Why Thailand?

Thailand intrigues me as I have always dreamt of being able to go to a foreign country to teach for a year. Travelling through a teaching abroad program called "CIEE", my dream is now a possibility. The "CIEE" program will place me at a public elementary school in a town near Bangkok, Thailand's most populated city.

Thailand was my choice of country due to it's affordability, the captivating culture, and amazing white sandy beaches. The second reason I chose Thailand was because I wanted to explore my boundaries, and take a step away from the city life that I am used to. Thailand is a developing country and I am eager to explore it and see what life is like outside of my Canadian bubble.

I was also drawn to Thailand as many of the people living there practice Buddhism. I am curious to learn about other religions and develop an understanding for Buddhism. Growing up as a Muslim, I have come to be increasingly curious and I hope to become more educated about how other people practice faith.

Although I will be working for the 10 months that I am in Thailand, I will use my weekends to travel the surrounding cities. I will be able to experience life in Thailand first hand and learn to be accustom to their way of life. Since I will have close contact with the local Thai people, I hope to acquire some knowledge about the native language.

When

School year in Thailand: May - February (two semesters / year)

The weather during May to February will be extremely hot compared to here in Canada. The big change I will experience will be the humidity - not very good for my hair!

Im a bit worried that I will be away from my friends and family as 10 months is a VERY long time without seeing your loved ones. Hopefully my transition will be smooth!

With Who?

Although I will be embarking on this adventure alone, I hope to meet many new people who are in a similar situation as myself. Usually there are 1-3 other international teachers placed in the same school, and I'm sure that this will make the integration into a new community much easier. I'm hoping to develop strong relationships with the locals and gain an unforgettable experience.

A couple of years ago, I had the opportunity to volunteer in Africa for one month. I learnt so much from that trip and having good relationships with the other volunteers as well as the locals made my trip absolutely amazing.

Meeting new people is a key part to this journey. Travelling to a different country is hard enough as it is, doing it alone will make it even harder. Having an open mind, trying new things, and showing my passion for teaching will allow these relationships to flourish.

What to Expect

At the beginning, I'm expecting to definitely feel home sick mixed with a culture shock. Being thrown into a completely new lifestyle will be overwhelming. BUT, hopefully my teaching job will keep me busy and add structure and routine to my new life. I'm sure at the beginning I will feel alone but it will be up to me to make an effort to interact with the locals and other teachers at the school. This will help make my transition easier into my new life.

I'm also expecting to indulge in some great, authentic Thai food. I can't wait! I am also very excited for my adventures outside of Bangkok. I need to remember to drink plenty of water! With the change in temperature, sunstroke is a likely possibility! Staying hydrated is key to making my trip sickness-free!

Of course, the sights to see will be miraculous. From the Floating Market, to the Grand Palace, no matter what I see I'm sure it will take my breath away. Thailand is known for its beautiful Buddhist temples and I can't wait to see a place of faith compared to my own.

Teaching Abroad

My parents love to travel which has rubbed of on me and given me the travelling bug. This is how I knew that as soon as I earned my undergraduate degree I would take a year off before Graduate school and travel the world. The world seems a bit ambitious so I focussed in on Thailand. Combining my love to travel and my dreams of working with kids and being a teacher I have managed to find a trip that gives me the best of both worlds. My mom is a teacher, so I grew up witnessing what life was like working with kids. My childhood experiences have prompted me to aspire to be a Speech-Language Pathologist. This trip is a great way to get some experience that is similar to the field in which I want to go in to AND have an amazing break before I hit the books again.

Funding

Expenses covered by CIEE: Accommodation & Flight home
Other Expenses: Covered by my parents (as a graduation gift) 


In thailand the currency is in Baht. 1 Canadian dollar = 30.9833497 Thai baht

Transportation Expenses
YVR-->BKK
My flights coming back from Thailand to Vancouver are compensated for by the 'CIEE'. Therefore I am only paying for the flights going from Vancouver to Thailand. 
Total Price for a One Way Ticket

I will have on stop over in Shanghai to get me to Bangkok as there are no direct flights. Total travel time will be 21 hrs, almost a whole day of travelling. That will be exhausting!!


Accommodation
Accommodation is provided by 'CIEE' rent free. Included is a bedroom, bathroom, living room and kitchen. It will either be an apartment or a house specifically for teaching faculty. The only disadvantage is that there may not be any internet but luckily, there are internet cafe's all around the city!
Food
Since the cost of living in Thailand is very cheap, I do not assume to be spending very much money on food. Each day I will plan to spend about 200-300 Baht. Even though at a nice restaurant, each meal will average to 300 Baht, I do not see myself eating out very much during the week. I will have a kitchen to make my own meals for breakfast and lunch, which cuts down cost of food tremendously! However, I want to step out of my comfort zones and try new things while travelling on the weekends.
Sites to See
When exploring Thailand, I will need to allocate some of my budget to tour costs and entrance fees. Since many tourist attractions charge, I will plan to spend 600 Baht / weekend. I hope to see the country through different perspectives: sometimes as an 'Individual Mass Tourist', and sometimes as an 'Explorer'.



Additional Accommodation
Phuket: Deevana Patong Resort & Spa: 1,163 Baht (per night for 1 room) x 3 nights = 3,489 Baht
Chiang Mai: The Imperial Mae Ping Hotel: 563 Baht (per night for 1 room) x 3 nights = 1,689 Baht

 Miscellaneous
Shopping: Roughly 50$/month = 15,490 Baht TOTAL for shopping
Night Life: Roughly 30$/month = 9,294 Baht TOTAL for night life

Preparation

Before embarking on my adventure there are some minor things that need to be taken care of:

 1. Obtain a VISA for travelling
  • To enter the country, I will need a non-immigrant B visa
  • The visa will need to be maintained while I am in Thailand 
2. Get TEFL Certification
  • TEFL stands for teaching english in a foreign language
  • You must obtain this certification to be able to teach abroad
  • CIEE arranges for the course to be taken online to obtain their certification
3. Travel Insurance
  • CIEE helps arrange insurance for American citizens, but not for Canadians
  • Therefore, I will have to take care of my own insurance before I depart

Sites to See

While in Bangkok, here are the top 3 places I want to visit, although I'm sure there will be more for me to add to my list as the trip goes on:

 Chinatown
Chinatown is one of the most talked about area's to visit in Bangkok. It is busy day and night, filled with people everywhere. This would be a great place to experience the true Thailand culture. The streets will be packed with shoppers looking to purchase gold or visit one of the Chinese temples. Everything you could ever need is in Chinatown - medicine, gold shops, souvenirs, vegetables & fruits!

Floating Market
The floating market is the place I am looking forward to visiting the most! It is similar to a flea market but all the stalls are on boats. You then will travel through the river while sitting in another boat, and shop for whatever you please! This will be a great place to get my weekly groceries and maintain my small budget allotted for food. As shopping is one of my favourite pass times, this is for sure a place I can't wait to see!

Temple of the Reclining Buddha (Wat Pho)
Wat Pho temple is the largest and oldest temple in Bangkok. Here, lies the Reclining Buddha, covered in gold leaves! It is also the location of the first historic Thai massage. These massages are known to be invigorating and very different then the traditional massages. I would LOVE to experience a great, rejuvenating, and different massage at only 150 Baht ($5) for 30 whole minutes!

Surrounding Cities

I'm hoping to make the most of my weekends in Thailand when I am not working and travel to some surrounding cities close to Bangkok:

On the top of my list is Phuket. Phuket is known to be a huge tourist attraction. With its gorgeous beaches and amazing sites its one of the most beautiful locations in Thailand. Phuket was hit by the 2004 Tsunami, and it would be incredible to see how the city looks 10 years later. This would also be a great place to spend the weekend relaxing and taking a break from the busy weeks I will be enduring. Phuket is only a 12 hour drive away from Bangkok so I could either bus or train there. It would definitely be worth it, considering how nice the beach and ocean look! Great place to get a tan!

I would also like to visit Chiang Mai. Chiang Mai is a very traditional city and its culture shows through all its aspects. There are over 300 Buddhist temples in the city and would be a great place to really understand and witness the history behind Thailand. The city is also known for its crazy, vibrant, and exciting night life. With many life music venues, this is the kind of place I would love to go to relax and have some fun.

Conclusion


 This is a trip of a life time! I will learn about Buddhism, and develop insight and a new perspective on the religion. I will broaden my horizons and learn to experience first hand a different culture. While doing all this, I will gain experience for my potential career. I can't wait for my dream to become a reality.


 "Travel, in the younger sort, is a part of education; in the elder, a part of experience."
-Francis Bacon

Safia Mohamed | 250582296

Sources

Wikipedia-Bangkok
Popular sites in Bangkok
CIEE-Thailand
Phuket
Bangkok Photos
Trip Advisor
Chinatown
Wikipedia-Chiang Mai
Wat Pho


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