=
Congratulations!
The End (of the semester) is Near!
We have come to the end of the semester now! Hopefully, you've had an incredible journey being a teacher here in Thailand. OEG would like to express our thanks and appreciation to every single one of you for the hard work and dedication you have shown to your school, colleagues, and your kiddos. We hope this experience will become one of the successful challenges and valuable moments in your life. Whether you're going home or staying on for another semester, we hope you enjoy the break and stay safe! It's time to relax and unwind!!
For the teachers who will continue the teaching journey for one more semester, before completing your travel plans, make sure you talk to your coordinator about any scheduled activities during the break, as well as the date for the start of the 2nd semester. It's very important to ask your coordinator when you need to be back at school, as you may have staff or department meetings before the first day of classes that you need to attend.
Let us remind you that a NON-Immigrant B visa officially requires cancellation. Whether you want to continue travelling in Thailand or return home it is important to speak with your coordinator and school about how to cancel you work permit and visa correctly.
♦ Cancelling Work Documents:
After your contract ends, your school will need to find time to cancel the work permit and visa, this is legally required by the government, and they will need to do this shortly after your contract ends. Make sure you and your school are clear on the last day that your visa is valid until so you can make travel preparations and if necessary, you can go to immigration to cancel your documents with your school.
☀ Travel:
Whether this will be back to your home country or to a new one make sure to research your next steps. See the Department of State link below for all visa requirements in different countries.
If you wish to travel in Thailand further, you will need to obtain a new tourist visa. This will require you to exit Thailand and reenter on a 30-day tourist visa. You can do this by entering another country such as Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia etc and then re-entering Thailand.
Note: Flying in and out has been known to be much less hassle than using Land Border Crossings. At this time Land border crossings can be a bit chaotic so if you decide to use them plan ahead accordingly.
If you have any questions on onward travel make sure to reach out to us and we will happily help! ☺
A gentle reminder for teachers who are planning to travel outside of Thailand while still on a program
" RE-ENTRY PERMIT "
We will keep mentioning this topic over and over because it's extremely important! If you want to avoid accidental cancellation, make sure to get a re-entry permit before leaving the country.
If travelling outside of Thailand during your break remember to do a little research on your travel locations! A little preparation goes a long way when visiting other countries.
All questions can be answered using the Department of States website here.
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel.html
Enter the country name you wish to travel to and scroll down to visa requirements.
If you have any additional questions on places to go, sites to see or things to do during break ask!
The break is a few weeks ahead, but it's hot, humid, and still raining! ☂
As you can see on the news or social media lately, flash floods are almost everywhere in Thailand. It constantly rains, so you might need to stay indoors for a while!
Netflix binge-watching is one of the best options for spending time on a rainy day. In this issue, we proudly present the best 3 Thai movies on Netflix so you can experience Thai society and culture through their stories. LET's GO!
Bad Genius (2007) - Thriller/Heist -
"Lyn", a genius student who makes money by creating secret cheating tests code for her classmate, gets a new task leading her to a higher-risk mission in Sydney, Australia.
Pee Mak (2013) - Supernatural romantic comedy - horror -
"Nang Nak" is one of the most famous ghosts in Thailand. However, in this movie, the protagonist is Pee Mak, Nang nak's husband. It's a funny love story between a ghost wife, a human husband and his friends.
Shutter (2004) - Horror/Thriller -
After running over a young woman in a car accident, Jane and Tun, a couple, rush away from the crime scene. Soon after that, Tun, a photographer, discovers strange shadows in his photographs which concern him that the shadow is the vengeful spirit of the young woman.
The Vegetarian Festival is Around the Corner
Vegetarian Festival, Aka Nine Emperor Gods Festival, started long ago when the Chinese immigrated to countries in Southeast Asia. They brought their own culture to those countries, and local people began to embrace the culture not long after. Since then, this festival has become such a big deal in Thailand.
*Fun Fact: There is no Vegetarian Festival in China*
The full Thai name of this festival is "เทศกาลถือศีลกินผัก", and it can be translated literally in English as "Observing the Precepts and Eating only Veggies Festival." Thais call this festival by the casual name "Kin Jay = กินเจ". Kin means eat, and Jay, a Chinese word, means doing good for gods (includes refraining from eating meat and animal-derived products). This festival takes place nationwide in Thailand (especially in Phuket) for nine days straight each year. In 2022, it begins on September 25 and continues until October 4, but some people might start consuming less meat a few days before the actual starting date to clean their digestive system.
In Phuket, The Chosen Ones Feel No More Pain
Warning: Personal Belief, Self-harm
The vegetarian festival's old terrifying ritual has taken place on this famous island, Phuket, for over a century. As mentioned above, they do good for gods, but how do they know gods are real? During the festival, fated people believe that gods come to earth by using mediums. And not only come to earth, but they also exhibit their god power through mediums by making them walk barefoot through sharp shattered glass, shove the sharpened metal sticks or swords through their cheeks and skin, climb on the knife ladder, etc. It's pretty amazing and terrifying at the same time when you experience it with your own eyes. This should be the right time to ask, "Are you ready to book your flight?"
How can we not talk about FOOD?!
It might have a decent vegetarian look
It might not be fancy
But it surely is FLAVORFUL :)
There will be a ton of "อาหารเจ" in your local neighborhood. (Jay food basically means Vegetarian food) Since this festival was started by Chinese immigrants, it is mostly Chinese food. The local market and convenience store will be full of vegetarian food and vegetarian street food. Don't be surprised if you see "Tom Yam Kung Jay" or "Pad Thai Jay"; it is either meatless, or they are using plant-based meat.
You can spot vegetarian food by looking for the yellow sign written "เจ" or "齋" or both, as you can see in the pictures below. Tag us on IG @oegteach to share your opinion on Thai Jay Food!
*Need advice on visa documents?
*Have questions about Thai (school) culture?
*Can't think of where to go at the weekend?
Feel free to reach out to OEG via LINE! If you have great moments from your classes or your trip in Thailand, you can share with us on Instagram (@oegteach) :)
Take care, guys!
For non-emergency inquiries, OEG Staff can be reached during regular office hours via LINE and the e-mails listed below.
OEG office hours are Mon. - Fri. 9:30 AM to 6:00 PM.
Bangkok Office Cell | 099-079-2559
Chiang Mai Office Cell | 089-433-0979
In case of an emergency, OEG Staff can be reached 24/7 at the phone numbers listed below.
Christopher Hillstrom | 081-804-4804 | intlcoordinator@oeg.co.th
oegteach - #oegteach
