What inspired you to work for XploreAsia?
I originally came through XploreAsia as a participant and completed the Teach Thailand program back in 2015. I taught for about two years before deciding I wanted to do something else. XploreAsia posted a job opening and I applied. Five years later, I'm still here working with XploreAsia; it was one of the best decisions I ever made.
With my Thai co-teacher when I taught Prathom 5 in Chonburi, Thailand
Describe a typical day at work.
I manage our Thailand, Vietnam, and Myanmar program so a typical day involves me answering emails from participants going to these countries about documents, visas, arrival processes, etc. I also work directly with the coordinators of all of these countries to ensure our programs are running smoothly and that all of our participants have an easy transition into their program.
Why do you do what you do?
I absolutely love working with people who want to travel and leave positive impacts in their wake. Traveling or living abroad I feel is the single-best thing anyone can do to learn more about themselves and the world around them. We are often in our own little corners of the world, but by getting out and traveling, we can open our eyes to more than what we learned growing up.
What is your favorite part of your job?
Hearing about how people's travel and work abroad experiences are going! I love to see pictures, videos, and hear stories of their experiences. Knowing they are having a great time, leaving positive impacts, and learning more about themselves and their new community is really rewarding. I'm happy to be part of their experience.
What advice would you tell your pre-travel self?
Not every day is going to be amazing, but if you can push through the hard days you'll come out the other side stronger and amazed at your own accomplishments. The hard days make you want to get on the next plane home, but you'll be so disappointed if you allow yourself to go home. Stick it out, push through the culture shock, and you'll be rewarded with incredible experiences.
A traditional Thai wedding in the north of Thailand
Why should someone choose XploreAsia over competitors?
Our goal is to facilitate life-changing experiences while allowing participants to leave positive, lasting impacts to the students, locals, and communities they come into contact with. We are with our participants every step of the way, from pre-arrival, while on course, and while on site at their program placement.
Our support and guidance ensures those on our programs feel safe and secure the entire way, while equipping them with cultural insights to help them transition into living and working abroad.
Exploring ancient temples in Bagan, Myanmar
What is XploreAsia’s mission and how do you continue to work toward it?
We are an organization dedicated to helping people discover the life-changing adventure of working and studying abroad.
XploreAsia was started by a group of dedicated Thai nationals and expatriates in Hua Hin, Thailand. This founding group possesses extensive work experience in the fields of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL, also known as TEFL) and international recruiting. More than that, the XploreAsia team shares a love and passion for teaching English and giving back to the community.
We wholeheartedly believe in the benefits of education, and what we provide to our clients and the communities in which they live and work.
We understand the challenges and rewards of teaching abroad because the majority of our staff have come to Asia, completed a TESOL / TEFL, and have taught here for many years.
It is because we know the positive and transformative effects of living and working in Asia that we are so dedicated to enabling more people to have this same experience.
What do you hope participants take away from your programs?
A new insight into the world around them. We hope our participants walk away with new-found knowledge about the world and about themselves. They will be shaped by the experiences they have while abroad, and we hope their experiences lead them on new paths to better themselves, their communities, and the world.
Why is it important for people to travel abroad and experience new cultures?
Getting out of your own bubble helps to open your eyes to the world around it. There are so many cultures different from our own and it's important to try to understand where people come from, what shapes them, etc. By having these experiences, hopefully you can understand people's differences but also understand similarities, too.
Visiting the Golden Bridge in Vietnam
What does meaningful travel mean to you?
Meaningful travel means being mindful of yourself while in a different country. Each culture has their own ways of looking at the world, and sometimes it can be difficult to understand why someone does something because it doesn't fit into your own perspective on the way the world works. Being mindful of cultural differences and respecting them, even if you don't always agree, is meaningful because you get to see the world as others see it.
How is your company handling Covid protocols? What should participants know about your Covid readiness? How are you assisting participants with navigating the new travel landscape?
We follow all the government mandated Covid-19 policies in all of our countries. We fully support any participant who tests positive for Covid-19 to ensure they feel safe and secure at all times. We make sure to update all participants in a timely manner when any Covid-19 regulations change.
