The road to Nay Pyi Taw
The Myanmar adventure continues.
My TESL journey has taken me to a place I never would have imagined I would be before I started this adventure. This is a city like no other. My language institute employer assigned me here, and although I did have a veto right to being sent here, I didn't exercise it.
Cultivating novelty
Making sure the novelty of living in Asia doesn't wear off
Sometimes I think about why I'm here. Why I left Thailand. Why I left America in the first place. The answers to those questions probably aren't all that different from lots of other foreign teachers here in this part of the world.
Taxi English
Surely this should also join the ranks of 'English for specific purposes'
When compared to a place like Bangkok, Myanmar's taxi drivers don't even get that many foreigners in the back seat, but on the whole, the drivers here speak much better English than back in Bangkok.
A Burmese tragedy
A tradegy in one billion parts
Monks and the Godless join and march to the beat of revolution! Most have no shoes on their feet.
Bangkok getaways - Kanchanaburi
An idea tourist destination that's not far from the capital
Although I stayed 4 days/3 nights, Kanchanaburi can be visited in just a day or two if time is scarce. It's definitely worth it if you're in dire need of some low-cost rest and relaxation in unspoilt green surroundings.
Songkhran getaways
Escaping the heat and the madness
Songkran officially lasts for three days, from April 13 (Friday) to April 15 (Sunday), although many people start celebrating early and finish late. If throwing water and being doused several times a day is not your cup of tea, it might be a good idea to flee Thailand for a week or so. Here are some ideas on where to go.
Skeletons splitting the sky
Alternative tours around Ayutthaya
I was given my present class on tour planning and management. It was a good opportunity to try something different. There are some decent day excursion that can be done from Ayutthaya, however hotels and travel agencies are reluctant to offer anything new. Therefore, I assigned my students several unique tours to see if they could be made affordable.
Boredom in the ESL classroom
What every teacher, student and administrator should know
When I hear of students complaining that they're bored, my first response, at least to myself is, "So?" My next response is, "I really don't care." Which is true. I can't see why I should. I can't see why anybody should care. Education is the solution to boredom. Education offers opportunities for the student that staying ignorant doesn't. It's that simple.
The visa run
One man and his trip to Penang
Going to Laos or Cambodia by bus might have been a bit cheaper, but unfortunately one needs a visa to enter those countries. Not so for Malaysia. Anyway, I heard from a few colleagues that the Royal Thai Embassy in Vientiane is staffed by frequently obnoxious personnel (however another colleague told me he didn’t have any problem at all there).
