By Jim Korea
The New York Times recently ranked Laos as the number one country to visit in 2008.
The paper stated that both Cambodia and Vietnam were 
the best choices for “2007” while Laos was the number one place to see this upcoming year: View Article Here. Looking through several resume databases where teachers place their resumes for overseas ESL work, one can see a definite interest in Laos. At least 2 or 3 people are searching daily for work in Laos. The online forum community has also begun talking more about finding work in Laos. Not even two years ago, only a handful of people were searching for work in Laos. News of teaching in Laos has definitely been passed around.
One teacher remarked, “The first time I went to Laos, there were only a handful of teachers. But the teachers that lived in Laos definitely enjoyed it.” However, being one of the lowest paying countries for ESL, it makes it very difficult to save <Asian English Language School Salary Comparison>. “Food and rent are cheap, but don’t expect to pay your student loans,” another teacher once told me on a bus ride from Thailand. Things to keep in mind about Laos if finding work include:
Don’t expect to find work outside of the capital (Vientiane). Don’t expect to negotiate for more pay, school directors in Laos are known to think ESL teachers are already over paid. Don’t expect to find work while outside of Laos; you should be in the country to find work. Expect to find several part time jobs. Expect to pay for your own accommodations (very cheap). Expect to make frequent visits to Thailand for visa purposes and other needs. Expect to be paid in cash in either Thai Baht or USD, (Laos money – kip does not come in large denominations)
Laos is a very untouched country in terms of ESL and the modern traveler. However, over the past few years the country has opened up a lot. Returning visitors and interested teachers are beginning to frequent the country. Laotian’s are friendly and open and the country is beautiful. As long as you have no financial obligations, Laos can be a very rewarding experience for an ESL Teacher.
1 comment:
Hi Jim,
I'd like to echo your assessment. Vietnam and Cambodia have seen a huge increase in the demand for ESL teachers. Vietnam in fact pays a salary that should be more than sufficient to save. The compensation in Cambodia is far less, though, at least according to a good friend of mine currently working there.
Having visited Laos as a tourist, I can understand why an increasing numbers of teachers would be interested in working there. It's an exceptionally rich and beautiful country, and far less developed and congested than its neighbors. Were I in the market for work right now, it would certainly be high on my list of countries to consider.
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