These answers to frequently asked questions will help inform you about the program in Thailand. If you have further questions, please call the WorldTeach office at 1-800-483-2240 or 617-495-5527. As the program is new, we cannot yet put you in touch with a returned volunteer from Thailand.
General
When does the program start and end?
What is the cost for the Thailand program?
Can I talk to a returned volunteer?
Teaching Assignments
How many hours will volunteers teach each week?
What else will be required of volunteers each week?
What curriculum and materials will volunteers use?
Should I bring any materials from home?
Will I receive training?
Languages
What is the language of instruction in Nakhon Phanom?
Do I need to speak Thai?
Accommodation
Where will I live?
What will I eat?
Will I have internet access?
Travel
Do I need to get a visa?
Can I make my own travel arrangements?
Can I come home during the year?
Will there be a chance to travel to other places?
Can my parents or friends visit me during the year?
Health and Safety
What immunizations are required?
Is malaria a problem in Thailand?
What if I get sick? Are there doctors and hospitals?
Is it safe?
Logistics
Will I be paid?
What happens if I decide to leave before the year is completed?
What else will I need to do before departure?
How much money should I take?
What do I need to take with me?
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Q: When does the program start and end?
A: The first Thailand program will depart in early April 2009. After 3-4 weeks of orientation, volunteers will teach for approximately 11 months, with vacations, from May 2009 into March 2010.
Q: What is the cost for the Thailand program?
A: The cost for the Thailand program will be US$4990. This fee will cover airfare, insurance, and all other major expenses related to travel and administration of the program.
Q: Can I talk to a returned volunteer?
A: Not yet, unfortunately, because our first program begins in April 2009. You will be the pioneers of the WorldTeach Thailand program! After the first group of volunteers finishes their year in Thailand, they will be available to talk with future volunteers. We do think that this is an important step in your decision whether or not to participate, but it isn’t possible for first year programs.
Q: How many hours will volunteers teach each week?
A: In general, volunteers will teach about 20-25 hours per week, depending on the school at which they teach.
Q: What else will be required of volunteers each week?
A: Volunteers will also run extra-curricular activities each week. Most of the schools and towns in which the volunteers will be teaching have had little to no contact with people from the Western world. Volunteers will be encouraged to make the most of their time in Nakhon Phanom by having after school and weekend activities with their students. Also, volunteers should take advantage of this opportunity to guide Thai English teachers by building their confidence in their English ability and by showing them resources for teaching materials.
Q: What curriculum and materials will volunteers use?
A: As of right now, many of the schools do not have a very up-to-date English curriculum. Volunteers will need to be as creative as they can when teaching their students, particularly at the countryside elementary schools. One of the main goals should be to get the younger students interested and excited to learn English. Also, the volunteers should make an effort to keep the English classes at their schools sustainable after the volunteers leave, by making resources available to the Thai English teachers as well.
Q: Should I bring any materials from home?
A: Volunteers can bring some items from home if they would like to. Because many of the students are elementary age, their English levels are very low, and visual aids will help the teaching process. On the other hand, volunteers are also encouraged to try to find materials for teaching while in Nakhon Phanom, using the internet and other resources, in order to show the local Thai teachers, who are often inexperienced with the use of English internet sites, where they can find good materials as well.
Q: Will I receive training?
A: Yes. For the first few weeks in Thailand, all of the volunteers will have an orientation together where they will be trained in strategies for teaching English as a foreign language, Thai culture and language, living and working in Thailand, health and safety, and cross-cultural exchange. You will also be given information about Thai history, particularly in the Nakhon Phanom province, and will hear from a guest speaker. The training period will last for 3-4 weeks in April, and then you will begin teaching in May.
Along with the orientation at the beginning of the year, volunteers will also meet as a group in the middle and at the end of the school year. At the Mid-Service conference, volunteers will share their experiences and discuss tips on teaching. At the End of Service conference, the volunteers will conclude their year in Thailand together with one final meeting.
Q: What is the language of instruction in Nakhon Phanom?
A: All of the volunteers' classes will be taught in English, however the student's proficiency in English will be fairly low. The ability to speak Thai will be useful, but the primary goal of the volunteers should be to create an environment in which both the students and the teachers at the schools are comfortable speaking English
Q: Do I need to speak Thai?
A: It is not necessary to be able to speak Thai, because classes will be taught in English. However, given the fact that many of the volunteers will be placed in rural towns in Eastern Thailand, it would be a good idea to try to learn a little before you come, in order to make living in Thailand a little easier, as well as to impress your Thai hosts. Volunteers will also be given Thai language classes during the program's orientation.
Q: Where will I live?
A: You will live in housing provided by the school or with a host family. If you live in housing that is provided by the school, you will share an apartment with other volunteers and possibly one or two Thai teachers. You will each have your own bedroom, but will share a living room, kitchen, and bathroom. If you live with a host family, you will be given your own room, and will share the rest of the house with the family.
Q: What will I eat?
A: Food will be provided by the school at which you work or by your host family. You can also opt to eat elsewhere, but you will have to pay for the food yourself. Food in Eastern Thailand is a combination of the Thai and Lao styles of cooking, but is distinguishable from both. It is particularly known for sticky rice, rather than plain rice, and spicy peppers.
Q: Will I have internet access?
A: Yes, but it may be slower than you are used to and a little unreliable.
Q: Do I need to get a visa?
A: Yes, you will need to get a visa. WorldTeach will help you with the visa process, however, and you will receive information about it after you are accepted into the program.
Q: Can I make my own travel arrangements?
A: Yes, you can opt to purchase your own ticket to Thailand if you wish to travel independently of the group. However, you are responsible for making sure you arrive there in time for the start of orientation. WorldTeach will reimburse you the amount that we paid for our group tickets (not necessarily the amount you paid for your ticket).
Q: Can I come home during the year?
A: Yes, however keep in mind that it is both expensive and time-consuming to travel to/from Thailand. You also want to consider traveling in the region instead, when you have time off school.
You are responsible for teaching full time for the duration of each school term. If you choose to travel home during the year this should be during school vacations only and will be at your own expense. WorldTeach provides one round-trip ticket for each volunteer that completes his or her teaching service.
Q: Will there be a chance to travel to other places?
A: Yes. Thailand is a captivating country in an extremely interesting region of the world Some travel will be organized by the program, especially to give you access to places, people, and programs you wouldn’t be able to access without these connections. Other travel you will be free to do on your own. However, any travel must be done during school vacations or after the end of your teaching commitment. As a volunteer you are a full time teacher and cannot take time off during regular school hours.
Q: Can my parents or friends visit me during the year?
A: Yes. Visits from family and friends can help them relate to your experience and provide you with an important connection with home. Try to schedule visits during vacation time so that you will be able to spend time with your family/friend.
Q: What immunizations are required?
A: For up-to-date information on immunizations and travel health consult the Center for Disease Control's website. This provides recommendations for travel to specific regions and detailed information on specific diseases. WorldTeach cannot give out medical opinions.
As for travel to any developing country, you should
- make sure that your Polio, Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR), and Tetanus-Diphtheria (TTD) vaccinations are up to date, or get a booster shot if necessary.
- get immunized against Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, and Typhoid.
- have an HIV test and bring the test results with you (make sure they state your name)
Always be sure to consult your doctor or a travel health expert to find out the latest information you'll need about immunizations for traveling.
Q: Is malaria a problem in Thailand?
A: Yes! Malaria is a serious problem in this region of the world. You definitely want to check with your doctor to determine what you want to do to prevent contracting this potentially fatal disease. Malaria in Southeast Asia, including Thailand, is chloroquine resistant, as it is in much of the world.
Most important is that you must try to prevent getting bitten by mosquitos, by using treated bednets (treated with permethrin), using a DEET-containing insect repellent on exposed skin, draining standing water where possible in your room, using screens and fans and mosquito coils, spraying your room with insect repellent in the evenings and by taking anti-malarial medication.
Here is a website that discusses malaria and other health issues in Thailand.
Be sure to consult your doctor or a travel health specialist. WorldTeach is not staffed by medical professionals!
Q: What if I get sick? Are there doctors and hospitals?
A: Yes. But standards are variable in the country. Every town and village will have some form of medical clinic, while the cities will have hospitals that the volunteers can go to. The field director will ensure that you get the best care.
As a WorldTeach volunteer you will have health insurance coverage that includes emergency medical evacuation insurance. For medical expenses such as doctor's visits, medicines, etc. you pay up front and then file an insurance claim to get reimbursed. For larger expenses the insurance company may be able to arrange direct payment to the hospital or medical provider. Your field director can assist you in emergencies.
Q: Is it safe?
A: Nakhon Phanom is a relatively safe area. There is little crime, and the people there are generally very respectful. One thing to be aware of, however, is that traffic can be very dangerous. Drunk driving is often an issue, and people are known to drive recklessly. At night, road conditions worsen due to that fact that there are very few street lights, making it difficult to see.
Q: Will I be paid?
A: As a volunteer you will receive a monthly stipend of 5000 baht (or roughly US$150) for each full month of teaching. If you participate in planned activities for the program you will also continue to be paid the regular stipend. Volunteers are expected to participate in these program activities.
Q: What happens if I decide to leave before the year is completed?
A: Don't! If you aren’t sure you will make every effort to complete the full year commitment with WorldTeach, please do not apply! This is the first year for the Thailand program, so we all need it to be as successful as possible. So if you are hesitant about making this commitment, please consider applying to another program.
If you leave before the program is over, you will be responsible for all costs incurred in your travel and anything else. Volunteers who leave programs early do not receive a letter of recommendation. Health and emergency evacuation insurance is terminated when you leave the program.
Leaving early really leaves the schools in a terrible position, without a teacher for the classes you have taught. And it's bad for the reputation of both WorldTeach and your home country in the areas where we teach. So be sure you are committed to finishing the program before you go, and if you come home to the food and friends and family you have missed during the school year, be sure you have a firm commitment to return to your school and stick to it! You’ll be glad in the end!
Q: What else will I need to do before departure?
A: You will receive a checklist of pre-departure preparations when you are accepted for the program. Make sure to follow the timeline and dates that are specified on that checklist. You will need to find somewhere to gain at least 25 hours of experience teaching English as a Second Language (ESL). You will need to make an appointment with your doctor for a medical exam and to get your immunizations. WorldTeach recommends you allow yourself at least 3 - 4 months for pre-departure preparations.
Q: How much money should I take?
A: This will depend on how much you intend to travel, and the lifestyle you intend to lead. You will want to plan these things out and then determine how much money you want to bring and how much money you want to have access to through ATMs or otherwise. The 5000 baht monthly stipend should be more than enough for your daily living needs, particularly since the schools will provide food for you. You will want to bring money for the first month of orientation until you are paid, and for any traveling you might want to do during your vacations.
Q: What do I need to take with me?
A: A suggested packing list will be included in the guide to Living and Teaching in Thailand (which you should receive with your confirmation packet). Do not take too much baggage - you will need to be able to carry it easily.
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