Job Discussion Forums

[AjarnErnes]

I have been teaching for the past 2 1/2 years in Bangkok Thailand. I have worked for 2 of the most prestigious private schools in all of Thailand. Some of my students have private drivers and the school I'm at now counts 5 past Prime Ministers among its alumni. The pay is good, I have a much higher standard of living here than I did in California. I have never worked in a language school.

I have an MA in Counseling, a BA in Psychology with a minor in Education and a TEFL Certificate.

I am looking at leaving Thailand... I'm SO TIRED of being HOT and sweaty!!!!!

Please help me make my decision. here are some pros and cons I've thought of:

Pros about moving to Mexico City:

I like big cities I'm not intimidated by them, I would be closer to friends and family in the USA, I am Mexican American and speak passable Spanish, I love the food, I have enough money ( inheritance from my Father's death last year ) to get set up and can afford to take my time finding the right job, from reading the board it seems as though the TEFL teachers community is relatively active and supportive of each other

Cons about moving to Mexico City:

I am in a relationship ( we live together ) here in Thailand and would have to end it in order to move, I've heard the crime rate is pretty high in MC compared to BKK ( I have NEVER felt unsafe here in Bangkok no matter where I was or the time of day or night ), Will I have trouble finding a job in a similar school in MC? I like teaching the high school students of the VERY rich here in Thailand believe it or not.

I guess that's about it so far.

Any and all opinions are welcome but try to be gentle.

Thanks

Ernest

[Guy Courchesne]

Sounds like you are in a really sweet spot there...it will probably take you some time in Mexico City networking to get into the same circles. You'll find decent pay, but it's a matter of timing - knowing the right person and being in the right place when that person can give you the job or point you in the right direction.

I've never felt scared living in this city. Perhaps at first as it was all quite new, but in the last 5 years, I've noticed the city improving. It feels more prosperous and safer, but all it takes is one story somewhere to make it all a dream. It's going to depend a lot on the circles you travel in.

Think you could get some info from the Mexican embassy there? You never know...

[joshua2004]

[AjarnErnes]

Good idea there Guy. I live in the Sathorn area of Bangkok which is known as Embassy Row. Within 1 mile of my condo there are about 25 different embassies. I'm sure I've seen the Mexican Embassy somewhere in BKK.

I live 30 seconds from a subway station. In a 35 story condo building on the 33rd floor. With a floor to cieling wall of windows view over- looking the skyline and central park. There is a sauna, swimming pool, snooker room and conferrence room on the 11th floor. I have weekly maid service and laundry that picks up and delivers. The condo is just 1 big room ( 40 sq. meters ) with a western bathroom. I love where I live.

I like my job. But working for Thai people is terrible. They are SO focused on "FACE" that it seems nothing ever gets done. If you are not familiar with FACE it really is a debilitating social norm in Thailand. I have a few students who can barely speak, read or write in English but I have to pass everyone. If a students doesn't pass a class they lose face and THAT is more important than whether or not they have learned any thing. It's very frustrating because the kids know it and some use that fact to give as little effort to learning as possible.

Thai children are also discouraged from being curious. Asking a teacher WHY something is the way it is implies that the teacher didn't teach well enough and causes the teacher to lose face so the students don't ask questions. Children SHOULD be intelectually curious! It's shouldn't be enough that your teacher tells you the facts and figures and not allow you to ask questions if you don't understand something.

I know I'm doing my job and doing it well and my job is to TEACH the students job is to LEARN and sadly very few are doing their job.

ajarnernest

PS: I'm also VERY, VERY tired of being HOT and SWEATY.

[Guy Courchesne]

[ls650]

[Looking for my place]

Hello. I tried to PM you but for some reason it isnt permitted on this forum. Anyway, I agree that with your experience and qualifications, you shouldn't have a hard time getting a job. If you want to get into a prestigious school, the best time would be to look now for January or June for August. I would also try looking in some of the universities. There are a lot of private rich schools that offer surprisingly good incomes for people with a lot of credientials.

So, if you are leaving your school in Thailand, how about passing on some contact information to me?

[Cdaniels]

[Samantha]

[AjarnErnes]

I have no problem with all students passing. I give students the grade they earn and give permission to the Thai staff to change ANY and ALL grades that I've given to be a passing grade if they want to do that, it's ok with me. Just don't ask me to lie and enter a false grade into the computer. 15 or 20 years from now when these kids are in charge of the country... then Thailand will realize it's mistake.

This is from my blog:

This country is all sizzle and no steak. Everything is so superficial and there is very little if any substance here. It's more important that you wear the right shirt and tie than you teach anything useful. The managers of the English Program goes around checking the boys shoes and socks and belt buckles to make sure they are appropriate but spend little or NO time assessing whether the students are learning anything. Copying is rampant and my students tell me that the Thai teachers tell them to just copy and paste from the internet when they have to do a research report.

I am getting tired of the Thai style of management which is disorganized and undermining at all levels. The Principal of this school bought laptop computers for all the foreign teachers and some of the Thai teachers at the start of the school year. At the end of term 1 he bought brand new ones to replace the older ones which were just fine to begin with. Because there were some discipline problems with the students in our English Program ( not standing in line straight enough for the daily national anthem and prayer, playing football, soccer, in the classrooms during break time and oh my God having belt buckles that were not shinny enough, nothing major ) he gave the new laptops out, then took them back 1 week later because he wanted to punish the foreign teachers for not having enough control of the EP students. I didn't suffer at all because I refused to accept the first laptop and never got or wanted the newer second laptop because I use my personal laptop, it's an Apple iBook and I love it. I hate using PCs. Anyway the management style here is very paternal, you are being a bad teacher so I will take away your laptop. It's not just this school either, every school I've worked at in Thailand has lousy management. You don't work WITH a Thai manager... you work FOR a Thai manager and that is that. Any questions? You can't ask questions because it makes your manager lose FACE. I don't like it and I'm tired of it.
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I know there are bad managers all over the world. I know it's hot in many places in Mexico. A couple of months of hot weather in summer time is ok. In Thailand there are 3 seasons, hot and dry, VERY HOT and dry, and hot and wet. No matter the time of year in Bangkok, the temp. is NEVER below 28 or 29. I'm happy at a temp. of 25 or lower.

Any way, I'm ready for a change. Things might be better or worse in Mexico City but at least I'll be more comfortable.

Ajarn Ernest

[cwc]

I suggest this med-size town with all the modern amenities. the school is prestigious and the people are very nice. OH, the pay is astronomical.

[Guy Courchesne]

[cwc]

We make 6,500 pesos every two weeks with 50% housing allowance and a 2K USD completion bonus. We do work 30-40 CLASSES weekly.

[ls650]

Is that 7500 pesos gross or 'take home'? If it's take home then I would say it's impressive - though astronomical is a bit of a stretch.
How many class hours is that? (I assume 50 or 60 minutes per class?)

[cwc]

It is take home. The classes are 50 minutes.