entry 4: the big question

"So what are you doing there?"

I'm sure many of you are wondering because everyone I've talked to is wondering. What am I planning on doing in Thailand? Honestly, I don't have an exact answer yet. However, here are some of my ideas in no particular order.

1. Teach English

The first and most obvious choice is teaching English. Thailand has a huge demand for English teachers in both public and private schools. Practically any native English speaker can get an English teaching job there, even without previous teaching experience. Most schools prefer their teachers to get a TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) certificate. There are tons of programs for that, online and in person, so it is pretty accessible and easy to accomplish.

However, one of the challenges with this type of job is that it is really hard to secure a job before living there. Most schools hire in person applicants, and since the English teachers fluctuate so regularly, they don't go searching or wait for teachers who aren't already in Thailand. That being said there are a variety of programs and agencies that connect international travelers with schools and incorporate the TEFL training in their program. They do offer some benefits, but it also costs a significant fee to be a part of these programs.

English teachers tend to make anywhere from 30,000 to 60,000 baht per month depending on the school and your qualifications. That may sound like a lot, but it works out to be about $1000 a month for most teachers. In Thailand, that's more than enough to get by, but for a lot of travelers, it may mean strict budgeting so they can explore everything they want to explore while living there.

2. Teach Yoga

My second idea is teaching yoga in Thailand. This one has been a lot harder to research because it is a lot less common of a path. Bangkok seems to have the most opportunities for teaching in a yoga studio, but I really don't want to live in Bangkok. So I've had to be creative. I've been looking into resorts and retreat centers that offer yoga, and I even looked into a Stand Up Paddleboard company that offers SUP Yoga. They're not hiring, but it's a neat concept.

So far, I haven't had a ton of success finding studios or resorts that are hiring yoga teachers. However, I'm anticipating once I'm there that I'll be able to find opportunities that aren't advertised online. Thailand is primarily a Buddhist country, so although yoga most likely isn't a daily part of the local routine, there are many people who go to beach territories in Thailand for stress relief, aka where resorts and retreat centers may be more prone to offer yoga as an option.

3. Work at a Resort Spa

This idea has been the easiest to find American companies located in Thailand with job postings online. However, many of these companies have to fulfill government requirements of employing Thai citizens in order to operate their companies there. This has been the biggest challenge to fulfill the job requirements. Thailand allows for age and sex requirements for certain jobs. So even if the companies aren't specifically looking for a Thai citizen, they can post age 26-32 male as one of the job requirements. I haven't had as many issues seeing postings only for males as I have for posts who want someone older than I am.

Once again, actually being in Thailand and applying to places in person may make the difference. There may be places with signs out saying they're hiring who would have never posted a job online. There may be resorts that exist that don't have an online presence. So I'm being flexible and patient.

What am I going to do in Thailand?

I'm going to live.