Road tripping in Thailand
A trip to the beautiful north
I decided we had to go to Nan. The only area north of Bangkok that I've really been to is Chiang Mai (and only for a few days), so I figured it was high time I experienced what the rest of Northern Thailand is all about.
Thailand teaching stuff - November 2013
More links of interest to teachers in Thailand
I think all bloggers have a duty to make sure that their writing is as factually correct as possible. Before the very first keystroke, a blogger needs to ask themselves a serious question - am I knowledgeable enough about this topic and am I communicating the correct information?
A stroll around Chiang Mai's Eastern District
A fun-filled glimpse into the past on every street corner
I was sitting in a small garden coffee shop just behind my school sipping a cooling iced-coffee yesterday afternoon, when I started to think about the area surrounding me. Its history is the history of foreigners in Chiang Mai, as this area is where the first foreigners settled, lived and worked in the late nineteenth century.
A splendid horticultural experience
A day out at one of Chiang Mai's finest horticultural expositions
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.
Temple spotting
A guide to Chiang Mai's most popular temples
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.
Treading the boards
Theatre is alive and well in Chiang Mai
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.
Christians in Chiang Mai
Western followers in Chiang Mai of the Christian God - past and present
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.
The foreign cemetery
Off the beaten track in Chiang Mai
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
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
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.
