To the ETA's of 2014

There are a lot of things that I wish I had a 'heads up' on before I came on this trip so I thought I would write a little list of tips for the ETA's of 2014...

 

1. You will never know what is going on. This is the first, and most important unwritten rule of being an ETA here in Thailand. No matter how hard you try to communicate and work out what is happening, you will never be in the loop. (From experience) You may think you are going straight to school, but no, it is never that simple. Every day we stop off multiple times at the side of the road to run errands; drop off banana leafs, pick up computers, cook hotdogs. You may think you have a class, but no. You are going to go and watch a fire show where they set parts of the school on fire and then put the fires out... In a nutshell, don't try and find out what is going on, just go with the flow and embrace the randomness.
2. Hand sanitizer is your best friend. Don't ever leave the house without it.
3. Thai people are overwhelmingly generous and kind. They will go out of your way to make you comfortable and will always ask you 'are you happy?' and 'do you have good dreams?'
4. Bring clothes to cover up. If you want to visit temples, wherever you are, you need to wear clothes that cover your shoulders, arms and legs. It is handy to keep a scarf with you when you're out and about, just in case.
5. Don't think the teaching aspect of the trip will be as easy as it sounds. There is a lot of work involved in lesson planning and homework marking and the hours are often long (I worked 7.30am-5pm). The classrooms are hot and uncomfortable the majority of the time, but you will soon get used to the working environment as time goes on.
6. Culture shock is like one big slap around the face. The heat, the food, the people - but you will get used to it, even if it takes you a few weeks.

Lastly, you will have the most challenging, cultural, exciting experience of your life! It is an opportunity that allows you to explore a gorgeous country with incredible people and it can't be passed up on!