What inspired you to travel abroad?
I’ve always dreamed of seeing more of the world, but life just kept me busy with work and raising kids.
Once I retired, I finally had the time, and I thought, “Why not do something good while I travel?” I’ve always loved English and helping people, so volunteering to teach English felt like a good fit.
Why did you choose TEFL Hero?
I chose TEFL Hero because the course was made by teachers. They answered a lot of the questions that I had about moving to Thailand and helped me find agencies that were looking for volunteer English teachers.
I’ve never taught in a classroom before, so I was nervous about what to expect and how I’d do living in a new country.
Boat time
What was your favorite part about Chiang Mai?
I volunteered to teach English at a small school in Chiang Mai for two weeks. The children were so amazing, and I loved my experience learning more about Thai culture.
The owner of the school was so welcoming and invited the volunteers over for dinner on the weekend, and his mother cooked the most delicious meal for us.
What made your experience abroad extraordinary?
I was nervous to travel abroad on my own, and I had never been to Asia before. But once I landed in Chiang Mai, I absolutely fell in love with the city and the people.
I didn’t know a lot about Thailand before looking to teach abroad, and I found the people to be so warm and friendly. The country is beautiful. After teaching, I visited the beaches, and they were so beautiful.
How did the local program staff support you throughout your program?
The volunteer agency provided me with accommodation during my two weeks volunteering at the school. They gave us lunch when we were teaching and organized activities for us on the weekend.
It was really nice to have this support because I would not have known how to find my own place to stay near the school.
Big mug in a small town in the Appalachians
What's one thing you wish you would have done differently during your time abroad?
I wish I had learned more Thai before arriving because a lot of locals did not speak English well, and some of my students were very young. I had trouble teaching them without any Thai knowledge.
I think knowing more Thai would have been helpful, and I could have had a bigger impact on the students with it.
Describe what a typical day in your life abroad looked like.
I had breakfast at my homestay and walked to the school, which started at 8 a.m. I prepared some materials for the classes and looked over the resources they had already given me for my lessons.
I taught one or two classes in the morning, and then we had school lunch at noon. These lunches were free for volunteers, and we ate with the students. School ended at 3, and then I would stay for a little longer to say goodbye to the students.
What did you enjoy doing in your free time abroad?
The volunteering agency organized a Thai cooking class for the volunteers. We went to the market and bought the vegetables and meat, and then cooked four amazing Thai meals.
We made noodles, soup, curry, and mango sticky rice. One of the girls there was a vegetarian, so I also got to try the tofu she made.
What type of accommodation did you have? What did you like best about it?
I had my own room at a family’s house near the school. There was no air conditioning, which was okay because it was not very hot at the time.
We shared a bathroom, and they cooked me breakfast and dinner. They only spoke a little English, but they were so welcoming to me and made my stay feel really special.
What is one thing every future participant should know about your program before their program begins?
I think everyone is nervous before teaching for the first time—I know I was! But I quickly learned that everyone wants you to do well, and especially when you are volunteering, there aren’t as many expectations that you will be the best teacher from day one.
I already took a TEFL course to prepare me to teach, so I think that helped me feel more confident that I could do a good job.
I love trying new foods
Would you recommend TEFL Hero to others? Why?
I would recommend TEFL Hero if you want to teach abroad. The staff are so helpful and answered the questions I had.
There’s a lot of information in the course, and I had questions about how to use some of the materials in the lesson. They answered me quickly and were so helpful, especially in helping me find volunteer schools.
What do you feel the biggest benefit of traveling abroad is?
There are so many! But I’d say the biggest one is it opens your heart—you meet people so different from you, but they are also similar.
It makes you realize how big and beautiful the world really is. And for me, it’s helped me feel young again, like I’ve still got so much to learn about others. I hope I can go back to Thailand and teach again.
Now that you're home, how has your time abroad impacted your life?
It’s changed me, no doubt about it. I came home with a new sense of patience and gratitude—little things don’t bother me like they used to.
I still think about my students every day, their smiles, and how hard they tried. I feel so lucky that I got to teach in Thailand, and I think more people would benefit from seeing how other people live and think.
What does meaningful travel mean to you?
Meaningful travel isn’t just about seeing sights or taking pictures. I think it’s about connecting with people, sharing stories, and being part of something bigger than yourself.
It’s when you leave a place feeling like you gave something, not just took something. Teaching in Thailand did that for me. It filled my heart in a way other vacations never did.
