Temporary Teaching and/or Tutoring Work.

[CDN]

Hi, folks. If any of you are working as EFL tutors in Thailand, I'd like your advice. If you're not in the EFL biz and still have advice to share, please do.

 

I plan on visiting Thailand for in April for a one-month vacation. Once my fun is done, I'm considering working in Thailand for an additional three months on a sort of "working vacation," to take a break from my regular job here in Seoul, Korea. What are the chances that I'd be able to find some temporary EFL tutoring work? Near zero percent chance? Fifty/fifty? Better?

 

A bit about me: I'm a 30-year-old white male Canadian (yes, such details sometimes matter to prospective employers) with 5 years of EFL tutoring experience. I ususally tutor adult learners (business people and senior highschoolers/university students), but I have experience teaching all ages from kindergarten up.

 

Cheers,

 

CDN

[ultras67]

EFL Nazi hat on - GO HOME AFTER YOUR HOLIDAY, YOU BACKPACKER.

 

NPer hat on - It depends where you want to work. There will be plenty of work in Bangkok but a lot of the better schools will not look at you for 3 months unless they already have a vacancy, even then they might want a permanent replacement. Outside, I dont know, it will depend on the area and school.

 

The majority of language schools - especially at the bottom will not care as they can shift people around like nobodies business. Some will look at you and go, your white, you can talk, want to teach in 10 minutes? But rates of pay will be low.

Avoid ECC, Berlitz, they have almost the lowest reputations of all here.

 

Odds are you will be teaching kids, its the vast majority of the business.

 

Tutoring is all down to contacts and whether you can get a reptutable apartment where they come to you or whether you can be bothered running round BKK all day / evening going to their homes.

 

Carefully consider your visa - for 3mths you wont get a work permit therefore you will be illegal and will need to do some sort of visa run at some point. This may change where you want to work.

 

Look at Ajarn.com for jobs and info.

[whosyourdaddy]

April is sometimes difficult to find work since most schools/Uni are shut. Mid may is a good time. I would guess your chances would be near 100% if you are looking for A job. THE job is much harder to find

[CDN]

EFL Nazi hat? Backpacker? Christ, I didn't expect vitriol.

 

A backpacker I am not. I am a trained, experienced teacher...blah, blah, blah, toot my own horn. I'm sure you don't want to hear it, but...it's hard not to take a hit without at least SOME reaction. I've been to Khao San Road and for the love of God, don't lump me in with the flotsam there. Why do you think I'm "one of them"?

 

Your advice about ajarn.com is appreciated; I've recently begun checking that site two or three times a week. I have a couple of business contacts putting out feelers for me (they're Koreans working on projects for Thailand's Telephone Authority), but I wanted to see if any board members had words of advice. News on this board is usually CURRENT, and thus a resource I want to tap.

 

ECC and Berlitz have similarly bad reputations here in Korea, and I don't care to work at such franchises no matter where in the world they are located. A "teach on the wing" tutor I am not.

 

Cheers,

 

CDN

[CDN]

Whosyourdaddy, thank you for your input. The difference between A job and THE job is a significant one, and your reminder is appreciated.

 

April is going to be my "fun month," and May, June and July are the months I'm considering for part-time work.

 

I don't want to spend more than three to six months teaching in Thailand because of the opportunity cost--I'm certain that I can earn (and bank) more in Korea than in Thailand, especially considering the Korean government's low tax rates and high hourly rates offered by Korea's ubiquitous private academies.

 

I'm ready for a short break from life in Korea and I immediately thought of Thailand as THE place to go; it's cheap; the food's great; most of the people are friendly; and it's a great jumping off point for side-trips to nearby countries.

 

Are you in the EFL business as well, WYD?

 

Regards,

 

CDN

[ultras67]

If I had meant it to be a completely serious answer I wouldnt have included the 2nd bit of the post.

 

And you will come across the EFL Nazis especially if you tell them you are only here for 3 mths - taking jobs away from people who are living here, you wont care about the job cause youre only here for 3mths etc etc etc

[whosyourdaddy]

Yes I have been envolved in education both in Canada and here, but I would make an AWFUL ESL teacher. I teach another subject.

 

Yes Thailand would be a nice break, get some more experience, see different students and management styles. It would be great. If you luck into a well paid job you centainly can make some very good money in Thailand, ( an education degree helps)

 

But just dont get stuck in the trap of some Thailand's EFL teachers where they are surrounded by teachers who dont give a shit in a low paying job and management that has no interest in helping the situation with teacher training and resource building. Most will look back in 5 years and realize they is no long term future in working at that level of the industry. (ie still living month to month)

 

But a few months certainly would not hurt.

[CDN]

 

Thank you, ultras67; I should have read your reply with a less critical eye. I hope you'll overlook my lapse.

 

Thanks to you, too, WYD; I remember having read somewhere hereabouts that you're a fellow Canuck. Are there many of us in Thailand?

 

I've been offered a temporary position "upcountry" for 15,000 baht a month, 24 hours a week, with the possibility of a small amount of private tutoring after normal school hours. The representative I spoke with explained that renting a flat would cost about 2000 baht/month, and food and other staples (e.g., bottled water) should run about 2000 to 4000 if I eat like a local and treat myself only occasionally. Air conditioning will be an added expense, she explained, but I'm not worried about that; a fan should do.

 

Just a note for those who might scoff at 15,000 baht a month: I'm aware of just how low a salary that is for most Westerners, and of how high that is in relation to the salary of a common Thai. Money is not my primary motivator, since I've been able to save a reasonable percentage of my pay for the last two years. In three months I suspect that I'll spend about a thousand USD of what I've got banked.

 

I'd earn more working in BKK, but I'd rather not live in a big city since I've been here in Seoul (population: 12,000,000) for the last two years.

 

Cheers,

 

CDN

[johnnyk]

CDN said:...I immediately thought of Thailand as THE place to go; it's cheap; the food's great; most of the people are friendly; and it's a great jumping off point for side-trips to nearby countries.

 

CDN

Do you know you can get f'ed and s'ed real cheap by gorjus chicks? Think about it.

[CDN]

 

With all due respect--since I don't know just how sarcastic you're being, and since I'm in a pleasant mood--I'll do this nicely and simply say that getting "f'ed and s'ed by gorjus chicks" is irrelevant to this topic. But thanks for trying. I think. ::