Last year I packed up my life in Ireland, got on a plane and moved to Thailand to teach English. At the time, I had no idea what to expect. I’d never been to Asia before, I was moving to the other side of the world on my own, and although I was excited, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous. 

Fast forward six months, and I can honestly say it’s one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Has it all been perfect? Of course not. There have been challenges, moments of uncertainty and plenty of things to figure out along the way. But those challenges have also been some of the biggest learning experiences, and I genuinely feel like I’ve grown so much both personally and professionally since arriving here. 

If you’re thinking about teaching abroad, here are some of the biggest things I’ve learned during my first six months in Thailand. 

Looking back, I think the hardest part of this whole experience was actually getting on the plane. 

Once I arrived, everything slowly started to fall into place. Before moving here, I worried about absolutely everything. Would I make friends? Would I enjoy teaching? Would I settle into life in Thailand? Would I miss home too much? 

Those thoughts are completely normal, but what I’ve learned is that growth only really happens when you push yourself outside of what’s familiar. We had a welcome orientation in Bangkok before beginning School that helped massively. It gave everyone the chance to meet before heading to our schools, and because everyone was in exactly the same position, making friends happened much more naturally than I expected. 

One thing I’d say to anyone considering teaching abroad is to say yes to as much as you can during those first few weeks. Go for dinner with the other teachers, explore your local area, join weekend trips and don’t be afraid to introduce yourself to people. Everyone is looking to make friends, and before long you’ll have your own little community. 

Looking back, I think the hardest part of this whole experience was actually getting on the plane. 

Once I arrived, everything slowly started to fall into place. Before moving here, I worried about absolutely everything. Would I make friends? Would I enjoy teaching? Would I settle into life in Thailand? Would I miss home too much? 

Those thoughts are completely normal, but what I’ve learned is that growth only really happens when you push yourself outside of what’s familiar. We had a welcome orientation in Bangkok before beginning School that helped massively. It gave everyone the chance to meet before heading to our schools, and because everyone was in exactly the same position, making friends happened much more naturally than I expected. 

One thing I’d say to anyone considering teaching abroad is to say yes to as much as you can during those first few weeks. Go for dinner with the other teachers, explore your local area, join weekend trips and don’t be afraid to introduce yourself to people. Everyone is looking to make friends, and before long you’ll have your own little community. 

One of my biggest worries before arriving was whether I’d actually be a good teacher. Even with a TEFL qualification, there’s always that little voice wondering whether you’ll be able to stand in front of a classroom and actually do it, but you learn by doing. Your first lesson probably won’t be perfect, and that’s okay.

Every lesson teaches you something. You quickly learn how to explain things differently, how to keep students engaged and how to adapt when something doesn’t quite go to plan. 

One thing that’s really helped me is keeping lessons simple. It’s easy to overthink activities at the beginning, but I’ve found that clear instructions, interactive tasks and giving students plenty of opportunities to speak English work much better than trying to make every lesson overly complicated. I’ve also learned that confidence comes with experience. The things that felt intimidating during my first week now feel completely normal. 

One lesson plan can work brilliantly with one class and completely flop with another, that’s probably one of the biggest things teaching has taught me. 

I’ve taught different year groups, from younger secondary school students to older teenagers, and every class has its own personality. Some classes are loud, energetic and love answering every question while others are much quieter and need a little more encouragement before they’ll participate. 

The biggest skill I’ve developed is learning to read the room and adapt. Sometimes you’ll scrap an activity halfway through because you realise something else will work better. Sometimes students will surprise you with ideas you hadn’t even thought of. There’s no such thing as the perfect lesson! 

One of the reasons I chose teaching abroad instead of backpacking was because I wanted a balance between work and travel. I quickly realised that having a routine doesn’t stop you from exploring, it actually makes travelling even more enjoyable! 

Thailand has lots of public and religious holidays throughout the year, which often means long weekends and extra opportunities to travel. Then, of course, there are the school holidays. If you stay for another school year, you’ll also have a paid summer break, giving you even more time to explore Thailand or travel around Southeast Asia without worrying about finding another job when you return. 

For me, that’s one of the biggest advantages of teaching abroad. You have a stable income, somewhere to call home and still get to experience incredible places during your time off. 

Before moving to Thailand, I’d only ever imagined what it would be like to visit. Living here has been a completely different experience.

As a tourist, you tend to see the famous beaches, temples and attractions. They’re amazing, but they’re only one small part of Thailand. Living here has allowed me to experience everyday life in a way I never could have on holiday. 

I’ve discovered local cafés and markets, become familiar with my town, celebrated school events, experienced Thai traditions and built relationships with local people. 

If there’s one thing that has stood out to me the most, it’s the kindness of the people here. From the Thai teachers at school to local shop owners and people in the community, everyone has been so welcoming and patient while I’ve adjusted to life in Thailand. The support from the teachers at my school has made settling into the job much easier, and my students have made teaching such a rewarding experience. 

Before moving to Thailand, I thought the biggest thing I’d gain would be teaching experience. While that’s definitely true, I’ve realised I’ve developed so many other skills that I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life. Communication is probably the biggest one. 

When you’re teaching students whose first language isn’t English, you learn very quickly how to explain things in different ways, simplify information and communicate without relying on complicated language. I’ve also become much more adaptable. Things don’t always go according to plan, whether that’s changing a lesson at the last minute, solving problems as they arise or simply learning how to navigate life in another country. 

Teaching has also strengthened skills like organisation, time management and responsibility. There are deadlines for lesson planning, grading exams, uploading resources and preparing classes, so you quickly become very organised. The great thing is that these are all transferable skills, whether you continue teaching long-term or eventually move into another career, the confidence, communication skills and adaptability you develop are incredibly valuable. 

Moving abroad has probably taught me more life skills than I expected. Simple things like opening a bank account, organising visas, getting around on a scooter, visiting the doctor, shopping in another language or dealing with everyday situations all become learning experiences. Living in rural Thailand means English isn’t always widely spoken, so you quickly learn how to communicate in different ways. Sometimes it’s using a translation app, sometimes it’s pointing at things and sometimes it’s learning a few Thai phrases. You realise that you don’t actually need to speak the same language perfectly to communicate with people. It’s made me much more confident and much more independent than I was before I arrived.

If you’re considering teaching abroad but you’re feeling nervous, I’d say that’s completely normal. I don’t think anyone moves to the other side of the world without questioning whether they’re making the right decision, but if there’s one thing these past six months have taught me, it’s that the things that feel the most daunting are often the most rewarding. Teaching abroad has given me the opportunity to travel, experience a completely different culture, make lifelong friends and grow in ways I never expected. I came to Thailand because I wanted an adventure. What I didn’t realise was that I’d also find a routine I love, a community of amazing people and a second home. If you’re thinking about taking the leap, my advice would simply be to go for it.