Wasted teachers
Postbox letter from George Bowman
About two kilometers away sits a rural school lacking in funds and teachers. And I can’t go there and help. For free.
At home with Pee Tim
An interesting Thai homestay / work exchange
Peetim's ESL homestay offers volunteers lodging, food, laundry, transportation, and Thai culture in exchange for teaching English in her government and private schools.
The place to be
A special place to learn English where students are always made welcome
Have you ever heard of a place in Thailand where English lessons in conversation, reading, writing and grammar are offered free of charge for Thai children and adults? Who do you think owns this center? Is it a Thai? an American? a British person perhaps?
Honor thy mother and thy father
family, redemption, being a man and a priceless gift
When you reach my age--- I recently turned 49--- there are certain letters and phone calls I dread. My sister Rena emailed me towards the end of May. It was one such letter.
Copland - becoming a tourist police volunteer
Tazza joins the Thai Tourist Police as a volunteer
What happened during the two-day training seminar organised by the Thai Tourist police. What exactly do we foreign civilians have to go through before we're given our uniform and badge and we're ready to patrol those mean streets.
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.
The politics of Babopalooza
The joke is on us
The stress and aggravation of life in Korea for expats can be brutal at times, and that's why it's important to blow off a little steam every now and then. During times like these, most expats simply get together to eat, drink, and complain about life in a society that still views foreigners as less than equal.
The end (sort of)
Reflections on a last decade
It has been a long and interesting decade. When I applied for my first passport I was still living in a car. I imagined that an overseas teaching job might get me off the streets. I ended up teaching homeless and illiterate Americans instead as an VISTA volunteer. This is how I acquired the taste for classrooms.
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.
More Dwight and Goodwill to all men
Over the previous few months I’ve been accused of many things
The star of last week's LIBeL is still hounding me - a few more insightful questions from Dwight in NYC. Plus re-training hookers - Goodwill Bangkok, a charity based in, not surprisingly, Bangkok - offers free training courses for girls looking for a way out of the bar scene.
