Rachel Alderson

BFITS | 2025 in Review: A Bright Year of Progress, People, and Possibilities • BFITS | Teach in Thailand & Be More... BFITS reflects on a year of growth, learning, and community across Thailand—highlighting teachers, students, training, milestones, and meaningful moments that shaped 2025.

We end today’s series of with a reminder that the right moment doesn’t always come early 🙏

Some journeys don’t begin straight out of university. Some begin with a leap of faith—years later, in a new country, chasing a dream that never left.

That’s the story of Rachel Alderson 🌟

After 17 years in retail management in the UK, Rachel knew she was ready for something more—something with meaning, purpose, and a connection to her passions.

With a degree in English and Classical History and a long-held dream of teaching abroad, she packed her bags and moved to Thailand in 2018.

She was 38.

It was bold. It was scary.

But it was the beginning of something beautiful.

What started as a “maybe one or two years” plan turned into seven—and counting.

Her first role, teaching conversational English at Saipanyarangsit School (SPR BFITS Program), taught her patience, resilience, and how joy fuels learning.

She then moved to Panyapiwat Institute of Management Demonstration School (SPIM BFITS Program) as an M3 (Grade 9) EP teacher, where students still reach out years later for grammar help at university.

And for 5 unforgettable years, she led as Head Teacher at St. Joseph Convent School (SJC BFITS Program) in the heart of Bangkok, guiding both the EP and ICEP programs—and proudly hosting the first-ever TEDx event between SJC and BFITS.

Now, Rachel serves as Program Manager for six BFITS partner schools across Bangkok, Nakhon Pathom, and Surat Thani.

Each day brings something new—challenges to grow from, opportunities to learn, and stories to shape.
Her journey reminds us all:

It’s never too late to rewrite your story.

You don’t have to settle.

You can pivot. You can leap.

And when you do it with heart, you just might discover your purpose in the most unexpected place.

Here’s to Rachel 🧡

A leader who proves that it’s never too late to chase meaning—and never too early to make an impact.

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It was a pleasure meeting our new BFITS teachers today! 🌟

The energy and enthusiasm in the room were incredible — a great first step into a fun and fulfilling teaching journey in Thailand 🇹🇭