Are you sure you wanted to teach English in Thailand?

Most of the Filipinos here in Thailand work as English teachers. Some works in hotels, some are singers, few oldies babysit Filipino children and others in health care fields. Let's focus on your desire to teach English here in Thailand.

Before you come here in Thailand, ask first yourself " Why do I want to teach in Thailand?" If your answer is to look for greener pasture, I'll discourage you not to come. Why? What you could earn here can be earned in Philippines! We're earning Thai baht here people not dollars! The Universal Currency Converter for today shows that 1.00 THB = 1.42484 PHP only. In Hayai City for example the salary range of Filipino teachers is only 15K-25K THB. Our school is only one of the few schools that give the higher salary and shoulder the VISA fees and Work Permit fees. The rest, not only did they give a salary lower than 20K but they let their Filipino teachers shoulder their VISA and work permit fees as well! But others are earning extra due to tutorials but it means additional working load for you. 

Provided you give me the answer that 15K is way better than volunteering in our government schools located in the middle of nowhere with a monthly allowance of only 1500-2K and without any assurance of getting an "item"- a permanent teaching position. I'll advise you to contact a friend you have here in Thailand and ask when is the hiring season, if he/she could help you or if he/she will be kind enough to accommodate you for few days while hunting for jobs. If you don't have contacts (which I think is harder to come here if you don't have a single contact), try visiting Ajarn.com. They're posting vacant teaching positions . Post your resume and wait for call. BUT this strategy isn't as effective as before because many Filipinos just came here in Thailand as tourists and visited every school in Thailand to apply as English teachers. I tell you some get lucky, some were not. It's not an assurance that you graduated with flying colors that you'll get a job. I've known several graduates with honors that applied here but were turned down until they can't take it anymore and went back to Philippines disappointed. I tell you this harsh truth so that you could check yourself- Do you teach to live, or do you live to teach? I teach here in Thailand not only because I'm earning more than I used to have in Philippines. God placed a special calling in my heart to bless the younger generations by teaching them English so that in the future these young generation could lead this country and be not afraid to mingle with the world because they already learn the universal language-English. 

If there's a will, there's way. The following post is intended for fighters...for those who want to teach in Thailand no matter what! Here's some tips:

1. Prepare show money. Philippine immigration is getting strict for Filipinos coming here in Thailand as visitors. It's because of US who came here first as tourists for several days but ended up getting jobs here in Thailand. We became OFWs-the unsung and underrated heroes (because the money that we send back to the Philippines as remittances shield the country from any economic calamity) and it's not appreciated by our immigration. You'll be ask to show them money at least 20K if you plan to visit Thailand. Of course, they're right. How can you be a tourist without money? he..he...They won't allow you to tour Thailand without money because you may pose problem to the country . When you run out of money, what will you do? Don't tell me you'll rob a bank or beg on streets or ask help from our embassy? See, they avoided future problems by asking you a show money!

2. Book a two-way ticket. Of course, you plan to tour Thailand so you're expected to be back in a span of few days or a week. They wanted to be sure that you'll be back thus the importance of the return ticket!

3. Visit Thailand on hiring seasons. Hiring seasons usually falls on last week of April to 1st week of May. Schools usually starts on the third week of May so before class starts, you could just walk in schools and hand in resumes. Some schools will just say they'll call you. Some will interview you immediately and some will just stare at you because they don't understand you at all! he..he...

4. Find a school. It's important that you could find a school as early as possible so that they could provide you with VISA and Work Permit . If not, you need to exit Thailand after 30 days (if you enter Thailand by plane) and then 15 days extension after your 1st exit. You're only allowed to exit for three times. After that you'll be asked to leave Thailand to go to Penang, Malaysia to get a tourist visa. It's not easy to exit  Thailand every other 15 days. Some of the Thailand's immigration officer were not friendly so you have to deal with that.

See, if you don't have contacts here in Thailand, imagine the cost you need for your hotel or apartment while hunting jobs. There are some good websites devoted to teaching English in Thailand and it is a good idea to join these. Ajarn.com is the most popular but it is also possible to pick up good advice from the teaching section of the Thai Visa forum. The Ajarn website has tons of useful articles covering all aspects of finding and keeping work; it also has a lively forum where visitors can get advice. The job section on this website is probably the most comprehensive available.

On the other hand, just recently I discovered that Thailand also got healthcare job sites. Nurses, doctors, surgeons, dermatologists and other health-related careers from other countries are now welcome in Thailand. Just check this out .

To be parents like my parents... To be parents as God wants us to be!

"God gives us children and we are expected to help them develop into men and women of God." This is what I posted on my Facebook wall yesterday to remind me that I'm now a parent and it's my duty and responsibility to practice Scriptural principles because if I don't my child and future children won't either. I have to live what I "preach" because if I don't my words will just fall on deaf ears and create rebellious hearts. As parents, we don't have to be perfect, but we must be genuine, right?

My parents had discovered that God has equipped them to mold their 14 children to be men and women of God. They always talk to us about God's goodness and what God expected from us. They talk to us not in religious-sounding tones though they're both ministers because they wanted us to understand Christianity in natural language, in natural ways, at natural times. They wanted to inculcate to us that Christianity isn't a religion, indeed it's a relationship to our Creator.It's a lifestyle. They talk and teach us when we sit at home, when we walk along the road, when we lie down and when we get up. They always 'seize the day' to bless us their children. Instead of rock stars or sports celebrities of questionable character, they introduce us to Bible heroes who modeled godliness, righteousness and courage under pressure! We want to be parents like my parents. We want to be parents as God wants us to be!

Could someone buy me a Christian High Gloss Burl Elm Music Box with Bible Prayer Inlay on my birthday?

I visited a store that sell all kinds of Thai souvenirs when the following stuff caught my attention:

What do you think are they? I thought they're music boxes! I got excited because it would be a wonderful gift for young girls. We got 8 young girls in the family. Music boxes make great gifts, because they can always cheer you up and put a smile on your face. I could remember before that I'm always dreaming of having my own Ballerina Music box because of its elegance and beauty. "If it's a music box, then maybe it will play Thai music songs once opened", I muttered to myself. I approached the Thai saleslady and asked. I was a bit disappointed to know that they're note paper box, not music boxes. How I wish I could find Thailand's version of music boxes. It would be awesome-intricate design plus Thai song! That would be very unique! 

The easiest way to find and to buy a music box according to my liking is to look for one online. I didn't find Thailand's version of music box but I find a music box that makes my heart beat faster:

Christian High Gloss Burl Elm Music Box with Bible Prayer Inlay from Amazing Music Box Co. for a sale price of $95! It could set a calm surroundings while I read the Bible. I could open it and it will play Christian music (which I could pick from the store's collection). The design of this music box will remind every believer the importance of Reading the Bible and Prayer. Could somebody buy this for me on my birthday?

The Importance of Facebook to me

When did you create Facebook account? I was introduced to this social network on year 2006 but it was not until year 2010 that I began to appreciate the usefulness of this network. More than just a form of socializing, Facebook proves to be more than just that.

Facebook’s aids in strengthening bonds and bridging gaps brought by distance and lack of time. I get connected with my parents (though they're offline most of the time...LOL!), my siblings, my cousins, long lost friends, relatives and acquaintances I haven’t been in touch for a long while. I'm also given the chance to know the Marce Club (Marce K, Marce Pehpot, Marce Fedhz, Marce Mye, Marce Yami, Marce Seiko, Marce Niko, Marce Liz, Marce Jade, Marce Kikamz and Marce Chris) in a more intimate way. We can share everything we want and even our ups and downs. I thought before that Facebook is wicked because it's an effective tool for spreading lies and gossips. Just recently I realized that FB can be an instrument to encourage one another, giving useful advices and appreciating one another. Because of Facebook, I meet the Pinay Mommy Bloggers Group. They're a great help in my blogging career. Members shared everything they knew about blogging-tips, tricks, do's and don'ts. Love blooms in there as members exchange comments, advises, suggestion, referrals and any kind of virtual help. This group was even used by God to supply my needs! How? Other bloggers like Marce K, Sis Willa, Sis Nita and Sis AC shared their Direct Advertisers (DA). If you're not a blogger, you will not understand what I'm talking about but lemme give you a hint. It is the goal of many bloggers to move from monetizing their blogs into selling ads directly to advertisers. But getting into this game can be difficult. Because of these helpful bloggers that I mentioned, I got to know contact details of these DAs, write to them to see if they’d be interested in placing ads in my blogs. So far, most of them keep in touch with me and finances started to roll into my account.In less than a month, I've raised almost the half of the amount I badly needed that I don't need to acquire a personal loan! God is so good! He leads me to helpful bloggers. I couldn't repay you my sisters but it's my prayer that God's abundant blessing will always be upon you and your entire household!

With FB, I was able to promote my blogs and earn more followers and readers. The only thing that I'm not hooked in FB, games and applications!

As I see Facebook is really powerful tool and it has been said that with great power comes great responsibility. Let it be a word of warning for us FB users.