tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65263372011-10-30T12:52:12.673-07:00I taught English in Bangkok for four years. I wrote about my experiences. Now I'm back in the US.Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1951100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-77953022481326681582008-02-24T06:26:00.000-08:002008-02-24T06:31:16.914-08:00

Tan and I got married on Saturday, February 23rd at Sathorn Church. Then we had a wedding reception at the Banyan Tree Hotel. I will upload pictures soon.

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-39964260417605522192007-08-09T10:16:00.000-07:002009-08-01T20:31:23.838-07:00

http://www.flickr.com/photos/steven_crossI moved my photos from Yahoo! Photos because that website is closing. Right now all of my photos are up for a limited time on Flickr. But in about a month, I'll only be able to show 200 photos for free.

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-85524915285098263552007-08-09T07:43:00.001-07:002009-08-01T20:31:23.838-07:00

I'm officially a grad student! I also got back my grades. They were all good.My brother created a website to showcase his work with motion capture and digital animation. Check it out! http://www.tony-cross.com/

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-5691893067457813142007-06-16T17:59:00.000-07:002009-08-01T20:31:23.839-07:00

I have been attending classes to obtain teaching certification in Elementary Education at Ruamrudee International School in Bangkok. I just finished my first week. I have two more days of Internship I class and then I will begin taking Child and Adolescent Development on Wednesday. The time has flown by. The course is going well, but I have a lot of homework to finish this weekend.I will

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com38tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-51382148053070329402007-06-15T00:32:00.000-07:002009-08-01T20:31:38.405-07:00

Tan and I are engaged! We'll post more details about when the wedding will happen. I'm not sure when we'll know. We're very excited! I don't have much time so I'll add more details about how it happened soon.

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-58099027735857339922007-03-04T08:16:00.000-08:002009-08-01T20:31:27.187-07:00

I need to learn to rely on God. I'm worrying about life too much. Tan said she saw a gray hair on my head today. These days I worry about getting my visa extended, teaching at a new school next month, continuing my education to get teaching certification, and the people that are important to me. I could go on...I am also worried about the decisions I am making. I have always had trouble

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-11618488189888508802007-02-02T17:27:00.000-08:002009-08-08T18:29:06.180-07:00

These four websites were created by an incredible Thai teenager who most people know as Gor. At 16, Gor became the youngest ever columnist for the Bangkok Post. He wrote honestly about his teenage marriage, the birth of his daughter, and his struggle with drug addiction. Gor is an insightful voice for teenagers and parents in Thailand and the rest of the world. His writing has received

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-41435084510995852572007-01-01T08:06:00.000-08:002007-01-01T08:29:17.403-08:00

I hope you have a good New Year! If you heard about the bombs, please don't worry. Tan and I are okay.

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-53178745341662136632006-12-14T06:49:00.000-08:002009-08-01T20:31:29.943-07:00

I honestly couldn't make this up. Tan and I were watching the news on TV, and we saw Bangkok police chase a suspect making a daring escape on an elephant. The news said that it took two hours to finally catch the suspect. The man steered the elephant onto a busy road and went the wrong direction. Traffic had to move because, I suppose, the elephant always gets the right of way. The man was

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1164084741917160922006-11-20T20:36:00.000-08:002009-08-01T20:31:27.188-07:00

I had a lot of fun this weekend. About 37 church members attended. We had a lot of free time to enjoy the resort we stayed at. I went with some of them on a bamboo raft on the River Kwai. Most of the time I wasn't on the raft though. It didn't float very well. That was okay. I had on a safety jacket so I just floated. It would have been perfect if I had an inner tube. I used to do that

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1161616762156395872006-10-23T08:19:00.000-07:002009-08-01T20:31:38.406-07:00

We went to Safari World 

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1161616695959620362006-10-23T08:18:00.000-07:002006-10-23T08:18:15.970-07:00

We match 

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1161616527678646662006-10-23T08:15:00.000-07:002006-10-23T08:15:27.690-07:00

Sushi buffet 

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1161616330602500602006-10-23T08:12:00.000-07:002006-10-23T08:12:10.846-07:00

Nice kitty 

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1161277206875897602006-10-19T09:53:00.000-07:002006-10-19T17:25:42.690-07:00

I posted two new songs on The King's Mirror website, which is on MySpace. It's my solo musical effort. That's right. I produced it all by myself. So if it's not good, I can't blame anyone else. It's just something I do when I have free time.Actually one of the songs is really new. I just wrote I was born in space. I don't know where I was born in space came from. I was just messing

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1161077129282302452006-10-17T02:00:00.000-07:002007-03-02T10:23:55.147-08:00

I've got one more week of vacation. So far I haven't done anything. I've been watching a lot of movies. I watched The Devil Wears Prada. I didn't think I would like it. Tan took me to see it. But it was actually really funny. I also saw The Departed. It was a great gangster film. I watched My Date with Drew on TV. It was a funny film about an average guy makes a documentary of his dream

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1159412419565510042006-09-27T20:00:00.000-07:002007-03-02T09:36:54.770-08:00

Tan and one of her students at his birthday party.

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1159412146228382172006-09-27T19:55:00.000-07:002007-03-02T09:09:55.914-08:00

Flooding right across from my apartment

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1159411864752351162006-09-27T19:51:00.000-07:002007-03-02T09:37:35.386-08:00

Cake! The girl in the photo is one of the students Tan and I tutor.

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1159409938592777772006-09-27T19:09:00.000-07:002007-03-02T09:36:22.100-08:00

My friend James asked me this question.In Thailand, if it's your birthday you buy all your friends little gifts. Then you take them to dinner and you pay for everything. It's the reverse of what happens usually in American culture. But since I'm not Thai, I don't do that. And in Bangkok (and probably the rest of Thailand) the culture is mixed with the Western culture, so people buy gifts for

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1159341959950891092006-09-27T00:13:00.000-07:002007-03-02T09:38:21.490-08:00

I'm 25 today. Tan and I will do something together. We'll go out for dinner. I've been to busy to organize a party. Maybe I'll have one after this week. I have a vacation for most of next month.I've heard of a book called "Quarter-life crisis." Sometimes I feel like I'm having a bit of crisis. I don't know what to do next. I haven't planned what I will do next year. I most likely will

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1158945045939108462006-09-22T10:10:00.000-07:002006-09-22T10:10:45.950-07:00

A Thai soldier poses for a photo. 

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1158944937052571372006-09-22T10:08:00.000-07:002006-09-22T10:08:57.060-07:00

Friendly soldiers waved to me as I rode by in a taxi. 

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1156421816000775842006-08-24T05:00:00.000-07:002007-03-02T09:30:28.828-08:00

The temples of the ancient civilization of Angkor were incredible. Only being there can really capture that. I took loads of photos. My favorite parts were the carvings in the wall at Angkor Wat, the large faces at Bayon, and the huge trees that grew over the Ta Prohm temple. If you want to see them up close then you should go there or watch the Tomb Raider movie.Some of the more memorable

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1155656296161566012006-08-15T07:45:00.000-07:002006-08-18T10:32:26.390-07:00

Tan, Halley and I arrived in Phnom Penh around 9 a.m. Our flight from Bangkok only took an hour. We had to pay $20 for visas in the Phnom Penh International Airport. We filled out the application and handed over the money and our passports. Then we got into a line and waited to get our passports back. The line didn't matter at all because a man pulled out a passport and called out "Hello" and

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1155575048063883552006-08-14T10:04:00.000-07:002006-08-21T07:42:43.053-07:00

$25 charge to leave the country It cost $25 to leave Cambodia at the airport.

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1155574676746805942006-08-14T09:57:00.000-07:002006-08-21T07:39:39.010-07:00

Ta Prohm Most of the Angkor temples are being restored, but this temple has been left mostly to the wild jungle. Trees have grown all over the ruins. It is an amazing place. By the way, Tomb Raider the movie was filmed in the Angkor temples.

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1155574225597585392006-08-14T09:50:00.000-07:002006-08-21T07:33:51.016-07:00

The enigmatic faces of Bayon Inside the temples of Angkor Thom, there is the Bayon temple. There are 54 giant faces. No one knows why they are there. They are huge and impressive.

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1155574029028023262006-08-14T09:47:00.000-07:002006-08-21T07:31:33.466-07:00

Bas reliefs in Angkor Wat Carvings (bas reliefs) run all along the outside of a wall that runs around the temple. The carvings tell about 10 different stories. Most of them are about the king, wars, and gods and demons. This picture shows the aspara women dancers.

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1155573411406455682006-08-14T09:36:00.000-07:002006-08-14T09:36:51.416-07:00

Angkor Wat in Siem Reap, Cambodia 

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1155573026250690732006-08-14T09:30:00.000-07:002006-08-21T07:27:44.546-07:00

Traffic Jam We had to stop for the cows to cross the road many times.

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1155572778607048022006-08-14T09:26:00.000-07:002006-08-14T09:26:18.616-07:00

Road Trip in Cambodia 

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1155572529328589292006-08-14T09:22:00.000-07:002006-08-14T09:22:09.336-07:00

Tan and Halley 

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1155571986693118052006-08-14T09:13:00.000-07:002006-08-21T07:22:28.993-07:00

Tan at Elsewhere restaurant We met John at this restaurant. It was a refreshing place. Hip and sophisticated. We didn't feel like we were in Cambodia when we were there.

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1155571505611049592006-08-14T09:05:00.000-07:002006-08-21T07:16:44.116-07:00

Central Market This is probably the largest market in Phnom Penh. We got lost inside the maze of clothing, food, paintings, backpacks, jewelry, watches and other things.

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1155570994398738552006-08-14T08:56:00.000-07:002006-08-21T07:14:11.193-07:00

Tuol Sleng Museum (S-21) The Khmer Rouge changed a school building into a prison and concentration camp. The prisoners were tortured and forced to make confessions before they were killed.

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1155570554152883782006-08-14T08:49:00.000-07:002006-08-14T08:49:14.156-07:00

Killing Fields of Choeung Ek 

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1155570365608872052006-08-14T08:46:00.000-07:002006-08-21T07:11:48.263-07:00

The Killing Fields The Khmer Rouge killed thousands of people near the village of Choeng Ek. They dug ditches that became mass graves.

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1155569707178386582006-08-14T08:35:00.000-07:002006-08-14T08:35:07.220-07:00

Biking in Phnom Penh 

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1154750770776355272006-08-04T20:53:00.000-07:002006-08-05T11:35:46.276-07:00

This is what my schedule was like yesterday at Daroonpat Bilingual School. Everday is similar. Not much changes, except that on somedays I teach geography.6:30 a.m. Wake up and get ready.6:50 a.m. Catch a taxi.7:10 a.m. Arrive at school and sign in.7:12 a.m. Walk to 7-11 and buy breakfast or eat something I brought.7:20 a.m. Plan lessons or check email. I'm still sort of waking up at this

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1153986371632534912006-07-27T00:11:00.000-07:002006-07-30T23:22:53.093-07:00

Next month I'll go to visit Cambodia. Tan and Halley, a friend from church, will go with me. Cambodia has been one of the places I have been wanting to go to the most since I came to Thailand. I have only been across the border once for a visa run. Cambodia appeals to me because I want to learn about its tragic history of genocide, remarkable people, and its ancient Khmer culture. And of

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1153898662730649902006-07-25T23:56:00.000-07:002006-07-27T01:27:23.676-07:00

I think I'm finally getting well again. Apparently, I had an upper respiratory infection that became tonsilitis and maybe something else. One of the symptoms I had was chronic fatigue. The only thing to do was rest, rest, rest. I took all the antibiotics, and my throat doesn't hurt anymore. I spent about two weeks doing nothing. I'm going back to work, but I probably won't feel 100 percent

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1152376103343348752006-07-08T09:12:00.000-07:002006-07-08T09:28:23.376-07:00

I felt detached during the 4th of July. I wish I could've been in the US for Independence Day. I have had some memorable 4ths. I remember going on a church retreat in July when I was in middle school. Our group was on the way to Colorado. We stopped in the middle of nowhere in New Mexico and stayed at a cheap motel. There were fireworks for sale in a shop by the motel. The older guys in our

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1150047740396280972006-06-11T10:42:00.000-07:002007-03-02T09:28:01.418-08:00

The Petronas Twin Towers, Kuala Lumpur

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1150046999508697932006-06-11T10:00:00.000-07:002007-03-02T09:28:55.043-08:00

Tan and I went on a trip to Malaysia for three days. We just got back. We went with a tour. We saw the island city of Panang, the entertainment city of Genting, and visionary city Kuala Lumpur. We flew into Panang but we didn't stay there very long. There was a lot that we didn't see. The tour company flew into Panang rather than KL to save money. We got into a bus and rode for a really

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1148609970677172692006-05-25T19:19:00.000-07:002006-07-27T00:53:23.426-07:00

 I hope the storm season isn't devastating again.  It seems each year natural disasters are more destructive.  I suppose there are more people living in dangerous places.  Or maybe they are reported more often.  There is flooding in Thailand right now.  So far about 50 people have died in the North.   I miss blackberry desserts this time of year.  There are blackberry bushes growing in our

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1146971844350805962006-05-06T19:52:00.000-07:002006-05-06T20:17:24.366-07:00

Most of my friends who taught with me last year are back in the USA. I wonder how they are doing? I've heard from some of them. Some of them mentioned how different America seemed after going back. I wonder if the rest of them had any "reverse-culture shock." Another friend and his family are coming back to America after living in Africa for a long time. I'm sure it must be weird to see all

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1145458947907883972006-04-19T07:59:00.000-07:002006-04-19T08:02:27.920-07:00

Here's a blog that was made just for the trip Tan and I went on with the church to Khao Lak, Phang Nga. It gives a lot more detail than I went into, and it has more pictures. Angelina did a great job with the site.http://phangnga2006.blogspot.com

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1145198733997281472006-04-16T07:43:00.000-07:002006-04-16T07:45:33.996-07:00

It's great to be reminded that Christianity is more than just about Jesus' death. It's also about the empty tomb. Jesus is alive! And we have hope because of it. He is risen. He is risen indeed!

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1145198021037088322006-04-16T07:32:00.000-07:002006-04-16T07:33:41.040-07:00

  

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1145197907771013062006-04-16T07:30:00.000-07:002006-04-16T07:31:47.773-07:00

 Get wet! 

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1145197768938435052006-04-16T07:27:00.000-07:002006-04-16T07:41:42.650-07:00

 Songkran is so fun because it includes everyone. Whether you are old or young, Thai or a foreigner, you will get wet! 

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1145197554624696532006-04-16T06:50:00.000-07:002006-04-16T07:25:55.690-07:00

 Songkran, the Thai New Year's festival, is a holiday that could never happen in America. For one it is never above 90 degrees everywhere in America at the same time, and I can only imagine how many lawsuits would be filed for all the outrageous behaviour. It is a somewhat dangerous holiday. No one is safe from getting wet. People in cars will dump water on anyone walking by the road. And

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1145195057516672092006-04-16T06:37:00.000-07:002006-04-16T06:44:17.516-07:00

 As I said in a previous post I came with a church group to run a summer camp in Khao Lak. It was a lot of fun. The kids sang, danced, watched skits, learned English, played games and heard messages from the Bible. I am priviledged to have been a part of it. We planted seeds in the hearts of these kids. Please pray for God to grow faith in the hearts of these children. I think we learned as

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1145193842611187792006-04-16T06:18:00.000-07:002006-04-16T06:24:02.613-07:00

 This ship landed right by someone's house. Now the house is used as a church. Several new churches have been planted since the tsunami. Our group didn't join the worship service. We arrived too late. The bus ride from Bangkok was about 14 hours. 

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1145193335570771462006-04-16T06:07:00.000-07:002006-04-16T07:41:14.453-07:00

 I came to Khao Lak for the first time in March 2005, three months after the tsunami. I was there for about a week with friends who were Baylor alumni and also teachers with me in Bangkok. We helped build houses for Bang Sak, a village that was destroyed. Now those houses are finished. It's wonderful! 

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1145192725414862172006-04-16T05:54:00.000-07:002006-04-16T06:05:26.066-07:00

 I visited Khao Lak again last week during Songkran, the Thai New Year holiday. The tsunami waves damaged this popular tourist destination more than any other in Thailand. One of the most stunning sights was the large Navy ship deposited about a mile (2 km) inland by the waves. 

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1143968327953094822006-04-02T00:29:00.000-08:002006-04-10T04:50:53.583-07:00

April will be a busy month for me. I will begin teaching at a Thai summer school tomorrow (Monday, April 3rd). I teach this week and hopefully will teach the last week of the month. This week my teaching will be observed and the school will determine if they want to hire me. I also hope to move into a new aparment later this month.On Saturday I will go on a trip to volunteer at a summer camp

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1143906884903373842006-04-01T07:54:00.000-08:002006-04-04T05:09:21.493-07:00

Trip to Hat Ban Grood After the second week of the CELTA course I went on a trip with Tan and her sister and cousins. We went to the Southern part of Thailand. It was a nice resort with a private beach. We went snorkelling and had lots of fun. The only downside was the eight hour bus trip each way.

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1143906597320311132006-04-01T07:49:00.000-08:002007-03-02T09:54:31.354-08:00

CELTA group picture Finally, it's over. I learned a lot, and I enjoyed meeting other trainees. Best of luck to everyone!

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1141656905788041952006-03-06T06:55:00.000-08:002006-03-06T06:55:05.840-08:00

Today is my dad's birthday! Happy birthday, dad!  You're my hero.I started the CELTA course today.  It went well for a first day.  I taught a class for fifteen minutes.  The class was very diverse.  There were seven Thais, three Vietnamese, two Cambodians, two Nepalese, one Japanese and one Iranian.  My lesson today called for me to divide them up into groups according to their nationalities and

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1141379670057620332006-03-03T01:08:00.000-08:002006-03-03T01:54:30.116-08:00

My interview with the Australian international school went well, but there was a problem. There are two standards for teacher licenses. I meet requirements to work at Thai schools, but I don't meet them for an international school. There are two ways to become qualified. One is to have a bachelor's degree in education. The other is to have three years of teaching experience in Thailand. I

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1141199488500475702006-02-28T23:25:00.000-08:002006-02-28T23:51:28.513-08:00

The Prime Minister called for a new election, but the opposition parties claim the timing and conditions of the election are unfair. They have decided to boycott. I don't know if this is a smart move. But I understand why they are upset. If I heard correctly, the election rules prohibit party members from switching parties 60 days before an election. New candidates must be enrolled in a

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1141178732946265192006-02-28T17:55:00.000-08:002006-02-28T23:20:52.106-08:00

I'm gonna cry. I just got a letter from one of my students. I gave them all my email and a picture, but I didn't expect such a sweet note. I hope more of them write.-SteveDear Teacher, You are a good teacher, I don't know how to thank you. i will miss you and hope that you will miss me too. I will remember you forever. Please answer me when you have time. This is my father's

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1141177456979201902006-02-28T17:44:00.000-08:002006-02-28T17:44:17.023-08:00

Prathom 3/2 Class Photo 

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1140862887226880452006-02-25T02:11:00.000-08:002006-02-25T02:21:27.226-08:00

This will be my last week to work at CD school. I will miss the students and teachers. Amy and I had dinner with the family of one of my students. I tutored their oldest son and Amy tutored his younger brother. It will be sad to say goodbye. I hope I make as many friends at the next place that I work. I'm still job hunting.Today Tan and I went to Ice's graduation ceremony. The ceremonies

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1140294931892157512006-02-18T12:35:00.000-08:002006-02-18T12:35:31.896-08:00

Good elephant. Take a bow. 

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1140294659574186332006-02-18T12:30:00.001-08:002006-02-18T12:30:59.580-08:00

rice 

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1140294645552124872006-02-18T12:30:00.000-08:002006-02-18T12:30:47.770-08:00

Farmers near Bisou village 

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1140290867968957152006-02-18T11:02:00.000-08:002006-02-18T11:27:48.056-08:00

Do you ever have one of those nights when you wonder who you are? Or who you are becoming? It happens. A realization hit me. What can I become? I'm 24 years old. I've been teaching two years away from America. What's next? Will I live each day for a purpose. Or will it seem like a boring routine? One day, I could be that person that I sometimes see, a man that knows what is important. A

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1140056271976410202006-02-15T18:13:00.000-08:002006-02-15T18:17:51.986-08:00

The Baylor teachers went to Lampang to visit Kirk and Suzie Person's village. The Persons have worked with the Bisou (spelling?) hilltribe for about 15 years. They are linguists. They helped develop a written language for Bisou and have taught the people how to read and write it. I'll share more about the trip soon.

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1139970044659374362006-02-14T18:15:00.000-08:002006-02-14T18:20:44.670-08:00

A petition to impeach Thailand's Prime Minister has been accepted by the high court. More details later...

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1138384445450044052006-01-27T09:51:00.000-08:002006-01-30T21:10:11.586-08:00

I have been accepted into Cambridge University's CELTA program which stands for Certificate in English Language Teaching for Adults. Although the course is developed in the UK, I will take it in Bangkok. It starts on March 6th and ends on March 31st. This works out well for me because I finish teaching at the end of February. After I finish the program I'm not sure what I will do. I will be

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1138186785070370412006-01-25T02:54:00.000-08:002006-01-25T02:59:45.080-08:00

I haven't written since the end of last month. January has gone by fast. My latest news is that I have a part-time job as a creative writing teacher. It starts next month on the weekends. My other big news is that I am interviewing to enroll in the CELTA program. I will interview on Friday at 5 pm. CELTA is an ESL certification program that lasts for one month. I hope to begin the course

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1136961770952555982006-01-10T22:01:00.000-08:002006-01-10T22:42:51.003-08:00

Professor Mueller takes an annual trip with students to see Cambodia, Hong Kong and Thailand. She is the Baylor professor who runs the Baylor in Thailand program which brought me and other Baylor Alumni to teach in Bangkok, Thailand. Professor Mueller treated us for a dinner at Great American Rib Barbecue. It was good to see her and the Baylor students (and one Longhorn). It was fun to talk

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1136958607379186082006-01-10T21:47:00.000-08:002006-01-10T21:50:07.390-08:00

I didn't have to go to Cambodia. Last Friday I finally got a letter to submit to the immigration office. They extended my visa to March 31st. I apologize for not saying this sooner. I hope no one was worried.Take care.

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1135697567084736752005-12-27T06:35:00.000-08:002005-12-27T08:14:10.386-08:00

Merry Christmas everyone! Here is a summary of what I did on the Christmas weekend.On December 23rd, I attended a Christmas Party at the Person family's place. They had a white elephant gift exchange. They invited teachers from my school and Tan and Ice and others. This is their first year living in Bangkok. They lived in Chiang Mai for 15 years. They went to Baylor and met in Thailand and

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1133103966576701312005-11-27T07:06:00.000-08:002005-12-06T22:21:42.706-08:00

Merry Christmas! I know it's early. I have some news. I didn't get the job at the SAT preparation center. I'm hopeful that something else will turn up.The SpeechThe 5th of December was His Majesty the King of Thailand's 78th birthday. He gave an annual speech the day before which was similar to the State of the Union speech that our President delivers. I was one of the many guests present.

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1132589916055848452005-11-21T07:42:00.000-08:002005-11-23T07:31:29.456-08:00

While I've been in Thailand, Thanksgiving has snuck up on me. I haven't thought about it much. I actually scheduled an interview for the same day. Then the lady that works for the company called me yesterday to see if we could reschedule. She's American, and she forgot too. So I said, "Oh yeah. Okay. How about Friday?" So I made reservations for my friends and I to eat at Outback Steakhouse

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1130940962252879812005-11-02T06:02:00.000-08:002005-11-02T06:40:50.796-08:00

I am going to interview for a job at a SAT preparation center in Bangkok called Elite of Bangkok. www.eliteprep.com The interview will probably be on November 24th. I have sent my resume to an online database on Ajarn.com as well. I have also been looking at the UN Volunteer site, and I offered to help a newsletter published by a non-profit group called D-Pal. They will e-mail me a rough

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1130520240702394312005-10-28T10:10:00.000-07:002005-10-28T10:24:00.753-07:00

The Lord really moved! The church retreat for LIFT, the 20s and 30s community at Evangelical Church of Bangkok was a great experience. I won't forget it. I was priviledged to play a part in it. There were about 36 young people who attended. We learned about how to grow deeper in faith by following the Christian disciplines. We talked about more than prayer, fasting and Bible study. We

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1129870171883207132005-10-20T21:49:00.000-07:002005-10-20T21:49:31.913-07:00

I can't believe it! I remember when the HoustonAstros were called the "LASTros" cause they werealways the worst in their division. Maybe it's timefor them to win the Series.I'm going on a church retreat this weekend. I've beenhelping organize it. We'll be talking about spiritualdisciplines and how to grow deeper in Christian faith.Please pray for us. There will be about 40 youngadults

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1129175781488877572005-10-12T20:55:00.000-07:002005-10-12T20:56:21.493-07:00

The Chinese Acrobat Show was the most impressive thing I have ever seen! They kept doing things which are impossible until you see them happen with your own eyes. The show started with young women spinning tops on strings. The tossed them in the air and kept them spinning. Then they flipped and caught them. They jumped on top of each other and caught them. They passed them to each other

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1129174644326198742005-10-12T20:37:00.000-07:002005-10-12T20:37:24.330-07:00

Peking Duck 

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1129174557239676022005-10-12T20:35:00.000-07:002005-10-12T20:35:57.246-07:00

We ate like kings on our tour. Every lunch and dinner we sat around a table with a “lazy Susan” that was filled with delicious food. We tried Beijing (Peking) duck several times at different places. It was the best duck I’ve ever had. The meat was so juicy. It reminded me of ribs back home in Texas. Another time it was served with rice paper and thick black sauce that poured like molasses.

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1129169336527703832005-10-12T19:08:00.000-07:002005-10-12T19:08:56.533-07:00

Lama Temple 

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1129168919826804412005-10-12T18:59:00.000-07:002005-10-12T20:40:14.226-07:00

The Lama Temple is Beijing’s largest temple. Numerous Tibetan monks once lived there. But I only saw a few black robed monks with yellow belts. Emperor Quianlong devised a clerical system that used the Lama temple and another one in Lhasa to determine the Panchen Lama and the Dalai Lama, respectively. The Dalai Lama is believed to be the reincarnation of Buddha by Tibetan (Lama) Buddhists.

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1129106511406435322005-10-12T01:39:00.000-07:002005-10-12T19:57:34.283-07:00

Here is a quick summary of what I did on my trip to Beijing:On day one (Friday, 7 October 2005) the tour group left at 1 am from Bangkok on a Air China flight. We arrived in Beijing around 7 am local time. Beijing time is one hour ahead of Bangkok time. We went to Lama temple. Then we ate lunch. Then most of us took a nap. Then we saw an acrobat show. On day two we went to Tiananmen Square,

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1129018920075175082005-10-11T01:22:00.000-07:002005-10-11T01:22:00.080-07:00

Steve meets The Forbidden City 

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1129018525623645002005-10-11T01:13:00.000-07:002005-10-11T01:15:25.633-07:00

I got back in Bangkok at 1am local time. I'll write about the trip soon. I took lots of pictures as well. Take care.

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1128444388105281662005-10-04T09:41:00.000-07:002005-10-04T09:46:28.110-07:00

Thank you for your birthday wishes. I had an excellent birthday. I don't feel much older. I think it will be a big deal when I turn 30. I'm excited because one of my friends, Chris Johnson (Melody Gantt's brother), will be in Beijing when I visit, so I'll probably get to meet him while I'm on my tour. I'm no longer planning to go to Cambodia this month. I will probably work at an English

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1127664038760837222005-09-25T09:00:00.000-07:002005-09-25T09:00:38.793-07:00

So everyone seems to be safe. Let me know if anythinghappened to family or friends. I'm glad to hear thenews reports that there were very few storm relateddeaths.Steve __________________________________ Yahoo! Mail - PC Magazine Editors' Choice 2005 http://mail.yahoo.com

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1127583297451378262005-09-24T10:34:00.000-07:002007-03-02T09:42:04.230-08:00

Good times at my b-day party!

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1127583047355805422005-09-24T10:30:00.000-07:002007-03-02T09:42:26.429-08:00

Alright! Cake!

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1127575313634626132005-09-24T08:11:00.000-07:002005-09-24T08:21:55.386-07:00

Hurricane Rita is causing all sorts of problems in Texas. I've read a few AP wire reports. There was a fire raging in Galveston caused by a fallen power line. Rain was not putting it out. It was being spread by strong winds. A bus carrying evacuees from a nursing home caught fire and 24 people died who were trapped inside. My mom wrote me that my highschool and middle school both became

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1127407656767688692005-09-22T09:01:00.000-07:002009-08-01T22:02:25.338-07:00

I just had a terrific birthday party! It was five days early, but it was good timing because some of my friends will be leaving soon to go on trips. I think everyone had an enjoyable time. It was at a stylish place called Number 53 Restaurant. Stephanie said the restaurant looked like places in New York. The walls were made of glass and the interior is very modern. Tan helped me find the

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1127323688566581212005-09-21T10:18:00.000-07:002005-09-21T10:34:53.816-07:00

Hey everybody,Sorry for not writing again for a while. I've got a break from teaching English in October. It's the end of the first semester in Thai schools. I'm going to Beijing with some teachers: Caleb, Stephanie and Jaron. We'll be there from October 6-10. Caleb willstick around and a few extra days and see Shanghai.Our trip will be a whirlwind tour of Tianmen Square,The Summer Palace,

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1126321674860274222005-09-09T19:43:00.000-07:002005-09-09T20:07:54.866-07:00

I've heard so many of my friends and family tell me about the refugees from New Orleans. I think about the tsunami in Thailand and now Hurricane Katrina in America. I went to one area that was destroyed by the tsunami. But it was six months after it happened. Some of those who I've heard from have been caring for the refugees just days after the levees broke. I didn't get that close to

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1125590967324153312005-09-01T08:53:00.000-07:002005-09-05T09:53:16.563-07:00

I heard the news about the catastrophe in New Orleans. I'm thankful that my Uncle Max and Aunt June are okay. The more I read about it, the worse it sounds. My heart goes out to the people trapped in the Superdome and other places. I hope they can be evacuated soon. The headlines in Thailand have been dominated by Hurricane Katrina and the 900 Iraqis who died in a bomb scare. It's depressing to

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6526337.post-1124820773238180402005-08-23T11:12:00.000-07:002005-08-23T11:12:53.263-07:00

CD Thai teachers and a Chinese teacher at Ajarn Yai's house 

Mr. Crossnoreply@blogger.com1