http://www.ajarn.com/blogs/john-quinn/ John Quinn on Ajarn.com en Ajarn.com Copyright 2012 2012-02-21T13:10:33+07:00 http://www.ajarn.com/blogs/john-quinn/a-splendid-horticultural-experience/ http://www.ajarn.com/blogs/john-quinn/a-splendid-horticultural-experience/#When:13:10:33Z This blog is about a beautiful and enjoyable day I recently spent at the Royal Flora Ratchaphreuk horticultural exposition in Chiang Mai. It's a mix of pavilions, gardens, events and activities all nestled into a small valley off the irrigation road around 15km south of the city. A splendid horticultural experience John Quinn 2012-02-21T13:10:33+07:00 http://www.ajarn.com/blogs/john-quinn/temple-spotting/ http://www.ajarn.com/blogs/john-quinn/temple-spotting/#When:07:23:48Z Chiang Mai is a city of temples, and these temples are at the historical and cultural heart of the city. In fact, one houses the City Pillar which gave the city its cosmological chart and hence the blueprint for its construction in 1296 by King Mengrai . There are hundreds, but for this blog, I will write a personal guide for some of the ones I enjoy visiting. Temple spotting John Quinn 2011-11-18T07:23:48+07:00 http://www.ajarn.com/blogs/john-quinn/treading-the-boards-in-chiang-mai/ http://www.ajarn.com/blogs/john-quinn/treading-the-boards-in-chiang-mai/#When:23:55:12Z Chiang Mai has become a sort of bohemian centre for new age people and its expatriate community is actively involved in music, yoga, dance, alternative medicine and amateur theatre. There is today an eclectic mix of activities for an eclectic community. Treading the boards John Quinn 2011-10-06T23:55:12+07:00 http://www.ajarn.com/blogs/john-quinn/impressive-school-impressive-owner/ http://www.ajarn.com/blogs/john-quinn/impressive-school-impressive-owner/#When:09:14:53Z For this month's blog I would like to take an in-depth look at one of the most impressive schools in Thailand: Varee Chiang Mai School Impressive school, impressive owner John Quinn 2011-08-14T09:14:53+07:00 http://www.ajarn.com/blogs/john-quinn/christians-in-chiang-mai/ http://www.ajarn.com/blogs/john-quinn/christians-in-chiang-mai/#When:10:48:18Z When I arrived in Chiang Mai to teach EFL in a Buddhist country back in 1999, I was surprised at the size of the expatriate Christian community here. At that time I knew very little about them and certainly hadn't chatted with any. Christians in Chiang Mai John Quinn 2011-06-21T10:48:18+07:00 http://www.ajarn.com/blogs/john-quinn/chiang-mais-hot-season/ http://www.ajarn.com/blogs/john-quinn/chiang-mais-hot-season/#When:01:28:04Z I’m sitting writing this blog to the sound of cicadas producing their screeching song outside my window, and the feeling of sweat running down my chest and back, which means to most Chiang Mai people it’s the hot season Chiang Mai’s hot season John Quinn 2011-05-02T01:28:04+07:00 http://www.ajarn.com/blogs/john-quinn/the-foreign-cemetery/ http://www.ajarn.com/blogs/john-quinn/the-foreign-cemetery/#When:13:44:59Z The remains of missionaries, teak company employees, diplomats, soldiers, children, adventurers, teachers and assorted expats from a wide range of countries lie side by side neatly arranged to follow the borders of this small plot of Thai soil that is ‘forever England’. The foreign cemetery John Quinn 2011-03-09T13:44:59+07:00 http://www.ajarn.com/blogs/john-quinn/dara-academy-past-and-present/ http://www.ajarn.com/blogs/john-quinn/dara-academy-past-and-present/#When:10:24:08Z To really find out what it’s like working at the Dara Academy, I contacted a couple of old friends who have both taught at Dara for a number of years. Todd Cikraji is American, married to a Thai teacher and speaks Thai fluently. Deborah Baker is also American, and she is one of the few foreign teachers I know who has successfully passed the TCT Exams in order to obtain a permanent Teachers’ License Dara Academy past and present John Quinn 2011-01-30T10:24:08+07:00 http://www.ajarn.com/blogs/john-quinn/my-chiang-mai/ http://www.ajarn.com/blogs/john-quinn/my-chiang-mai/#When:03:34:07Z I guess for my first blog I should talk about my journey to become a teacher in Chiang Mai. It started way back in 1990 when I travelled from Australia back home to the UK. My Chiang Mai John Quinn 2010-12-11T03:34:07+07:00