By Josh Butterworth. Josh is our Thailand Program Coordinator, and lives in Thailand.

 

Rewind back to October 2025, Bangkok, Thailand. The rainy season is on its last legs but the air is still thick with humidity. The heat is intense.

Eight new teachers land in the Kingdom, many for the first time. And for all but two of them, the last time they had stepped foot in a classroom was as a student.

So off I headed to pick them up from Suvarnabhumi Airport. Feeling a mixture of my own memories and excitement, I sped down the highway.

Yes, I was in their shoes back in 2021. A new teacher in Thailand after only six months working in Shanghai, China, before COVID had other ideas. But this story isn’t about me.

Now, as the Thailand coordinator for Impact Teaching, it was my job to provide training for the fresh recruits. But I knew it was about much more than that. I knew something very special was about to happen.

 

First Introductions

Hot, awkward, and underslept would be the best way to describe the teachers when we all first met. From the hotel lobby to the madness of arrivals at one of Asia’s biggest airports, it was great to see friendships starting to form straight away.

Just like the first week at university, everyone began to suss each other out, looking for connections that might bring them closer. But they already had something which united more than anything else ever could. They were embarking on this life-changing adventure together.

As we headed back into the city from the airport, and strolled to the MRT that evening, groups and pairs swapped as everyone got to know each other.

By the time we’d finished our first dinner together at the market, yawns were spreading and it was time to head home for some well-deserved rest.

But something very important had already happened, the seeds had been sown for friendships that would make (and are still making) our teachers’ time in Thailand utterly more meaningful and memorable.

 

Letting Their Hair Down

From laughs and games during training to drinks and silliness come nightfall, everyone (myself included) quickly began to relax and be themselves.

This allowed for a deeper level of connection, the swapping of groups became less frequent as pairs and triplets started to form. Of course, being the amazing people they are, everyone was included and nobody felt left out. There was a real sense of togetherness.

I’ll say it again, but the feeling I got was incredibly similar to what I felt during my first few days at university. A new place, new experiences, and people who might become friends for life.

The encouragement I had given at first was no longer needed. A group of teachers might head out together during the break for lunch, a couple were stuck to each other like glue wherever we went, and I was grateful to be able to facilitate it all.

Usually, you make your best friends at school and then have another chance at uni. It’s very possible to make friends in adult life, and in the workplace, but it is rarer. Teaching abroad provides another fantastic opportunity. Why? Because shared experiences, connecting over vulnerability, and being motivated by adventure bond you as well as anything.

 

Goodbyes

After feeling like we’d done so much together, but also that time had flown by, day three rolled around and we had to say goodbye (for now).

From Chiang Rai in the mountains of the north, to Krabi by the beaches of the south, the teachers were dispersing all across the country. Some were staying together in groups, and I felt happy for them, but I knew the others would be fine too. Their experience would be different but equally as rewarding.

And I had no doubts they’d all be seeing each other again soon. I mentioned a Christmas meetup in Bangkok, eyes lit up and a resounding yes was the consensus.

There was no sadness, only excitement mixed with a dash of fear. Having been in the same position as them, I had complete confidence that they all would smash it.

I stayed put waiting for my motorbike taxi to the airport. And as I waited, I watched this group of eight walk off down Sukhumvit Road, already making plans for the future and just at the beginning of an unbelievable adventure.

 

The Story Continues

Three months on from those three wonderful days in Bangkok and we’re already into 2026. It’s been a busy time for me with work, a short trip to Malaysia, and my dad visiting for two weeks. I’ve not had a chance to meet up with any of the teachers.

However, I’ve spoken to many of them online and have been thrilled to see the fun they’re having together across this wonderful country we now all call home. Social media is great for that.

From waterfall adventures in the Chiang Rai countryside, seeing in the New Year in Chiang Mai, and wild nights out in the capital, memories are being made as friendships blossom.

I can remember the same thing happening for me during my short time in China and then again in Thailand. I’m not saying you’ll like everyone you meet, but there’s just something special about the connections you make as a teacher abroad.

And now, there’s nothing left for me to do. What I did at training was facilitate, I can now sit back and relax knowing they’re all happy, developing strong friendships, and making memories that will never leave them.

 

If this sounds like something that you want a piece of, why not check out our Thailand program page?

It has all the information you need to make a decision that could be the spark of something great.

I hope to see you at our next training in Bangkok. But if Thailand isn’t for you, we have other options. China, Poland, and Hungary are just a few of them, not forgetting our summer camps for a shorter option.

2026 is your time to “Explore, Connect, and Grow With Purpose”.