A warm welcome to Turner, here is what he wrote after his first two weeks:
Whether you think you are or not, you’re still running the gauntlet. I’m exaggerating of course, but any first-time teacher who says he isn’t terrified that moment when 20 sets of eyes fall on him, and the only way to break the silence is well-planned words emanating from your mouth, is lying. Through their teeth.
Teaching in Thailand is no exception. I arrived on Monday, June 16th, to a three-person welcoming party and dinner on the beach. And despite my confidence at having already lived in a foreign country, I must admit, I had forgotten some of the difficulties: the constant attention involved with being the token farang (foreigner); the language necessary to order food, mail a letter, haggle over a price, travel by bus, or just shoot the breeze. More to the point, I had never been to Thailand, nor studied the culture too extensively.
These reasons, among others, are why it was such a comfort to me that TM Volunteers are slowly adjusted to their new environment with tours of the surrounding beaches, short visits to the school, and time to think and prepare classes.
As to the school itself? I had the “misfortune” of starting my work on Teacher’s Day, set aside for students to honor those educators. Let me paint a picture… in less than an hour, 200 students had kneeled in front me, letting their foreheads touch the pavement to show the most respect. With little knowledge of Thai or the expected reactions, I pretty much just sat there and smiled, hoping that would suffice for the students.
Aside from that interesting experience, the school, staff, and kids have been fun; the principal makes great efforts to speak English to me when attempting to pass along tidbits about living in Thailand; the teachers are always ready with a smile and a wai in the early morning when I arrive; and the students, although some still see me as some kind of magical creature with brown hair, are receptive to what I’m trying to tell them.
I was very surprised at the style of teaching in this particular school. Maybe my memories of primary school are tainted, but I can’t help but see a very hands-off approach from Thai teachers: giving their students some work, then basically leaving them alone in the classroom to finish the assignment without any assistance. Very little interactive discussions, Q & A, or even lecturing.
As far as Thai Mueang is concerned, it’s a quiet, but very peaceful area. Close to the beach (2 km), with access to most amenities. It’s been a little bit of a problem getting around during the rainy season (from July), but otherwise, it’s a good place to live and a decent stepping-off point for Phuket or Suratthani.
I haven’t quite achieved the same level of energy or strength that I’ve been used to since getting on a Thai diet. Not to say that the food isn’t healthy or tasty – quite the contrary; Thai food is usually either very very sweet or very very spicy. But, I haven’t been able to find as many citrus fruits for a quick energy boost or too much variety in the restaurants around Thai Mueang.
All in all, it’s educational. I’m still kind of treating the experience as though I’m still in Japan: my instinct is to speak Japanese when I can’t understand something in a foreign tongue; I find myself comparing Thai students with Japanese, Thai food with Japanese, Thai weather to Japanese… Obviously this is not a good idea, and I need to wipe the slate clean and approach a life in Thailand with little to no influence: don’t let anyone tell you “this is the way it is in Thailand”. Take some time, and judge for yourself. It may be true, but filling your head with others’ attitudes and possible misconceptions does nothing for your experience.
Pros:
- Thai Mueang area – tropical and easy access to the beach
- Thai food, savory and nutritious
- Cost of living, cheap and easy
- Acceptance of foreigners to a point
- The students, relatively receptive and intelligent
- The volunteer house – big, clean, and quiet
- Thai language lessons for volunteers – useful and interesting
- Follow-ups – Anders checks in with you on lessons and life
Cons:
- The rainy season
- Transportation around town, i.e. there isn’t any unless you feel like riding backseat on a motorbike in the rain
- Thai food – way, way, too spicy for comfort
- Exposure to other foreigners, other POV’s, not very likely in Thai Mueang
- The volunteer house – a little bit of a walk in/out of town
Read about Turner’s experiences teaching English in Japan at Keeping Pace in Japan.