From Pinterest Dreams to Thai Classrooms – Ciara’s Story

Tell us a bit about yourself! What’s your background, and what inspired you to teach abroad?

I graduated from DCU in 2021, a post-covid world. I spent most of my time creating pinterest boards of where I wanted to go. Moved to Canada for two years and returned in 2024. I didn’t quite know how, but I knew I was going to live and work in Asia. At age 24 I began solo travelling around Europe, but I knew I needed to immerse myself in South East Asian culture. So, at 25, I signed up to TEFL and decided to take the plunge and make my pinterest board come to life and start teaching in a Thai classroom. 

What made Thailand your destination of choice? Had you ever been to Asia before?

It’s actually my first time in Asia. I knew if I was going to move across the world I was going to try and make it stick (it’s a long way to travel to have to come back in a few months). During my research it was quite a hard decision to pick where I wanted to work and live. There were many factors involved in making my decision but ultimately there are few countries in the world where you can experience crystal blue water, white sand beaches, lush jungles, mountains and city life all in one location. Not to mention tourists often comment on the welcoming nature of Thai people, and this nation has more than lived up to their ‘land of smiles’ label. 

What type of students do you teach, and what is your typical day like as a TEFL teacher in Thailand?

I teach M1 and M2 students, Mathayom is the Thai schooling system (essentially secondary school aged students – between 12-14 years old). I teach 25 classes per week, 50 minutes each lesson, with typically 40 students in each class. At first it was daunting, it was my first time being in a classroom since I myself was a student. The students are of mixed levels, varying from basic level English to fluent. It feels like each class I teach has their own personality and mood, but you soon catch on to the momentum over the weeks. My typical day required me to clock into school before 8AM. After the morning assembly I would go to my office and greet all the teachers. 8.30AM was the beginning of the school day. I taught between 4-6 classes a day as part of the ECD (English Communication Development) program. School day finished at 4pm.

Whats one thing about teaching abroad that caught you by surprise or that you weren’t fully prepared for?

I was truly quite intimidated about the idea of teaching Thai students. What expectations did they have of me? Would they understand me? Would they learn anything from me? Of course all of my fears were internalised, the reality of it all was my students just wanted to enjoy English class. Yes there were communication barriers, thankfully there is nothing that hand gestures, slowed speech and the odd use of google translate that can’t be solved. I believe my students did learn from me. At the beginning of the semester they were too shy to play games or even speak in class. By the end we were able to play games, laugh together and study new words, they even taught me some Thai! In short, I thought that teaching in Thailand would just be a means to travel, but I actually believe it unlocked a new side of myself, one that wanted to slow down and enjoy the sabai sabai pace of life. I really loved being a teacher here, working made me happy. 

Have you had the chance to explore Thailand? What are some of your favourite places you’ve visited so far?

I came to Bangkok in October 2025. I completed my orientation and headed straight to my region in north east Thailand (Isan – Nongkhai). We had many long weekends and breaks during the school semester. I have been traveling with other teachers, we’ve ticked off quite a few spots. Namely, Chiang Mai for New years, Udon Thani, Khon Kaen, Sandkhom and my personal favourite, Chiang Khan. Chiang Mai was incredible, it has the city vibe of Bangkok but with a more relaxed pace, plenty to do from cooking classes, yoga retreats, temple hopping, beautiful parks and an array of cafe’s. Chiang Khan was a personal favourite of mine. A little off the beaten track, 10 of us drove there in a pickup truck, driving through winding roads and small villages. It’s a small town mostly built of wood so it has that old timey feel. We went to mountain view points and explored cafes and restaurants along the Mekong river promenade. 

How do you spend your freetime outside of teaching?

I live in Nongkhai, just on the border of Laos. A town nestled on the Mekong river. We’ve found plenty to do here. I rented a motorbike to get around (best decision I could’ve made), we go swimming at the local pool, cafe hopping (thailand has an abundance of cafe’s), I like to walk by the river, I also recently took up Muay Thai training (super fun and very beginner friendly), I join Zumba classes in the park at sunset or meet the other teachers for Mookata (must-try) and karaoke. There is no shortage of night markets and community events, I’ve always felt very welcomed. 

How have you found the cost of living compared to your expectations?

Before I moved to Thailand I was very apprehensive at the thought of living on a salary almost half of minimum wage at home. It’s one of the realities you can’t predict the outcome until you’ve lived it. I can speak to my experience in that I live comfortably in a rented apartment, with a motorbike monthly rental, I eat out most days (it’s cheaper than eating at home) and travel outside of my town 1-2 times per month and I still have managed to save money for travelling during school break. So the cost of living is definitely lower than Ireland and even though I had expectations to try to save money I underestimated how much I would be able to spend enjoying life whilst still putting savings aside.

What is a must-visit place in Thailand that you’d recommend to future TEFL teachers?

I definitely recommend visiting Chiang Mai, there are less tourists than South Thailand, especially compared to Bangkok. It is easy to navigate, there’s so much to do and has that authentic Thai feel. I have since travelled south to Koh Samui, Koh Tao, Khao Sok, Phuket, Koh Yao Noi, Ao Nang (Railay Beach), Koh Phi Phi and Koh Lanta. Khao Sok is a spectacular display of nature, we stayed in floating wooden cabins. Definitely a must-see spot! Koh Tao is another favourite of mine, especially if you’re interested in Scuba diving.

What advice would you give to someone considering teaching in Thailand?

If you’ve read this far you’re already interested in moving to Thailand. Personally I would say follow your gut. My instincts were pulling me to teach in Thailand and I am so happy I did. I learned more about Thai culture here than if I was backpacking, I’ve made life long friends from across the world all whilst teaching the most gracious students English. I say just go for it, you will surprise yourself.

What has teaching in Thailand taught you about yourself that you didnt expect? 

I’m adaptable. It is quite a culture shock when you first move here. Personally, I’ve never even been to South East Asia, so on top of becoming a teacher for the first time, completing orientation, sorting documents and just basic moving essentials, I was quite overwhelmed. Be kind to yourself and others, be patient, expect things to go wrong. Most importantly, understand that nothing is unfixable.