Assignment 1: Introduction

Hello, my name is Noah! I am 28 years old and from the USA. My background is primarily in being a lifeguard, swim coach, and swim lesson instructor. I am someone who always knew they would not like working in a cubicle all day, I love traveling and learning about the culture of the places that I visit. Thailand seemed like an amazing place to go and to learn as much as I can about the country and get the opportunity to grow a learn new things from the people that live there, like I did when I was in France. When it comes to being a great distance from my friends and family, i tend to struggle with the distance and miss them a lot, it is something that I am working on, but I have learned, while still trying to implement fully, embracing each opportunity that I am presented with and trying as many new things as possible, when I do that everything is a lot easier for me. I am also shy when it comes to making new friends, so trying to break out of my comfort zone to make those connections with people will also go a long way. I am hoping that through this experience I will connect on a deeper level with people from all over the world and learn about where they come from, while also teaching children and getting them excited to learn everyday they are in my care.

Hello,
My name is James and I’m from New York City. I graduated from St. John’s College in Annapolis, Maryland, a small liberal arts college which is known for its Great Books Program. After college, I became a firefighter in New York City for 22 years. While I was employed by the FDNY, I went to law school part time at New York Law School, and after graduating from law school I practiced corporate law for several years, and then focused exclusively on immigration law. I was most recently employed at an immigration law firm in Carson City, Nevada, and have lived in Reno, Nevada for the past few years.

During the pandemic, I decided that I wanted to try something different and face a new challenge. One thing I learned from my two different careers is that I am happiest when I can make a positive impact on other people, which led me to the idea of wanting to teach. I have also always wanted to travel internationally. When I was young, I was fortunate to be able to travel to Asia and Western Europe a few times (including taking the Trans-Siberian Express with my sister when she was studying in China at the time, which was an incredible experience) but most of my travels as an adult have been within the United States. When I took the TEFL course I was unsure where I wanted to go. Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand all interested me as possible destinations, but Thailand became the best option for me because of my age. The more I have learned about Thailand, the more I think it is the right place for me at this point in my life. Specifically, I am very excited about the prospect of engaging with people who are known for their warmth and friendliness. I am also eager to learn more about Buddhism.
As an older person who has never been to Thailand and never taught (other than completing the practicum for TEFL, which I really enjoyed) I will certainly face many challenges. I hope to overcome the challenges of culture shock and language barriers and lack of teaching experience by putting my best foot forward whatever happens. Fundamentally, for me that will involve being open to new experiences and overcoming my usual overly introspective nature. I am hoping to develop real connections with the Thai people and will have to be vigilant about not retreating into myself. I really craved social interaction during the pandemic, and now’s the time for me to embrace it wholeheartedly. Practically, I am excited about the challenge of learning a new and difficult language and developing and honing my teaching skills.

Spiritual growth has always been important to me, and I do hope that this experience will be one of spiritual growth for me. Concretely, I am not sure how that will manifest itself, but I know that if I can trust in the process and learn to “go with the flow” that will be the best path forward for me at this point in my life.

• Background information about yourself

Hello all, I am Andrew Bui. I grew up in Chicago, Illinois and spent the other half of my life in Tampa, Florida. I had previous jobs of doing accountant duties for different companies and wanted to have a change of pace and teach English in Southeast Asia.

• Why are you deciding to travel/move to Thailand?

I am interested in the relaxed and also rich culture of Thailand. Music is one of the things I enjoy so I would love to check out the local music scene and see what it is all about. Since Thailand is close in proximity to a lot of Asian countries, some of their culture is shared such as food and tea. I am an avid tea enjoyer and participating in the tea culture would be a wonderful experience.

• What challenges do you expect to face along the way and how do you expect to overcome them?

The number one challenge is the language barrier. I have been to Southeast Asia myself so I am not a stranger to culture shock. I do plan on actively studying the language and interacting with the locals as much as I can.

• What do you hope to get out of your experience?

To be able to be exposed to a culture completely different from my own where I grew up in the United States. I also hope to make a difference in giving people valuable lessons by teaching English.

Hi My name is Nicole Lee-Lyn Paulsen. I am 31 years old from Cape Town, South Africa.
Graduated with a Bachelors degree in Law in 2016 and then began the uphill battle seeking employment. What a snag. But hey, struggles cant last forever! I managed to gain legal experience in the criminal field and while I considered myself passionate, 5 years later it all just started to feel like there would never be enough resources to really make a change. The little good was quickly overshadowed by all that is terrible,horrible and simply no good! Teaching abroad has always been stuck in the back of my mind since university and once I’d reached yet another quarter life crisis, I decided its time. So here I am looking to experience something new and light. Thailand seems like a great place with lots to explore and im hoping to grow as much as the students will!

Hi my name is Akira, Im 21 years old and Im from England.
Ive always wanted to live abroad, especially in a hot country so I’m very excited to be working and studying in Thailand.
I travelled to Thailand as a tourist for a month to see a little bit of what life is like there, I had such a positive experience that as soon as I returned back to the UK I started looking for jobs and came across this program.
I hope to dive into Thai culture, learning the customs and language. I understand that I will need some time to adjust to a new country but I am confident that this experience will not only broaden my perspective but will deepen my personal growth.
I am also looking forward to helping students develop their English language skills and I will strive to create a fun learning environment for the children.

Hello my name is Josh I’m 28 I have been managing a distribution centre for a UK based charity for children called Barnardo’s which I have been involved with for 7 years. Outside of work I have travelled to a few countries and enjoyed the adventure. I decided to apply for this program to see more of the world and experience a different challenge with a different culture, I believe my biggest challenge with this decision will be the language barrier in the day to day of living in Thailand but with time I hope to gain the skills I’ll need to adapt and overcome this. I hope to gain a better understanding of how different cultures operate in different parts of the world and come away with stories to tell and skills necessary to teach around the globe.

Hello
My name is Leanne Newman, I am 42 years old and from England UK. I am from a city called Preston in the North, but for the last 10 years have lived in Manchester. I have studied Leisure & Tourism and Human Resources. For the last 20 years I have worked in Recruitment and Human Resources.
Travel is my passion. 15 years ago I travelled the world including my first trip to Thailand. Since then I have returned four times. This opportunity to teach English in Thailand is a new challenge for me and an experience I am very excited about. I am hoping to fully immerse myself into the Thai culture, meet new friends and have amazing adventures.
Learning to teach is going to help me grow personally and professionally. As a person I am quite shy and reserved but I feel this time will help me come out of my shell a little. I want to contribute to the local community where I am based. This is a new beginning and I hope I can use my life and work experience in the classroom to benefit others.