Day in the Life of Teaching English Abroad in Thailand
Authored By:
Fun fact: Thailand is the only country in Southeast Asia not colonized by Europeans. Ancient traditions, tranquil mountain tops, sparkling beaches, and shopping malls spanning an entire block fill this Land of Smiles where no day is the same. However, if you are curious about what to expect when visiting or teaching in Thailand, here is an average day in my life!
Everyone's placement for teaching in Thailand wildly differs from the next. Some of my friends go to school for a couple of hours a day, while I am required to be at school from 7:30 am to 4:30 pm. My experience will not be the same as yours, but in this blog, we will journey through an average school day to provide some ideas of what to expect as a teacher.
Time Stamps
6:30 Wake up
7:00 Breakfast
8:10 Flag Ceremony
8:50- 11:30 Class
11:30 Lunch
1:30 Class
2:30 Lesson Planning
4:30 Go home!
5:00 Dinner
6:15 Gym
10:30 Sleeeeeeeep
My day begins with a wake-up call from the rooster who lives in the hotel next to our dormitory. Luckily, I live on campus, so my morning commute consists of a 5-minute walk. Somedays I make instant oatmeal in my room and other times I eat the breakfast our school provides for us, depending on my mood! My favorite part of my morning is our Flag Ceremony, which is similar to the USA where we salute the flag and say the Pledge of Allegiance. Because I teach kindergarten, this ceremony is accompanied by song and dance, a perfect way to wake up in the morning.
Class time! Normally, I have 5 classes a day, each 40 minutes long. Every week, we learn a new blend sound. We've been working on "L" and "R" because native Thai speakers have a difficult time pronouncing those sounds. I have 12 classes of 30 students that I see twice a week. In our first class of the week, I introduce and teach the sounds "BR," "CL," "FR," etc. The second time I see each class, we complete a worksheet. The students love doing worksheets and diligently try to make their handwriting as precise as possible!
I eat lunch with my Filipino co-workers. Many schools in Thailand have quite a few teachers from the Philippines. My co-workers speak good English, so we have become great friends. The lunch my school serves has taken some getting used to. You get rice to pair with a variety of meats and soups. It has been an adjustment getting used to eating so much rice and meat every day, but it's gotten better over time!
After lunch, I have 1 to 2 more classes plus some lesson planning time. I try to make graphic and colorful PowerPoints to accompany my lessons. Using gifs and sound effects in my presentations has increased student engagement. Plus, I've found I really enjoy making PowerPoints!
At 4:30, I make the 5-minute commute back to my dorm for some rest and dinner. I do not have a kitchen, so it's just me and my water heater. Normally, I make ramen and add some vegetables like broccoli and kimchi to try and maintain a healthy diet. Teaching wears me out, so eating veggies and fruits to get my vitamins and minerals helps me feel my best self.
Luckily, the gym down the street gives teachers a discount on memberships. They offer a variety of fun fitness classes like yoga, step, cycling, and more every night. The gym helps me escape after a long day of teaching, calming my mind and strengthening my body.
After the gym, I'll take a much-needed shower. Most showers in Thailand have a water heater attached that I opt out of. From what I've read, they are mostly safe, but I need a cold shower anyway after spending a day in 95 F heat. I light some incense and read a good book to wind down for the night.
And that's my day!
I hope this gives you some ideas for what to expect when teaching in Thailand! Thanks for reading and have a blessed day!
TTYL,
Lauren