Moving To Live/teach In Isaan :)

[kirstymelb101]

Hey!! It's Kirsty here again.

I'm moving to Kalasin province after Songkran to be with my family..

i don't know what to expect, but I hope it's a safe place to live and teach for a girl like me.

I accepted a job teaching Mathayom students for a lousy 18,000 bht per month !!

But obviously I'm not doing it for the money, only to be with my beloved family.

400 students / 30 teachers / whiteboard / The basic essentials a classroom should have.

.

If any one has experience living/teaching in this part of town, please feel free to share your thoughts..

I'm feeling both anxious and excited at the same time

Kirsty <3 x0x

[scooterboy]

Good for you!

Don't know Kalasin at all, but I suspect it's much the same as many other places.

Don't be anxious - you'll do just fine at the school! It'll only take a few days to get used to the school routine, so remember to relax - and if you find yourself getting anxious, then just take a very deep breath and relax once again...

Good luck with your new life in Kalasin!

[kirstymelb101]

Thanks for the motivational boost of confidence. I really need all the encouragement I can get. Moving this far from civilization is way out of my comfort zone, but my grandfather is getting very old, and I want to spend as much time with him as possible before he...., And I don't want to regret the chance I have now to spend time with them later on in life.

Edited April 3, 2013 by kirstymelb101

[kirstymelb101]

And if I don't use this opportunity and go now, I may regret it later on in life** Sorry

[krisb]

If your anything like me your gonna love issan!

[Thaddeus]

Moving this far from civilization is way out of my comfort zone,

Isaan has an uncanny knack of growing on you, give it a few months and you'll probably begin to wonder what the problem was.

[kirstymelb101]

If your anything like me your gonna love issan!

Please do care to elaborate on this thought! Do you also teach in Kalasin?

[thunder30101]

Dont want to be negative but i taught and lived in kalasin for one year and didnt renew my contract because of the lack of things to do and sheer boredom. Luckily you have family there and they will hopefully keep you company. There are lots of festivals all the time and markets to eat at. They have a big tesco now too. I have been in issan for 5 years now and will be leaving soon, I cant say I didnt have some good times here but lets get real, there is a big world out there and issan isnt part of it.

[angsta]

Ha ha leave Issan alone. Ok, I have never taught in Kalasin but I have taught in Sakhon Nakhon, Korat and Khon Kaen. I like Issan. The locals are friendly and the life style is very laid back, usually. Saying that I teach a year in Issan followed by a year in Seoul so maybe you're right about it being quiet. Good for a year and then it can start to get old.

[puchooay]

Home is where the heart is. If that is in Issan then so be it. I for one am glad that those who don't like it don't stay.

[thaicbr]

Kirsty. I had a quick look at your other posts and note that you have worked as a teacher for 3 years.. I presume that was in Bangkok. What type of school?

I would be aware that at your new school you will most certainly be the best English speaker there. Be aware that could cause resentment among any other Thai English teachers that do not speak English.

Good luck. And don't forget if your degree is not an ED degree you will still have to take the tests.. At least you have the choice between Thai or English for the tests

[talk2sam]

Kalasin is a nice laid back town with schools clustered along a major road, since you have a family there, you wont be bored otherwise you will need to travel to big cities for fun, if you know what I mean.

[chonabot]

Hi Kirsty

I live in Kalasin and just finished teaching at the biggest Government school there.

Myself and my family will be returning to the UK in about 3 weeks.

My wife is from Kalasin - let me know if you want any info about the schools etc

Kalasin is pretty civilized to be honest and there is a fair amount to do.

Regards nightlife, it is not too bad, depends on what you like.

Let me know by pm about the school etc as I know a few teachers here.

There are quite a few NES teachers in Kalasin and to be honest, as a Thai/Aus you will have no problems at all - the kids will love you.

As I said pm me for any more details, or ask on here

Good luck

Phil

Edited April 3, 2013 by chonabot

[chonabot]

Dont want to be negative but i taught and lived in kalasin for one year and didnt renew my contract because of the lack of things to do and sheer boredom. Luckily you have family there and they will hopefully keep you company. There are lots of festivals all the time and markets to eat at. They have a big tesco now too. I have been in issan for 5 years now and will be leaving soon, I cant say I didnt have some good times here but lets get real, there is a big world out there and issan isnt part of it.

50/50 on that one, in the next 5 or 6 years places like Kalasin will be a part of 'it'

There is a lot of money here and things are changing, but hopefully Kalasin will never become too civilized

[chonabot]

I would be aware that at your new school you will most certainly be the best English speaker there.

There are at least 30 NES teachers in Kalsin and that figure is growing

Kirsty is it Kalasin Town or one of the villages that you will teaching at?

There is a big difference regarding the social side of things, but I rather like the sleepy villages.

Edited April 3, 2013 by chonabot

[thaicbr]

I would be aware that at your new school you will most certainly be the best English speaker there.

There are at least 30 NES teachers in Kalsin and that figure is growing

Kirsty is it Kalasin Town or one of the villages that you will teaching at?

There is a big difference regarding the social side of things, but I rather like the sleepy villages.

Even with that. She could STILL be the best English speaker at her school

And no doubt will be the best English speaking Thai teacher.

Kirsty. Good luck and have fun.

Sent from my i-mobile i-STYLE Q6

[chonabot]

I would be aware that at your new school you will most certainly be the best English speaker there.

There are at least 30 NES teachers in Kalsin and that figure is growing

Kirsty is it Kalasin Town or one of the villages that you will teaching at?

There is a big difference regarding the social side of things, but I rather like the sleepy villages.

Even with that. She could STILL be the best English speaker at her school

And no doubt will be the best English speaking Thai teacher.

Kirsty. Good luck and have fun.

Sent from my i-mobile i-STYLE Q6

Amen to that

[lostinisaan]

18 K is what Filipinos usually make. Are you holding an Aussie passport? I know money isn't all, but 18 K isn't even enough in Kalasin.

[isawasnake]

18 K is what Filipinos usually make. Are you holding an Aussie passport? I know money isn't all, but 18 K isn't even enough in Kalasin.

Plus, the reason they do this is that there are still people, unbelievably, willing to take these jobs. At least she wont have to worry about taxes. I support each person to do what they'd like though, so the more power to her

I have lived in Issan, my only input is that actually owning a car makes life nice out there. Without a car and fishing pole i was bordering on miserable.

[chonabot]

Lots of input here Kirsty - any response ?

[lostinisaan]

18 K is what Filipinos usually make. Are you holding an Aussie passport? I know money isn't all, but 18 K isn't even enough in Kalasin.

Plus, the reason they do this is that there are still people, unbelievably, willing to take these jobs. At least she wont have to worry about taxes. I support each person to do what they'd like though, so the more power to her

I have lived in Issan, my only input is that actually owning a car makes life nice out there. Without a car and fishing pole i was bordering on miserable.

I was lucky that I had enough money to buy a car, before I settled down here. Could never afford to buy one on a teacher's salary and having a Thai family. Guess there're always people willing to take a bad paid job. Money rules this country and most of them are poor.

[lostinisaan]

Lots of input here Kirsty - any response ?

Guess you'd made her speechless.....Chock Dee Bee Mai, khrap....

[pilm]

Good for you!

Don't know Kalasin at all, but I suspect it's much the same as many other places.

It is. I used to live in a neighbouring province. Poverty brings out both the best and worst of humanity and Thai culture.

It's Flat. HOT. Don't go stealing any motosai's.

A case which vividly illustrates the climate of fear in which Thai

witnesses live is that of Kalasin Province, in North Eastern Thailand.

Kalasin is particularly sinister for its sheer scope: the Asian Human

Rights Commission alone has identified some 24 killings between 2004 and

2006. The true number is thought to be far higher - some bodies have

never been found; others have been reduced to ashes before proper

identification. In many of the cases, victims were young or underage

individuals accused of motorbike theft, drug dealing or other small

crimes. Add to this the cruelty of the methods employed (many of the

victims were tortured to death, and had their testicles burned, crushed

or electrocuted) and things start to look very ugly indeed.

When Kietisak was 16 years old, he was charged with motorcycle theft,

and despite his claims that he had been tortured and his confession

forced, was sentenced to one year in jail. After serving his time, he

returned to Kalasin and went to live with his grandmother, Sa, not far

from the local police station. On 16th July 2004, when he didn't come

home, a neighbour told Sa that he had again been arrested for motorcycle

theft. The next day, the police took her to watch Kietisak being

interrogated at the public prosecutor's office. That was the last time

she saw Kietisak alive. The next day, the police called her to say that

his bail had been posted by a municipal official. She went to wait at

the police station for her grandson's release, but at around 5 p.m. the

police told her to go home and that they would contact her when he was

free to go. Roughly an hour later, Kietisak called her and told her in a

trembling voice: "They didn't tell the truth to you Grandma. They are

going to take me away and kill me. Hurry come and help me, I'm on the

second floor." After that the line went dead.

At the police

station, Sa was told by a high ranking police officer that Kietisak had

already been released. She could hear her grandson crying out from

above, but the police refused to allow her up to the second floor.

A

few days later, on July 26, a police officer came to tell Sa that

Kietisak's body had been found some 30 kilometres away. Witnesses who

had seen his body being recovered said that the boy's feet were not

dirty, despite the fact that the surrounding area was muddy due to the

monsoon weather. Sa took the body to the Central Institute of Forensic

Science in Bangkok, who told her that Kietisak had been tortured to

death. His body appeared to have been dragged along the ground by the

neck and by handcuffs, causing deep cuts on his wrists. His body was

covered with wounds and his testicles had been crushed.

On 29th

July, the police phoned the witness whose phone Kietisak had borrowed to

call his grandmother. They told her that the phone was police property

and that she was to tell that to anyone who asked her about it. When she

replied, "I'll say whatever I saw," she was told "Go ahead. If you

talk, you'll hang like that kid."

http://www.chiangmainews.com/ecmn/viewfa.php?id=2121

[chonabot]

Good for you!

Don't know Kalasin at all, but I suspect it's much the same as many other places.

It is.%2

[pilm]

^ you weren't picked up as a suspected teenage motosai thief?

[chonabot]

^ you weren't picked up as a suspected teenage motosai thief?

I was busy spraying ice cubes over grumpy old Englishmen..nothing better to do guv'nor

[somchaismith]

Keep it in context, eh? That incident happened as part of the 'war on the drugs'. They occurred all over the Thailand, so they say.

Edited April 14, 2013 by somchaismith

[kirstymelb101]

Sorry, peeps! I've been quite busy these last few days with family/friends celebrating 'Songkran festival'. It has been absolute CHAOS on the streets. Just a moment ago I saw a girl fall off her motorbike. Luckily no one was behind her, otherwise she'd be road kill. I spend most of my time at home inside with family away from danger! Every year it gets worse.. Sorry for my rant.


I don't know what Pilms intentions were by sharing that dreadful story, since I'm already very anxious about moving to Kalasin next month, but thanks for the encouragement -_-' I may be over analyzing everything to the point I'm turning into a paranoid mule. So i'll try calm down, take a deep breath, and shed some positive light on my situation. Like I said, I don't plan to live there forever. Only until I feel I have spent enough time with my family, and the end of my school contract. I don't really care about my low salary, that's the least of my issues. If my intentions to work for money, for any reason, any where in the world it would not be in Thailand ahaha!! My next step after this, who knows??

Kirsty --- x0x <(==)> x0x

Edited April 14, 2013 by kirstymelb101

[culicine]

I don't know anything about teaching in kalasin, but those teachers with Thai/other nationality passports usually get the foreign teacher salary; about 45K I guess. This is in BKK mind, you. If you like kalasin and get through your contract, I'd pusk them for 25K at least. Good luck with it:)

[Scott]

Actually, quite a few schools do not pay the foreign teacher rate for Thai teachers with a foreign passport. Quite frequently they will pay more than a Filipino earns, but it is still an Asian wage and is less than the native English speakers get.

Edited April 14, 2013 by Scott