If You Were Reasonably Young And You Were Putting Off Devoting Your Life To A Career For A While

[sassienie]

I can either work in my home country earning a small wage and living in cheap and fairly grim circumstances, or I can move to Thailand and teach English, with no degree or TEFL qualification, earn a small wage and live in cheap but pleasant circumstances.

Which would you chose?

What nationality are you? And secondly, teaching in Thailand is not an easy option, if you are serious.

I'm British.

I am a little apprehensive about teaching as I have never done anything like it before, and the prospect of trying to control a group of unruly kids doesn't fill me with joy.

I think I would have to be teaching to adults or at least older teenagers who actually want to learn to have any success.

I don't doubt for a minute that it will be hard but I just can't help but feel that almost anything is better than my current circumstances. I'd much rather try and fail than stay here and have regrets.

Britain is now a complete dump and many are leaving in droves.

Problem is that many Brits believe Thailand is a refuge for Britain`s poor.

Firstly, finding work in Thailand is not easy, especially now as the economy is crumbling month by month. Plus, these days one needs money (lots of it) to stay here. The cost of living increases in Thailand year after year.

If you are considering living in Thailand long term, than research your options carefully, many the mighty have fallen here.

[RoastLamb]

i am 24, had a good job in the uk (i do not have a degree) unfortuantly was made redundant, I could have chosen to be redeployed within the company (IBM) but decided to do something with my life and gain some life experiance while I am young and am able to enjoy doing so.

If its what you really really want to do, research how much it is going to cost you, save some money, keep some savings if and when you come here (ie as a float incase all goes wrong and u need to go home) or book a open return ticket so u always have a way home , and just be realistic.

ie have a plan. I am young myself and do not regrett our decision to come here, I feel extremely lucky to be living somewhere where people only dream of...yes thailand is not for everyone and has its down side too, but when Im on the beach having a bbq on xmass day for example, and all my friends are back at home wishing they were in my shoes, I feel very lucky...I mean that to come accross in a non-big headed way haha

If it all goes wrong or we change our minds we will go home back to the UK, but at least I can look back at this time when Im older and say I did it, and have no what ifs.

Just my view, good luck in whatever you do!

What do you? Do you teach? If so could you tell me what to expect in a typical day?

[Ijustwannateach]

Moved to the teacher's forum (and now subject to teacher's forum guidelines- would recommend posters on this thread check them carefully).

[Ijustwannateach]

Incidentally, an error of fact was made by a previous poster. It is not illegal to work as a teacher here without a degree, nor is it impossible to get a WP for doing so (though I maintain it makes life more difficult and that those who start here on that basis have fewer chances for doing well here).

[Ijustwannateach]

i am 24, had a good job in the uk (i do not have a degree) unfortuantly was made redundant, I could have chosen to be redeployed within the company (IBM) but decided to do something with my life and gain some life experiance while I am young and am able to enjoy doing so.

If its what you really really want to do, research how much it is going to cost you, save some money, keep some savings if and when you come here (ie as a float incase all goes wrong and u need to go home) or book a open return ticket so u always have a way home , and just be realistic.

ie have a plan. I am young myself and do not regrett our decision to come here, I feel extremely lucky to be living somewhere where people only dream of...yes thailand is not for everyone and has its down side too, but when Im on the beach having a bbq on xmass day for example, and all my friends are back at home wishing they were in my shoes, I feel very lucky...I mean that to come accross in a non-big headed way haha

If it all goes wrong or we change our minds we will go home back to the UK, but at least I can look back at this time when Im older and say I did it, and have no what ifs.

Just my view, good luck in whatever you do!

What do you? Do you teach? If so could you tell me what to expect in a typical day?

I recommend that you read everything in this subforum before making your decision. In answer to your opening post, I would recommend that you do not come here and study for a basic degree where you are, as another poster has recommended.

[Briggsy]

I can either work in my home country earning a small wage and living in cheap and fairly grim circumstances, or I can move to Thailand and teach English, with no degree or TEFL qualification, earn a small wage and live in cheap but pleasant circumstances.

Which would you chose?

I did the latter. After 11 years, I realised I should have done the former or even better the former till I was qualified and I could do the latter but earn a large wage.

Still, one can't live one's life regretting everything all the time.

Now, where's the "top-yourself" emoticon.

I'm (sorry lt) thinking of doing a TEFL course, but obviously I'm not going to do a degree just so I can teach English. I'm only looking at doing it for a year or so and then I will have hopefully found a new and satisfying direction.

Uncanny!

This is precisely what I said to myself 11 years ago.

[PeaceBlondie]

Just another idea, based on having been posting on Thai TEFL boards for almost six years, teaching experience here, etc.

The odds are stacked against you. In your favor is a UK passport, white face, young, native speaker.

Against you: no degree, no clear desire to teach, no experience.

I met two English teachers today. One is Dutch, gorgeous, young, just finished at the top in his TEFL class with my mate. Sharp. His chances of getting a job are mighty slim. He is not a native speaker, and has no degree, no teaching experience. Second guy: American citizen, degree, recent TEFL cert, sharp, young, fluent. But he is Asian, and some employers are prejudiced (not too many). However, they are both in Chiang Mai, where you cannot easily get a job in Janary at 28,000. They can only try a language school part time, no visa extension, no WP.

Do what you must, but do not expect to become successful teaching English in Thailand. IMHO.

Oh, and if you want a city other than Bangkok, that leaves you with slim pickings, also.

[pothai]

No TEFL and no degree = working illegally. Dont do it, you may get caught, you have no rights as you are not paying tax or social insurance. You may get, fined/imprisoned/deported/blacklised or all..

[RoastLamb]

Just another idea, based on having been posting on Thai TEFL boards for almost six years, teaching experience here, etc.

The odds are stacked against you. In your favor is a UK passport, white face, young, native speaker.

Against you: no degree, no clear desire to teach, no experience.

I met two English teachers today. One is Dutch, gorgeous, young, just finished at the top in his TEFL class with my mate. Sharp. His chances of getting a job are mighty slim. He is not a native speaker, and has no degree, no teaching experience. Second guy: American citizen, degree, recent TEFL cert, sharp, young, fluent. But he is Asian, and some employers are prejudiced (not too many). However, they are both in Chiang Mai, where you cannot easily get a job in Janary at 28,000. They can only try a language school part time, no visa extension, no WP.

Do what you must, but do not expect to become successful teaching English in Thailand. IMHO.

Oh, and if you want a city other than Bangkok, that leaves you with slim pickings, also.

Thanks for this and other peoples advice. I have decided that I will go to Thailand and do a TEFL course, very probably with the company SEE that is advertised up there ^^^ (any reviews?)

I will then hang around Chiang Mai for a while to see if any work is forthcoming, if not I will head to Yangshuo in China, which is not only magnificent but was also offering teaching jobs to foriegners on sight when I visited just over a year ago (slight exaggeration).

[twschw]

No TEFL and no degree = working illegally. Dont do it, you may get caught, you have no rights as you are not paying tax or social insurance. You may get, fined/imprisoned/deported/blacklised or all..

Don't you mean no Work Permit = working illegally. It is not illegal to teach without a TEFL certification nor is it illegal to teach without a degree.

[Martian]

Just another idea, based on having been posting on Thai TEFL boards for almost six years, teaching experience here, etc.

The odds are stacked against you. In your favor is a UK passport, white face, young, native speaker.

Against you: no degree, no clear desire to teach, no experience.

I met two English teachers today. One is Dutch, gorgeous, young, just finished at the top in his TEFL class with my mate. Sharp. His chances of getting a job are mighty slim. He is not a native speaker, and has no degree, no teaching experience. Second guy: American citizen, degree, recent TEFL cert, sharp, young, fluent. But he is Asian, and some employers are prejudiced (not too many). However, they are both in Chiang Mai, where you cannot easily get a job in Janary at 28,000. They can only try a language school part time, no visa extension, no WP.

Do what you must, but do not expect to become successful teaching English in Thailand. IMHO.

Oh, and if you want a city other than Bangkok, that leaves you with slim pickings, also.

Thanks for this and other peoples advice. I have decided that I will go to Thailand and do a TEFL course, very probably with the company SEE that is advertised up there ^^^ (any reviews?)

I will then hang around Chiang Mai for a while to see if any work is forthcoming, if not I will head to Yangshuo in China, which is not only magnificent but was also offering teaching jobs to foriegners on sight when I visited just over a year ago (slight exaggeration).

I'm doing the March SEE TEFL course. See you there!

Martian

[PeaceBlondie]

I got an unsolicited rave review of SEE yesterday from a recent graduate who had nothing but praise for the course. He was a native speaker of English, Asian-American, degreed.

Agreeing with twschw: not illegal to work without degree. But illegal for a Ph.D/Ed.D to teach without a work pemit.

[skybluestu]

I got an unsolicited rave review of SEE yesterday from a recent graduate who had nothing but praise for the course. He was a native speaker of English, Asian-American, degreed.

Agreeing with twschw: not illegal to work without degree. But illegal for a Ph.D/Ed.D to teach without a work pemit.

I attended the Nov 2007 Tefl course at SEE and can't speak highly enough of John & Ying or of the course itself and it's contents. I quit a 'good' job back in the UK to come out here to Thailand and teach English because, as well as other reasons, I had no job satisfaction and was fed up of the spiralling cost of living there. Before I decided to come here I obviously did my research and was slightly concerned as many people were saying that in order to teach here legally you have to have at least a degree as well as a Tefl. Despite only having a 2yr diploma I still came out here and, although still early days, I am very glad I did. I did some voluntary teaching, which IMO is a good way to get experience, and then applied at a number of different schools and language schools just before the new term began in May 2008. I was offered work at the first x3 places I took my CV to even though I have no degree. I remembered that John at SEE had given some very simple but valuable advice which was to present yourself well as first opinions matter a lot here. I showered, shaved and wore trousers, shirt and tie when I was looking for work which I do think helped.

I accepted a 2yr contract at a Private Catholic school teaching mainly 9-11yr olds. The school where I am now working got me a WP with no problems at all so all the nonsense people like to spout about having to have a degree to teach legally is wrong.

Thankfully I am teaching basic conversational English and not grammar and I teach x4 45 minute lessons per day. The kids here are generally very well behaved, even the naughtiest kids here are not as bad as I remember kids in the UK to be. Generally the Thai teachers I work with are very friendly although I think there is some resentment about the difference in salary but I think they accept it. If you come here with the right attitude and care about the students you are teaching and their future then that is a good start and you will probably do well. If, like unfortunately far too many people do, you come here just so you can get pissed every night chasing girls and then go in with a hangover stinking of alcohol then you may not!

I am very happy with my new life here, am having a new house built and have no plans to return to the UK at all. Everyone will have a different experience here and therefore a different opinion of what you should do but if you have the right attitude and care then you should be OK. Persoanlly I think a lot of the negative posts will come from people who did not come here with a good attitude and want to blame someone/something else for things that have not gone their way and are far too quick to badmouth Thailand and the Thai people.

But who knows, maybe I'll do the same one day!!!

[Ijustwannateach]

In the spirit of the Teacher's Subforum Guidelines, I am now implementing a new guideline to prevent trolling. It is NOT ILLEGAL, as far as is currently known, to teach WITH a work permit but WITHOUT a degree- which is difficult, and IMHO not recommended, but not impossible OR ILLEGAL. I'm tired of the sniping over it, so anyone who says so forthwith will be formally warned.

Edit: There appears to have been some misunderstanding, so to clarify: the sniping I mention above is from the troll troublemakers, not those correcting them. Sheesh.

[RoastLamb]

I got an unsolicited rave review of SEE yesterday from a recent graduate who had nothing but praise for the course. He was a native speaker of English, Asian-American, degreed.

Agreeing with twschw: not illegal to work without degree. But illegal for a Ph.D/Ed.D to teach without a work pemit.

I attended the Nov 2007 Tefl course at SEE and can't speak highly enough of John & Ying or of the course itself and it's contents. I quit a 'good' job back in the UK to come out here to Thailand and teach English because, as well as other reasons, I had no job satisfaction and was fed up of the spiralling cost of living there. Before I decided to come here I obviously did my research and was slightly concerned as many people were saying that in order to teach here legally you have to have at least a degree as well as a Tefl. Despite only having a 2yr diploma I still came out here and, although still early days, I am very glad I did. I did some voluntary teaching, which IMO is a good way to get experience, and then applied at a number of different schools and language schools just before the new term began in May 2008. I was offered work at the first x3 places I took my CV to even though I have no degree. I remembered that John at SEE had given some very simple but valuable advice which was to present yourself well as first opinions matter a lot here. I showered, shaved and wore trousers, shirt and tie when I was looking for work which I do think helped.

I accepted a 2yr contract at a Private Catholic school teaching mainly 9-11yr olds. The school where I am now working got me a WP with no problems at all so all the nonsense people like to spout about having to have a degree to teach legally is wrong.

Thankfully I am teaching basic conversational English and not grammar and I teach x4 45 minute lessons per day. The kids here are generally very well behaved, even the naughtiest kids here are not as bad as I remember kids in the UK to be. Generally the Thai teachers I work with are very friendly although I think there is some resentment about the difference in salary but I think they accept it. If you come here with the right attitude and care about the students you are teaching and their future then that is a good start and you will probably do well. If, like unfortunately far too many people do, you come here just so you can get pissed every night chasing girls and then go in with a hangover stinking of alcohol then you may not!

I am very happy with my new life here, am having a new house built and have no plans to return to the UK at all. Everyone will have a different experience here and therefore a different opinion of what you should do but if you have the right attitude and care then you should be OK. Persoanlly I think a lot of the negative posts will come from people who did not come here with a good attitude and want to blame someone/something else for things that have not gone their way and are far too quick to badmouth Thailand and the Thai people.

But who knows, maybe I'll do the same one day!!!

That's a very encouraging and inspiring story. It's almost exactly what I wanted to hear, so much so that my legs have gone slightly weak at the prospect of actually being able to make this work. So thanks, and if you don't mind me asking, where are you based?

Also, only 4 x 45 minute classes per day? I was expecting a lot more than that. How many kids are in your classes? Have you had any chances to do private tutoring to make extra money?

Edited January 6, 2009 by RoastLamb

[skybluestu]

I got an unsolicited rave review of SEE yesterday from a recent graduate who had nothing but praise for the course. He was a native speaker of English, Asian-American, degreed.

Agreeing with twschw: not illegal to work without degree. But illegal for a Ph.D/Ed.D to teach without a work pemit.

I attended the Nov 2007 Tefl course at SEE and can't speak highly enough of John & Ying or of the course itself and it's contents. I quit a 'good' job back in the UK to come out here to Thailand and teach English because, as well as other reasons, I had no job satisfaction and was fed up of the spiralling cost of living there. Before I decided to come here I obviously did my research and was slightly concerned as many people were saying that in order to teach here legally you have to have at least a degree as well as a Tefl. Despite only having a 2yr diploma I still came out here and, although still early days, I am very glad I did. I did some voluntary teaching, which IMO is a good way to get experience, and then applied at a number of different schools and language schools just before the new term began in May 2008. I was offered work at the first x3 places I took my CV to even though I have no degree. I remembered that John at SEE had given some very simple but valuable advice which was to present yourself well as first opinions matter a lot here. I showered, shaved and wore trousers, shirt and tie when I was looking for work which I do think helped.

I accepted a 2yr contract at a Private Catholic school teaching mainly 9-11yr olds. The school where I am now working got me a WP with no problems at all so all the nonsense people like to spout about having to have a degree to teach legally is wrong.

Thankfully I am teaching basic conversational English and not grammar and I teach x4 45 minute lessons per day. The kids here are generally very well behaved, even the naughtiest kids here are not as bad as I remember kids in the UK to be. Generally the Thai teachers I work with are very friendly although I think there is some resentment about the difference in salary but I think they accept it. If you come here with the right attitude and care about the students you are teaching and their future then that is a good start and you will probably do well. If, like unfortunately far too many people do, you come here just so you can get pissed every night chasing girls and then go in with a hangover stinking of alcohol then you may not!

I am very happy with my new life here, am having a new house built and have no plans to return to the UK at all. Everyone will have a different experience here and therefore a different opinion of what you should do but if you have the right attitude and care then you should be OK. Persoanlly I think a lot of the negative posts will come from people who did not come here with a good attitude and want to blame someone/something else for things that have not gone their way and are far too quick to badmouth Thailand and the Thai people.

But who knows, maybe I'll do the same one day!!!

That's a very encouraging and inspiring story. It's almost exactly what I wanted to hear, so much so that my legs have gone slightly weak at the prospect of actually being able to make this work. So thanks, and if you don't mind me asking, where are you based?

Also, only 4 x 45 minute classes per day? I was expecting a lot more than that. How many kids are in your classes? Have you had any chances to do private tutoring to make extra money?

I was based originally in Chiang Mai for 5 months but have been in Chiang Rai since April and much prefer it, it's not for everyone as fairly quiet and comparing it to somewhere like Pattaya, Phuket or BKK is like comparing the Lake District to Soho!

Yes, I'm only contracted to teach x4 periods per day which I think is about normal but I have to be here for the whole day, 8am-4pm. They also have extra classes for x1 hour after school Mon-Thurs which I do and get about another 6k per month for. There are also language schools here which I could work at to boost my income (and probably will in the future) and a couple of my students parents have asked me to do some private tutoring but I like my weekends too much to do so at the moment, probably next term though.

My classes are pretty small, around 19-22 kids per class, but the lower years I will be teaching in 2-3 years currently have around 30 per class. Like many people have said already, it will be easier to get work with a degree but don't let not having one put you off, if I had followed their advice I would still be living in the freezing cold, doing a job I hate and own a property now worth less than when I bought it. Good Luck with whatever you decide to do.

[Skyline]

I think the OP has a fair idea of what the English teaching game is about in Thailand after everyones posts.

The truth is, it really depends on him.

If he wants to escape the UK and do something different for a while,I'd say go for it!

If he wants to check out life in Thailand for a while and think about other opportunites here,I'd say go for it!

The fact is,many ex English teachers here have gone on to bigger and better things.

I wish you all the best!

[JSixpack]

The fact is,many ex English teachers here have gone on to bigger and better things.

"Many?" When they moved back to their home countries?

Let's have some examples.

[Ijustwannateach]

^Me, for one- but that's not really the topic of this thread.

[OxfordWill]

do you have any skills? (non english teaching ones)

[Ijustwannateach]

Plenty, but I'm not the topic of this thread, and I'd better not become such (final hint).

[JSixpack]

^Me, for one- but that's not really the topic of this thread.

Nor is the topic of this thread that you aren't the topic of this thread. (Consider yourself warned.) You yourself said "many," so asking for some examples, with a few details, is a perfectly reasonable and legitimate request. And those could be be given in one sentence w/o becoming a separate topic. It is related to the OP's interests, as I think you realized. Personally, I doubt there are "many," but rather "some" or "a few" who had a lot on the ball from the beginning anyway.

Edited January 10, 2009 by JSixpack

[Loaded]

Nor is the topic of this thread that you aren't the topic of this thread.

(Consider yourself warned.)

You yourself said "many," so asking for some examples, with a few details,

is a perfectly reasonable and legitimate request.

And those could be be given in one sentence w/o becoming a separate topic.

It is related to the OP's interests, as I think you realized.

Personally, I doubt there are "many," but rather "some" or "a few" who had a lot on the ball from the beginning anyway.

Are you sure these aren't lyrics from a Joan Armatrading song?

[JSixpack]

Nor is the topic of this thread that you aren't the topic of this thread.

(Consider yourself warned.)

You yourself said "many," so asking for some examples, with a few details,

is a perfectly reasonable and legitimate request.

And those could be be given in one sentence w/o becoming a separate topic.

It is related to the OP's interests, as I think you realized.

Personally, I doubt there are "many," but rather "some" or "a few" who had a lot on the ball from the beginning anyway.

Are you sure these aren't lyrics from a Joan Armatrading song?

Lemme see, can I do that, too?

Are you sure

these aren't lyrics

from a Joan

Armatrading song?

That is just SO much fun, once you figure out how do it! Try it, everyone!

If you've got a point, just go ahead and make it.

Yawn.

Edited January 11, 2009 by JSixpack

[Ijustwannateach]

Thread off-topic; closed.