Assignment 1: Introduction

Hi guys,

I’m Rhona, I’m 23 years old and I am from Inverness in the Scottish Highlands. I just graduated last month with my Bachelors in English Language and Classical Studies but finished my course last summer. I also have a Diploma in Child and Youth Studies. I have some experience working in a Scottish Primary School and working with kids while cheerleading. I spent 2 months last summer traveling through Central Europe and the Balkan countries last year and have also been to Western Europe and Northern Europe. In 2019 I was meant to travel Sri Lanka however I ended up going to Cambodia to teach English for 3 week’s instead in a small village school around 50 minutes drive from Siem Reap.

I am travelling to Thailand to complete a TEFL course but then moving to Vietnam so probably different to everyone else! I had the option of completing the course online but after doing my diploma and degree online for 5 years I am ready to be in a classroom again! After I completed my time in Cambodia I absolutely fell in love with South East Asia and have been planning to move to the area for around 5 years now. I have been wanting to move away from Inverness because while it is lovely, it is rather small and has gotten quite boring after 23 years and I enjoy being abroad a lot and experiencing new cultures.

Despite spending so many years planning this I am still quite nervous about moving to a country where I won’t speak the language or know anyone but I hope to take classes in Vietnamese while in Vietnam and hopefully learn some Thai as i do enjoy watching Thai Dramas. I also hope on becoming more extroverted to help me feel more comfortable in these new countries. To be honest one of my biggest worries is actually the weather as I know it will be hot and sunny which I’m not used to either but I’m hoping I adapt quickly!

I am hoping to learn more about myself and experience the world outside of Scotland and Europe. I also hope that I can improve my teaching skills and gain a deeper understanding of South East Asian countries.

Hello everyone! My name is Callum, I’m 27 years old and I hail from England. I have a Journalism degree and I just finished a 4-year job as a journalist/content writer for a small magazine publishers. I’ve always wanted to teach and visit Thailand, so I thought why not combine the two and meet some wonderful people along the way and venture down a new career path.

The culture and lifestyle of Thailand has always intrigued and appealed to me, and of course the food is a big motivating factor. I think some of the challenges will be the language barrier, and getting used to the different way of life, but these are also the main reasons I’m looking forward to expanding my horizons and taking part in the course. Along with meeting people from around the world, my hopes for the experience are building knowledge in teaching and just having a memorable time and having a good time with a new crowd of people.

See you all soon!

Hi. My name is Marcia Corbaley. I’m 47 years old. I live in Albuquerque, USA. Recently, I changed my career path from retail to education. I enjoyed my volunteer work with kids when I was in my teens and twenties. I would like to work with kids again and do something that matters in the long run.
I have never lived abroad or traveled much. Several friends recommended Thailand to me as a good place to teach and to live. I heard the people are friendly, the food is delicious and there are a lot of interesting places to visit. I hope to stay for several years.
One challenge I worry about is how to keep the English lessons interesting over time. To help with this I have been watching videos of ESL teachers in their classrooms. There are many good ideas from other teachers. Another challenge is the language. I’ve learned a few words. I think it will be okay as long as the Thai people can forgive my mispronunciations.
I expect to get a lot out this experience. I want to meet new people, learn the Thai language and learn more about being a good teacher.

Hello everyone,
My name is Jesse but most people call me Jess, I am currently 24 and live in Adelaide, Australia. I completed my nursing degree in 2020 and have been a practising nurse for 4 years now. I moved out of home at 18 and have gained a wide range of knowledge and independence from this experience.
I decided to take part in this program as I have a love for the Thai culture and country. I have been watching many Thai tv shows and it has merged its way on to my TikTok for you page, I came across another young woman who participated in this program. This encouraged me to look into these types of programs and I instantly fell in love with the idea I could teach in such a beautiful country.
I expect there will be many barriers that I will face such as the difference in language, culture differences and just every day to day living. I intend to immerse myself in the culture and try to learn more of the language, engaging with Thai people often to help build my confidence.
I am hoping to build my general confidence, experience new foods, experience the Thai culture, to explore the beautiful views Thailand has to offer and to build meaningful connections.

Hi everyone! My name is Amber, and I’m 26 years old. I’m from the state of Michigan in the U.S.. I’m so excited for this opportunity to live and teach in Thailand! I decided to pursue this opportunity after teaching elementary school for a few years in the U.S., and being in between jobs felt like I should take the transition as a time to do something I’ve dreamed of doing, living and working abroad. I’m hoping to continue to develop my skills as a teacher and give myself a valuable new perspective from another culture. I’m passionate about teaching, and also excited for the opportunity to travel and challenge my comfort zone, which I think is key to being a professional in any capacity. I expect that I will face challenges of being a foreigner to a culture that is familiar to those around me, and feelings of being in the minority. I think these are healthy challenges for anyone to have in order to be a more empathetic person, which is especially important as a teacher. I also expect to face feelings of homesickness, as independent as I might feel, which I know I can overcome by immersing myself in the present moment and opportunities Thailand will bring. I’m hoping to grow in my confidence to face challenges, grow as an educator in a professional sense, meet new people, and experience new ways of thinking about life through a different cultural lens.

Hi there! My name is Khadydia. I am from the city not like any other, NYC. Born, raised, and lived there for my whole life. Earned my Bachelors in Information Technology and have left the city for NC. I’ve been itching for a new chapter, outside of the US, which is why I set my sights on Thailand. I know there will be many challenges, possibly the most prominent being language. I spent the last month or so slowly building my Thai vocabulary to a decent amount to speak to the locals as best as I can. Trying to get the tone right for words is really hard, haha! I’m sure this challenge will 100% worth the experience living in Thailand because I’ll be able to open my horizons, meet new people with refreshing mindsets and perspectives. I really hope I can make great friends and even greater memories along the way!

Hey my name is chase, I am 23 year olds from Charlotte North Carolina. I decided to move to Thailand and teach English because I wanted move out the United States to learn and experience a different culture. I have always been interested in teaching, but is very difficult to do in the United States with no previous experience. My main barriers will be to work on my patients. I really want to get involved in the culture in a honest way so that will take work. Uncomfortable until it’s comfortable is the quote that I use to tackle this kind of issue. I believe its a patient process and there is a lot to learn