Job Discussion Forums

[littleone]

Hi All,

This forum has been a great source on info over the past few months and I am leaving for Bangkok in a few weeks! Any advice on what to take with me?

[Gypsy King]

Yes you should take with you about USD3,000 or more and plenty of credit cards. The salaries in the LOS usually just leave you surving day-by day. Remember Thailand is a tourist attraction and not a place to make money as an EFL teacher. Good luck! TIT

[Aristede]

[MaiPenRai]

Yes, bring a couple thousand and/or return ticket.

1. Bring you original degrees and certificates and transcripts (transcripts if you have them)
2. Make sure to have all vital info (degrees, certs, trans, degree, photos, bank info, health info, insurance info, etc.) scanned on flash drive or in your email.
3. Bring a couple of your favorite books and CD's if they are obscure.
4. Bring photos of home and family/friends
5. Bring souvenirs (pens, keycahins, postcards, etc.) from your home country, state, city, etc.) for gifts for people at your new job or to use in the classroom as starters.
6. Notify your bank about coming to Thailand.
7. Bring shoes if you are a size 12 or bigger (can be hard to find and/or expensive). Dont buy new ones, but if you have themn already, I would bring them.
8. Don't bring tons of clothes. They are cheap here and depending on where you are from, your clothes may not be suitable for very hot humid weather.
9. Underarm deoderant (good brands are hard to find and/or expensive here)
10. an open mind

Good luck.

Have you got a job lined up already?

[rostovru]

Pack as light as you can!

If you're living in BKK, it's going to be hand-to-mouth every month on starting teaching salaries. $3000 will buy you alot of security there until you start making money.

If you're going to the provinces, you're gonna be loaded on even a low teaching salary. $3000 will be a nice pad, and you probably won't really touch it. You can get set up with a motorbike and all the essentials really easily for less than $1500.

You'll find you don't need a lot of the things you thought you might want before leaving. So if you're in doubt, leave it! You'll be happy you did, even though it's hard.

It's better to bring your iPOD, laptop, a few dressy clothes that can be mixed and matched well, and a small collection of clothes that can be interchanged from being casual to drssy with little or no effort. Maximize every article of clothing you pack.

I brought one extravagant item - my road bike, which is about $3000. I'm a serious road biker, and I never regretted it. If you have something you really want to do while you're there, allow yourself the luxury of bringing whatever's necessary. I joined a 'racing team' in the town I was living in, and despite the language barrier, I actually made Thai friends.

Good luck! You're gonna have a great time.

[Gypsy King]

Preparing oneself for the Big Mango BKK is like preparing to enter the "Twilight Zone". Another dimension, time and space....enjoy the EFL farang experience while you can! TIT

[MaiPenRai]

[bje]

[littleone]