A day in Ayutthaya
Temple-spotting is a fine way to spend a Buddhist holiday
Apparently, Monday was (loosely translated) Buddha Day. It is therefore fitting that I should visit temples for the day, and thanks to an invitation from a lovely fellow teacher at school, that's exactly what I did! Ayutthaya is a mere hour and some change train ride from Bangkok.
Teacher dress codes
Postbox letter from Sarah
Don't waste your money buying pants. Maybe the school you work at will not be as strict with this policy, but unless you have overwhelming feelings about this topic, buy skirts and dresses to be on the safe side.
Father's Day
Honouring and respecting the Thai King
Tuesday's ceremony was quite interesting. I have no blooming idea what was going on, but I showed up in a nice yellow/gold tie with a gold flower I bought from a Thai teacher earlier in the week to show my support for the King
Zero toleration for problems
Postbox letter from Doug
In theory, problems do not exist in the Thai educational system. In reality, this theory creates many real problems
Thais and speaking English
Postbox letter from Steve
In Thailand they have a genuine disinterest to talk and communicate with foreigners. They're generally not eager to learn about other cultures. They are closed. Why? who knows. Maybe its because its a big country that houses everything that you'll ever need in your lifetime.
Coming back home
Can second time around ever be as good as the first?
Returning to live in Thailand is quite different from coming to live here for the first time. Instead of everything one encounters seeming exotic, one mostly senses the familiar.
Book review
The essential guide to teaching English and living in Thailand
As they neared the end of their first year in Thailand, Michael and Sarah suddenly realized that while chatting with new arrivals, they were answering the same questions over and over again. So they began to compile a guide to help others who might want to give TEFL in Thailand a try.
Neighborhood watch
How do Bangkok neighborhoods differ?
I've been thinking about the five different neighborhoods I have lived in during my twenty-odd years in Bangkok. Which ones did I enjoy? Were there any neighborhoods that I particularly hated? What were the advantages and disadvantages of each community that I spent time in? Perhaps it would be interesting to draw some comparisons.
Old things from the village
Keeping the memories of those olden, golden days alive
My foreign friends and students who know my life habits ask me why I love old things; old houses, old wood furniture, and even pieces of an old rice mill that I keep underneath my old wooden house in Bangkok. It seems strange, doesn't it?
The battle of Nong Sarai
Following the life stories of a revered Thai king
King Naresuan is one of the most revered monarchs of Thai history. His victories over the Burmese during the years around the end of the 16th Century prevented Burma from consolidating their earlier military victories and hence extending further their empire to encompass large swathes of Siam.
