Teaching in Bangkok

Visiting Home

2011-11-06T22:14:00.001+07:00

I've decided to take the opportunity of the flooding and school opening delay to go home and visit friends and family. My mom and grandma were very generous to help me out with the plane ticket. I had forgotten how much of a process it is to come back home. I honestly think that going into the US is more difficult than going out. I landed at LAX and their facility is just not equipped to handle that many people. I had to wait in 3 lines just to get through the passport control, then wait in another long line to go through customs. It was really terrible and took the entire 2 hour layover.

It's been good to be back for a while. I've been able to visit my family and my friends. I've actually had a really busy week trying to get with everyone. It's so cold here I've forgotten what it's like. It's also been good to visit some of my favorite places like Dion's pizza, Target, etc. I also got to see my church family which was really awesome.

This week I'm going to try to make it up to Santa Fe. I love taking the train up there and walking around the plaza. It's such a neat little town - I think it really captures the feel of New Mexico just in that one little place.

My flight takes off next Sunday. I really hope they don't delay the schools any further because I'm ready to go back. I miss Thailand a lot and can't wait to get back to my students. But until then, I'll just have to enjoy the cold and dry NM.

Flood Flood Flood!

2011-10-27T07:41:00.001+07:00

A good amount of Thailand and a majority of the major Bangkok area is under water right now. This has been a crazy experience for me because I have never been a part of something this big before. Currently, my apartment is not flooded - in fact the street is pretty dry right now. The real problem is waiting around not knowing exactly if it will flood here or not. Some reports say it will, others say it will not. I've got food and supplies to last a little while, but I think I will be going back out today to buy a few more things. I really got a scare for the flood last night when they had some news in English on one of the Thai news stations. But I'm also suspicious that this may all be just a big hype and I shouldn't be too worried at all.

The way I understand it is that there was too much rain back in September before rainy season, and now that it is rainy season, there is too much water trying run back into the ocean. The rain has stopped for good now, but the problem is the government trying to get the water back into the ocean the quickest by affecting the least amount of people possible. They do know for sure that it will be at least a month before the flood is completely gone.

My biggest worry right now is money. My school has been delayed 3 weeks and I don't currently have any salary. I have been working a little bit at Inlingua but have a feeling that the classes will really slow down due to the flood panic. There is also online web design work which I have been looking for, but is slow going.

So for now I'm just going to keep myself busy and hope for the best. I know that I don't really have to worry because God will always take care of me. But as a human being, I'm prone to worrying and stress.

Reflection

2011-08-15T10:57:00.000+07:00

I've officially been here in Thailand for one year now and I must say it seems like much longer. I guess I have been through so much over the past year that it feels like much longer. I can identify three threads running through my life that have been prominent since moving here.

Thai Culture & Language
I have made many awesome Thai friends and have learned so much from them. In general, I have noticed that Thai people are kind and warming to each other. When I walk around my soi, I can see the street vendors chatting with each other, laughing and having a good time. People here seem to be "happy". Also, Thai people are extremely proud of their heritage and culture and they will go to great lengths to hold onto that. Although some do branch out into other cultures and love to learn in other countries, I don't know of anyone who has really left their Thai culture or culture.

Teaching
The reason I came here was to teach. And taught I have! Being around these kids has taught me so much. Although sometimes they can be rowdy and obnoxious, for the most part they are pretty neat. They have pretty big ambitions and look forward to the coming years.

Growing In The Church
I have come to know and love a great church family here in Bangkok and my relationship with God and the church has grown tremendously. As being one of the main worship leaders and also having been here for a year, some people in the church look up to me. It's really a great privileged to meet new people coming through the church - to hear their story and to encourage them in their walk of faith. Also getting to know the people in my bible study and having a good time reading and studying the scriptures with them. I always seem to cause a little trouble there by asking juicy questions, but I think everyone seems to have fun with it.

My future plans right now are tentative. I plan to stay in my current position until March. In March, I intend to try to work at a different school, maybe an international school. I've heard the pay is higher, which would allow me to have a little bit extra income for traveling. After working in Thailand for 1 year more, I plan to move to another country and continue teaching English or working with the church. But, I don't really know what the future holds and so I will live my life one day at a time enjoying every minute that I can.

-A

We're Lifted Up From The Ashes

2011-06-25T12:41:00.000+07:00

Things are going well with school being back in session. My new students are so great this year and it's been a real joy to have them all in class. This semester really seems to be flying by, too, I can't believe we're about to start week 6!! I need to start making my mid-term exams, which will probably be due next week.

Last week was Wai Kru (Wai Teachers) day. The students pay respects to the essentially by bowing down to them and presenting them with gifts. It was actually a very neat spectacle to see - all of the students bowing, standing, and chanting in formation. Then the teachers sit on the stage, and selected students come up and present their gifts (usually flowers and ornaments) to the teachers. I felt incredibly uncomfortable being the recipient of this ritual; however, I just trusted that God would take care of me, which of course he did.

The day ended with a college from Christchurch, NZ come and present their college to the school. It was mandatory for all foreign teachers to attend, probably for the sole purpose of presenting a message to the college that said "Hey! Look, we have lots of foreign teachers!" lol. Despite this, it was a nice event with lots of food and discussion. The college is actually very nice and I encourage all of my students to take advantage to studying abroad.

I have some upcoming travel plans I think I'll discuss here. I think in Oct, I'll travel to Australia and see what all the rave is about. I have a friend from ICB who lives in Melbourne, and he's offered to accommodate if I am ever in town. Also my cousin lives in Melbourne somewhere, but I'm not sure how I will find him. I've tried contacting him on FB in the past, but I've never gotten a response.

I'm not sure yet, but I think I may go home next March. I really need to determine if it's worth it or not. I won't have a car to get around, so I'll be relying on other people to drive me or riding my bike. Also, save for my family and friends, there aren't very many people to visit. I would really only be interested in seeing family and my church family. So is it worth it? We'll see...

Oh, Hello!

2011-05-06T13:39:00.001+07:00

The new semester is upon us, that being the 2011-2012 (2554-2555 Thai) school year and I couldn't be more excited. I have learned so much from being a beginner teacher last year. I feel like I couldn't really enjoy last year as much as I wanted to because I was still trying to learn the ropes and figure out how to be an effective teacher. This year, however, I am expecting so much more. I feel very comfortable and am ready to greet my new students with open arms.

I missed the very first three days of being at school because I will taking a vacation in Bali, which was totally awesome. But today the other teachers have informed me that they haven't done much at all. So I believe today I will begin to outline the semester and create my syllabuses.

Next week will be teaching students who are brand new to the English program. It will consist of just ice breakers and warmer activities, but it should be pretty fun. I look forward to that and the rest of the semester.

Eat, Pray, Love

2011-05-06T10:22:00.002+07:00

I just returned from an awesome trip to Bali, Indonesia. It was so amazing and really fun. The surprising thing was the difference between Bali and Thailand. It is so different, yet it is very much the same. It has all the "busyness", including motorcycles, cars, people, shopping, etc. But the culture is very different. They seem to be very very friendly, and are very interested in foreigners. They are also very interested in making an easy buck off them.

I started my trip off by traveling to Ubud, the supposed cultural "center" of Bali and where most of the stuff Bali is known for is. It is a very neat place. It is just a small village with a few shops, but it has a huge culture feeling to it. There is a lot of art and delicious food.

My travel partner and I checked into a small bungalow hotel, then hit the streets. We went straight to the Monkey Forrest, a huge area of Ubud where the monkeys run wild. If you buy a bunch of bananas, you can give them to the monkeys and it's a lot of fun. After that, we walked up to the main market to watch a traditional Indonesian dance. I'm not one for culture dances, but this one is a must see! The skill it takes to be one of these dancers must be tremendous. They use every part of their body, including their eyes, as a part of the dance. It is very synchronized to the music and truly an awesome thing to see.

The next day, we woke up at 3am to climb Mount Batur, a huge, active volcano. A tour guide booked through our hotel took us up to the top in only about two hours where we witnessed an amazing sunrise. We sat watching it while we ate our breakfast, provided at the top by the tour company. After that, my travel companion decided she wanted to go to the very top of the mountain, not just to the caldera. It took about another 30 minutes to climb, but it was well worth it. It was truly beautiful being at the top like that.

After we made the long descent back to the van, the driver took us to a nearby temple. I discovered that the Hindu temples are quite different from Buddhist temples. To enter, you must wear a sarong, sash, and head dress. These are usually provided at the temples for free, however, some of them will charge you to rent them. The temples are pretty neat looking and are normally outside. They have many decorations and are in the jungle, probably for peace and tranquility.

After returning to Ubud, we at at the Dirty Duck restaurant. It is very delicious, however, the duck dish was my least favorite. The steamed fish was by far the best, and we had a very enjoyable time there.

The next day was touring all the temples. The first on the agenda was Pura Tirta Empul, a beautiful temple where they have large pools for bathing and washing away impurities. The decorations, sculptures, and architecture was absolutely stunning. Second up was the Elephant Cave. It's a small cave in a hill where they have some shrines. That part was okay, but outside they have these stairs that go down near a waterfall with super beautiful scenery. Third was Pura Ulun Danu Bratan, a large area of land right next to Danau Beratan lake. The clouds on the mountains behind the lake was stunning. The final temple was Tanah Lot, a temple that is on the sea shore and is very beautiful at sunset. They also have a holy spring where you can wash and be cleansed. After our long day of temples, we came back to Ubud and ate at Kafe, a small eco cafe that servers a lot of western dishes. I had the California Burrito, which was surprisingly good.

The next day was traveling to Sanur and Kuta. We went down to dreamland, a beautiful beach in the southern-most part of Bali. The sea was so blue and beautiful, and the waves were perfect for surfing. I didn't surf, but I enjoyed watching and taking photos of the surfers. I also had a huge school tour group come up to me and ask to take photos with me. I felt like a celebrity! After this, we ate at a very delicious sea food joint Jimbaran. They have the tables right on the beach where you can watch the sunset and enjoy delicious fish. To order, you walk up to the tanks and select your live fish, lobster, or crab. They also have frozen shark, squid, shrimp, etc. You purchase it by the kg, then they cook it however you like, and serve it with rice, vegetables, and various sauces. Soooooooooooooooooooooooo delicious! Yum yum ^__^

That night was staying in Kuta. We rented a super cheap hotel for only about $20 per night, and let me tell you, we got what we payed for. The room was super crappy and didn't even have a clean shower. But it was a place to sleep just until the next day when we caught our plane back to Bangkok.

The trip was super fun overall, and I would definitely go back to Bali. There is a lot I would still want to do including going up to some northern villages, and also to the other island Lambok. But I am very glad for what I was able to see and do while being there.

Song Kran and Pattaya

2011-04-19T16:48:00.000+07:00

I had the fortunate opportunity to spend Song Kran in Pattaya with my good friend. Song Kran is the Thai new year, and they celebrate by throwing water at each other every day for about a week. The worst part is they throw water at passing traffic including motorcycles and the open song taos. I rented a motorcycle for the vacation, and experienced this first hand.

Getting to Pattaya from Bangkok is very easy. I always take the bus from Ekkemai bus station. Take the BTS skytrain to Ekkemai (Sukhumvit line), and walk west on the south-side of the street only about 100 feet. You'll see the bus station on the left. Go to the "Pattaya" window and buy a ticket for 113 baht. The buses leave every 30 minutes, so you won't be waiting long. Pattaya is always the first bus in their parking terminal. It's super comfortable and only takes about 2 hours to get there. The bus station in Pattaya is on North Pattaya road, and you can get to wherever you need to go by taking a motorcycle taxi or the song tao.

I rented a motorcycle from a small pub on Pattaya 6. They charged 150 baht per day and kept my passport as collateral. It was very convenient to have the bike in Pattaya because the transportation isn't the greatest there. Plus we were able to go some places that normally you can't get to via public transportation.

Next month, I'm going to Bali! I've also confirmed that I will be working at the same school, Bodindecha 3, for the new school year, so I'm very stoked to get back there and start teaching again.

Summer Break

2011-04-10T15:14:00.000+07:00

I am currently on summer break and I have chosen not to work at all during the break. God has really blessed me with my financial situation, so I am taking some time to do some traveling, entertain my family, and enjoy this beautiful city and beautiful country.

The semester ended well and my students all told me "see you next semester." During the summer break, I was invited to return to Bodindecha, which I'm very excited about. It will be good to go back to see some of the same students as well as have new students in my class. I'm already thinking of ways to improve my class including what rules I will enforce, how I will change my homework policy, testing, etc. I've decided that I will interact with the students on the first day to come up with the rules. I've heard that getting students involved will help them feel a part of the system and, hopefully, they may follow them better. I've decided to start assigning homework. I know that they have a lot of homework from their other subjects, but I feel like assigning at least some homework will be beneficial, especially learning a language can only come about from constant exposure and frequent practice.

One thing I will try with my classes this year is displaying their work a lot more. I will create Facebook pages, etc., for the classes and take pictures throughout the year of their work and productivity. I'm hoping this will allow them to be more "proud" of their work as well as their parents and friends can see what is going on in the classroom.

Last week, I took the Teaching Young Learners course from ECC Thailand. It was a lot of fun and gave me some ideas for my younger classes. I may even take the Young Learners extension to the CELTA offered in October; however, I've heard it's a waste of time. So maybe my October training will be something different.

This week, I'll be spending Song Kran in Pattaya with some friends. I'm not looking forward to going to that city, but it will be nice to get out of Bangkok for a while. I'm also planning to go to Bali in May, so more on that later.

Visa Process

2011-02-17T07:38:00.001+07:00

Well, I haven't written in a while, but I've recently been encouraged to do so. So I'm going to try to get caught up in the next few posts.

Thailand Non-Immigrant B Visa
This is the visa I am currently on in order to legally work in Thailand. Because I don't remember what I've written about it so far, I'm going to go over the process from beginning to end.

Found a job. I couldn't start the process until I actually had employment.
Leave the country. I was on a tourist visa and had already extended it the maximum of 30 days. Because it was maxed out, I needed to leave the country to change my visa to a Non-Immigrant B Visa. I went to Vientien, Laos, to do this. More info on this trip.
Submit paperwork for teaching license and work permit. This was done completely by my company. I had to make many copies of everything I had, including passport, degrees, official transcripts, and very specific photos printed on very specific paper. I believe I needed 4 1.5x2 inch and 4 2x2.5 inch photos printed on non-glossy photo paper, and it had to be of me in my dress shirt and tie. I actually did this all myself by going to B2S to buy the photo paper and using Photoshop to edit the photos.
Pick up work permit. I had to go to the Ministry of Labour located in Din Daeng to pick up the work permit. It's very easy to get to located just down the road from Victory Monument. You can easily walk from Victory Monument or take a bus. Walk down Mit Maitri Road and turn right on Mit Maitri Soi 1. About 500 feet on the right, You'll see a big gate with a guard that opens to a huge building with a fountain. The Ministry of Labour is located on the second floor. It costs 2,000 baht or so for a 1 year work permit.
Get a visa extension. Go to the government offices located on Chang Watana Road Soi 7. You need to bring everything your company gives you including all paperwork, copies of your visa, copies of work permit, photos, etc. 1,900 baht to extend to a 1 year visa. Plus I will need to do 90 day reporting to update my place of residence. More info on the government office.

And there you have it. The process has been long and tedious, but it feels good to finally be done. I'll update with information on the 90 day process.

Grace and Peace To You

2010-11-30T08:32:00.002+07:00

To the church of God that is in [New Mexico], to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge — even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you — so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. (1 Corinthians 1:2-9)

I am writing to you from Bangkok, Thailand, and I have never been better. Like the passage from 1 Corinthians says, God is faithful! I am working at Bodindecha 3, a Thai government secondary school located in the heart of Bangkok. I teach the American system equivalent of 8th, 10th, and 12th grades. The kids are so great and they love having me in their class. I am actually pretty fortunate, because I teach in the Extra-curricula English Program, which means that all the students want to be there and have a pretty high level of understanding and speaking English. I am also fortunate to participate in school functions, such as field trips and such, going different places and learning about the Thai culture. Also, last week I participated in their sports day, in which the other teachers and I competed against the students in a game of chair ball - a game much like basketball, except 1 person stands on a chair holding a basket at either end of the court. It was very fun to get to know the other teachers more and to build rapport with the students. I also tutor math and science to some young students on Saturday. I know, it's a long 6 day week, but it's good that the Lord has me busy. Working with these students is also challenging, as they are always presenting me with tough homework assignments that make my brain really hurt!

I am still involved with International Bangkok Church. Right now, they have me leading worship 2 Sundays a month (go figure, right? haha) The people in this church are so humble and kind, it is really awesome to be around such a rich group of believers. The church works with a lot of ministries around Thailand, and this week we had someone who works with people with AIDS on the Thai-Burma border. The situation there is very delicate because of what is going on in Burma. Please keep Burma in your prayers as some people desperately need to get their medication and supplies on a regular basis, but are occasionally unable to because of the war.

I was fortunate to have a traditional American turkey dinner for Thanksgiving this year. I got together with a bunch of people from church and found a buffet. I had turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, lamb, lobster bisque, pie, etc. all the good stuff! 2 of the people there, who are from Malaysia, experienced their first thanksgiving dinner, so it was an honor for me to be a part of that.

Last Sunday was Loy Kathong, a day where they put their sins onto the water in the form of flowers, money, incense, candles, etc., and believe that the water goddess will come take it away. We went to the lake as a church, where we turned around the meaning - the candle represented Jesus, the light of the world, who took away our sins when he died on the cross. The festival is very beautiful with all the lit Kathongs on the water.

Visas Visas Visas

2010-11-01T20:05:00.000+07:00

Last week, I traveled to Vientiane, Laos, to change my visa. The process in of itself was easy enough, but the traveling for the purpose of getting a new visa is such a hassle. There are really only 2 airlines that go up there, Thai Airways and Laos Air, and they both run about 10,000 baht roundtrip from Bangkok. You can also take a train from Hua Lompong train station, which runs about 500 baht for a second class bunk.

The Thai embassy in Vientiane is only open from 8:30am - 5pm. They ONLY accept the visa applications from 8:30 - noon, and they ONLY allow you to pick up the visas from 1pm to 3pm, and they process takes 24 hours. That means if you turn in your application on Monday morning, you cannot pick it up until 1pm Tuesday afternoon. The process is fairly simple - you walk up to the ticket machine and get your number, and when it's called, they take your paperwork, etc. Then you move into the next building to pay the fee. The next day, you line up like cattle until they open the gates, then you just systematically get your passport and visa.

Vientiane is actually a really nice place. It's a tiny tiny city - the airport only has like 3 gates. And when we got to passport control, we kinda had to wait for the officers to come up and assume their positions. It's very peaceful - nobody is in a hurry, nobody is in a rush. Everyone observes the speed limit. It's kinda a nice change from Bangkok. And the scenery is absolutely stunning! I stayed at a hotel right along the river, and I could see Thailand just across the river from my hotel. In the morning, the haze just kind of hangs over the water and makes it super beautiful. And at night, they setup their food and drink stands and you can just sit there sipping a drink and watching the beautiful night. So amazing!

Haircuts and Such

2010-10-23T16:39:00.000+07:00

I got a haircut today. At first I was a little scared that they wouldn't be able to understand what I wanted and that I would end up getting the typical Asian-style bowl hair cut. But I must say, I'm pretty dang impressed. I went to Toni & Guy in the Siam Discovery Center, and I am thoroughly impressed with the way they handled it. First off, I was in there for about an hour, not ten minutes, like back in America. Second of all, they really took their time to make me feel comfortable and the haircut was perfect.

They first gave me a shampoo and scalp massage. Yes, scalp massage. It was amazing. Then they sat me down and the hair stylist started to cut. At this point, the shampoo guy offered me something to drink - coffee, tea, soda, etc. The stylist took about 20-30 minutes really detailing my hair. Then it was back for another shampoo. All that for 700 baht. It's a lot more than what I wanted to pay, but I really needed a haircut and I wanted a good way to get used to the hair cutting procedure in Thailand.

What the hay?

2010-09-30T15:18:00.001+07:00

Last week, I went to extend my tourist visa. I swear, I don't think the process could have been more tedious. Well, it's not the process that is tedious, it's what happened to me specifically.

Two weeks ago, I tried to extend my visa by going to the Immigration Bureau on Soi Suan Plu. When I arrived, a big sign told me that visa extensions were now being handled at the new government center on ChaengWattana Road. This is way out near Don Muang and I was not too happy to have to try to get out there after work and before 4:30pm when they close.

I took the MRT up to Pohon Yothin and grabbed a cab. He assured me he could go to Soi 7, then proceeded to drive there. After about 20 minutes, he pulled into some huge building complex thing and told me it was Soi 7. I got out, but didn't recognize anything. After asking around a bit, I found out it was not Soi 7 and that I need to walk up the road a bit more. The road was full of construction, and was not easy for pedestrians to walk. After reaching soi 7, I walked all the way down to the end where the new government center is. I walked in the door at about 4:10.

After consulting with the government agent, I found out that I had copied my passport incorrectly. I quickly ran downstairs and made some copies (the building is absolutely enormous, mind you), and returned to Immigration 4:23. The government officer then processed my extension and returned it to me promptly.

It was 4:30pm by this time, which meant that the office was closing, which meant that every single employee in the building was going home. Also, the road outside was congested very heavily with traffic. I couldn't catch the first few buses because they were already packed. After a while, I took a different bus that went to where I need to go in a kind of indirect way. This was fun because I got to see some new stuff, but took a long time. I got home at about 8pm. Whew!

The wolves are coming out tonight

2010-09-16T13:15:00.000+07:00

I'm currently in Bangkok, Thailand, and I have found a job! I work at Bodindecha 3 - it's a government high school located up near Bangkapi. It's not very easy because they are kids, and normally the kids don't really want to learn English. My problem is, though, that I have been trained to teach adults, so the method to train high school students is quite different. Luckily, I have a trainer who is currently helping me learn a few things about teaching these crazy kids.

From this, I have decided that I will continue my training and take a TEFL course offered by my company. I really like this school, the teachers, and the students, so there's really no reason to change jobs. I figure if I can learn how to deliver a good lesson to these students, then all will be well. I might as well go all in on this one, so I'll take the course next month. It is in no way going to be as intensive as the CELTA. A lot of it will be self-study at home with about one week of in class teaching observations. I'm hoping it will help me teach well.

I also have an interview for a second, part time job tutoring some people in math. It'll be on Saturdays for 2 hours and pays really well. I hope to get it just to be able to supplement my income a little. It should be fun.

I received my CELTA certificate grade the other day. I got a Pass B! Go me! ^__^

The church I am attending is super awesome. There are about 50 people now in the evening service and there isn't enough room for everyone!! Major difference from Westside. I have been helping to play on the worship team, and some nights even lead it. It's fun to lead people who are interested to be there and are interested to sing.

At the end of October, I will go to Hua Hin for a church retreat. I'm really looking forward to getting out of Bangkok and seeing some of the beauty of Thailand! I'm also looking forward to spending some time with my brothers and sisters for the weekend, and just having some awesome fellowship in the Lord. My friends tell me there is a lot of good food down there, and I'm looking forward to trying some! I'll make sure to report back on it.

-A

What A Month!

2010-08-27T09:03:00.000+07:00

I'm officially done with the International House Bangkok CELTA program! It's been a heck of a journey, but I am finally done. And I must say, it was no easy journey. I'm going to use this post to lay out the specifics of the course.

The course basically consisted of input sessions, teaching practice, feedback, and assignments. The input sessions were every morning and was where we learned how to be effective teachers. The lessons ranged from different teaching methods all the way to how to teach tenses. The input sessions were fun, though, because the trainers used the same methods on us as we are supposed to use on the students. For example, some of the activities in the input sessions were running into the hall to find a specific sentence, run back and tell the rest of our team. A big suggestion - watch how the trainers conduct the input sessions because it is exactly how they wanted us to conduct our teaching practice!

The teaching sessions were a chance for us to teach actual students. These classes consisted of students from Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Somalia, etc., and normally had about 8-12 of them. These students are very fun and are good sports. I say this because at the start, we were not very good teachers. Luckily they were very patient with us. The only thing is I had to teach 6 hours in 8 teaching sessions, meaning about twice a week. It was rough at first because I wasn't used to planning, organizing, etc. The actual teaching wasn't too bad for me because I have taught classes before. But the trainer does sit in the back and write down everything you do, grading pretty hard.

The feedback was a session where the trainer could tell us how we did on our teaching practice. Sometimes it was rough because the trainers are direct and to the point. The Cambridge methodology is very rigorous, so it makes sense that they need to weed out the bad apples. But my advice for anyone wanting to take this is to remember to have an open mind and to accept the criticism well.

The assignments were okay, the first one being the hardest. We needed to analyze our students for specific language errors and how we would help to fix those errors. It's not that easy, though, because the instructions are very vague and they didn't tell us everything they were expecting. The second assignment was some grammar and English stuff. The third assignment was making a lesson plan out of a reading assignment, which was actually pretty fun. The last assignment was a self-reflection - hard to fail!

All-in-all, it was definitely worth it to take. I'm completely exhausted and need to sleep for a week, but in the long run, it's good. I now have one of the more prestigious teaching certificates one can get, and I feel like I can be thrown into a classroom and teach effectively. I guess that's what matters most. Now to put my resume together and apply for some jobs!

Sleep Well Tonight

2010-08-14T07:58:00.002+07:00

I've been in beautiful Bangkok for two weeks now. So far, it's been a blast. The course is rigorous, but I think the rewards are highly beneficial. I"m half way through the course, and luckily, what I've done so far only makes me want to get into a classroom even more.

For those of you who are interested in taking the CELTA in Thailand, get ready to work work work. It is not easy. You won't sleep very many hours during the week. The standards are high. The single most important suggestion I could give is you must have an aptitude for change. You will teach a lesson, and you might get some harsh feedback. But if you can take that feedback and learn from it, and do better next time, you will succeed well.

Living in Bangkok is surprisingly simple. There is a certain way of things, a sort of order. If you learn the way and follow the rules, then you're good to go. It's hard to understand it until you go live somewhere else with a different culture. I normally eat from the vendors (khohn khaai) on the street. It's cheap and it's delicious!

I've hooked up with a local church here call International Church Bangkok. They are so friendly and have really made me felt welcome in their congregation. They already want me to play guitar on the worship team. When I told them I don't have a guitar here in Thailand, they simply replied "We have many we can lend you." Crazy!

I'm hoping that the next two weeks goes just as smoothly as the previous two weeks and that I can finish strong with the CELTA. After I finish it I will be sending my resume off to every school in Bangkok to try to get a job. I'm pretty certain I will get one considering I've already received emails from companies wanting to set up interviews. It shouldn't be that bad.

Sing Out This Hour, This Restless Hour

2010-07-27T06:59:00.000+07:00

Tomorrow I will leave for Bangkok, Thailand. It's hard to believe it's already here. This has been a wacky year for me and I'm glad that the change has finally come. It will be nice to finally move away from the memories that are all around me.

I have been so blessed in the planning of my move. The process has been extremely smooth, my family has been tremendously helpful, and my friends in Thailand have been so gracious. I hope that they can know how appreciative I am for their help.

My plane leaves at 8:35pm MDT. My family will meet me before-hand to say goodbye, etc. I then fly to LAX. From LAX, I fly to Hong Kong. From Hong Kong finally to Bangkok. The entire process will take about 25 hours. I'm not really looking forward to sitting in a seat for that long.

When I get to the other side, I will get a taxi to take me my reserved apartment. I hope that I am ready to speak Thai to the driver haha. I think once I get my lease signed and I am in the apartment, I can set my bags down and take a huge sigh of relief in feeling secured. It's weird to think about, but the only thing I'll really have will be my apartment, and in that sense, it will be my sanctuary, my fortress of solitude. I think I'll slap a bunch of movie and music posters as well as an American flag on the walls just to feel a little closer to home.

After that I'll have four days to just chill, get acclimated, and check out Bangkok. On Monday, I'll start the CELTA class, which I am very much looking forward to. I'm glad I have the class right away as to sort of get my mind off of the move and focus on something exciting. The CELTA class will be intense and I'm ready for it. I've already read the books that cover all the material haha. Hopefully it will just be a refresher for me and I can focus on the assignments.

Prayer Requests
Please pray for my mom. I think the stress of me leaving has caused her to become slightly ill. Pray that God would comfort her and help her to feel at peace with what is happening.

Here it comes...

2010-07-16T07:30:00.000+07:00

Well, I'm down to 12 days until I get on the plane and move to the other side of the planet. It's starting to hit me and the realization has been incredible. Lately, I've really just been trying to soak up Albuquerque - take a walk or ride the bike and just enjoy the sights, smells, and sounds.

I've got my apartment down to almost nothing. Everything I want to take with me to Thailand is in two little bags sitting by my door. I will have to pack my clothes, but that will have to be one or two days before. I also sent a box via mail already with some books and other various things that I want with me, but are not critical in having them when I first arrive.

I'm planning on having a garage sale this Saturday to help get rid of my stuff. I'm using Craig's List for the more important stuff, but I figure someone around here can get good use out of my junk. My grandma and grandpa have graciously let me use their yard for the sale and I am grateful for their help. Also my mom has been incredibly helpful in helping me by picking me up when my truck leaves me stranded, hauling stuff, and just giving me sound advice for what to do. And lastly, my good friend Jue in Bangkok - thanks for helping on that end of the trip! ขอบคุณมากครับที่รักจะ

I have confirmed and reserved an apartment in Bangkok. It's called Baan Rim Sathorn. It's a very small apartment complex with only 27 rooms, so I'm hoping that it will be quiet and peaceful - a refuge from the busy city life. It will cost me 8,500 baht ($263.65) a month to live there (not bad!), and has a lot of other features such as laundry machines, internet, etc. Also, it's only about 600 meters (.37 miles) to the sky train station, which means easy access to central Bangkok.

So what's next? I'm currently getting rid of all the crap in my current apartment and organizing things to take with me. Honestly, the next step is to say goodbye and get on the plane. I have a feeling these next two weeks will go by very quickly.

Prayer Requests
I want to add this section for those of you following my blog if you would like to pray for my trip. Right now, please pray that the moving process would go smoothly for me and that I would have no trouble checking out of my current apartment. Also that I could enjoy Albuquerque and my family during these last few weeks of my time here.

I'm Still Waiting For You To Be The One I'm Waiting For

2010-07-01T03:15:00.000+07:00

Today, I turned in my 30 day notice for moving out of my apartment. It's all starting to become very very real. I've really started to check out, including at work, which is really bad. I feel like I'm looking at my life through a pane of glass - I can see everything moving around and interacting with each other but I cannot touch or control any of it. Weird.

Yesterday, I mailed my visa application. I have no doubt that it will be approved. I applied for a 60 day tourist visa (which is free until 2011!) with the intention of extending it to 90 days. That should give me plenty of time to land a job and get the ball moving for a Non-Immigrant visa, which will allow me to work.

Tomorrow, I will pay the final amount for the IH Bangkok CELTA tuition via international wire. I'm not looking forward to walking into that Wells Fargo, but it needs to be done. I'm also trying to figure out how I'm going to handle my money situation while I am in Bangkok. I have been thinking about opening a savings account with the local currency, but I have since read that in order to get direct deposit from your employer, you have to have a bank account at a bank that the company provides for. So if I open an account now, I may have to change banks down the road.

I think for now, I will bring a lot of cash into the country and just try to use my ATM card. There will be a small conversion fee, but that is okay. It should just be until I can open a checking account after I land a job.

3...2...1...

2010-06-21T20:49:00.000+07:00

Things in Bangkok have settled down immensely. As a response to the red-shirt camp being taken over, arsonists burned down some buildings, including my favorite malls. I'm going to have to find new places to shop, a new bookstore, etc.

My plans are pretty much underway for leaving. My next step is to apply for my 60 day tourist visa. I may have already explained this, but I will again, in case something has changed. I will get a visa that will expire 60 days after I step foot into Thailand. I will be allowed to extend this visa by 30 days one time, which will give me a total of 90 days in Thailand. This will give me time to get my CELTA and hopefully land a job. After I get the job, I will need to get a teacher license, which will be done by my employer. After I have received the teacher license, I will have to go and apply for a work visa. After I get that, I will need to go to Thai embassy outside of the country and apply for a 1 year non-immigrant "O" visa. This will allow me to work and be in Thailand for a total of 1 year. A big hassle, huh?

I've found an apartment that is about 1.3 miles walking distance from the school where I will be taking the CELTA course. I decided to move closer to the school in case the red-shirts decided they were going to cause the BTS and MRT to shut down again. In that case, I could just walk to class, if worse comes to worse. My friends in Bangkok do not anticipate this happening again.

My apartment looks like an absolute wreck. I have books and clothes all over the floor. I will be getting rid of furniture next, which will make it look even worse. But I'm really just trying to pace myself so that I don't save it all for the very last weekend. Honestly, on July 26, I just want to come over here and have them inspect the apartment. All the cleaning and moving should be done by that date.

I just checked the schedule at ihbangkok.com. It looks like my class will be full, which is good, because I'm going to be looking for some English-speaking buddies that maybe I can hang out with. I have a lot of Thai friends, but it might be good to have a good philosophical conversation with someone every now and again.

Terror In Bangkok

2010-05-20T00:14:00.001+07:00

Bangkok has been in a political unrest for the past few months with protesters camping out in the main business district causing many business and public services to close down. Today, the military overcame the protester camp and they surrendered. However, in doing so, it caused many of the smaller groups to lash out. There has been a lot of random gun firing in residential districts and buildings are currently burning to the ground. Two of Asia's largest malls have caught on fire and they are expecting them to burn completely to the ground.

My friend is caught up in this mess. Because of a curfew the Thai government has mandated to its citizens, she is forced to stay in her small city room alone without any food or friends. She is also very scared because some of the protesters have taken over a supermarket near her place.

Please pray for the people in Bangkok and for my friends, that God would put his hand over the city and allow peace and safety to be upon those residing there. Please pray for my words, that as I am talking to Jue constantly, she would be comforted and that the peace of Jesus Christ would come upon her. Please pray for my mission to Bangkok coming up soon, that God would work mightily through me in helping the people of Bangkok in whatever way God needs me.

At this moment, it is looking like my trip is still in place and that I won't have to delay anything.

Too Much To Think About

2010-04-21T08:19:00.000+07:00

Well it's been a while, but a lot has happened since. If you haven't heard, Bangkok has been going undergoing some very difficult times with the protesting against the government. The "Red Shirts" have been creating protest movements in Bangkok, causing traffic and business disruptions. The government is not giving into their demands and currently has plans to continue to disassemble the protesting groups.

My plane leaves in 98 days. Crazy! I feel like just yesterday I was talking with my buddy about possibly going and teaching over there. Now, not only is it a reality, but the clock is ticking away. I am very excited, but I am also scared to go. I have never done anything this big in my entire life, and I'm not quite sure how it will fully affect me. I know that I will be all right in the long run, but as a human being, it's hard not to worry.

I have figured out some financial details recently. Originally, I was going to have two banking accounts - a local bank account in Bangkok where I could spend and save daily money, and a US bank account where I could store my long-term savings in dollars. I have since discovered that I can use my debit card for my US account in Bangkok. There are fees, so finding the lowest fee is the name of the game.

I happened to stumble upon some documentation PayPal had on using a debit card. They only chart 1% to use a debit card in a foreign ATM. That is definitely the lowest I have seen yet. Plus, I can keep a balance in Baht on Paypal which will make it easy to appropriate different funds for different things.

So the current plan is to use the Paypal debit card to pay for expenses such as my apartment, transportation, etc., until I get a job. After I get a job, I will be able to apply for a current account at Siam Commercial Bank. This will allow me to send my direct deposits to a local account where I can use a debit card instead of the Paypal card.

For the Thai visa, I purchased a cheap ticket using Air Asia from Bangkok to Ho Chi Min. Hopefully the embassy will accept this as an itinerary in leaving the country. Plus it doesn't cost very much to change the flight date and time, which I will be doing since I won't be quite ready to leave the country after 90 days.

As for everything else, I am just playing the waiting game. I plan to contact the apartments I found in late May and let them know I am coming. I will also apply for the Thai visa in late June which will give plenty of time for a low system (no doubt that's what it is). I've also found a few other books on Amazon related to teaching English as a second language which I have found intriguing. I also found a book called 'Thai Law For Foreigners'. I'm very excited to read it.

-A

Stepping Out Into The Waves

2010-03-10T09:21:00.000+07:00

I purchased my plane ticket tonight. The way I feel is exhilarating, but also calming. I feel like things are finally in motion, almost like a bowling ball going down the lane headed toward the pins. It definitely feels good to be going in this direction, and to be shooting toward something. God has me at an incredible place right now, and I am very glad to be in His service.

For the ticket, I bought a one-way ticket to Bangkok, Thailand. I did a little research and found that a lot of people buy one-way tickets, then buy the cheapest flight out of the country using Air Asia, usually going to Vietnam or something. This is so that I can provide an itinerary for getting a visa into the country, then supposedly I can easily sell it once I get there. We shall see.

This Sunday I will be giving the message at my church, Westside Cumberland Presbyterian Church. I am glad that I will be able to share my adventure with my church family and hope that they will be receptive to my leaving. You can find out more at the link above if you are interested.

Until next time, keep hanging on.

It's Official!

2010-03-02T00:44:00.000+07:00

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls - I have officially been accepted to the International House Bangkok CELTA program. It's so exciting! Everything is starting to come together and it is starting to feel very very official. Actually, I'm starting to get a little nervous about things happening, which is to be expected I guess.

There were two parts to being accepted, and if you're reading this to find out more about the CELTA, read carefully.

Written Application
The written application has a grammar test on it and is NOT EASY. Spend some time on this and verify your answers by using the books they recommend. I even had my mom to help me with this one and she was stumped on one or two of the answers. I spent a good two weeks making sure my answers were looking good and to get it ready to turn in. I submitted via email.

Phone Interview
After submitting my application, they responded very quickly to schedule an interview on the phone. They made me call them using either a phone or Skype. The phone call is long distance, so make sure you have a phone card or something. I used Google Voice which charges $0.03 USD a minute to call to Thailand. The interview was about 20 minutes long where they asked me even more questions. Some of them were grammar related, some of them were teaching related. I HIGHLY recommend reading one of the teaching books they recommend or take a course on teaching before the interview; they expect you to know some things about teaching. After the questions, they informed me on what I was getting myself into, which is good, because we all need a little dose of reality here and there. They then informed me that I was accepted. My class starts on August 2, 2010.

After
They sent me an acceptance letter indicating that I was a part of the class and that I should make a payment of $600 USD to hold the class. Their payments are very specific and must be sent to their account at their bank in Bangkok. I will have to go to the bank sometime to make a wire transfer to pay; there is simply no other way. They also sent me a humongous pre-course task sheet that they basically stated they want done before the class. It's basically a packet on language awareness (IPA, phonology, etc.) and is 30 pages long. I will start working on this soon.

Next Steps
The next step is for me to make the payment and then find a flight over there. Originally, I wanted to take a flight that left at night and arrived in the morning, but those are not the cheapest. I have found so far that the flights that leave in the morning and arrive at night are the cheapest. I will have to rent a hotel for the first night, which kinda sucks, but is way better than spending an additional $300 for a better flight.

I decided not to go with the living package that International House offers because their monthly fee is outrageous. I found a nice apartment about a 5 minute walk from the MRT (subway) station, which the school is also along the subway. It will be easy for me to get to and from the school and is only 6,000 Thai Baht ($600 USD) a month. Excellent! I will work on securing the apartment in June or so.

It Feels So Official

2010-02-24T22:41:00.000+07:00

It's official! Yesterday, I emailed my application for the CELTA course at International House Bangkok. I received a response email asking to set up an interview, which I have scheduled very soon. I'm a little nervous about the interview and hope that I can make a good impression on them. I understand that the interview is simply for the purpose of determining if I know exactly what it is that I'm getting myself into or not, which I absolutely do.

After I get accepted to the school, I will purchase my plane ticket in. This brings me to an issue I'm having. I would like to get the Thailand Visitor's 60 day visa, so I don't have to deal with extensions while I am taking the class. However, they want either a return trip ticket or an itinerary indicating that I will be moving on. So how do I get this visa without a return ticket. I see two options, really. The first one being that I could get an open-ended return ticket, and use it to come home in a year or so. The second option would be to get a return trip ticket on a specific date, and use it kinda like a backup plan. If things don't pan out, I can get on the plane and come home. If things do work out, I can cancel the flight, sell the ticket, etc. and then everything will be great.

Some advice for those who are filling out applications for language schools. The application is lengthy and not very easy. Make sure you spend some time on it and allow it to be kind a guide to see if you really want to do this or not. It's of my opinion that they make you do this to see if you have the will and determination to finish a big project. I imagine the class will be just as difficult, if not more difficult. If you're not willing to put in the time to complete the application, you're probably not willing to put in the time to complete the course.

Until next time.

A Small Update

2010-01-19T11:03:00.000+07:00

Sawatdee krap! (Hello)

I haven't written to this blog in a while. I didn't really do much Thailand planning over Christmas because the holidays always require a lot of attention. I'm now back in the learning and planning phases.

In November, I went to Thailand and had an absolute blast. The culture is so different there than here in America, and it was a very big awakening for me. I'm very glad I went because it allowed me to see if I would actually be willing to move there and to work there for a long period of time. I found International House (IH) and spoke with one of the administrators there. The process is very simple and I should have no problem getting my CELTA. The hard part will be getting the job afterward. I think that my chances are very very good. Since I have a masters in teaching already, that will allow me to apply at the local universities. One university I went to, Kasetsart University, really struck my fancy. The campus is absolutely beautiful and it is slightly outside of the main city, which is nice, because it gets me away from the people.

Bangkok is an extremely busy place and the amount of people there is very evident. The culture is very rich and it is super fun to just walk down any street and to be involved in the life there. The first day or two, I absolutely hated it. I think it was because I wasn't used to that sort of environment before. But after being there for a while, I was walking down the streets, riding their public transportation, and purchasing things with a smile on my face. I am pretty sure that I will be able to adapt to the living environment there very easily.

I created a map on the Google maps "My Maps" section and mapped a few places out. It is important for me to consider the location of prospective apartments in relation to other places such as the subway, universities, and IH. It has been very useful so far and should continue to come in handy in the future.

I have narrowed my apartment search down to two - 110 Varin Place and Tangcharu apartments. Both are very cheap (only about $180 a month) and are relatively close to the public transportation. I wish that I had been able to check them out when I visited there in November, but I will just have to rely on my friends who live there. I will probably will go with Tangcharu apartments at the start, only because of some prospects that I currently have there.

That's about all for now. Here's my current game plan: fill out the application for IH in February, turn it in in early March, get accepted and make the payment in March, purchase the plane ticket in March, secure my apartment in June or July, move out of my current apartment and quit my job in July, and finally to get on the plan on July 27. I'm also still waiting to see if my friend still wants to go on this adventure with me, and will let me know in a month. I am also going to continue to study English and Thai until I move. Knowing a lot more about English before I start the class at IH will certainly help me to get a better grade. My intention is to get the certificate with an A+.

If you're considering to go to each English in Thailand, or any other country for that matter, I highly recommend learning as much of the language beforehand as possible. It is very easily to be alienated from the things you need over there because you don't know the language. Knowing the language will make it just that much easier to get what you need.

Helpful ESL Books

2009-10-02T00:59:00.000+07:00

I ordered some books on learning and teaching English to help me prepare for the CELTA application and also for actually teaching English.

CELTA Certification

2009-10-02T00:56:00.001+07:00

I have decided to get my CELTA at International House Bangkok (http://www.ihbangkok.com). It was advised to me to complete the certification process in the same country that I would like to teach. The IH CELTA is a vigorous four week class that will help to prepare me to teach.

The class seems extremely intriguing to me. The mornings are devoted to input and instruction where students learn methods and principles for teaching English as a second language. The afternoons are devoted to either teaching or watching fellow classmates teach. Afterward, time is devoted to feedback and any additional input.

There are four papers and weekly lesson plans due. I have a feeling that my free time will be very limited during this class, which is kind of unfortunate, because I will have just moved to Bangkok. But I am hoping that some evenings and weekends can be devoted to exploring the city, learning the culture and language, and finding a great job.

First Post

2009-09-23T22:27:00.000+07:00

Hello world. I have decided that I am going to teach English in Bangkok, Thailand. This blog will document my findings and discoveries of the proper procedure, best methods, and other related things.

I just started looking into things a few days ago, and my first impression is that this is not an easy process at all. The ads on various web sites make it seem like a "pick up and go" sort of thing. It's definitely not, that's for sure. It takes a big initial investment and a lot of consideration.

The current plan is to take the CELTA course at Internation House in Bangkok, Thailand, starting on August 2, 2010. The course is four weeks for vigorous, intense training. Afterward, I will be hitting the job market trying to find a job. More on this later.

The semesters in Thailand start in November and in May. Because I'll be taking the CELTA class in August and school starts in November, I'll have a few months with nothing much to do. This means that I will need to save about 4 or 5 months of normal living expenses in order to get by before my first paycheck.

I'll continue to post my findings and my journey here on this blog.