Teaching English in Thailand - A reader's journey
“Teaching English in Thailand: Chaos, Crickets, and the Morning Assembly You’ll Never Miss” When I accepted a job teaching English in Thailand, I pictured something out of a travel blog: temple visits after work, chatting with friendly students over mango smoothies, and maybe the occasional jungle hike on a weekend. Instead, I found myself in a Bangkok suburb which was not quite urban, not quite rural, but certainly hot, humid, and full of things no teacher training course ever mentioned. Armed with laminated lesson plans and a wildly misplaced sense of preparedness, I entered the world of Thai government schools. Things unraveled quickly. But at least I got a good story (or twenty) out of it. 1. Gate Duty: Every Morning Feels Like Campaign Season At 6:45 a.m., I’m already drenched in sweat, standing outside the school gates, pressing my palms together and nodding like I’m trying to secure votes from 1,200 very short constituents and their parents. Smiles are non-negotiable. Enthu...