ASSIGNMENT 1: INTRODUCTION

[Claire Reid]

Hi, my name is Claire, I live in England. I decided to travel to Thailand as I have been twice before and I have been travelling around Asia,I love the culture and the climate. I wanted to teach as I want to make a difference, I am not especially academic, so I expect to hit a few bumps along the way, which hopefully I can iron out and overcome them by persevering. I hope this experience will make me a better and a more patient person and that teaching will become my career

[Raneam Makansi]

Hi, my name is Raneam and I am 24 years old from Cambridgeshire, UK! I have recently finished my bachelor’s degree in law and have been working in the police force since I graduated. Myself and my partner are actually doing the teach in Cambodia course but are doing the TESOL in Thailand. I have always wanted to visit Thailand to experience the culture so being able to learn a new skill in a place I have always wanted to go, seemed like an opportunity I could not miss out on! I think the main challenge for me will be, being so far away from family. I hope that by meeting everyone on the same course as me, I will build up a network that will help me settle into my new home. Plus, I have heard Thai and Cambodian people are extremely friendly and accommodating!
I hope to expand my knowledge on both languages – I speak Arabic so hoping this may give me a little boost! I also really want to make a difference for the children and increase my confidence in public speaking.

• This reply was modified 2 years, 1 month ago by Raneam Makansi.

[Raneam Makansi]

Hi, my name is Raneam and I am 24 years old from Cambridgeshire, UK! I have recently finished my bachelor’s degree in law and have been working in the police force since I graduated. Myself and my partner are actually doing the teach in Cambodia course but are doing the TESOL in Thailand. I have always wanted to visit Thailand to experience the culture so being able to learn a new skill in a place I have always wanted to go, seemed like an opportunity I could not miss out on! I think the main challenge for me will be, being so far away from family. I hope that by meeting everyone on the same course as me, I will build up a network that will help me settle into my new home. Plus, I have heard Thai and Cambodian people are extremely friendly and accommodating!
I hope to expand my knowledge of both languages – I speak Arabic so hoping this may give me a little boost! I also really want to make a difference for the children and increase my confidence in public speaking.

[Kaine Whybray]

Hello! My name is Kaine, and I’m a 26-year-old police officer from Cambridgeshire in the UK. I’ve been on the force for almost five years. My passion for travel and experiencing diverse cultures has led me to a new adventure. I don’t want to look back with regrets, so I’m diving in ready to make a positive impact on children’s lives. I’m thrilled for the lovely people I’ll meet, the amazing experiences I’ll have, and the lasting memories I’ll create.

[Steward Gouws]

Hi, my name is Steward.
I am from a very small town in Western Cape, South Africa. I completed my Bachelor of Education degree at the end of 2022. I have also worked as a teacher, professionally, for 9 months now. My plan has always been to go travel after my studies and see more of the world since that I came from such a small place. Combining that desire with my enjoyment of being a teacher made teaching abroad a no-brainer. I have been very fascinated by different Asian cultures for years and also consume a lot of Asian media. I decided on Thailand, because of it’s openness for people from all walks of life.
I expect to get quite homesick from time to time, but that is natural and I plan on overcoming that by, not only keeping in touch with people back home regularly, but also by getting to know new people and focusing on the new experiences. I hope to be able to become even more independent and adventurous through this journey. I want to expand my worldview, learn a new language and just put myself out there more since I tend to usually love my solitude and am a introvert.

• This reply was modified 2 years, 1 month ago by Steward Gouws.

[Steward Gouws]

Hi, Lindsay.

It’s so nice to see other South Africans on here as well. As this is going to be my first time traveling abroad, ever, it’s nerve wrecking.
You sound like a very natural teacher with the goals you set out for your students and that’s definitely going to help you be a great
teacher. The language barrier is something I also think is going to be tricky at first, but you can learn anything if you set your mind
to it.

[Mark Niebuhr]

Hello
My name is Mark Niebuhr
Im 22 years old and Im from South Africa. I have a Bcom Human Resource bacghalors degree and after that I completed my PGCE both at the University of Pretoria. I decided to go to Thailand as this was alwas on my list to do and what abegarain thet I can stay there and make a difference by teaching. I acnt wait to learn more about th Thai culture. I am really exited for the time I will spent.
I do think it will be difcult to ajust to the culture as I cant talk the local language which will be struggle. The fact that I go alone makes a huge diffrence. I think it will be a challegen but I am sure that it will be more then woth it to take on this opportunity.
I bhope thet I do enjoy it in Thailamnd and that I can go home nd always look back to this amazing experience. I cant wait to meet new people and geta new perpective about everything in this new country and culture.

[Kendra Weilhammer]

Hello. My name is Kendra and I am 43 years old and from the United States. I have a bachelor’s degree in Anthropology, however, I have spent the last 20 years working in the restaurant industry, most notably, as a chef. I have always had a passion for travel and I have always loved learning about and experiencing different cultures. In the last 6 years I have traveled to 16 different countries as a solo traveler. These experiences, as well as other factors, have inspired me to retire from restaurant work and turn my passion for travel and learning about different cultures into a career. I was drawn to Thailand for many reasons. Some of these include, but are not limited to, the diverse culture, the natural beauty and diverse landscape, and the reputation it has as a friendly and welcoming place. I believe the biggest challenge I will face is the mid-life career change and potential culture shock. I also believe the climate will be challenging to adapt to, as I am coming from the midwestern United States where we tend to have a cooler climate for approximately 6 months out of the year. However, I am looking forward to the experience and can’t wait to begin this new chapter in my life. I hope to master the art of teaching so that I may carry it over to other facets of my life as well as continue doing it, if and when I choose to return to the United States. 🙂

[Kendra Weilhammer]

Hi Emma,
I was just in Geneva a few months ago and was blown away by all of the diversity and rich culture of the area. I am excited for you and your upcoming adventure! Best wishes!

[Saajidah Simjee]

Hi everyone,
My name is Saajidah, but I usually go by Saaj!
I have just completed my LLB (law) degree from the University of Cape Town, South Africa and am taking 2024,as a gap year.
I have always dreamed of travelling to Thailand and love working with kids and therefore this opportunity was a no-brainer.
I look forward to fully immersing myself in the Thai culture and making unforgettable memories!!!

• This reply was modified 2 years ago by Saajidah Simjee.

[Mthethomusha Mbatha]

Hi Ayanda,

When are you leaving for Thailand? I am leaving on the 27th but I will stop-over in Dubai

• This reply was modified 2 years ago by Mthethomusha Mbatha.

[Marina Hernandez]

Hi everyone,

My name is Marina and I am currently an Account Director at a full-service gaming and lifestyle media agency. In college, I studied Communications and Marketing and have always worked in the Media Industry. I’m Cuban, born and raised in Miami, Florida, but lived almost 8 years in New York City and loved it.

My passion is traveling and exploring new places and cultures. Teaching English abroad has been a dream of mine since I can remember. I took out the TEFL certification back in 2019 and I am excited to finally put it to use this year. In researching places to teach, I instantly fell in love with Thailand. It seems like such a beautiful country with delicious food, interesting culture, and wonderful people, so I am looking forward to fully immersing myself in Thai culture and the experience of living there.

Some of the challenges I expect to come across are the language barrier and adapting to the cultural norms. I know there will be a bit of a transition period, but I am a fast learner and hope to pick up basic words and phrases quickly to successfully communicate. As far as culture, I believe it is important to do as much research as possible, be polite, and patient, and listen to adapt to the culture and not cause any disrespect. I intend to befriend and lean on the locals for guidance to ensure I try my best to fit into Thai culture. Another challenge will be being so far away from family and friends, but with technology these days, it is easier to stay in close contact with them. I also hope to make friends who are going through the same experience so we can help each other and make this journey more enjoyable.

Through this experience, I hope to learn a lot, and truly immerse myself into a new culture, while making a positive impact on lives through education, and ultimately fulfill my dream of teaching English and living in Thailand.

I’m looking forward to meeting everyone during orientation. Safe travels!

[Mala Press]

Sa wat dee ka. My name is Mala and I’m from Brisbane Australia, although I grew up in Melbourne and was born in Laos. I have been living in Australia since I was one! I am 47 years old, and this will be a whole new career path for me which I am excited to explore. I have worked in the airline/aviation industry for the past 19.5 years (it’ll be 20 years in September…yikes!). It certainly has its challenging days but that’s why I love it so much.
Working for the airlines has allowed me to travel to many destinations, including Thailand which I have visited approximately 20 times. I absolutely love everything about the country – people, weather, culture, food (my favorite part!), shopping…I could go on. During my visits, I have always said that I would love to live and work there in a teaching or voluntary capacity. When this opportunity came up, I just had to do it!
During covid, my industry was hit hard and rather than sit around doing nothing until airlines were up and running again, I decided to participate in volunteer work with children and Outside School Hours Care as well as animal/housesitting which I really enjoyed.
I think my biggest challenge will be change. When you’ve done the same job for so long, it’s hard to give up what you know. I’m one for trying new things, so I’m certain this hurdle will be another one to add to my resume.
What I’m hoping to get out of this experience is hopefully a career change, meet new people, and make a difference in some way, whether it be big or small.
Looking forward to learning together in The Land of Smiles.

[Mala Press]

Hi Marcia 🙂 Your story sounds similar to mine. Both of us are trying to embark on a new working environment later in life, and we enjoy working with children. Sounds like you’ve done some homework prior to starting the course. You’ve inspired me to do the same, so thank you!
You will love Thailand and if you enjoy spicy food, you’ll be in heaven.
Good luck on your teaching journey and perhaps we’ll bump into each other.

[Patrick Welsh]

Hello!
My name is Patrick, I am 22, from Scotland and have lived there all my life. Travel has always been a major interest of mine and since finishing high school I have tried to travel as much as I can, engaging with and embracing other cultures. Teaching has appealed to me for many years now and this programme has offered the perfect opportunity to combine these passions.

A challenge I expect to face in Thailand is being so far from my friends, family and pets! I think the best way to overcome this is by socialising and making new connections while still maintaining frequent contact home, though the pets I will just have to miss!

I hope, in this, I will develop my teaching skills and my confidence in facing such challenges, growing as a person. As well as this I hope to meet many great people and create some great memories.

[Author]

Posts