Christians in Chiang Mai

Western followers in Chiang Mai of the Christian God - past and present

21st June 2011

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.

Chiang Mai’s hot season

The good, the bad and the ugly

2nd May 2011

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

The foreign cemetery

Off the beaten track in Chiang Mai

9th March 2011

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’.

Dara Academy past and present

The Dara Academy is one of Chiang Mai's largest and most famous schools

30th January 2011

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

My Chiang Mai

People, places and events and all things Northern Thailand

11th December 2010

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.

A dream lifestyle in Thailand

Does Chiang Mai offer the perfect place to live and work? Well, live anyway

1st September 2010

I'll put my hands up and admit I've been somewhat unkind to Chiang Mai in past blogs. On past visits, I've usually had the job of playing tour guide to my ageing parents and a couple of their friends. It's never easy to move a group of elderly folk around a sizeable Asian city without having every tout and unofficial tour operator descending on you from miles around

A teacher in Chiang Mai

Is it paradise or pants?

17th November 2007

Few teachers know Chiang Mai better than Andy B. Although he started working there for less than 10,000 baht a month, he soon found out that displaying a degree of professionalism reaped dividends.

Teaching in Chiang Mai

A bit of info on Thailand's Rose of the North

31st October 2006

All the information on this page is courtesy of our friends at One Stop Chiang Mai. If you see something inaccurate - complain to them.

Bangkok vs Chiang Mai

How do the two biggest cities in Thailand measure up?

30th October 2006

Read a terrific account from a teacher who gave up the Chiang Mai lifestyle to go and work in the capital Bangkok. It's very much a tale of two cities - and how one dedicated teacher fared in both.

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Fear of change?

In Thailand the government has set 2012 as English Speaking Year with a goal of encouraging students to converse in English every Monday. Such policies are useful but the major leap of enacting legislation to make English an official language for Thailand is also needed

Software for student tests

The integration of internet and computers with education and English learning is something students find normal, and classrooms without some access to educational software may seem quaint. Some students may even feel they can get more ‘professional' teaching from the numerous online ELT sites if a school is behind in IT.

Whatever happened to the shopping mall teacher?

They are the shopping mall English teachers - gliding like pale, undernourished phantoms amid the hordes of weekend Thai shoppers. The main reason I empathize with the shopping mall teacher is because I was once one myself. I know how desperate and soul-destroying it can be.

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About Ajarn.com

Ajarn.com was started as a small hobby website in 1999 by Ian McNamara. It was a simple way for one Bangkok teacher to share his Thailand experiences and pass on advice. The website developed a loyal and enthusiastic following. In 2004, Ian handed over the reins to Phil Williams and 'Bangkok Phil' has run the ajarn website ever since.

Ajarn.com has grown enormously and is now the most popular TEFL site in Thailand - possibly even South East Asia. Although best-known for its vibrant jobs page, Ajarn has a wealth of articles, blogs, features and help and advice. But one principle has always remained at Ajarn's core - to tell things like they are and to do it with a sense of humor. Thailand can be Heaven or Hell for an English teacher. It's always been Ajarn.com's duty to present both sides of the equation. Thanks for stopping by.