Just when I thought my students had enough of me, they eagerly presented me with a bag of mysterious pods... "Teacha try, Teacha try!", Eye, You, March, Kempow, and Pooh Bear cried. I proceeded with apprehension because I had just taught a rather dry grammar point. Pooh Bear cracked open... Continue reading

I have a page in my journal just for jokes that seem to be common amongst my fellow staff! Anthropological work. Farangs, feel free to add to my cache with any local humor trends you've noticed! 1.) Man or woman typically being introduced, good-naturedly cracks a joke to break the... Continue reading

One thing that is enhancing my travel experience is research. I noticed that ignorance can sometimes breed pessimism and confusion. For me, my longterm travel experience has become more fun once I turn an observant and curious eye upon my surroundings. The Lonely Planet book that CIEE gave us all... Continue reading

Day One This air hangs heavy, thick and rotten sweet. Things I've never really seen, I'm seeing. Crowds of mangy dogs sprawled in garbage and shade. A woman washing her clothes in a bucket. Her house behind behind her might've been part of the landfill sized trash pile. A gray... Continue reading

Teaching’s almost over really. The time was flying by anyway, but things kicked into warp drive when I found out that though my contract ends in March, the last day of school is February 9th. What cultural thing is this? I don’t know. But I get paid for a month... Continue reading

I realized I was going to travel when, during an early morning shift at the coffee shop, my friend flung out a wildly broad question, “What are you going to do now?” As a playful act of improvisation, I replied, “I’m going to walk amongst the fjords of Norway, then... Continue reading

The wonderful hotel I’m staying at while I get my Non B Visa provides free breakfast. It’s not your average continental breakfast of Ho-hos and Ding Dongs. There’s a big pan of fried rice, plates of papaya and dragon fruit, pancakes, eggs, cucumbers, shredded carrots, and small sausages. There’s even... Continue reading

Until I came to Thailand, I was living in a hip-college-mountain-town in Colorado. The town is full of Trustafarians who wear those ruggish, biblical ponchos that are meant to signify enlightenment. Perhaps my college can owe it's 1988 accusation by USA Today of being "the worst dressed" town in America... Continue reading