Job Discussion Forums

[brewsterbudgen]

I've been accepted on to the CELTA course at ECC in Bangkok starting on 3 October. I'm 45 years old and have a BA in Sociology, plus 21 years (non teaching) work experience. My original plan was to try and find employment in China or Japan after I (hopefully) pass the CELTA. I have had positive responses from New Times Hebei and Liaoning Promotion Committee On International Education Cooperation (I really like the idea of teaching in Dalian), although neither are offering definite jobs - 'just turn up and we'll sort you out' - and both I assume are recruiters. I've also been offered an interview in the UK by the Nova Group, for teaching in Japan but after reading the posts on this Forum I think I will steer clear of them.

I hadn't really considered teaching in Thailand, although I fired off a few emails to schools with good reports on this Forum (difficult to find!). Now I've had positive replies from Kings College and Bell Institute and arranged to see them when I get to Bangkok.

So, where is the best place for a newbie to start? China or Thailand? Salary is not a major issue. My main priority is to enjoy my new life and career, get valuable experience and not get exploited!

Thanks

[mirabelle]

dont know much about thailand, but just finished up in china- you can enjoy either- but if you're out for enjoyment or quality of life, thailand sounds hands down to be a much more relaxed place then china. working in china can be great or it can be really hard, i think it's very hit or mess. i haven't met a single person who hasn't loved visiting thailand. though i dont know much about working there. the advantage to china is that it's very varied, so conceivably you can live in any kind of climate or environment you prefer (sub-tropical yunnan, wintry haerbin, cosmopolitan city like shanghai....) but honestly? if it's you're completely new, thailand sounds like a smoother ride. i liked living in china okay, but working here definitely did a number on my nerves.

[Volodiya]

Well, I like Thailand. But some people would react badly to the year round relatively high temperatures (like summer in Texas), others not.

In your off duty hours, I think you'd find the Thai people more open to fashioning friendships with you- and I'm talking about the real kind, not the commercially based kind. I've never lived in Thailand, but I've spent a lot of time there, where I count a number of locals among my friends; whereas, in China, there is not one local that I'd fit in that category. (There is a reserve among Chinese that I think accounts for it.)

For a few other comparatives (not necessarily the ones you're interested in, but interesting, nevertheless) you could also see the thread-

http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/job/viewtopic.php?t=24090