Planning on the big move and need big help

[Mario2008]

Actual degree and transcript are required for a waiver. But you send them a copy, co-signed by the school director.

[koolbreez]

You lead us to believe you plan on making Thailand your home. To do that effectively, you should know the language, both speaking, and possibly writing, to about the 6th grade level. It opens up the whole world around you, that you are choosing to live in, and gives you endless possibilities on where you can be comfortable living. It is easier living in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, or Pattaya, without knowing that much Thai, but venturing out of these tourist based cities to live become a challenge without knowing the langauge.

For this reason, I suggest you spend at least your first year going to language school, to seriously learn the language, and not as a scam to just get a long stay visa, although you do get an ED visa extendable for about a year and a half the first time. The long term benefits in doing this, and even up to the point that you can pass the grade 6 exams in both speaking and writing, are exponential in your job choices, and wages, given you have an advanced degree.

The best teaching jobs are in the universities, and getting a teaching certificate in Canada before you come here, instead of a TEFL certificate, opens up those chances, depending on your degree field. Thailand wants foreign teachers, working in their career field, and pays good for those meeting the teaching requirements. You say you already have an advanced degree, so getting a teaching certificate only involves less than a year, and it can mean the difference of working where you want, making good wages, or being stuck in a dump making peanuts, illegally, depending on a heavy tutoring load to meet bills.

It is no secret that most men that move here, or even consider moving here permanently, do so because of the ease in finding compatible companionship, no matter what your age, or preferences, it is all here. Pattaya is a trap in that respect, as it feeds, and corruptly lives on those needs. By learning the language, and getting out of the tourist areas, you get away from those traps, and find those truly looking for honest loving long term companionship. I use the working "companionship", instead of marriage, as your needs aren't known to us, but getting out of the corrupted tourist areas can truly open your eyes to what is really available in Thailand, long term, without those around you always trying to rip you off.

There are a few free websites, and then social media, that cater to single individuals of all ages finding companionship. A lot of Thais don't have time for, or like, the traditional bars, and other meeting places to find companionship, so they turn whole heartedly to the internet.

Just some things to think about in your planned move here. It is a great place to live, if you can do it legally.

[DogNo1]

Gilligan: Be advised but don't be too put off by the naysayers on the forum. In a perfect world, everyone would be fully qualified, fluent and knowledgeable but some of us have managed to muddle through despite our shortcomings. I suspect that you will too. Good luck.

[gilligan]

hi everyone.

1-for the record, i have no plans on living in pattaya when i come this summer.

2-i have been trying to learn to speak and read thai. at present, my ability to speak and read is very very basic. to improve in this area is definately a goal of mine.

3-thanks for the advice "dog", it is positive comments from members like you that help:)

4-bangkok and chang mai/chang rai are on my possible places to look into when i first arrive. as other members have suggested, i will be spending some time traveling around thailand to try to see where i feel like i could live as well as where there is an oportunity to find employment

5-finding "compatible companionship" in thailand is not even remotely in my plans.

6-i have no intention of living in thailand illegally (i'm not even sure what the op was referring to, lol

7-i have no intention of going to pattaya and dying there:)

take care all!

thanks again to those offering positive and constructive comments!!

[meatboy]

Mmmmm, starting to think that this forum is not what I thought it was.

1-I don't drink

2-I have enough income so that I do not need to rely on the teaching income

3-I keep my hair short and I prefer not to look like a "drunken hobo"

I guess that I can go on but I get the feeling that this is the wrong forum for me.

if your thinking your in the wrong forum and some of the replies are a bit harsh,your goner have a harsh lesson when you come to live here.being in patts.and living elswhere is not goner be a bed of roses if you ignore most of the harsh replies.

there is in this forum all you want to know about living and trying to work here and there's a lot you might DONT want to hear.and as for the above post it does say you dont know much about LOS.

myself i drink like a fish,[some days]

i to have enough income so i dont have to work.

my hair is quite long but i dont look like a drunken hobo.

and my feeling about thailand is over 30yrs.i have never been happier.

so make sure you know where you want to live first before you do anything,outside of patts.and bangkok is a different world.good luck.

[Soutpeel]

Gilligan, The first thing I'd want to do is decide where I want to live. There are many Thailands. If you haven't seen much of Thailand, you might consider just traveling around to see what you like. I don't care for Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket and similar but I don't drink much and I don't care for bar girls.

If you do like bar girls, you will find some similar venue in most larger towns in Thailand.

I like smaller towns; even some in Isaan. A population of around 100,000 works for me.

As for visa, as an American I have arrived visa exempt (visa on arrival) and gone to immigration and gotten a tourist visa which can be extended out for several months. I would do that if Canadians can get visa exempt and then travel, find a job, and then the school should help with your visa and work permit. I was based on retirement so I got a non-O, put everything together and got my retirement extension, all in Thailand.

Another thing you want to consider is that you might hate teaching in Thailand. I would. I'd have to lower my standards of quality too much. So I'd be prepared for the possibility that I wanted to stop teaching and convert to a retirement extension.

Good luck, and sorry for the numbskulls who like to populate the forums with their wisdom.

The op said himself that in 10 years of travel to thailand, he hasn't been anywhere in Thailand other than Bangkok and Pattaya, and that after awhile, he couldn't even bother with Bangkok. So there's something about Pattaya that is of keen interest to the op...like maybe the fascinating Wat Chaimonkol or Nong Nuch Gardens, or at least that's what the TAT would have us believe.

Must be the pristine white sands and cobalt blue waters of Pattaya bay which is the attraction

[meatboy]

You lead us to believe you plan on making Thailand your home. To do that effectively, you should know the language, both speaking, and possibly writing, to about the 6th grade level. It opens up the whole world around you, that you are choosing to live in, and gives you endless possibilities on where you can be comfortable living. It is easier living in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, or Pattaya, without knowing that much Thai, but venturing out of these tourist based cities to live become a challenge without knowing the langauge.

For this reason, I suggest you spend at least your first year going to language school, to seriously learn the language, and not as a scam to just get a long stay visa, although you do get an ED visa extendable for about a year and a half the first time. The long term benefits in doing this, and even up to the point that you can pass the grade 6 exams in both speaking and writing, are exponential in your job choices, and wages, given you have an advanced degree.

The best teaching jobs are in the universities, and getting a teaching certificate in Canada before you come here, instead of a TEFL certificate, opens up those chances, depending on your degree field. Thailand wants foreign teachers, working in their career field, and pays good for those meeting the teaching requirements. You say you already have an advanced degree, so getting a teaching certificate only involves less than a year, and it can mean the difference of working where you want, making good wages, or being stuck in a dump making peanuts, illegally, depending on a heavy tutoring load to meet bills.

It is no secret that most men that move here, or even consider moving here permanently, do so because of the ease in finding compatible companionship, no matter what your age, or preferences, it is all here. Pattaya is a trap in that respect, as it feeds, and corruptly lives on those needs. By learning the language, and getting out of the tourist areas, you get away from those traps, and find those truly looking for honest loving long term companionship. I use the working "companionship", instead of marriage, as your needs aren't known to us, but getting out of the corrupted tourist areas can truly open your eyes to what is really available in Thailand, long term, without those around you always trying to rip you off.

There are a few free websites, and then social media, that cater to single individuals of all ages finding companionship. A lot of Thais don't have time for, or like, the traditional bars, and other meeting places to find companionship, so they turn whole heartedly to the internet.

Just some things to think about in your planned move here. It is a great place to live, if you can do it legally.

yep you got it spot on,i too found a loving partner,loyal and hope it could go on forever,his photo is on the left.

[gilligan]

hey meatboy,

i too am a dog lover.

i had a golden retriever for 14 years!

how does your dog handle thailand's heat and humity??

[DogNo1]

Golden retrievers are great. So are Akitas (see my avatar.)

[gilligan]

it's funny,

in thailad, i see the "street dogs" looking both ways before crossing the street, lol

i never see that at home

[meatboy]

dogs with double coats do take a lot of looking after,as long as they have shade through the day [ours plus a fan] and at night he sleeps with me and mrs meat on our bed with the aircon.but the main problem with our beloveds are the hidden dangers,eg.snakes,mossy's[ours has heartguard] so nevermind how careful you are its very rewarding to have a extra family member it does worry you on times.

[ohyesiam]

@gilligan

As a canadian having undertaken a similar decision (and to everyone else, forgive me for not having time to read all the replies) I'll just add that it is possible to make a connection and contract for TEFL etc certification with a reputable organization here in Thailand and upon graduation they will (usually) assist you fully with all of the necessary follow-up requirements, from obtaining a new and appropriate visa to employment, and the required work permit before engaging in that employment - that means all the paperwork and some hand-holding throughout the process.

So rather than focus on uncertainties, know that it is possible, and spend your energy doing serious research into the appropriate certification school and everything else will flow from there.

Come and enjoy the caring and sharing it sounds like you are imagining. The comment about "at your age" well-intended, might be more completely stated as "... your age ... will likely not get the 'plum' jobs, and 'plum' is subjective anyway, but they are few and there are plenty that are "good" and anything else across the spectrum...

You are several years younger than me. Good advice from Mario2008 and DogNo1, IMO do not do the retirement visa route, and take the job satisfaction potential in perspective of your own self-awareness, and it is a good warning. I hear complaining all the time from people who have higher than reasonable expectations coming to a less affluent environment and as mentioned financially dependent on an incomparable salary. Me? I get great assignments, part-time and everything I want out of that.

[gilligan]

Thanks ohyesiam!!

I still have a bit on my plate with leaving my current employment.

Would it be OK to pm you with some questions that may come up?

Bty, what part of the great white north are you from?

[ohyesiam]

Thanks ohyesiam!!

I still have a bit on my plate with leaving my current employment.

Would it be OK to pm you with some questions that may come up?

Bty, what part of the great white north are you from?

you are welcome. I am from the west coast.

pm'ing me might cause you more anxiety than ever, as I rarely visit thaivisa or other forums. Frankly I do believe it is better to query openly in the forum for a broader view of things, it may be enticing to latch onto one individual's experiences that seem to fit with your expectations, but not prudent - I usually see two or three different experiences from mine for what seems to have been the exact same question/event.

There is an excellent collection of experience and goodwill here, several have already responded to the question, I suggest cultivating this resource, just click past the trash, it's not personal, they don't know you. Admittedly they are part of the reason I rarely visit, but I have to say I am very encouraged by the moderating I'm witnessing today.

The shorter version - I'm a pretty private person, stick to my own little world escaping the western rat-race and therefore actually have very little technical knowledge of these ever-changing rules and regs, I come here for more current info around my important dates.

Happy to help when I can. Chin up.

[gilligan]

Totally understand.

I'm also looking to escape the western rat race.

You are right about the excellent advice on this forum.

Off to do some meditation and then some yoga.

Namaste:)

[gilligan]

hi guys,

now that i have handed in my letter of resignation, i have started to think about my a bit more clearly.

i've been advised on the forum, that i should first decide where i want to live then look for a school to teach.

does it make more sense to have a few choices as to where i would like to live in order for me to have more of a chance of finding a school to teach?

i suppose if i decide to live in bangkok, there would be plenty of schools, but if i liked a smaller town, the selection may be more limited.

Anyone have an opinion from experience?

[gilligan]

Hey everyone,

Just a brief update.

last Friday was my last day at work. after almost 35 years of working i am "unemployed", lol.

it feels a bit weird and it hasn't really sunk in that i will be living in thailand in about 4 months.

Monday I spent all day between the bank, license bureau and the Frickin' dentist.

Yesterday was a real wakeup call.
I downloaded the application for the CELTA course that I am planning on taking before I get to Thailand and I realized that English must not be my first language, lol.

It is a 6 page application and I was pretty well lost.
I started to sweat a bit. I was online trying to get the best answers for the application when I said to myself "if I can't complete the application then I'm in f$#ked"!
I called the school and told them just that.

The representative started laughing (when I told her that I always thought that English was my mother tongue but now I'm not sure what is).

I was told that they just wanted to see if I had an aptitude to being able to research the correct replies. I told her that is what I was doing but thought that I was cheating, lol.

I will definitely be buying some English Grammer books before the course (even though the rep told me that I didn't have to).

Guys, the countdown has officially started!!!

Will keep you posted about my trials and tribulations sure to come:)

Take care,

Gilligan

[gilligan]

hey guys,

it looks like this topic may be "dying" by the amount of replies, but i'll get it another "go".

things are progressing, although slowly.

it seems that there are a million things to take care of.

i will be posting some questions as they come up.

to start, lol, what are the options concerning heath insurance?

should i be looking to try to get health insurance in canada or will the school that i find a teaching job offer health insurance (i assume if any schools offer health insurance they would be the minority?).

thanks guys!!

[gk10002000]

I think getting the 60 day tourist visa that you could extend another 30 days later is the normal way to go. Then once you get to Thailand you and the school can sort out the work permit, and you will get the other visa then. You said you are over 50 so you could qualify for the Retirement extension but you can't work with that sort of visa so not sure that is worth getting. The tourist visa should give you enough time to sort things out. If not, you can always get another one.

[gk10002000]

Hey everyone,

Just a brief update.

last Friday was my last day at work. after almost 35 years of working i am "unemployed", lol.

it feels a bit weird and it hasn't really sunk in that i will be living in thailand in about 4 months.

Monday I spent all day between the bank, license bureau and the Frickin' dentist.

Yesterday was a real wakeup call.

I downloaded the application for the CELTA course that I am planning on taking before I get to Thailand and I realized that English must not be my first language, lol.

It is a 6 page application and I was pretty well lost.

I started to sweat a bit. I was online trying to get the best answers for the application when I said to myself "if I can't complete the application then I'm in f$#ked"!

I called the school and told them just that.

The representative started laughing (when I told her that I always thought that English was my mother tongue but now I'm not sure what is).

I was told that they just wanted to see if I had an aptitude to being able to research the correct replies. I told her that is what I was doing but thought that I was cheating, lol.

I will definitely be buying some English Grammer books before the course (even though the rep told me that I didn't have to).

Guys, the countdown has officially started!!!

Will keep you posted about my trials and tribulations sure to come:)

Take care,

Gilligan

I personally don't think the CELTA is worth going through. I think you will find that if you take any one of the several TEFL courses offered in Thailand you can be off and working very quickly. Then you will be able to make contacts and find your way to a better work arrangement, school, university, tutoring agency, etc.

[gilligan]

thanks for the reply.

i also think that i would probably be better off taking the tefl course in thailand.

in fact, during the interview for the celta course, the interviewer suggested that i might want to do that.

i thought about it and decided that i wanted to have that "taken care of" before i landed in thailand.

any thoughts about health insurance?

[beechguy]

thanks for the reply.

i also think that i would probably be better off taking the tefl course in thailand.

in fact, during the interview for the celta course, the interviewer suggested that i might want to do that.

i thought about it and decided that i wanted to have that "taken care of" before i landed in thailand.

any thoughts about health insurance?

There is a Forum on here, that deals specifically with insurance, why not cruise through that and get some ideas.

[rhodie]

As poster above said, plenty of specific topics covered in the forum. Just do a few searches and you will pickup plenty.

Good luck with the move.

[gilligan]

Thanks, will do.