Good Jobs, Good Racism, Great Food !

This is what a native speaking teacher looks like to some Thais

I came to Bangkok a month and a half ago planning to work for a year teaching English. I had a degree, some experience, and a TEFL Qualification. This was what all the job postings, all the message boards, and all the people I spoke to (over the phone) told me I would need to work in Thailand as a teacher. I am an American native speaker and that is what they want.

But then I started doing interviews.

Some were in offices that looked like where you would find a porn producer scouting talent. I came dressed in the best suit and tie I had with a grin and the sort of "yeah yeah yeah" determination you should bring into an interview and it seemed to be going great. I went to five interviews in one week in person and did several online and over skype interviews. I received good solid feed back. They would say things like:

"You fit all the criteria"

"Of course we have positions available for you"

"Everything seems to be in order. When can you start?"

I waited for call backs, took a break and waited a day and then I called and I called and no one answered. I recalled the looks of resignation the HR managers faces when they saw I was black. That stone-walled look I received after they figured out I possessed too much melanin.

I asked around. Talked to other teachers and they said that a lot of black teachers get the same treatment.

in one of my later interviews the Dutch interviewer looked at me as if I were a large pile of errant dog crap (he actually sneered) when he walked through the door. Then we sat down and he proceeded to inform me that there was a good chance that I would scare the children. When he tried to call me back I ignored his call and went to another interview with man who believed that I could be a teacher without unleashing a wave of black rage upon the students.

I realized that for a lot teaching schools want the artifice and not the qualifications.

Now thanks to all the bigots that wasted my time I'm broke and in need of assistance until I receive my first pay check in October.

I came to Thailand because I'm qualified to teach, I worked hard to graduate, and I'm good with children. I came to save money for graduate school and to get into publishing. This sort of short sighted bigotry used motivate me to try things people said I was not right for. I'm not surprised really by what happened, but it has put me in position where I must appeal to the better angels of those I know to get me by this first month. If you think you can help you can contribute money to my paypal account: kanto22@gmail.com or through Western union if you can.

I will be forever grateful for those who even read this much less help me out I hope to hear from you all soon.