you agreed to abide by the rules; if you're too busy to read them, you'll have little to complain about if you run afoul of them. Still, it is my best advice as a mod that you do read them.

"Steven"

[Bowery99]

Thanks and again it is ok here. You are the mod (I would guess you would know best), I am sorry Steve, I will take your advice. I have been reading a lot of info on here, I don't think you know how big this site really is and how hard it is to find info about ones own situation. You are quite right some of it is never ending. And it seems as with most web info sites that there is a lot of misinformation and confusing and time wasting arguements. I hope you will excuse a brand newbie., don't think too much

I will keep reading

Thanks again

Your OP is more about qualifications, teaching, and jobs here, so unless you want to talk purely about visas (in which case I would be happy to edit and move your OP), it belongs here. In fact, the more I think about it, your post really belongs as part of our never-ending "Questions About Qualifications" thread pinned at the top, which I think would be excellent reading for you, along with all the recent "crackdown" threads in the news forum.

When you opened your account at TV, you agreed to abide by the rules; if you're too busy to read them, you'll have little to complain about if you run afoul of them. Still, it is my best advice as a mod that you do read them.

"Steven"

[otherstuff1957]

Don't worry about your age. While some schools specify teachers ages in their ads, they usually aren't serious about it. Your attitude, energy and enthusiasm are far more important than your age.

P.S. Check your inbox.