James Addeo

My name is James Addeo.  I'm from Albany, NY in the United States and graduated from Cornell University in 2001.  Though I majored in atmospheric science, I became more and more interested in teaching during my college years.  Because of this interest, I began working for Kaplan in Albany in 2003.  While working there, my manager presented me with the opportunity to work for Kaplan abroad.  I chose to come to Bangkok because of a general interest in travel and a recent increasing interest in Thai culture itself.  My year working at Kaplan in Bangkok has indeed been a positive experience. 

Firstly the working environment at both the Siam and Emporium branches has been great.  All of the workers here, from my fellow teachers to the staff and management, have been among the most pleasant and friendly people I have ever associated with.  This has created a calm and relaxed atmosphere that not only makes me look forward to coming to work, but also makes the students feel comfortable.  Moreover, I have been able to find support from others when needed, from the small issues to the large ones.  On the job, even during a busy time, there has always been a staff-member willing to help me locate important materials if I have trouble finding them.  If I've needed help in terms of lesson planning, I felt free to ask advice from more experienced teachers.  When it came to attaining a work-visa and permit, I was fully informed and supported the entire way. 

Secondly my interaction with the students has been one of the best aspects of my time here in Thailand.  Beyond simply learning the class lessons, many of my students have also been interested in exchanging life experiences and stories since our backgrounds are so different.  I have also received a lot of help learning Thai from my students!  At the present time, I still keep email contact with several students not only about academic progress but perhaps even just to chat or exchange photos.  The fact that such friendships can be gained from just a one to two-month course certainly adds extraordinary value to my job.

Finally, Kaplan in Bangkok generously goes above and beyond in an effort to create a close-knit team.  To explain, in just one year at this center, Kaplan has welcomed me to five different events outside of work, all of which were completely paid for by the company.  On three separate occasions, along with other staff, I was taken out for a lunch or dinner.  On another occasion, all staff and teachers were treated to a night of karaoke and bowling.  However, by the far the most wonderful activity was a three-day trip to Manork Island, a gorgeous beach location about 4 hours from Bangkok.  This trip was for a teacher and staff-run English camp for 30 students.  Therefore, it could be said that this was actually part of my job and not an "outside of work" event.  However, I am sure that everyone invited would agree the happiness and fun of this time far outweighed any feeling related to work.  In fact, it was one of the greatest times of my entire year here.  In terms of all of these mentioned events, this is a level of attention that I have not experienced at any other job. 

Moving to a foreign country to start a new job and a new life is indeed a challenging, and at times, stressful task.  However, this experience creates an entirely new person out of you.  It not only changes your vision of the greater outside world, but it also changes how you look at your very own home and even yourself as a person.  It's a change that I feel is quite difficult to put into words; one needs to experience it for oneself.  However, I can say that it's an experience that, if available, should certainly be seized. 

Sincerely,

James Addeo