If you’ve ever thought about teaching English abroad in Thailand, then you may have heard of Xploreasia. Xploreasia is a company that helps people achieve their dreams of teaching English abroad by equipping them with the necessary skills to effectively educate ESL learners, giving them practical hands-on experience teaching in a Thai school, facilitating cultural excursions to help immerse new-comers into the Thai world, and even placing program participants in paying teaching positions throughout Thailand.
But XploreAsia doesn’t stop there!
Meet Michael Volpe, the CEO of XploreAsia, and the rest of the staff at XploreAsia, who let us know how they go above and beyond to make sure everyone who comes through the program has a successful experience.
Why TESOL is necessary for Teaching English in Thailand
9-5 got you down and dreaming of a new adventure? Thinking about teaching abroad? Thailand is becoming a main destination for people who want to teach English abroad. Teaching English abroad through XploreAsia is a great way to embark on an exciting adventure, and experience a new culture. If you are considering going abroad to teach, then there is no denying that it behooves you to get a TESOL or TEFL. It will greatly improve your chances of getting a steady job, and in fact, many schools in Thailand are now requiring a language certification.
But what is a TESOL? What’s a TEFL? And is one better than the other for a career in Thailand?
Well, get ready to find out – Michael Volpe from XploreAsia explains the difference between the two language certifications and answers the questions above.
Michael Volpe is the CEO of XploreAsia. He has an extensive educational background in international business and political science. He is a Fulbright-Hays Scholar with a PhD in International Public Policy from George Mason University.
Traveling and working abroad has been surprisingly transformative for me. I have to admit, I did not expect the change that took place simply from moving to another location, but this experience has been medicine for my soul.
If I had to have a conversation with my previous self from about a year ago, I might not recognize the person I was. My inner landscape has changed so dramatically that I can feel the difference every day. I dove into the cleansing waters of change and this country washed away the parts of my being that were doing me no good.
It’s weird to think that something so powerful can come from just living abroad, but it is that very act of diving into the unfamiliar and unknown that is so cleansing to the psyche. You can no longer hang on to habits or preconceived notions when you are presented with such a novel experience. You can no longer be in a comfortably sedated haze when everything is so bright, new, and present. Yes, that’s the word I’m looking for. Everything therapeutic about traveling condensed into one word: Presence.
Travel forces you to come to the surface of life and intimately connects you to the present moment. You forget about any heavy mental baggage and become as light as the air kissing your skin. You become the jagged mountain steps you’re climbing or the salty sea water you’re swimming through or the lights of Bangkok dazzling your eyes. You become the moment. And with that constant exposure to presence, your soul settles and becomes more grounded. It is like developing a habit of presence and seeing the sparkling beauty of every moment in life. There is no more room for heavy rumination. My spirit feels lighter as a result. Through exposing myself to the people and nature of Thailand I feel like I’ve cleared myself of those mental habits that pull me away from the moment. My sight has become clearer and now the present moment is always in view.
In Buddhism they make the claim that the doorway to enlightenment is in the moment. According to the Buddha, the roots of pristine happiness grow from presence. After being exposed to living abroad I can say this is true for me. In my home in the United States I was stuck in, what seemed to be, a fog of habitual thinking and ruminating. Similar to the feeling you get when you’re trying to sleep and you can’t stop thinking. Being lost in constant brain-chatter. Television static played over the symphony of your life. And you know what? I was not happy. I felt a dissonance, a weird sense of misalignment in life, like the tuning of my soul was slightly off and every time I tried to play it the music came out sour and left me wondering “What’s wrong?”. I was lost in time. Thinking about the past, worrying about the future, and never seeing the present. It’s a sort of illness, really. An illness who’s primary symptom is a deep sense of dissatisfaction.
The medicine for that which ailed me has been travel. Living abroad has washed away that diluted sense of presence with the dazzling brightness of the unknown and new experiences. I feel awakened to the beauty of life and I look back on my days of familiar and automatic routines as a time when I was kind of asleep and in a haze. But how can I convey this to you, dear reader, when it is something that can only be experienced firsthand. I implore you to dive into the unfamiliar. Travel, meet new people, and encounter new cultures and ways of thinking. See the world in all its stunning beauty. Walk the path less traveled and then forge a new one. I can guarantee this with all my heart, travel can be the medicine to heal the discontent in your soul.
07:00: Rise and Shine Open your eyes to another glorious day of LIVING IN THAILAND! Take a nice, cold shower (because there’s no hot water, but also because you’ll be sticky with sweat). Slip into some professional and modest work attire (so as not to offend your Thai co-workers), grab your bags, and head outside to slip on your shoes.
07:30: Catching the Songtao Depending where you are housed, you may have the luxury of walking to work every day; but here on Soi 94 we prefer to sleep in and take the songtao (taxi bus). A green one or a white one will do (I prefer the white ones, as they will take you all the way for just 10 baht; whereas the green ones stop at the market, and will cost you 20 baht to go the full route). You can ask them to stop right at Soi 43, but if you take my advice, you’ll keep going till you hit Soi 39 for
08:00: Breakfast at the Baguette The Baguette is a popular Thai-European Bakery located just a few blocks down from the office, and is a staff favorite. Why get your morning dose of carbs, milk, and sugar from a bowl of over-priced Frosted Flakes when you can enjoy a delicious pastry and sweet creamy beverage for a fraction of what you’d pay at Starbucks? I was going to list my recommendations here, but I don’t need you judging me for the amount of food I’ve managed to consume from this restaurant alone in the last two months (and I’ve yet to order something from the Baguette I wouldn’t recommend).
08:30: Work Day Begins To recap:XploreAsia is an NGO which offers a TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) course here in Hua Hin (and another in Chiang Mai), and places teachers with their TESOL certification in schools across Asia (including Thailand, China, Myanmar, South Korea, and Vietnam).
Work in the Programs office can vary immensely. Basic responsibilities of the job include administrative work such as drafting emails, formatting documents, creating presentations, inputting data into spreadsheets, organizing and coordinating participants and events, administering surveys, gossiping by the water cooler, taking photographs, posting on social media, and acting as a liaison between XA, its partner agencies (like Greenheart), and the TESOL program participants.
12:00: Break for Lunch There are so many great options for grabbing lunch near Soi 43, but perhaps the greatest of them all is “The Corner Lady,” so-called because her eatery sits on a corner, around the corner, (make that three corners,) from the office. Here you will find some of the best (and cheapest) Thai food around. Lunch will cost you an average of 40 baht, and my favorite dish by far has to be the pad see ew.
13:00: Resume Work Okay, so it sounds like a pretty typical office job so far…but working in Thailand is not without its benefits! Every month, a new group of TESOL participants fly in from all over the world to participate in XA’s Teach in Thailand Program. That makes for plenty of time spent out of the office coordinating participants and helping to ensure things run smoothly – a great opportunity to share your acquired wisdom and learn from fellow travelers!
The program kicks off with a week of cultural excursions, which include activities such as kicking-ass in Muay Thai class, visiting a local pineapple Farm, feeding the elephants at Hutsadin Elephant Foundation, shopping and exploring a local Thai market, learning how to cook your own somtam and pad Thai, meditating with a Buddhist monk, hiking up the Khao Tao temple, and running with the pack at Rescue Paws. As an intern, you have the opportunity to join in all the fun!
17:30: End of Work Day Which is really just the beginning.
You live in Thailand; the possibilities are endless! Grab a beer with your new friends, or watch the sun set from a rooftop. Walk to the beach. Take a kite-surfing lesson. Enjoy a Thai massage. Go shopping for clothes and goodies at the mall, or practice your language skills at the night market. Watch a movie at the Cineplex. Hop the bento bars on Soi 55. Go dancing at the club. Try a new restaurant. Explore a new neighborhood. Make a new friend. Play with your local street dog(s) or cat(s). Relish the moment. Take pictures of everything. Write a blog post about how awesome your life is.
It was a scorching Sunday morning in Hua Hin Thailand when four of us XA staff members set out to Khao Takiab to volunteer with Rescue Paws, a non-profit institution that’s been fighting the good fight for street dogs in Thailand since 2013 If you’ve ever been in Thailand during the hot season you’ll know what I mean when I tell you it was utterly boiling and this particular Sunday was, the kind of day that burned you within 5 minutes, would leave you drenched in sweat, and strips you of all your energy.
We had mission though, our goal today was to volunteer at Rescue Paws, a non-profit institution that’s been fighting the good fight for street dogs in Thailand since 2013. They’re doing an amazing job providing vaccinations, surgery, adoptions, food, and affection to these beautiful creatures. Their main goal is to reduce the ever growing population in Thailand, as well as educate locals on how to adequately care for dogs in their possession or area. They are an incredible organization and having the opportunity to assist them in any way, as well as spend a day caring for and learning about the dogs in their care, is worth dealing with much more discomfort than we had to endure on that sweltering day.
Brian, Kristine, Brittany and I ventured out there on this particular day, and man did it kick off from the moment we got there. As we arrived all of the dogs came trampling towards us in a not so harmonious greeting. We were smothered with licks, rubs, barks, and yelps all at the same time, each dog demanding your undivided attention despite the fact that you’re supposed to be cleaning everything up and ensuring that the conditions are spic and span.
Sprite (formally known as Half-Pipe, who also happens to be my favourite), is outside, settled into his doggie wheelchair, barking, playing, and nestling up to me, trying to get as close as he can. Sprite’s hindquarters are paralyzed and he has been through quite the turmoil in his short time here. If you had seen this pup 6 months prior, you would not believe the change in him. At that point you could barely approach him. He was scared, over protective of everything around him, and he snatched at food like he’d quite possibly never eat again. Thanks to the breath-taking passion of the Rescue Paws staff, he’s been transformed. With his new name came a change in behavior; he’s friendly, playful, and you can feed him out of your hands without fear of losing a digit. I am in awe of the magic that happens at this place.
Soon the greetings had been done and it was time to get to work. The job for today was to ensure that all of the dogs from the kennels were given a run around. As a result of lack of funding, Rescue Paws are unable to build more spacious kennels, as well as a recovery section, which they are desperately trying to raise money for. The dogs are kept in smaller kennels, when there are enough volunteers they get to be taken to the beach. As you can imagine, they’re quite the excited bunch when they see you approaching. All dogs need exercise, and these pups love it as much as any other.
Kristine approached the kennel gate first, as she tried to open it a loud screech pierced the air and the gate fell right off its rusty hinges, clanged to the floor, and frightened everyone, humans and dogs alike. There’s barking and yelping as we desperately tried to put the gate back up and figure out whether we broke it or not. It turns out the gate had been broken a few days prior, if only these kinds of problems were avoidable huh?
Once the kennel gate scandal had passed, it was time to get the dogs out of the kennels, put collars and leads on them and start making our way through the exquisite temple grounds and down to the beach for a run, jump, swim, whatever they wish.
Forgetting the previously mentioned gate issue, we started opening kennel doors as usual so the dogs could mingle before we headed out, only this time their mingling included darting out the front gate and disappearing into the temple grounds. Take a second here to imagine the excitement of any dog you’ve had the privilege of seeing, discover that sweet taste of freedom and you get a small picture of the escapee madness we were now confronted with.
Needless to say it took us a good long while to track down the runaway pups, complete with lots of clapping, whistling, and shameless coaxing . The noise was endless, with shouts and barks being carried through the air and all of us frantically running after giddy dogs in the scorching heat. It was a sight to behold, I tell you.
Thirty minutes later, after gathered all the pups, we began our relatively paced meander towards the edge of the temple, where the ancient old steps meet the sandy beach front. The sun glistening off the water, barely a breeze in the air, and the ocean dead quiet – until we got there. We released the dogs, and they bolted down the steps, heading straight for the water, heads bobbing up and down as they bounded across the sand. You have never seen a bunch of happier dogs in your life.
We ran with them on the beach, through the water, back up the bank. We sat back and watched them play with each other in the sand, picking up fish that had washed up on the shore, teasing and goading one another before sprinting off again to devour their newfound morsel.
It was exhilarating to watch these dogs having the time of their lives, and knowing that without Rescue Paws, they may not have made it this far. They were happy, healthy, well-fed, loved, and looked after. Even if you are not an avid dog lover as I am, I promise that if you were in that moment, it would be impossible to escape the overwhelming appreciation that an organization like Rescue Paws exists.
The rest of the day ran smoothly. We ensured that all the dogs had their run on the beach, cleaned their kennels and hosed them off before putting them back in. They were utterly spent, which meant feeding time was a breeze. They quietly sat there while we gave them each their allotted amount of food, some medication disguised with a healthy portion of wet food (they were none the wiser) and made our way back to the main clinic. Here we got to play with a few puppies that were dropped off a week or so ago. Things don’t get much better than a litter of puppies swarming you as you sit near them, biting everything in sight, licking you, biting each other, barking rather pathetically, and with more energy than one could ever imagine. It was the perfect end to an incredible day.
At the end of it all, just another day at Rescue Paws. I know that some are harder than others, and some come with tears of sadness while others with tears of utter joy. Regardless of the events of the day, every volunteer walks away feeling hopeful and optimistic about the world, knowing they have made a difference in the life of at least one creature. There’s no better way to end a day than that.
Sawadee pee mai! Songkran is a Thai New Years festival with a long history. Teaching in Thailand gives you an incredible opportunity to soak up the culture and get involved in these local events. Our TESOL graduate Brian tells us what it was like to take part in Songkran, which despite being an ancient tradition, hasn’t lost its appeal today.
Sawadee pee mai! I recently had my first Songkran experience. Back in the day, the tradition was to take some scented water and pour it over a statue of the Buddha. The water was then saved and poured onto loved ones as a blessing. That is not how it went down on Wednesday.
The modern Songkran festival in Thailand is a nationwide super-soaker, bucket-dumping splash fest of epic proportions. The new tradition seems to be to soak everybody you see in a tsunami of unrelenting bucket water. Literally everyone is involved and nobody is off limits. See that police officer over there? Yep, you can splash him too. That sweet little ol’ grandma on the street, you better watch out because she has a bucket of ice-water hiding under that shawl, and she’s gonna get you good.
What’s great about Songkran is that everyone is in such good spirits. People come around with wet chalk and camphor and gently rub it on your cheek as a sign of good will. The camphor burns like minty freshness on the skin, and combined with the shock of the ice-cold water it keeps your heart skipping to the crazy tune of Songkran all day. Likewise, everybody is smiling and wishing you a happy new year. You can’t help but get into the spirit of this wet and wild Thai holiday, which is exactly how I felt at XploreAsia’s Songkran get-together on Wednesday afternoon.
The day was hot and the sun was unrelenting. Dozens of XploreAsia teachers and teachers-in-training came by in their best Songkran themed floral island-shirts, tank-tops, and colorful shorts. Some carried super-soakers that had backpack attachments, some had buckets, and some only brought their wavering sense of security, but all were dry and that was soon about to change. The first buckets of water started pouring from one giant man carrying one giant bucket, and the screams that followed were hilarious to behold. I couldn’t help but crack a wide smile myself before someone behind me dumped a bucket of ice-water on my head and sent me running like a frightened squirrel. Oh it was on! My little water gun never pumped so fast! Streams of icy water streaked through the air like zooming projectiles in a war zone. Waves of double-team bucket attacks would come out of nowhere.
Every time you needed to refill you left yourself vulnerable to a sneak attack, so you had to keep your senses sharp. A Thai family a couple of meters down the street were overseeing a barrel of the coldest water that was ever your misfortune to experience. I’m not sure what type of magic they were doing on that thing but it was so icy that I had to summon up courage every time I wanted to get a refill. It was worth it though, to see your victims scream and jump as you poured the frigid water down their backs. Oh, they will remember that shock for the rest of their lives.
Trucks drove by with families and extended families throwing water and shooting super-soakers. Smiling faces walked by with bowls of wet chalk and smeared the colorful paste on your face like a monk’s blessing. Foreigners and Thai people alike shared the streets and washed the heat of the day away in a bath of smiles and good vibes. As the afternoon progressed, XploreAsia staff brought out food o’plenty for us rascals and laid it out in our dry area where we could lounge around and eat in peace.
The food was good, the company was great, and the memories will be cherished. I raise my bucket to you Thailand, once again you have shown me the time of my life.
Written by: Brian Mule
If you want an authentic experience of Thai culture, why not look into becoming a teacher? Not only can you make the difference to hundreds of children in the community, you can also get paid whilst you travel and finiance your own international adventure! We make sure our teachers are ready to take on the world with our in-class internationally accredited TESOL course that gives them the tools to be a confident English teacher in Thailand. Start your adventure today!
If you can look past the cheesy click-bait title, I’d like to share with you a deeply held belief about the impact we all have on each other. Even in times where you feel insignificant or small, you are in fact changing the world each moment, a little bit at a time. Your very presence is influencing those around you. We all swim in the same pool. The way we move in it, even subtly, creates ripples in the water that can extend to all of us. Often times this impact goes unseen, but it is held secretly in the hearts and minds of those you’ve touched to blossom later in time. Let me demonstrate this through a story:
When I first started teaching English at my placement I went into it with the belief that I generally did not make any difference. My actions reflected that. If I was tired I would show up and not put in any effort, or prepare adequately for a lesson. I did this believing that ultimately it didn’t make much of a difference to the kids. The honesty of children was the mirror that allowed me to see the impact I was really having.
I remember one day a fight broke out between a girl and a boy, both of them started crying. I had to take them outside and talk to them about being nice to each other and about forgiveness. I gave them both a hug, when I went back inside to the classroom I gave the rest of the students the same talk, emphasizing kindness and forgiveness. The rest of the period had a special air about it and I watched as the boy and girl who had been fighting smiled at each other and worked together to complete a project. The whole class seemed to have undergone a collective shift in spirit, from rowdy and pushy to kind and cooperative. A few simple words impacted the attitude of an entire classroom for the rest of the day.
It can be even more subtle than that, and I continue to be stunned by how my smallest actions and attitudes have a deep and lasting impact on the students. On a day that I was particularly exhausted, after giving a half-hearted and half-assed presentation on communication I saw the students begin to put their heads down and look genuinely disheartened. I instilled in them the spirit of apathy that I appeared to have.
At that moment I realized how simply my presence, my energy, had a huge impact on the minds of these children. From then on I went into every class with a clearly displayed interest in their learning and a visible excitement that would emerge every time a student raised their hand. Over time I saw that this renewed spirit changed the attitudes of those in class, and they too found joy and energy in learning and participating.
These students taught me that to see change in the world, you have to become the change, and in that way we all affect each other. Our very spirit colors the waters of those around us, and collectively we shape each other’s development. Teaching English to in Thailand has revealed to me how deeply we influence one another. The children that were my students actually became the teachers that would further develop me into a conscious and socially aware person. We all DO make a difference. With every moment and every action we have the potential to change the trajectory of lives.
So let me tell you about this crazy adventure known as the “Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages course” (or TESOL, for short). It all begins as soon as you step onto the ground floor at the airport in Bangkok. XploreAsia arranges for an airport pickup in one of their spacious, air conditioned vans (groovy, right?) and brings you straight to your temporary accommodation where you can meet up with all your co-teachers and friends-to-be.
After some rest and relaxation, the journey to becoming a TESOL certified teacher begins. This process is filled with both essential information and training for becoming an effective teacher, as well as a cultural orientation that involves sights and experiences that give you an intimate look into the face of Thailand. From a gorgeous mountain-top Buddhist temple, a pineapple plantation, to an elephant sanctuary where you actually get to FEED the elephants pineapples, you will find yourself falling in love with this tropical country. But let’s not forget the most important part: learning the art of teaching. Let’s get into the details:
The Cultural Orientation
The cultural orientation experience includes in-class learning and in-the-field excursions to an amazing variety of exotic locations. The orientation begins with a series of animated and engaging lectures on Thai culture and politics by Michael Volpe. He gives you the low-down on the customs, politics, history, and taboos of the nation.
These discussions are followed by some stunning field trips that expose you to the look and feel of Thai geography and culture. The trip to the mountain-top temple on the beach was a deeply calming and spiritual experience. After climbing up the gnarled and winding steps carved into the mountain, I sat under an ornate stone gazebo that lay at the foot of a giant, golden meditating Buddha statue. I just sat there listening to the soft whisper of the waves and the breath of the wind, and it was beautiful. Likewise, going to the pineapple plantation and collecting pineapples to feed elephants was equally inspiring.
It was amazing to behold such giant and powerful creatures that could crush you in an instant, yet had the ability to be so gentle when they took the pineapple out of your hands with their trunks.
Now, I’m not trying to scare you, but you have to fight a Muay Thai boxer and survive in order to pass the orientation. Just kidding, you don’t have to survive. But seriously, XploreAsia offers an exciting Muay Thai boxing lesson with REAL Muay Thai specialists! The realest of the real! They’re actually Thai! And if you enjoy physical activity or martial arts this excursion offers a safe and respectful learning environment to practice Thailand’s most famous martial art.
These excursions are all topped off with Thai language classes that will help you learn how to speak like the locals. Upon completion of the course, you will be welcomed to your new TESOL certified world with a beautiful beach barbeque and ceremony with all your new friends!
Let’s take a look at the course itself.
The TESOL Course
The TESOL course is taught by individuals who have been on the front lines of teaching. They are seasoned with real-life experience and are here to guide you in everything from setting up a bank account, to finding a placement, to teaching a classroom full of children. The course itself has been hugely instrumental in my ability as a teacher and has equipped me with the tools to navigate the teaching environment. The course includes:
Teaching theory and different teaching methods
How to structure a lesson plan and curriculum
How to teach language skills
Classroom management techniques
What various age groups mean and school expectations
CAMP!
Notice the “Camp” there in all caps? Yeah, pretty eye-catching isn’t it. Well this event will probably be one of the most exciting of the entire course. After weeks of training and practice lessons in the security of your TESOL cocoon, you will dive into the wild waters of an actual Thai school! Don’t worry, mama bird will be nearby to help you fly if you need it, but you will mostly be making your own lessons for the 2-day camp with your partner and then letting it loose upon several classrooms filled with adorable Thai children. This is the testing grounds that will catapult you into teaching readiness. I am so grateful that the camp was part of the curriculum because not only did it prepare me like nothing else could, but it also was huge relief from the emotional burden of doubt.
After actually experiencing a Thai classroom I realized that the students aren’t sharks hungry for my tears, they are in fact mostly cooperative and polite students who only occasionally need to be reminded to be respectful. This allowed me to go into the first day of my new job as a TESOL teacher with confidence and knowledge.
Another in our series of blog posts by Xplore Asia Teachers. Thanks to Kelsey Madison for letting us share.
I have now successfully finished teaching my second week of classes, have a mode of transportation, and paid my rent. This all means that it is time to explore Phetchabun! I am so eager to see all of the wonderful things that this province holds. This past weekend a little group of us teachers decided to adventure 30 minutes outside of town to a little local waterfall hidden away that was actually found on accident by a previous teacher when they were looking for the airport.
The scooter ride there, in itself was nothing short of jaw dropping. We buzzed by fields upon fields of foliage, wilderness, rice patties, tamarind and who knows what else but it was all such vibrant shades of green I was in awe. In the background of these beautiful patches were insanely huge white puffy clouds and below, silhouettes of large mountains in the distance.
Once we arrived, and biked through a small little creek we parked and went the rest of the way on foot. We crossed a bridge made of three stalks of bamboo, waded through some water and eventually made it to our destination. It was a peaceful spot, where no other people were except a very mangy dog that had followed us, he looked like he had seen some better days, but regardless it was beautiful. White water cascaded down a multitier rock formation and flowed down into a little swimming hole. Bamboo shoots and leafy greenery surrounded us, and as we swam it actually began to rain as well. It was such a serene moment.
After the waterfall we motor-biked up to a nearby reservoir, which had the most beautiful views of the surrounding area, the pictures I took don’t do it justice at all. There were mountains on mountains all covered in trees, the light shone through the clouds and was the perfect shade of gold. Just as I thought it couldn’t have gotten any prettier, dragonflies and butterflies, hundreds of them surrounded us. Then out of nowhere a rainbow emerged out of the already miraculous view. It was an unreal experience.
Story by Kelsey Madison. You can read about more of her adventures at https://kelsey-madison.squarespace.com/
My wife and I are calling Hua Hin, Thailand, home for a couple months. I’m working as an intern for Xplore Asia and Amy earned her TESOL certification. Of course, part of goal in coming here was travel. Chiang Mai and Angkor Wat in Cambodia came up high on Amy’s list. Below are my thoughts on this adventure.
Before I continue, I wasn’t familiar with Angkor Wat when Amy put it on the must-do list. I knew two things, there were temple ruins and they were located in the opposite direction of our trip’s ultimate destination, Chiang Mai. Being a typical guy, I whined a bit about cramming too much into too little time. As you can guess, I lost and Cambodia was added to our itinerary.
Thank the gods, I was out voted. Angkor Wat is a place not to be missed. Let’s get on to the story.
Amy did the research and found a flight to Siem Reap, the city close by the Angkor Wat ruins. BTW, Amy’s a good shopper and found the best deals on Air Asia. The flight from Bangkok was quick, up and down in an hour.
The Airport at Siem Reap was fantastic. Very modern and customs was a snap. They process your Visa on the spot. NOTE: Make sure and have a couple passport style pictures for your Visa application. The cost of the visa was $30 US.
Interestingly, US currency is the payment of choice in Siem Reap and Angkor Wat. Don’t convert to Cambodian Reils and make sure you have plenty of one dollar bills (US). Lot’s of things cost a buck or two.
There are a lot of hotel options in Siem Reap. From refined luxury like Raffels Grand Hotel to simple hostels, they have it all. We found a cheap and cheerful place that worked fine for our budget lifestyle. I’d say, look for a place closer to the downtown/night market region… it’s better for nightlife fun.
We set up a group tour to the Angkor Wat ruins. I’d advise getting a guide. We would have missed a lot of cool info and history. There are two basic options for the day long tour… sunrise or not. We were not up to a 6:00 am departure so we took a 8:30 start that lasted into mid-afternoon.
We visited 3 of the temples. For us it was enough. One of our tour mates was staying on for a few days and planned on seeing closer to a dozen. Each of the four we saw was radically different and remarkable.
FYI: Angkor Wat is the catch all name for the area but it is also the name of one of the many sites. Yeah, a bit confusing.
We visited…
Angkor Wat: Quite a stunning piece of Hindu and Cambodian history. You can see they were once the rulers of SE Asia by the scope of their religious cities.
Bayon Temple: Located within the ancient city of Angkor Tom, it is known for its many faces of the king and massive structures.
Ta Prohm: Known for the colossal trees that appear to grow right out of the rocks and stones of the temple.
I’ve hot linked to online info about each of these temple sites verses giving full descriptions of each. I do have to say I was most blown away by Ta Prohm. Many of you would recognize it from the Laura Croft Tomb Raider movie. All I can say is it was magical, like a Disney movie, only real.
The evening after our tour we spent time exploring Siem Reap. Since Amy has a background in international travel we took a Tuk Tuk ride to Raffles. It is considered one of the World’s premier hotel chains. It was sweet and we felt like prosperous European travelers having a cocktail in the bar.
Next we were off to the Night Market. We’ve been to night markets in China and Thailand but this one was very different. Most night markets are what I’d call “pop-up” events. Seim Reap’s market is much more formal with flooring, deep aisles, lots of color and dramatic lighting. The real treat was the variety and quality of the merchandise. Many night markets are filled with trinkets, food and the same clothing aisle after aisle. Seim Reap’s Angkor Market had lots of unusual and artsy items. Make sure check this out.
We flew out the next day going back to Bangkok and then on to Chiang Mai. Perhaps another day in Seim Reap would have been fun, yet we got a good taste of the town and ruins in our 1.5 days in country. Below is a slide show/movie of the trip. Hope it gives you a taste of the adventure.
Depending where you are housed, you may have the luxury of walking to work every day; but here on Soi 94 we prefer to sleep in and take the songtao (taxi bus). A green one or a white one will do (I prefer the white ones, as they will take you all the way for just 10 baht; whereas the green ones stop at the market, and will cost you 20 baht to go the full route). You can ask them to stop right at Soi 43, but if you take my advice, you’ll keep going till you hit Soi 39 for
It was a scorching Sunday morning in Hua Hin Thailand when four of us XA staff members set out to Khao Takiab to volunteer with Rescue Paws, a non-profit institution that’s been fighting the good fight for street dogs in Thailand since 2013 If you’ve ever been in Thailand during the hot season you’ll know what I mean when I tell you it was utterly boiling and this particular Sunday was, the kind of day that burned you within 5 minutes, would leave you drenched in sweat, and strips you of all your energy.
Sawadee pee mai! I recently had my first Songkran experience. Back in the day, the tradition was to take some scented water and pour it over a statue of the Buddha. The water was then saved and poured onto loved ones as a blessing. That is not how it went down on Wednesday.
I have now successfully finished teaching my second week of classes, have a mode of transportation, and paid my rent. This all means that it is time to explore Phetchabun! I am so eager to see all of the wonderful things that this province holds. This past weekend a little group of us teachers decided to adventure 30 minutes outside of town to a little local waterfall hidden away that was actually found on accident by a previous teacher when they were looking for the airport.
After the waterfall we motor-biked up to a nearby reservoir, which had the most beautiful views of the surrounding area, the pictures I took don’t do it justice at all. There were mountains on mountains all covered in trees, the light shone through the clouds and was the perfect shade of gold. Just as I thought it couldn’t have gotten any prettier, dragonflies and butterflies, hundreds of them surrounded us. Then out of nowhere a rainbow emerged out of the already miraculous view. It was an unreal experience.
was most blown away by Ta Prohm. Many of you would recognize it from the Laura Croft Tomb Raider movie. All I can say is it was magical, like a Disney movie, only real.