What is it like to live abroad as an expat? (Expat life in Thailand)

A personal summary from 22 years of experience

First of all: Even abroad, money doesn’t grow on trees. You have to work hard every day to pay your bills, buy food and cover your living expenses! But there are differences I wouldn’t want to miss: an endless adventure and cultural discoveries.

My start as an expat

With two suitcases, stage fright, € 1,000 in start-up capital and a diving mask, I left for Lanzarote in 2003. The airplane – to top it off – even bore the name of my hometown Halle. I had a feeling right away: I won’t stay just the planned six months for my Dive Master training in the Canary Islands.

Even back then I was amazed how little money you need to get by. The dive center paid for the staff apartment, and we worked ten hours a day. In the evenings we shared the highlights of the day over dinner and studied for the upcoming dive exams. After that: deep sleep until the next morning. There were simply few opportunities to spend money! 😆

Homesickness and new home

At first yes – but the longer I was away from Germany, the less it became! Home became more and more synonymous with the place where I stayed.

Can you imagine how exhausting a day of diving can be? At 10:00 p.m. we fell into bed dead tired, ready to make new divers happy the next day. Sundays off? Then it was darts and a few “deco beers” at the Taberna del Norte in the north of Lanzarote.

The leap to Egypt

In 2005, after two years of dive instructor training, I bought a one-way ticket to Sharm El Sheikh. Why? I was eager to discover the Red Sea – and it was such a good decision!

Fun meets responsibility: As a dive instructor you are a craftsman, psychologist and entertainer all in one. Five years in Egypt showed me: living and working abroad is demanding, versatile and incredibly fulfilling. The real reward? Not just money, but the smiling faces of happy guests.

I led dive leader courses, taught the ABC of diving and was able to save money every month thanks to low living costs, paid housing and free food. After more than 2,000 dives it was time in 2010 to start a new chapter: Thailand – Khao Lak.

From diving to the tourism industry

Being a dive instructor is one of the few professions where you can work almost anywhere in the world – as long as there’s water. After a fortunately not tragic incident underwater, I switched from 2011–2015 to the office to organize the diving operation. Can you imagine what it takes to coordinate three boats with 20–25 divers each day?

In 2015 I wanted to overcome my fear and worked nine months as a dive instructor on the Maldives. With a clear head I returned to my expat life in Thailand to Khao Lak in 2016, gained more experience in tourism and in 2023 fulfilled a dream: working 15 months as a tour guide for a renowned travel company.

My expat life today in Thailand: Khao Lak

Today I live with my family in the Land of Smiles and advise guests who want to discover Khao Lak – whether diving, island hopping or land tours.

By the way: The Surin Islands are known as one of the best snorkeling areas in Thailand! A true highlight for nature lovers. They are open from October 15 to May 15. Here you can find all the details about my Surin Islands snorkeling tour by speedboat.

Thank you for taking the time to read my post! Do you have questions about expat life or tours around Khao Lak? Write to me – I’ll be happy to help you.

Best regards

Stephan

1993 shortly before my first open water dive in Fuerteventura

Note: Some of our articles are created with the support of modern AI tools – however, every line is personally reviewed, enriched and adapted by us. This way, we combine technology with real on-site experience.