ASSIGNMENT 1: INTRODUCTION

[Alexis Kirkland]

Atthachai, reading your introduction is definitely inspiring. From my point of view you have accomplished so many things already and you’re still taking the initiative to better yourself and those around you. I hope you flourish in many ways along your journey!

[Amber Yazzie]

Sawadee kha 🙏 I’m Amber Yazzie and I’m from the United States. I grew up watching anime, and listening to east asian music (i started listening to thai music much later) which made me want to travel to those places and also teach english someday. I lost sight of this dream as adult life took me over but i decided to finally just do it last year so i’m now excited to actually fulfill this long overdue dream in a month! I became exposed to Thai culture through the movie Ong Bak (at least i think thats the first time i was exposed to it) when i was a teenager, and its one of my favorite movies. Being somewhat exposed to thai culture and other cultures i believe should help me settle a little better, but I do expect to face some culture shock. I think i’m pretty open and willing to learn about cultures other than my own. My challenges will probably be my new experience as a teacher and the language a bit. Its not completely foreign to me as i already watch thai series and listen to music, and the government names are so long and hard to pronounce that i see this as another challenge but i see myself overcoming these challenges through studying. When i visited to Thailand 2 yrs ago though it was short i fell in love with the country, its food and its friendly and kind people. I’m hoping this will be a new fresh start for me to begin a new life and lay down some roots.

[Kelley Flanagan]

Hey Everyone,
My name is Kelley Flanagan, you can probably guess from the surname that I’m Irish. Born and raised in Ireland all my life. I’m 33 years of age. I have a Bachelors Hons Degree in Applied Social Studies in Social Care. I graduated in 2016. Since then I’ve worked with marginalised and disadvantaged members of society. I’ve worked in homeless services, addiction services, in disability services and in information and advocacy services for Asylum Seekers and Refugees.
I first visited Thailand in 2024. A very last minute and spontaneous decision. I stayed for four months and I fell in love with it. During my time I travelled to places such as Phuket, Krabi, Pattaya, Bangkok, Pai, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Koh Smaui, Toh and Phangan. As well as Travelling I did some volunteering with a NGO School and also with a charity called Daughters Rising. Due to unfortunate circumstances I had to leave Thailand, but I always knew I would return. I’ve never quiet felt like I belonged anyway until I step foot in Thailand. The people, the scenery, the food, the culture, the language, the Muay Thai, I loved it all. I cannot wait to get back out there, to contribute to society and immerse myself.
As far as challenges I may face, I can’t really think of any to be honest. I always welcome challenges as opportunities of growth, so anything that comes up, I’ll face head on and persevere.
I hope this will be the start of a new life for me, I hope to lay down roots and live in Thailand going forward. I’m so excited and I’m happy to be starting my experience with other individuals in the same position 🙂
All the best,

Kelley xxx

[Shadie El Zaharna]

Hi Everyone,
My name is Shadie. I am from Maryland, United States and just completed the ESL/EFL course. I am wanting to move and teach in Thailand because after doing a lot of research about Southeast Asia I felt that Thailand would be a great country to live in and teach English. I love the Thai culture, heritage, food and people. I feel that some challenges will be adapting to living in a new country and adjusting to daily life and possibly not having as much “luxury” items like we do here in the U.S. I have preparing myself for this move and adjustment for a few months by watching many videos about what daily life in several cities in Thailand entails and also going into this experience with an open mind and knowing that there are going to be some small differences along with possibly some very big differences.
I am hoping to gain personal development, cultural enrichment, going on lots of adventures, work-life balance and contributing positively to the city and community I will be living in.

[Chou Khang]

Hello there! My name is Chouneng Khang or Chou (Chew) as that is what is legally on paper. I am just a 25 year old lost child who graduated with his Bachelors of Arts Degree in Women, Gender, Sexualities Studies and a Communication Studies Minor. This is honestly my very first time stepping foot outside of Minnesota, where I was born and raised. “Minnesota Nice” haha.
I have decided to pursue this path because I want to go explore what the world has to offer and to discover myself. For me, I have always viewed Thailand as a very progressive country and want to be a part of that. I want to offer my skills and knowledge in pushing others to be their best selves. Of course, in order to do that I must first learn how to overcome my obstacles. I think my biggest obstacle in this will be learning how to be independent because not only is this my first time stepping outside of the state that I was born in, it is also the first time that I’ll be stepping away from my family, my friends, and everyone else that I have come to surround myself with.
What I hope to get out of this experience is the enjoyment of learning about a different culture other than my own. Along with making new friends and memories along the way. I also just want to see what impact my knowledge and skills have on others. And lastly, I just want to have fun and enjoy things while I still have the chance! 😊😊😊

[Ethan Frewin]

Hello,
My name is Ethan and I’m lucky enough to currently be backpacking south east Asia. I’ve just graduated from University with a Bachelor of science and am taking a year off to travel before returning home to teach. I grew up in the beautiful Aotearoa, New Zealand and absolutely love immersing myself in the outdoors!
Personally, travel provides an incredible opportunity to learn. It allows me to open my mind to the many unique ways of life this world has to offer. Working in Thailand will allow me to immerse myself in local culture much more than I have been able to do backpacking.
My current trip around South East Asia, ending with Thailand, is the first time I’ve really left New Zealand. I know living in Thailand will come with a huge lifestyle shift which I may find challenging and overwhelming but with the preparation from this course and the support from my partner I believe I’ll be able to grow from this experience! I hope that through this challenge I’ll build resilience and an appreciation for a new culture. I think teaching in Thailand will also give me incredibly useful skills I can use when i start teaching back in NZ!

[Camille Denny]

Hi everyone,

My name is Camille Denny and I am from Virginia, right outside of Washington DC, in the United States. Two years ago, I finished studying music business with a principal in voice at Berklee College of Music in Boston. Since then, I have been working in the brand partnership space of the music industry, and within the last year, have found myself drawn to pursuing and exploring new job opportunities where I am able to help others and learn more about myself and those around me. I am incredibly excited for the opportunity to be able to teach children and learn more about others through this experience teaching in Thailand!

Beyond my excitement to teach, I am very interested in learning more about Thai culture, and thrilled to be able to do so while living there. Growing up as half Vietnamese in America, my exposure to asian culture has definitely been more limited since I have not been able to explore/travel in Asian countries myself. I am grateful for what I have learned culturally thus far in my life because of my family and my friends, but I am eager to learn more.

I am definitely expecting a lot of challenges to come my way including adapting and learning how to immerse myself in a new community that I’ve never experienced before, but I am so excited to see what that process will look like. I truly am feeling open to seeing wherever this journey takes me, and I know I will learn so much about myself and others along the way. I am so excited to meet you all and cannot wait to experience this amazing next chapter together!

[Amanda Traver]

Hello everyone!

My name is Amanda and I’m from Virginia in the United States. I’m 35, love horses and reading, have a Bachelor’s of Science in Hospitality and Tourism Management, and have had many jobs so far in my life, but nothing has ever felt quite right. I grew up watching Japanese anime and reading manga, which began an intense interest in other cultures and I eventually found Thailand. After reading and researching about the country and the Thai people, I decided I had to be there to experience it for myself, and what better way than while also helping children learn English to better prepare them for the increasingly globalized world where English is currently the most used language?
I expect my challenges to be learning a new language complete with a script system of writing, rather than the Romanized letters that I’ve always been able to rely on so far, being almost entirely new to teaching in a classroom setting, and being farther than a quick drive from anyone I know. Learning a new language can be overcome by study and immersion, which I’ve tried to start by watching Thai series and listening to Thai music. The studying I’ve done to get my TEFL degree and my fellow teachers can help overcome my inexperience teaching, and the culture shock and home sickness are expected and I’m building a set of tools to help combat them.
From my experience teaching in Thailand, I hope to gain a new and true understanding of Thai culture, a new found independence and confidence in myself, and, I sincerely hope, to leave a positive and lasting effect on the children that I get to teach.

I’m excited to meet everyone when we get to Thailand!

[Paul Morris]

Hi, My name is Paul, I am English and currently living in Hua Hin.
I left school at 14 so am expecting this course to be particularly challenging, more so in relation to the actual process of disciplined studying than the content…….watch this space 🙂
I fell in love with ‘The land of smiles’ back in 1989 and have continued to visit as a tourist.
I’ve fallen out of love with England over the last few years so………well, its a no brainer, I’m not getting any younger.
I’m hoping to qualify as a TEFL tutor, semi retire to this region and teach online until “my wheels fall off”………whilst achieving a level of peace that has been non existent for a good while.
Best of luck to my fellow students and congratulations on making a definitive choice.

[Luke Hall]

Hi everyone! My name is Luke Hall, I am from Colorado in the United States. I have been a special education teacher for the last 4.5 years and they have been the best years of my life! I love snowboarding, skateboarding, cliff jumping, and I am also the lead singer in a band. I decided to move to Thailand when I was in college because I studied abroad in Australia and knew that I needed to go on another adventure. I expect to face challenges with getting used to a new culture but I am very adaptable and I know I will be able to become comfortable. I really hope to experience the joy of spreading knowledge and honestly, I really want to climb around the trees with monkeys!

[Paul Morris]

Hey Conor,
I think most people struggle with the idea, and the reality of public speaking.
I’m on the same page as you so am comforted by your honesty.
I believe it’s a case of ‘getting through’ the initial one or two presentations, lessons etc and one will find their feet so to speak, or not and then there may be a few escapees 🙂
I’m pretty sure after reading your intro that you are going to thrive and probably bloom in this environment.
I’ve been in Hua Hin for a month now, if you need any advice, food tips etc don’t hesitate to ask, I have ample time on my hands.
Hats off to Keely for her support and encouragement too.
Cheers

[Paul Morris]

Hey Luke,
Great intro, there’s a decent skateboarding park just outside of town so bring your board if poss, I don’t skate btw.
As for the monkey business, the locals aren’t the most convivial of primates so tread or climb carefully 😉
Wouldn’t mind some tips on decent hikes etc in Colorado, it’s a destination that’s very high on my bucket list.

[Kara Mantha]

Hi! My name is Kara (Car-a), I’m 23 years old, I’m from New York and I’m in the September 29th program with my friend Katrina. I just recently graduated in 2024 from SUNY Geneseo with my bachelor’s degree in early childhood and childhood education. After graduating I moved home and worked as a full-time substitute in a middle school for the 2024-2025 school year. I have always had a passion for working with children and travelling so this was the perfect opportunity to combine them! I have a couple friends who did this program the past 2 years and had an amazing experience so once I learned more about it I knew I had to do it myself. I think the biggest challenges for me will be the language barrier and being so far away from my family. While I have never been fully immersed in a school teaching English as a second language, I have had experience working with students who speak other languages and plan to utilize the skills I’ve learned from these experiences to help me in Thailand. I know those running XploreAsia will always be there to help if I have questions or concerns and making new friends in the program will help me adjust. The most important thing for me when joining this program was getting the opportunity to experience a culture so different from mine and being able to learn more about myself as a teacher. I’ve never lived outside of Rochester or been far from home for a long period of time so I know this program will help me grow my confidence and independence! While I’m very nervous, I’m also beyond excited for this experience of a lifetime and can’t wait to meet everyone in a few short weeks!

[Sarah Harrington]

Hello everyone,

My name is Sarah. I am 21 years old and I live in the New England area of the United States. I just graduated college receiving a degree in Elementary Education. While in college I was heavily involved in my leadership position on campus, which was the Vice President of Academic Affairs for the Student Government Association. I love music, whether thats listening to, playing, or singing.
In the states it is common for teachers to find jobs in a school system and settle there until they retire. It often makes the most sense financially as well based on benefits. I am not quite ready to work around where I live for years on end. I know I want to travel and push myself out of my comfort zone. I committed to Thailand specifically because of the contract length. It was one of the only available destinations with a 6 month commitment which I feel is the perfect amount of time.
I expect to face many challenges while on this adventure. This may include home sickness, cultural ignorance, miscommunication with locals, etc. How I plan to handle the cultural aspects is to immerse myself completely and recognize that mistakes are bound to happen. No one in Thailand expects me, a foreigner, to know everything about cultural norms and expectations. I am also aware that this program will set me up nicely to assist with these struggles.
I hope this experience gives me a new outlook on life. I want this experience to open my eyes to how different life is on the other side of the world and how important it is to expose people of all ages to different cultures. I hope this strengthens my teaching skills and helps me to appreciate communicating with my students in the states, where I speak the same language as them.
I am most excited to be pushed out of my comfort zone and experience new things.

[Preshika Giri]

Hi everyone,
My name is Preshika. I’m currently a second-year university student in England, studying English. As part of my degree, I’ll be completing a placement year abroad, and I’m really excited to spend mine in Thailand, undertaking this course. Thailand has always been high on my “must visit” list, so I feel very lucky to have the chance to go — and to do something enriching at the same time, before I graduate and begin my career as a teacher.
I chose Thailand because I’ve always been interested in Southeast Asian culture, and I see this as a wonderful opportunity to experience life in a completely different part of the world while also gaining teaching experience across cultures. I’m particularly drawn to teaching, as it connects closely to my degree and long-term career goals.
Of course, I expect there will be challenges along the way — especially adjusting to a new culture, overcoming language barriers, and being far from home and family. I plan to face these with an open mind, patience, and a willingness to learn from those around me. I also hope to build a strong support network with other placement students and colleagues.
From this experience, I hope to gain not only professional skills in teaching but also personal growth. I want to push myself out of my comfort zone, develop greater independence, and gain a deeper appreciation of Thai culture and perspectives.
I’m really looking forward to this journey and to meeting others who are also taking part in placements abroad!

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