Be Like Jeff: Don’t Let Doubt Hold You Back—Start Teaching in Thailand and Live the BFITS Dream (Part 2)

If you are reading this, please note that this is Part 2 of my two-part series on ‘Don’t Let Doubt Hold You Back—Start Teaching in Thailand and Live the BFITS Dream.’ Please read Part 1 first for important details and back-story. When I left you last, I had informed you that I was working for BFITS and teaching at one of their partner schools.

But let me go back and flesh out the transition.

Introduction: Picking Up Where We Left Off

It started when I saw some BFITS advertisements online. I subsequently visited their website and resumed my research on teaching abroad. I had also seen other ads for other schools and agencies. I liked what I was seeing, but I could not forget my past experiences. I needed to be more vigilant.

Advice From Experienced Teachers in Thailand

I contacted two friends who have been involved in the teaching realm in Thailand. One for over 25 years as a teacher and in support administration. The other has been a teacher for more than 30 years and has served as director at many different schools. I knew they would be able to help me discern if I should apply with BFITS.

One told immediately that BFITS had a very good reputation as a great company. The other said they could check around and ultimately reported that BFITS looked legitimate and appeared to be a really good company. I really valued their experience—teachers in Thailand can definitely be an incredible source of guidance.

Taking the Leap to Teach in Thailand

I had arrived at the same conclusion and submitted an application. I still did not have a TEFL certification, but we will discuss that later. The communication with the Human Resources team from BFITS was very positive and beneficial.

During the COVID-19 lockdown in Phuket, I had applied and interviewed with a company similar to BFITS, but in China. The entire process with the other company was very different from that with BFITS. Firstly, I have never felt like a number or simply an applicant to the BFITS staff.

In stark contrast, the video interview with the other company for the position in China was awful. It felt like an interrogation, and not a single part of it seemed like they wanted to learn about their new teammate. I felt so demoralized following that interview in 2021. Choosing to teach in Thailand was a big decision, but one that felt increasingly right.

From Discouragement to a New Opportunity

In many ways, I am very happy about the problems with the companies in Bangkok and China. I had been exposed to how things should not be done. Truthfully, the phone interview with the Chinese company is precisely why I gave up wanting to teach abroad.

Leave it to BFITS to redeem the entire industry with just a few polite, welcoming, and supportive rounds of communication. From the initial acknowledgment of my application on the BFITS website to the follow-up emails to make certain the information I entered was correct, and finally scheduling the video interview, I was truly impressed.

Managing Expectations and Facing Doubts

Unfortunately, I was worried too. I felt the same excitement I had when I was conducting all my research six years ago. I also remembered the disappointment. Everything flooded back. Everything seemed so surreal again. I wondered if this was just going to be a repeat of days gone by. I explained the process to my friends and family again. They remembered, too.

I would not let my excitement get the better of me this time. I even planned to leave Thailand. I had found and interviewed for a job close to my mother in Montana. The start date was May 2nd, 2025. I would pack up my belongings and move back to the USA. It was clear that choosing to teach English in Thailand wasn’t a simple choice—it was a commitment to trust the process and hope for the best.

A Surprising Offer and a New Role

I continued with the interview process with BFITS, though. They were unaware of my doubts. During the video interview with Angel Ha, HR Manager of BFITS, I explained my past experiences trying to teach abroad. Still, I didn’t mention how skeptical I was about being able to teach in Thailand.

The hiring process with BFITS seemed to have its own inertia. It was even building up momentum. Before I knew it, they had a very specific position in mind for me. They told me about a demonstration school in Surat Thani. I would not be teaching English, though.

My Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration qualified me to teach Mathematics. I kept wondering if it was really going to happen. This just goes to show that there are so many ways to teach in Thailand, beyond the typical roles you might imagine.

My Tutoring Roots and Teaching Dreams

I did not allude to this before, but I started tutoring Math when I was fifteen in high school. The high school I attended had started a new tutoring program, and I tutored both math and science. In fact, I was the only Math and Science tutor in the entire school.

The tutoring did not stop in high school, though. I became a tutor in the math lab at the college and university I attended. I was even on the payroll as a paid tutor through the university’s tutoring office. I also informally tutored many of my classmates.

So, the BFITS decision to place me as a Mathematics teacher was a very welcome surprise. The entire situation just got better and better despite my reluctance to be too optimistic.

The Interview Process: Nerves and Encouragement

I was eventually asked to submit a teaching demonstration video to BFITS Thailand. I was sent a topic to teach and given a deadline to prepare and submit the video. I sent it off and awaited their response. As I waited, I looked at the bicycle shops in the area where I would be living in Montana. I did not want to try to transport my bicycle from Thailand to the USA, so I sold it. I was preparing to fit my life into a few suitcases again.

Angel, the HR Manager of BFITS, I mentioned earlier, messaged me after reviewing my submission. The video I submitted was apparently good. Good enough that the school wanted to see me teaching another lesson. Just do it again, I thought. The request did not seem encouraging, though.

The BFITS Thailand team was encouraging, but I had resigned myself to the reality of returning home to the USA soon.

Receiving the Offer and Making a Choice

I stayed upbeat in my communication with BFITS. They were upbeat and excited, so I felt obligated to reciprocate. My friends and family kept reminding me that my hat was still in the ring and not to give up. The word came about from the second demonstration video.

Angel then contacted me again to say that an employment offer and contract would be sent soon. My head spun. This could not have happened, but it did. After that, everything flew by. I received the contract. I forwarded it to my two friends in Thailand in education. I used to review employment contracts before, but I wanted to be certain because Thai law is different.

Everything looked standard, but better. Choosing to teach Math in Surat Thani, Thailand, became real in that moment—I was finally ready to sign on.

Settling In and Feeling at Home

Firstly, the BFITS contract was for twelve months, not ten. A ten-month contract is apparently standard. The other contract agreements are only written for the teaching calendar. Secondly, there were some perks that did not seem to be available with other employers. It seemed there was nothing left to do but sign it.

I signed and held on for what happened next. I had to shift gears and change directions. I was going to be staying in Thailand. I contacted my employer in Montana. They had already given me an employee number, and I had attended some online orientation events. I explained and apologized to them that I would not be working with them.

Then I started searching for accommodations in Surat Thani. It’s a reminder that teachers in Thailand often have to make big life changes, but the rewards can be life-changing, too.

Finding My Place in Surat Thani

I had lived in and knew three areas of Thailand. Bangkok, Phuket, and Chonburi were all well-known to me. I had traveled south on my bicycle through many provinces in 2021 as well. I had also been to Northern Thailand on my motorbike. Udon Thani, Khon Kaen, and Korat had been explored.

I had never been to Surat Thani, though. As I browsed online about my new area in Surat Thani, I became increasingly excited. The area looked great for cycling. The school, Satit School of Suratthani Rajabhat University (SRU)โรงเรียนสาธิตแห่งมหาวิทยาลัยราชภัฏสุราษฎร์ธานี, was on the Surat Thani Rajabhat University campus. All the pictures I found online looked amazing.

Teaching and Living the BFITS Dream

BFITS Thailand continued to deliver throughout the entire process. They collected my electronic copies of my documents. They walked me through every step with continued excitement to have me working as a new teammate with them. I have always felt like I belonged from the very beginning. I doubt I am the special case either.

At the company’s welcome orientation and training week in Bangkok, I met numerous other teachers who shared my sentiments. I am sure some have different experiences, but I have a profound respect for BFITS and their entire onboarding process. The momentum never stopped. I have now been through the whole placement process. BFITS helped me obtain my TEFL certification while I was in training in Bangkok. Some documentation with immigration and remaining work permit matters will be completed soon.

I am now a teacher at a wonderful school in Surat Thani and working for an excellent company. About two weeks ago, I felt settled enough to buy another bicycle. It took less than 24 hours after that for me to start my first weekend ride in the area. Tai Rom Yen National Park is on the southern border of Surat Thani Province.

That’s what made it real for me—seeing this new area on my bike. I am staying in Thailand as a Mathematics teacher. My cycling adventures continue. I love my students. I love BFITS. I love Thailand. I feel so very fortunate.

Stay tuned, there is more to come….