Victoria again......difference between TEFL and working at a school.

**jonny danger** · 4th October 2012 09:33

Just a thought .. if being honest and or truthful is a sign of weakness in LoS, I wonder if Thais see volunteering in the same light.

**Thinkingofachange** · 4th October 2012 09:52

Originally Posted by jonny danger

if being honest and or truthful is a sign of weakness in LoS, I wonder if Thais see a volunteering in the same light.

I'd imagine so.

**Victoria Carolyn Vida** · 5th October 2012 08:56

Amazing advice! Thank you so very much! This has helped so much!! And with a BA in English Education and a state license, I am a fully qualified teacher in the US.

---Update---

Okay, I have decided.
I understand that I do not NEED to take a TEFL course to get a job, but I am going to anyway. The course I want to take is in Koh Samui. I feel like taking the course will better prepare me from the Thai classroom then going blind. Also, I hope to meet other wonderful people through the course, rather than trying to meet people on my own in a new unfamiliar country. Lastly, I am willing to spend the extra cash to help me feel more secure in a new place!

Everyone on here has been soooooo wonderful an helpful! I cannot thank you enough! My dream is so close!

**Warhammer820** · 5th October 2012 10:03

You're a very positive person.

**cluezo** · 5th October 2012 10:04

Originally Posted by Victoria Carolyn Vida

I cannot thank you enough!

Sure you can ...

**Thinkingofachange** · 5th October 2012 10:18

Originally Posted by Victoria Carolyn Vida

I hope to meet other wonderful people through the course, rather than trying to meet people on my own in a new unfamiliar country.

This will probably be the most valuable part of the experience. I did a couple of study abroad courses in my youth (when I was 18 and 21), and both experiences were simply amazing. I might not have learned too much, but I made friendships and did things (and women) that I will remember for a lifetime.

**zeusbheld** · 5th October 2012 21:32

Originally Posted by jonny danger

International jobs probably have 100 applications for every available opening.

yeah but most of the applications are crap.

**Victoria Carolyn Vida** · 6th October 2012 01:30

Originally Posted by Thinkingofachange

This will probably be the most valuable part of the experience. I did a couple of study abroad courses in my youth (when I was 18 and 21), and both experiences were simply amazing. I might not have learned too much, but I made friendships and did things (and women) that I will remember for a lifetime.

I have to agree (: I am thrilled to meet new people! The whole thing excites me!

Originally Posted by Warhammer820

You're a very positive person.

Yes I am always optimistic, to some annoyingly so, but I do not have enough time in this life to be mad, upset, or anything but happy and living life in the moment.

**Fleabag** · 6th October 2012 17:05

Originally Posted by Victoria Carolyn Vida

Yes I am always optimistic, to some annoyingly so, but I do not have enough time in this life to be mad, upset, or anything but happy and living life in the moment.

Although, these days, on this forum I seem to be inspired to post for negative reasons more than positive, truth is I also see the glass half full rather than half empty and I'm probably twice your age so it's perfectly possible to keep that spark throughout one's life and I'm convinced by doing so one will have a far higher quality of life too.

I'm sure you're going to do really well in Thailand. Thai people are so easy to approach and to talk to and get along with if you have a good attitude. Having said that, I think it's also something you should do because as long as you don't gravitate towards a Western bubble here the experience will help you not to be "to some, annoyingly so".

Life has a way of throwing situations at us that are out of our control and that we must sometimes have to come to terms with, difficult, negative or soul destroying situations where a happy-go-lucky attitude just doesn't cut it and often is simply impossible to sustain. Developing a reasonable response to such things and getting through it is what will give you a rounded personality whereby you are stronger, more interesting than being a one track record and less 'annoyingly' anything.

The idea of doing a course is a good one, professionally, socially and practically, but hopefully - and I think you will - you'll realise just how easy it is to live and operate here if you are open-minded, decent and positive enough to learn a little about the people and their language so that later on you're not lost in a bubble of relying on English, McBurgers and enough cotton wool wrappings to sustain a smile

And whilst I'm talking like this another thing about the Western bubble is take what is said to you with a large pinch of salt then make your own mind up about what you find here.

Don't you worry about a thing... it's easy here if you have what it takes. Not everyone does have it, and they're the ones to keep that salt for.