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Terrapinflyer
Joined: 07 Feb 2013
Posts: 2
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 Posted: Tue Mar 19, 2013 1:49 am Post subject: Headed to Bangkok with B.A. Tefl certificate and open mind |
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Hi all,
My name is Kevin I have been reading posts along with researching and saving money for some time now. I have now booked my ticket for April 23rd to Bangkok. I am planning on starting there and getting a feel for the culture and maybe do a little traveling, before really putting all my effort into finding a job. I have heard most of the pros and cons of teaching/living in Thailand, but I am excited for the adventure of finding a job, and life in an exotic place I have never been before. Hence the open mind. With my departure date approaching soon I wanted to run some questions by folks here.
1. Upon arrival I need somewhere to stay. I will be traveling relatively light, but would like a safe secure locked place to keep my belongings. What do you think about renting a guest house or room for a month or so to use as a home-base, and where may find I this....khao san road? ajarn.com?
2. I am bringing my B.A diploma, tefl cert, crc, transcripts, resume....anything else you think may be asked for by a future employer?
3. Loan situation....any insight on how to, once I get a job, keep making monthly payments on my student loans? I read somewhere someone would have a family member make payments and then every three months send money to them to avoid high exchange/currency transfer rates. Is this feasible?
4. Once in Thailand, how do you suggest I find schools to contact? Just talk to people...I do not speak Thai, but not too worried about language barrier.
5. In Bangkok are kinko like place as available for printing resume/essentials for hitting the pavement?
6. Do you suggest I maybe get travelers insurance for a few months, and then find something in Thailand once I have a job? And how is the medical/dentistry facilities in Thailand? Any chance I could find a school with coverage?
7. Any point or fact you completely blanked on when hunting for a job and learned with hindsight? Or any advice you wish you had when you set off on your excursion?
Thanks in advance....and Im sure I'll have more questions, and or your responses may lead me to more questions. Again relishing the adventure but trying to be as prepared for the unforeseeable as I can be.
Cheers!
Kevin |
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plumpy nut
Joined: 12 Mar 2011
Posts: 1652
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| Posted: Tue Mar 19, 2013 2:44 am Post subject: Re: Headed to Bangkok with B.A. Tefl certificate and open mi |
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| Terrapinflyer wrote: |
and life in an exotic place I have never been before. |
Aside from the chance to study the SE Asian mind and write about it, and taking classes and getting a degree in Thailand, living in an exotic place is all you will get.
| Terrapinflyer wrote: |
Hence the open mind. |
Prepare to accept bad behavior and a lack of work ethic that you would not get anywhere else. An open mind won't do you any good.
| Terrapinflyer wrote: |
1. Upon arrival I need somewhere to stay. I will be traveling relatively light, but would like a safe secure locked place to keep my belongings. What do you think about renting a guest house or room for a month or so to use as a home-base, and where may find I this....khao san road? ajarn.com? |
Peachy Guest House on Phra Arthit Road close to Khao San has nice spacious rooms that are air conditioned. It is located at a place where buses tend to converge for surrounding areas. Rooms are clean, but beds are hard and the rest of the guest house area is a dump. The rooms are relatively safe to keep stuff in. The staff keeps guard at the bottom of the stairs. They have places on the door where you can put your own padlock on. They will run 200 US a month. Staying at a centrally located guest house is a good idea as you may be looking for another job after anywhere from two weeks to a couple of months.
| Terrapinflyer wrote: |
2. I am bringing my B.A diploma, tefl cert, crc, transcripts, resume....anything else you think may be asked for by a future employer? |
No
| Terrapinflyer wrote: |
3. Loan situation....any insight on how to, once I get a job, keep making monthly payments on my student loans? I read somewhere someone would have a family member make payments and then every three months send money to them to avoid high exchange/currency transfer rates. Is this feasible? |
You won't be making enough in Thailand to make loan payments. Prepare to fill out a loan payment deferral.
| Terrapinflyer wrote: |
4. Once in Thailand, how do you suggest I find schools to contact? Just talk to people...I do not speak Thai, but not too worried about language barrier. |
You can walk around and contact schools in person or go to a Recruiter or go search on the Ajarn website.
| Terrapinflyer wrote: |
5. In Bangkok are kinko like place as available for printing resume/essentials for hitting the pavement? |
There is one on Silom Road downtown Bangkok
| Terrapinflyer wrote: |
6. Do you suggest I maybe get travelers insurance for a few months, and then find something in Thailand once I have a job? And how is the medical/dentistry facilities in Thailand? Any chance I could find a school with coverage? |
It's a good idea if you can afford it. I hope you realize how much money, or actually how little money you are going to be pulling in here in Thailand.
| Terrapinflyer wrote: |
7. Any point or fact you completely blanked on when hunting for a job and learned with hindsight? Or any advice you wish you had when you set off on your excursion? |
not particularly
Thanks in advance....and Im sure I'll have more questions, and or your responses may lead me to more questions. Again relishing the adventure but trying to be as prepared for the unforeseeable as I can be.
Cheers!
Kevin[/quote] |
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Terrapinflyer
Joined: 07 Feb 2013
Posts: 2
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| Posted: Tue Mar 19, 2013 4:22 am Post subject: |
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How much should I expect to be making? I thought somewhere from 30000 baht to 40000? I was hoping I could squeeze out 100 usd a month to pay for my student loan, because my loan minimum payment can be adjusted based on my income.
I must ask why do you stay there if the pay, work ethic, and behavior is so bad? |
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plumpy nut
Joined: 12 Mar 2011
Posts: 1652
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| Posted: Tue Mar 19, 2013 2:39 pm Post subject: |
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30,000 to 40,000 is in fact the standard pay.
I left Thailand after getting my Master's and a year of teaching there. I teach somewhere else now. |
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fpshangzhou
Joined: 13 Mar 2012
Posts: 280
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| Posted: Wed Mar 27, 2013 1:02 am Post subject: |
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Hi Terrapinflyer,
Currently in China for the past couple of years working in the hospitality industry, I will be going to Thailand later this year to take a TEFL certification because many countries are requiring that cert nowadays. I highly recommend you study a bit of the language. Although many Thai can speak basic English, you might want to study with Speak Like A Thai or some quick study program. If you are interested I have several resources for learning Thai. Let me know if you're interested.
Cheers,
Aaron |
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