Reflections on my LoveTEFL Thailand Internship

Teaching for two months in Thailand can be a huge, exciting adventure – as our intern Matt found out during his time at school in Ayutthaya.

After Bangkok in the second week, I found myself going back to Kanchanaburi every weekend after; I just loved the town so much. Other trips around there that I took were to Hellfire Pass up in the mountains, a very sobering experience which shows you the achievement of allied P.O.W.s during WWII. I also went to Erawan waterfalls which was a tough journey to the very top (seven levels in all) but definitely worth it. We also hit the road on a rented bike and saw all temples, ruins, historical parks, and cave complexes all around the region. It is the first place I’ll be going when I come back to Thailand, which I am determined to do as soon as I can.

The food in this country… oh my god. Amazing. Not just the food itself but the whole Thai attitude towards and relationship with food is a real eye-opener. They eat for pure pleasure, and it is so cheap to eat over there that you can afford to do it in a way that you couldn’t in the UK, and because it is so much healthier in general you can eat more without feeling guilty about it too! There was a vegetarian/vegan restaurant on the main backpacker street in Kanchanaburi that would make you a freshly cooked, delicious vegan meal and a side of rice for 60 THB. That’s £1.10! It’s crazy. Hitting the night market in that town was great too, you could pick up an absolute feast for next to nothing. And then there are the buffet barbeques, my favourite.

At the end of the TEFL course, there was a part that advised you to try not to be jealous of the tourists that you see over there who can give all of their time to leisure and having fun, because you are working and living with the Thai people and you are getting to see the country and the culture in a way that a tourist can’t. I think this is absolutely true. I’d love to go back to Thailand as a tourist and see all the places I never got to see during my internship, but I am glad that I had the experience of working there and seeing a side of it that the tourists almost certainly won’t.

Two bits of advice for anyone going: wear plenty of sunscreen, and I mean plenty. Ditto for mosquito repellent!

I can’t tell you how glad I am that I took the leap and actually did the internship. I can’t be sure where it’ll take me in the future, but for now it is just what I needed, and probably the most worthwhile thing I’ve ever done. The real world teaching experience was invaluable and hugely enjoyable and Thailand was amazing to us; I fell in love with the country completely. Now being back in the UK, I miss the sights, sounds, smells and tastes of the place so much, I can’t wait to go back.