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jpvanderwerf2001
Joined: 02 Oct 2003
Posts: 1117
Location: New York
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 Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2011 6:03 am Post subject: What are the prospects... |
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...of a guy in my situation to be able to make a move to Thailand with a wife and a three year-old? We've fiddled around with the idea of moving out of Russia here and there, and I wanted to just see what's out there. We have both been to Thailand a number of times and could see ourselves making a move on down...
My professional background:
* BA in English;
* I'm currently 1/2 through my M. Ed. (Curriculum and Instruction); I will finish (well, hopefully finish) summer 2012;
* CELTA;
* I am not licensed in the U.S. (I'm American, BTW);
* 10 Years teaching experience (all abroad);
* IELTS examiner; and
* Currently the academic director for two schools I helped to open.
Other considerations:
* We'd have some start-up money, of course. We could sell our flat and car here (roughly $100K US), and would like to look at buying a place if we moved;
* My wife would like to work eventually (she's an auditor), but she could spend time with our son initially; and
* I envision sending my son to a bilingual school (as I'm well-aware of the costs at international schools!); that's a bit down the road, but important, obviously.
We'd prefer not to live in Bangkok, although it would be possible initially.
Taking all that info into account:
1) Do you think I could find a good enough job to support a family outside of Bangkok? If so, what kind of salary might a person with said experience and quals expect to start out at?
2) If yes to #1, what kind of job(s) do you think would be most likely in the Thai market? Senior teacher? Academic director? Language school?
3) How possible is to find a decent home for around $50-$70K (assuming we kept some for initial living costs)?
We are looking at the Thailand option not because of jobs, but because of place. I happen to love my job here, but I simply would like a better life than Russia can offer. This is still in the initial stages (could be a year or two before we'd make such a move), but I want to feel it out before getting serious.
I appreciate your input. Be brutally honest, I can hack it  |
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tttompatz
Joined: 06 Mar 2010
Posts: 1951
Location: Talibon, Bohol, Philippines
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| Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2011 7:44 am Post subject: Re: What are the prospects... |
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| jpvanderwerf2001 wrote: |
...of a guy in my situation to be able to make a move to Thailand with a wife and a three year-old? We've fiddled around with the idea of moving out of Russia here and there, and I wanted to just see what's out there. We have both been to Thailand a number of times and could see ourselves making a move on down...
My professional background:
* BA in English;
* I'm currently 1/2 through my M. Ed. (Curriculum and Instruction); I will finish (well, hopefully finish) summer 2012;
* CELTA;
* I am not licensed in the U.S. (I'm American, BTW);
* 10 Years teaching experience (all abroad);
* IELTS examiner; and
* Currently the academic director for two schools I helped to open.
Other considerations:
* We'd have some start-up money, of course. We could sell our flat and car here (roughly $100K US), and would like to look at buying a place if we moved;
* My wife would like to work eventually (she's an auditor), but she could spend time with our son initially; and
* I envision sending my son to a bilingual school (as I'm well-aware of the costs at international schools!); that's a bit down the road, but important, obviously.
We'd prefer not to live in Bangkok, although it would be possible initially.
Taking all that info into account:
1) Do you think I could find a good enough job to support a family outside of Bangkok? If so, what kind of salary might a person with said experience and quals expect to start out at?
2) If yes to #1, what kind of job(s) do you think would be most likely in the Thai market? Senior teacher? Academic director? Language school?
3) How possible is to find a decent home for around $50-$70K (assuming we kept some for initial living costs)?
We are looking at the Thailand option not because of jobs, but because of place. I happen to love my job here, but I simply would like a better life than Russia can offer. This is still in the initial stages (could be a year or two before we'd make such a move), but I want to feel it out before getting serious.
I appreciate your input. Be brutally honest, I can hack it |
1) Yes. Many of us certainly do. You will start towards the bottom of the pile and would probably get an initial salary in the 45k baht per month out in the province.
That is however not as bad as it sounds. I rent a nice 3-bedroom townhouse for about 6000 baht per month including utilities, cable TV and internet. We live comfortably and our total household expenses run in the B20-25k range (everything included).
You won't save anything in your first year - it will just about cover your moving and set-up expenses. The breaks come in the subsequent years when your costs go down and your income goes up.
2) Your 2nd year will depend on your first. There is a potential to quickly move up if you are good at what you do and are marketable. You would probably start out as a teacher in a bilingual school (or English program school).
I am on a base salary of 60k in a bilingual school and earn an extra 15k per month doing "extra classes" during the 8th period of the school day.
3) You can't buy land here. Save your house at home and rent it out or sell it and stick the cash in a nice growth account for when you do return home.
Rents here (outside of BKK) are CHEAP compared to anything in the west and there is NO advantage to buying or building a house here (very poor ROI).
4) Depending on where you go to work, school for your child may be very cheap (large discounts for staff) or tuition free for your child. I pay 10,000 baht per year (books, uniforms and lunch included) for my daughter in our (bilingual program) school.
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jpvanderwerf2001
Joined: 02 Oct 2003
Posts: 1117
Location: New York
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| Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2011 9:14 am Post subject: |
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tttompatz,
Wow, absolute gold info. That is exactly what I was looking for.
Might I ask in what city you live? Also, how does one search out the bilingual/English program schools? Does one need to be on the ground for that?
Would you happen to know if there are IELTS examining opportunities in Thailand (especially outside of BKK)?
No lie when I say your post has given me hope, tttompatz. Sincere thanks. Any other info you or someone else can share about such a move would be much appreciated.
Also, do you think it's a good idea to wait until I have finished my master's before considering coming to Thailand? Would I be able to get hired somewhere while I'm working on it? I'd probably be finished with it before we would move, anyway, but I'm curious.
I really wonder what to do with our flat here. It can't help but appreciate with how real estate is in Vladivostok, I think, but I'm concerned about taking care of it. |
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NigerianWhisper
Joined: 21 Mar 2009
Posts: 176
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| Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2011 12:14 pm Post subject: |
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Register with the British Council, Bangkok, as an IELTS examiner. They are usually in demand.
Your MEd should be good enough to get you into a pretty decent International................that being the case your childs education would probably be free. |
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tttompatz
Joined: 06 Mar 2010
Posts: 1951
Location: Talibon, Bohol, Philippines
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| Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2011 12:28 pm Post subject: |
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| NigerianWhisper wrote: |
Register with the British Council, Bangkok, as an IELTS examiner. They are usually in demand.
Your MEd should be good enough to get you into a pretty decent International................that being the case your childs education would probably be free. |
I would agree when the M.Ed is complete.
Incomplete and offshore he is looking at bilingual / EP schools to get in and the ability to move up on completion of his M.Ed.
| jpvanderwerf2001 wrote: |
tttompatz,
Wow, absolute gold info. That is exactly what I was looking for.
Might I ask in what city you live? Also, how does one search out the bilingual/English program schools? Does one need to be on the ground for that?
Would you happen to know if there are IELTS examining opportunities in Thailand (especially outside of BKK)?
No lie when I say your post has given me hope, tttompatz. Sincere thanks. Any other info you or someone else can share about such a move would be much appreciated.
Also, do you think it's a good idea to wait until I have finished my master's before considering coming to Thailand? Would I be able to get hired somewhere while I'm working on it? I'd probably be finished with it before we would move, anyway, but I'm curious.
I really wonder what to do with our flat here. It can't help but appreciate with how real estate is in Vladivostok, I think, but I'm concerned about taking care of it. |
I would rather not say the city name on a public forum (we are the only bilingual school in the city and I don't wish to become some anonymous readers mischief target). I am about 90km northwest of BKK and it is a provincial capital ( so we have the benefit of a couple of the larger supermarket chains) as well as the typical, provincial Thai shopping options.
There are a number of places to search for regular schools. Dave's international jobs board is one place but being focused on ESL it is not always the best choice for K-12 schools.
Google is a good choice. The term for teacher in Thailand is "ajarn". You can also google:
"bilingual schools" jobs thailand
"international schools" jobs thailand
"EP schools" jobs thailand
The results should keep you busy for a while. You don't need to be on the ground here to find jobs outside the ESL field. I was hired from abroad as were many of the expat teachers I know who are here (they are also not in the field of ESL).
I don't know anything about the availability of IELTS examining outside of BKK.
In regards to your masters. You can work on it from here.
It isn't necessary to have it completed to find a job here.
Having it completed will certainly move you up in terms of job options (whether you complete it here and look to move up or if you are applying from abroad).
As to your flat there, unless you will lose your shirt doing it or are planning to move back there eventually, SELL IT.
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