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jambonsambo
Joined: 04 Sep 2007
Posts: 2
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 Posted: Fri Nov 30, 2007 7:55 pm Post subject: a few questions |
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Hi folks ,
Thanks for all the replies and help ive been given here .
Just a few things niggling before I hit off;
1 Is CELTA or a similar course necessary ?, or should I be ok with a years experience in Korea and a weekend TEFL course ?.
2 .Is it best to get out there and job hunt or to secure a job before leaving ?
3 .Can I get a tourist visa from an embassy or do I get one when I get to the airport ?.
4 . Where are the best places to work ? I like excitement and big cities but Bangkok sounds a bit too much . At the same time , I wouldnt like to be out in a small village either .
Any help and advice is much appreciated , I really am looking forward to getting out there . |
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Bangkok Hound
Joined: 28 Oct 2006
Posts: 66
Location: Bangkok
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| Posted: Sat Dec 01, 2007 10:41 am Post subject: Re: a few questions |
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| jambonsambo wrote: |
1 Is CELTA or a similar course necessary ?, or should I be ok with a years experience in Korea and a weekend TEFL course ?. |
Some employers require it and some don't. Gov't schools don't. Many private schools and language schools do.
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| 2 .Is it best to get out there and job hunt or to secure a job before leaving ? |
Generally its best to find a job once you get here.
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| 3 .Can I get a tourist visa from an embassy or do I get one when I get to the airport ?. |
You have to get a tourist visa at a Thai Consulate in another country.
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| 4 . Where are the best places to work ? I like excitement and big cities but Bangkok sounds a bit too much . At the same time , I wouldnt like to be out in a small village either . |
This is a good reason why finding a job after you get here is important. I love Bangkok, but wouldn't want to live in the Sukhumwit or Silom areas. There are many areas of BKK where tourists don't go. Then there is also the 'suburb's- Nontaburi, etc. |
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gusto102
Joined: 03 Oct 2007
Posts: 44
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| Posted: Sat Dec 01, 2007 12:57 pm Post subject: a few answers |
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| 1 Is CELTA or a similar course necessary ?, or should I be ok with a years experience in Korea and a weekend TEFL course ?. |
As with most things, especially in regards to teaching in Thailand, everyone will have a different view. I don't think a CELTA is all that important out here, but every employer has different requirements. Some private schools have only one basic requirement -- that you are a native speaker. Others may require a BA, TEFL and/or experience. Government schools are supposed to hire teachers with BA's, and at the very least TEFL certification, but similar to private schools, there doesn't seem to be any set standard. I have taught at a government school in BKK for two years, I have both a BA and TEFL, but have seen foreigners come and go whose only qualification was that they were native speakers. So I think you'll be okay with the experience and the TEFL.
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| 2 .Is it best to get out there and job hunt or to secure a job before leaving ? |
Its best to just get out here and look around. There are plenty of job opportunities, at least here in Bangkok. Check out ajarn.com for the latest jobs around Thailand.
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| 3 .Can I get a tourist visa from an embassy or do I get one when I get to the airport ? |
As far as I know everyone gets a tourist visa when you arrive at the airport. I think its a 30-day visa... but I don't quite recall as I have a work permit.
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| 4 . Where are the best places to work ? I like excitement and big cities but Bangkok sounds a bit too much . At the same time , I wouldnt like to be out in a small village either . |
I can't comment too much on this as I have spent the last two years here in BKK. I do know that most of the better paying jobs are here, but then again, the cost of living is a bit higher than most places in Thailand. I have taught English camp in the Northeast and have found the students to be well-bahaved and the people much friendlier. |
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rico4444
Joined: 01 Apr 2007
Posts: 90
Location: Thailand
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| Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 1:13 am Post subject: |
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1 Is CELTA or a similar course necessary ?, or should I be ok with a years experience in Korea and a weekend TEFL course ?. You're ok with what you have. CELTA is helpful but not essential.
2 .Is it best to get out there and job hunt or to secure a job before leaving ? Either way will work. I showed up in Chiang Mai on a Thursday in June 2005 and had a job on Friday.
3 .Can I get a tourist visa from an embassy or do I get one when I get to the airport ?. You absolutely do not need a visa in advance. You'll get a stamp (not a visa) on arrival which allows you to stay for 30 days. You can do a border run 2 more times after that for a total of 90 days.
4 . Where are the best places to work ? I like excitement and big cities but Bangkok sounds a bit too much . At the same time , I wouldnt like to be out in a small village either . Bangkok is the only big city in Thailand. If you want a good night life and excitement, then your only other option is Chiang Mai. There's a lot of other places that have entertainment but only Bangkok and Chiang Mai offer something close to a Western nightlife. |
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