Filipino Expats Community of Thailand Online

1,2,3...and Their Legacy

Written by Hedda Joy Tady-Tan

Thursday, 29 March 2007

Page 1 of 3

Cynthia and Helen

If you are a Filipino and you wanted to come to Thailand to work as a teacher, what would you need to have? What preparations would you need to do to make sure you become successful with your goal to land a job here?

And if you’re already here, and you wanted a better job, preferably in a high paying international school, what qualifications do administrators look for?

These are some questions we will answer in this article.

This is a story of three teachers who have been living and working in Thailand for the last 15 to 25 years. They offer insights from their own experiences, and a few nuggets of wisdom that have served them well, while working in an international school and molding the lives of future leaders of this country and the rest of the region.

This is their story....

Suzie:

How did you get here?

Suzie met a Thai gentleman when she was studying at a university in Luzon. She tutored him in English. They met in June 1977, and got married in September that same year. ‘Twas one of those whirlwind courtships kind of thing. But unlike most whirlwind romances, Suzie’s has been proven by the test of time. She’s been happily married the last 30 years.

How did you get a job at an international school?

July 22, 1979, Suzie came to Thailand with her husband. She first went to St. John’s in Lardphrao, but was told to come back in November since classes started already in May. But Suzie didn’t want to wait that long so she planned to go to ISB next. Being new to Thailand, she took a bus instead of a taxi for safety’s sake. Armed with a map of Bangkok since she has only been in Thailand for two days, she set forth for ISB. But somehow, she found herself instead in Soi Ruamrudee.

There, she met an American lady on the road, who told her there was an international school deep down the soi. She just had to walk a little further, Suzie was told. She did, and further on, she found a church. Being a Catholic, she was very happy about it, and so first, went into church to pray the rosary.

Afterwards, she went to find the school at the back of the church. At that time, she had two years experience as an administrator in the Philippines, and was a graduate of Master of Education with a major in Administration and Supervision. She had 16 years of teaching experience back home and she took her Master’s as a Magna Carta scholar. She was well equipped, to say the least.

When asked how much she was paid in the Philippines prior to coming to Thailand, Suzie replied, “500 pesos a month as a teacher and 800 pesos when I became an administrator.” Then she gave a hearty laugh. And she has every reason to because just after a 3-day try-out at that international school, she was given a cheque for 2,000 baht, and was told to report to work the following Monday.

Suzie photocopied the cheque and sent it to her mom back home. And that was the start of Suzie’s life in Thailand.

What advice would you give to other teachers who plan to work here, and to those who are currently looking for better jobs in Thailand?

“They should be Master’s degree holders, given the competition in the profession at present. They should have experience, are skillful and open-minded.”

“They should be Master’s degree holders, given the competition in the profession at present. They should have experience, are skillful and open-minded.”

Suzie also advises those who plan to go anyplace abroad to strengthen their spoken English skills before they leave home. “They should be technology proficient and are open to suggestions,” Suzie adds.

And while here, given that teachers live and work in a very competitive and challenging environment, Suzie emphasizes the need to update one’s skills. “Teachers should attend conferences,” she says.

What are you busy with nowadays?

Three years ago Suzie retired, after 25 years of service at that international school. It was her first and last job in Thailand. When she was first accepted for that job, her supervisor expressed a concern that she would leave and go to ISB after a few months. To that, this was Suzie’s reply:

“You were the first one to give me a job. I owe you loyalty.”

“You were the first one to give me a job. I owe you loyalty.”

On her last year before retiring, Suzie was receiving a six-figure gross salary from that school. A well-deserved pay in exchange for her loyalty, won’t you agree?

Suzie now has plenty of time to enjoy time at her farm, with her husband and family. She is still called on for work sometimes at Ruamrudee International School where she already retired from, and she likes it that way. She also spends time with her friends, Helen and Cynthia, at the movies, or at each other’s homes, sharing wonderful Filipino meals and a good chat about each other’s families and lives.

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