Meet Tassanee Croell | ASD Paraeducator & Thai Content Creator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tassanee Croell and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tassanee, can you share a quote or affirmation with us?
Yes, I do! I always believe that everything changes and it always ends up being change in a good way. What I love most about the quote “It’s Good to Embrace Change” is its reminder that change is not something to be feared but embraced. It encourages me to step out of my comfort zone, to welcome new experiences, and to approach life with a sense of curiosity and adventure. Embracing change has allowed me to discover parts of myself I never knew existed and to realize the endless possibilities that lie ahead. 

Having moved to America from Thailand, I’ve navigated through different cultures, languages, and ways of life. Each change brought its own set of challenges and opportunities, but through it all, I’ve learned to embrace the unknown with an open mind and heart.

In my journey, I’ve held several different jobs, each teaching me valuable lessons and shaping my perspective on work and life. From these experiences, l’ve come to understand that change is not only inevitable but also essential for growth and progress.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Having moved to America from Thailand, I never thought I would move to another country by myself. But I wanted to speak English because I had been studying it since I was a kid. Despite studying at an International college in Thailand, I was still unable to speak it fluently which was embarrassing for me. I didn’t use English as much as I wanted to so I decided I had to do something about it. I was working in Thailand after graduating and as fate would have it, I was laid off. This actually ended up being a blessing in disguise as it led me to discovering the Au-Pair program from my former boss. “Au-Pair” is a term for a child care provider who lives and works with an American host family as part of an international cultural exchange program. With it, a foreigner of the United States is able to live and take care of the kids in a “host” family for up to two years. 

This is something that I really wanted to pursue, but I had lost my job, how could I afford the fees required? I had some money saved, but only enough to last me for about a month in Thailand. I had rent to pay because I lived in an apartment by myself. I didn’t want to ask anyone for help, something I now realize that I probably should have done. My mindset was “If I want to take care of someone else, I should be able to take care of myself first.” I did gig jobs and only ate eggs, rice, and cabbages which I cooked in a microwave for about 4 months until I was able to secure a new job to continue saving. Although these foods weren’t exactly the most exciting, I actually ended up liking them because they were cheap and healthy enough for me. I did everything I could to save money to apply for the program until I was eventually hired by an American family. I was able to move to the United States and since that day, my life has changed forever. 

Learning the English language and different cultures has been another significant aspect of my journey. It’s been a journey filled with ups and downs, moments of frustration and breakthroughs. But through it all, I’ve come to appreciate the beauty of language as a tool for connection and understanding. Since I moved on from being an Au-Pair and transitioned into the role of an ASD Paraeducator. Helping kids with autism makes me feel like I am doing something very meaningful and impactful on the world. It makes me happy to be there for students who need additional support. Everyday is challenging but also extremely rewarding. 

I also believe that it’s important to have hobbies. One of my most important hobbies to me is my Youtube Channel, “JUST FILMs”. I like to share my daily life and new experiences that I never had before when I lived in Thailand. This not only connects me to the world, but also to my family and friends back in Thailand. I want them to see what I see and I’m telling them that I am doing good. I am so happy if any of my videos help or make people happy. Small wins are the best motivation. I started my Youtube channel in 2022. I thought it was maybe too late to start a channel and who would watch my videos? I should have started it 3 years ago but you can always start something you really care about at anytime in your life. Be patient and just keep going. Trust in yourself that you can do it because you are so much more capable than you think you might be.

Now I have been doing my Youtube channel for 2 years and I never once regretted it. Some advice I would give would be to never compare yourself to others because everyone has their unique journey and definition of success. Success for me is making people happy, even if it’s just one person. Even though I don’t have as many subscribers as many would deem as ‘successful’ , I am still very happy to have those that choose to watch my videos and experience the United States through the lens of a girl from Thailand. It’s important to celebrate the small wins and keep your own version of success. I am very happy with where I am at and look forward to sharing my future adventures with the world.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
My best friend lives in Thailand. She has a very long list to do if she visits America. She wants to try Wendy’s, Olive Garden, In N Out, Chipotle, and more. We would probably go out everyday and eat as many meals as she wishes. After eating I would take her to different hiking places such as Chautauqua Park, Garden of the Gods, Eldorado Canyon State Park, and more. Colorado has a lot of beautiful hiking places that I want to show her. Another “American” experience that I would want to share with her is going to Disney world and Universal in Florida. We want to dress up and be touristy. Also, going on a road trip and camping somewhere like Mesa Verde, Mount Rushmore, or Grand Canyon. I would say it can’t be a week long trip but I would say it would be a month long trip. There would never be enough time to show her everything.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I am thankful for everyone that exists in my life. Since I was a kid until now. I can’t thank them enough. I believe every moment that has happened so far made me the person that I am today. Even if it was a sad moment, like my boss laying me off. If that didn’t happen, I wouldn’t know about the Au Pair program which led me to the United States. Thank you to my host mom who pushed me to speak English faster than I knew I could. Thank you to my family that sent me away to a school at the age of 13. This enabled me to be strong, taught me how to manage my life and made me realize how much I am able to take care of myself. And a big thank you to my husband who always believes in my ability and enjoys my videos even though he can’t understand Thai and is always there with me when I need him the most. He always makes me laugh and makes me realize that we can’t buy time and it can never be replaced. Life is too short to worry about the small things. It’s important to make yourself happy with whatever that you choose to do and my advice is to pursue what makes you happy because you can’t buy more time. He also helped me through the process of first becoming a resident and eventually a full fledged citizen of the United States. Lastly, I would like to thank my past self for making the decisions that have led to where I am today.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Tassanee.croell

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@JUSTFILMS.T

Image Credits
All photos owned by me.