Thursday, December 14, 2006
Funny Police Chase (Thailand)
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 finally dragged off the elephant and arrested. I guess the elephant finally got tired of running.
Thursday, August 24, 2006
Siem Reap- Angkor Temples
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 moments included the moments we interacted with the Cambodian children. Many of them come to the temples to beg or sell postcards, water bottles, handicrafts and other things. Most of them speak English surprisingly well. Halley talked to them about what they wanted to do. Some of them wanted to be tour guides. Tan and I gave candy to the kids since we didn't want to buy things from all of them. Many of the kids would ask you questions like where are you from? I answered. "America. Texas." Then they would say, "The capital of America is Washington, D.C. The capital of Texas is Austin." I asked them the capital of other states and they knew lots of them. I was impressed. One of the boys I met asked me, "What is your name?" "My name is Steve. What is your name?" "My name is Superboy." I gave him some candy, and then Tan and I bought some water and we bought ice cream for about eight kids. Then Superboy gave me a postcard that he wrote. It said, "I'm very glad to meet you. You were very nice. I hope to see you again when you comeback to Cambodia. Superboy."
I was very touched. He had such a good attitude despite his circumstances.
Some of the more memorable moments included the moments we interacted with the Cambodian children. Many of them come to the temples to beg or sell postcards, water bottles, handicrafts and other things. Most of them speak English surprisingly well. Halley talked to them about what they wanted to do. Some of them wanted to be tour guides. Tan and I gave candy to the kids since we didn't want to buy things from all of them. Many of the kids would ask you questions like where are you from? I answered. "America. Texas." Then they would say, "The capital of America is Washington, D.C. The capital of Texas is Austin." I asked them the capital of other states and they knew lots of them. I was impressed. One of the boys I met asked me, "What is your name?" "My name is Steve. What is your name?" "My name is Superboy." I gave him some candy, and then Tan and I bought some water and we bought ice cream for about eight kids. Then Superboy gave me a postcard that he wrote. It said, "I'm very glad to meet you. You were very nice. I hope to see you again when you comeback to Cambodia. Superboy."
I was very touched. He had such a good attitude despite his circumstances.
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
Phnom Penh- A macabre tourist destination
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 then waived it in the air with the picture showing. He didn't try to read names at all. It was a long line, so things were chaotic.
We were picked up at the airport by a tuk-tuk. Phnom Penh is developing gradually. It has some paved roads and many dirt roads. There are some very nice hotels and French colonial buildings, but most of the town is dirty. Trash was everywhere, and the foodstalls looked too unclean for me to try anything. I saw what must have been some internet cafes setup outside under umbrellas.
We checked into the Sunday Guesthouse. It is located on a dirt road about 10 minutes from the airport. I wanted to call my friend John, but there was no phone for guests to use. So I went looking for a pay phone nearby. I couldn't find one and lots of the locals were trying to get my attention as I walked around. They asked if I needed a tuk-tuk or motorbike or if I wanted to buy postcards. I ignored them and went to one of the street restaurants to ask if I could use a phone. The lady didn't understand, so I pulled out my phone and tried to show her that it didn't have a signal. A man came by, and he could speak a little English. He told them what I wanted. So another man let me borrow his cell phone, and I gave him a dollar. John and I arranged to meet up for dinner. Then we rented a tuk-tuk for the day and went on a tour.
Our first stop was at the Russian Market. It was filled with cheap clothes made in Cambodia. There was also lots of pirated DVDs and CDs. We stopped for lunch and met a couple who were missionaries. They worked with street children. We split up and went shopping. While walking through the market, Halley met a Cambodian girl who tried to talk to her, but she couldn't speak English. Halley noticed that she had been bitten on the hand. She found someone who could translate. The girl had been bitten by a dog and she wanted to go to a doctor. Halley found us and asked what to do. We asked a woman to translate for us. The girl said her mother was not around. We asked if there was a hospital nearby. The woman told us there was a clinic around the corner. It took a while to understand what she said. And when we looked for it, all we found was a drugstore. So Halley bought the girl iodine and bandages for her hand. Then she cleaned her up and put them on. The pharmacist told the girl to get a rabies shot, but I doubt she could afford it. We didn't know where a hospital was, and we didn't want to take her anywhere far away from the market, so we said goodbye.
Next we went to the killing fields in Choeng Ek village. We travelled on dirt roads to get there.
Inside the killing fields genocide memorial, there wasn't much to see. We were confronted by beggars who were mostly children and landmine victims. The most visible reminder of the dead is the memorial building that is filled with skulls of the victims. It is one of those things you see that you can't believe. It is a tall building filled to the roof with skulls. In the green fields, there were ditches that had been used as mass graves. There were signs at various spots that detailed the torture that happened. One of the trees was used. It's ironic that it is a tourist attraction. Cambodia is such a poor country, so it is willing to show history of the genocide to tourists for money. I read an article that said a new tourist attraction will open: the stronghold of Pol Pot. It will have former Khmer Rouge soldiers as tour guides. The article also said that a Japanese company won the bidding to improve the facilities of the Choeng Ek genocide memorial. It will pave the road to get there.
After that we went straight to another grisly sight, the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum. This was a sad day for us. Tuol Sleng literally has two meanings. One is poison. The other is finding guilt. Both are appropriate because Tuol Sleng was a prison and concentration camp for those who were declared to be enemies of the Khmer Rouge. Thousands were totured and forced to make confessions before they were killed. We saw lots of pictures of victims. They were children, women, teachers, priests, monks, foreigners, and even Khmer Rouge who were called traitors. The place had a very eerie vibe. It used to be a school before it was changed into the prison for its horrible purpose.
Later we went across the street to a nice guesthouse and restaurant called Boddhi Tree. We needed to relax after seeing all of that. After that we went to the Central Market and got lost. But we eventually got out of it and found our tuk-tuk driver waiting for us. Then we met John for dinner. He does anti-trafficking work in South East Asia. There are many people who have little or no hope for economic improvement and they risk being smuggled into other countries for a chance at a better life. Unfortunately, many of them find themselves in horrible situations such as slavery or prostitution. We had dinner at a really nice restaurant called Elsewhere. The name was appropriate because it did not feel like Cambodia.
The next morning we left in a hired car for Siem Reap at 5 a.m.
We were picked up at the airport by a tuk-tuk. Phnom Penh is developing gradually. It has some paved roads and many dirt roads. There are some very nice hotels and French colonial buildings, but most of the town is dirty. Trash was everywhere, and the foodstalls looked too unclean for me to try anything. I saw what must have been some internet cafes setup outside under umbrellas.
We checked into the Sunday Guesthouse. It is located on a dirt road about 10 minutes from the airport. I wanted to call my friend John, but there was no phone for guests to use. So I went looking for a pay phone nearby. I couldn't find one and lots of the locals were trying to get my attention as I walked around. They asked if I needed a tuk-tuk or motorbike or if I wanted to buy postcards. I ignored them and went to one of the street restaurants to ask if I could use a phone. The lady didn't understand, so I pulled out my phone and tried to show her that it didn't have a signal. A man came by, and he could speak a little English. He told them what I wanted. So another man let me borrow his cell phone, and I gave him a dollar. John and I arranged to meet up for dinner. Then we rented a tuk-tuk for the day and went on a tour.
Our first stop was at the Russian Market. It was filled with cheap clothes made in Cambodia. There was also lots of pirated DVDs and CDs. We stopped for lunch and met a couple who were missionaries. They worked with street children. We split up and went shopping. While walking through the market, Halley met a Cambodian girl who tried to talk to her, but she couldn't speak English. Halley noticed that she had been bitten on the hand. She found someone who could translate. The girl had been bitten by a dog and she wanted to go to a doctor. Halley found us and asked what to do. We asked a woman to translate for us. The girl said her mother was not around. We asked if there was a hospital nearby. The woman told us there was a clinic around the corner. It took a while to understand what she said. And when we looked for it, all we found was a drugstore. So Halley bought the girl iodine and bandages for her hand. Then she cleaned her up and put them on. The pharmacist told the girl to get a rabies shot, but I doubt she could afford it. We didn't know where a hospital was, and we didn't want to take her anywhere far away from the market, so we said goodbye.
Next we went to the killing fields in Choeng Ek village. We travelled on dirt roads to get there.
Inside the killing fields genocide memorial, there wasn't much to see. We were confronted by beggars who were mostly children and landmine victims. The most visible reminder of the dead is the memorial building that is filled with skulls of the victims. It is one of those things you see that you can't believe. It is a tall building filled to the roof with skulls. In the green fields, there were ditches that had been used as mass graves. There were signs at various spots that detailed the torture that happened. One of the trees was used. It's ironic that it is a tourist attraction. Cambodia is such a poor country, so it is willing to show history of the genocide to tourists for money. I read an article that said a new tourist attraction will open: the stronghold of Pol Pot. It will have former Khmer Rouge soldiers as tour guides. The article also said that a Japanese company won the bidding to improve the facilities of the Choeng Ek genocide memorial. It will pave the road to get there.
After that we went straight to another grisly sight, the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum. This was a sad day for us. Tuol Sleng literally has two meanings. One is poison. The other is finding guilt. Both are appropriate because Tuol Sleng was a prison and concentration camp for those who were declared to be enemies of the Khmer Rouge. Thousands were totured and forced to make confessions before they were killed. We saw lots of pictures of victims. They were children, women, teachers, priests, monks, foreigners, and even Khmer Rouge who were called traitors. The place had a very eerie vibe. It used to be a school before it was changed into the prison for its horrible purpose.
I wondered why did I want to see this? Was I disrespecting the dead or honoring them by going to see the genocide musuems? I hope I showed respect for all of human suffering by visiting these places. I want to remember victims of injustice even if I have no direct connection to them. I feel it is my duty to witness the truth, no matter how ugly. I'm not sure what I learned, but I will not forget what I saw.
Later we went across the street to a nice guesthouse and restaurant called Boddhi Tree. We needed to relax after seeing all of that. After that we went to the Central Market and got lost. But we eventually got out of it and found our tuk-tuk driver waiting for us. Then we met John for dinner. He does anti-trafficking work in South East Asia. There are many people who have little or no hope for economic improvement and they risk being smuggled into other countries for a chance at a better life. Unfortunately, many of them find themselves in horrible situations such as slavery or prostitution. We had dinner at a really nice restaurant called Elsewhere. The name was appropriate because it did not feel like Cambodia.
The next morning we left in a hired car for Siem Reap at 5 a.m.
Monday, August 14, 2006
Ta Prohm
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.
The enigmatic faces of Bayon
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.
Carvings in the temple
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.
Tuol Sleng
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.
The Killing Fields
The Killing Fields
The Khmer Rouge killed thousands of people near the village of Choeng Ek. They dug ditches that became mass graves.
Friday, August 04, 2006
A typical school day
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 point.
7:50 a.m. Students and teachers assemble for flag ceremony. Thai staff give announcements in Thai. I stand there, but I don't understand any of it.
8:00 a.m. The Thai national anthem is played. One of the students leads the school in singing the anthem.
8:02 a.m. Two students raise the Thai flag to the top of the flagpole. 8:04 a.m. Most of the students and teachers are Buddhist. They say Buddhist prayers facing the statue of Buddha. Buddha statues in Thailand are slender unlike the plump Chinese Buddhas. The one at our school sits with his legs crossed in a meditative postition.
8:10 a.m. More announcements. Sometimes one of the foreign teachers has to give an informal speech or lesson. For my last speech I asked the students questions about the World Cup. The time before that I made up a rap about the school. It was right before their school spirit camp (think pep rally not religious retreat), so I thought it would be good to come up with something like that to get them excited about the school. Some of them liked it. Of course, I didn't expect them to learn to rap. I said it too fast for them to repeat it.
(Dr. Nontiwat is the school director.)
8:15-8:30 a.m. Homeroom. Students have to present their contact books to the teachers. They write down their homework assignments in them. The teachers sign next to the assignments to check that they wrote them down. Then the parents sign them to show that the students did the work. It works well. It lets the parents know their kids have homework. Also sometimes I write notes about the students' behavior in the books. I usually make the students sit quietly and read or do classwork/homework. Sometimes the Thai assistant teacher watches them instead of me, so I can have more time to prepare for lessons.
8:30-9:20 a.m. English class for grade 6. This time I taught them about possessive pronouns. We played a game. I had students put things that belonged to them in my bag. I told them to put something that others wouldn't know was theirs. Then I had them reach into the bag one by one and pull out an object. The students guessed who it belonged to and they had to ask "Is this yours?" I had a few objects that were mine. One of them was a pink umbrella that I got as a gift. They didn't know it was mine. :) Then we did fill in the blank in groups from the book.
9:20-10:10 a.m. Math class for grade 5. I taught them how to multiply fractions.
10 minute break. Usually there is a sugary snack like a donut with a glass of milk.
10:20-11:10 Math class for grade 6. I taught them how to find the duration of time when given a starting time and ending time. Then I introduced them to speed, time and distance problems. They had to fill in tables and do some word problems. It was tough for most of them. But a few of them are sharp and they get it really quickly.
11:10-Noon I have a free period. I planned my next lesson.
Noon-12:50 p.m. Lunch. Fried rice with pork.
12:50-1:40 p.m. English for grade 6 again. I gave them a short quiz about possessives and then I taught them about pastimes and using "go" and "play" with them in sentences. Go swimming. Play soccer. Go bowling. etc.
1:40-2:30 p.m. Free period.
2:30-2:40 p.m. Home room again. Students write down their homework in their contact books. Then they go home or stay for an extra English class.
2:40-3:30 p.m. Extra English class. Our classrooms have projectors that can display what is on a computer screen. I showed the students some on-line short stories from the British Council website. The stories are animated flash programs with sounds and characters' voices. The students liked it.
3:30-4:30 p.m. I have free time until the end of the day when we sign out and leave.
4:30-5:30 p.m. I travel back home in a taxi.
6:00 p.m. Tan and I meet for dinner.
However, I usually go to tutor some kids with Tan. It takes about 30 minutes to get to their home. Then I tutor for two hours. After that Tan and I eat together around 7 p.m.
With a schedule like this on most days, it's no wonder that I get worn out. Sometimes Tan and I tutor on Saturdays too. And on Sunday I hangout with friends. So I'm kind of tired at the end of the weekend too. I come home and I usually watch mindless TV or play solitaire. I have cable so I don't have to watch Thai TV shows. I can't stand them. Well, this was a long post. If you read every word then you're probably my mom. Take care.
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 point.
7:50 a.m. Students and teachers assemble for flag ceremony. Thai staff give announcements in Thai. I stand there, but I don't understand any of it.
8:00 a.m. The Thai national anthem is played. One of the students leads the school in singing the anthem.
8:02 a.m. Two students raise the Thai flag to the top of the flagpole. 8:04 a.m. Most of the students and teachers are Buddhist. They say Buddhist prayers facing the statue of Buddha. Buddha statues in Thailand are slender unlike the plump Chinese Buddhas. The one at our school sits with his legs crossed in a meditative postition.
8:10 a.m. More announcements. Sometimes one of the foreign teachers has to give an informal speech or lesson. For my last speech I asked the students questions about the World Cup. The time before that I made up a rap about the school. It was right before their school spirit camp (think pep rally not religious retreat), so I thought it would be good to come up with something like that to get them excited about the school. Some of them liked it. Of course, I didn't expect them to learn to rap. I said it too fast for them to repeat it.
We're keepin' it real at Daroonpat.
Learin' English, Thai, Math, and hip-hop.
Art, swimming, science, and geography,
Dancing, cooking, health, and even "Monopoly".
Teachin' you sports, it's Teacher J.T.
He says, "Let's have lots of fun, but dress properly."
And don't forget science.
Teacher Bill, represent!
Show us another mad experiment!
The doc is in the house. It's Dr. Nontiwat.
Follow his example. You can learn a lot.
So let's get excited.
Show some spirit for your school.
Let everyone know, that it's really cool.
(Dr. Nontiwat is the school director.)
8:15-8:30 a.m. Homeroom. Students have to present their contact books to the teachers. They write down their homework assignments in them. The teachers sign next to the assignments to check that they wrote them down. Then the parents sign them to show that the students did the work. It works well. It lets the parents know their kids have homework. Also sometimes I write notes about the students' behavior in the books. I usually make the students sit quietly and read or do classwork/homework. Sometimes the Thai assistant teacher watches them instead of me, so I can have more time to prepare for lessons.
8:30-9:20 a.m. English class for grade 6. This time I taught them about possessive pronouns. We played a game. I had students put things that belonged to them in my bag. I told them to put something that others wouldn't know was theirs. Then I had them reach into the bag one by one and pull out an object. The students guessed who it belonged to and they had to ask "Is this yours?" I had a few objects that were mine. One of them was a pink umbrella that I got as a gift. They didn't know it was mine. :) Then we did fill in the blank in groups from the book.
9:20-10:10 a.m. Math class for grade 5. I taught them how to multiply fractions.
10 minute break. Usually there is a sugary snack like a donut with a glass of milk.
10:20-11:10 Math class for grade 6. I taught them how to find the duration of time when given a starting time and ending time. Then I introduced them to speed, time and distance problems. They had to fill in tables and do some word problems. It was tough for most of them. But a few of them are sharp and they get it really quickly.
11:10-Noon I have a free period. I planned my next lesson.
Noon-12:50 p.m. Lunch. Fried rice with pork.
12:50-1:40 p.m. English for grade 6 again. I gave them a short quiz about possessives and then I taught them about pastimes and using "go" and "play" with them in sentences. Go swimming. Play soccer. Go bowling. etc.
1:40-2:30 p.m. Free period.
2:30-2:40 p.m. Home room again. Students write down their homework in their contact books. Then they go home or stay for an extra English class.
2:40-3:30 p.m. Extra English class. Our classrooms have projectors that can display what is on a computer screen. I showed the students some on-line short stories from the British Council website. The stories are animated flash programs with sounds and characters' voices. The students liked it.
3:30-4:30 p.m. I have free time until the end of the day when we sign out and leave.
4:30-5:30 p.m. I travel back home in a taxi.
6:00 p.m. Tan and I meet for dinner.
However, I usually go to tutor some kids with Tan. It takes about 30 minutes to get to their home. Then I tutor for two hours. After that Tan and I eat together around 7 p.m.
With a schedule like this on most days, it's no wonder that I get worn out. Sometimes Tan and I tutor on Saturdays too. And on Sunday I hangout with friends. So I'm kind of tired at the end of the weekend too. I come home and I usually watch mindless TV or play solitaire. I have cable so I don't have to watch Thai TV shows. I can't stand them. Well, this was a long post. If you read every word then you're probably my mom. Take care.
Thursday, July 27, 2006
Next month: Cambodia
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 course, who wouldn't want to take pictures of a giant tree swallowing an ancient face-carving in a remote jungle temple. I've seen some of the Khmer-style temples in Thailand, and they were remarkable already.
We'll fly into Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia. We'll stay for one day and night. Then we'll go to Siem Reap, which is the closest city to the famous Angkor Wat temples. Now we need to decide where we'll stay. I've found some good websites like this one: http://www.talesofasia.com/cambodia-siemreap-guide-stay.htm
I'd appreciate any tips about traveling in Cambodia. Happy traveling to all you cyberglobetrotters out there!
We'll fly into Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia. We'll stay for one day and night. Then we'll go to Siem Reap, which is the closest city to the famous Angkor Wat temples. Now we need to decide where we'll stay. I've found some good websites like this one: http://www.talesofasia.com/cambodia-siemreap-guide-stay.htm
I'd appreciate any tips about traveling in Cambodia. Happy traveling to all you cyberglobetrotters out there!
Sunday, June 11, 2006
Trip to Malaysia
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 long time. We finally made it to Genting. It's a city built on the top of a hill. Winding roads can take you to the top, but our tour took a ride on a cable car lift to get to the top. The lift goes right over a rainforest. The first time we went up at night and saw the lights of the city in the distance. The second time we came down in mist. The city is one big amusement park, mall, casino and hotel combined into one. I watched the opening world cup match on a giant screen with a large crowd. Most of them were supporting Germany.
The next day we went to KL. On the way we stopped at the new capital Pejara, which is still under construction. In KL we went to the Petronas towers and then we met some Malaysian friends that Pai, Tan's friend knew. They took us around the city and then we went back to Genting. Pai's friends were very nice. They took us to a few shopping places. They spoke English fluently. They introduced us to their friends. Oddly, I noticed the trend is to wear collars up. So I followed their example. When in Rome ... I've been asked what it was like being in a Muslim country. I never felt in danger in any way. Malaysia seems to be a very tolerant country. Besides large mosques I saw many churches and even a few Buddhist temples.
Our tour stopped at a chocolate factory. We bought lots of it and sent it to people. The food in Malaysia was good. I tried some chicken with rice and coconut. I really like it. Our trip back to Genting was like being in a nascar race. The curves on the road up the hill make the cars do hairpin turns. And we were going fast. I prayed more than once on the way. It was also very cold at the top of the hill where the hotel was. The hotel does not have air conditioning because it is so cold there.
The next day we went back to Panang and flew home. Overall, I was impressed with how modern Malaysia looked, especially KL. I would have liked to see more. Tan and I were disappointed that lots of the time was spent riding in the bus. I'll upload some pictures.
The next day we went to KL. On the way we stopped at the new capital Pejara, which is still under construction. In KL we went to the Petronas towers and then we met some Malaysian friends that Pai, Tan's friend knew. They took us around the city and then we went back to Genting. Pai's friends were very nice. They took us to a few shopping places. They spoke English fluently. They introduced us to their friends. Oddly, I noticed the trend is to wear collars up. So I followed their example. When in Rome ... I've been asked what it was like being in a Muslim country. I never felt in danger in any way. Malaysia seems to be a very tolerant country. Besides large mosques I saw many churches and even a few Buddhist temples.
Our tour stopped at a chocolate factory. We bought lots of it and sent it to people. The food in Malaysia was good. I tried some chicken with rice and coconut. I really like it. Our trip back to Genting was like being in a nascar race. The curves on the road up the hill make the cars do hairpin turns. And we were going fast. I prayed more than once on the way. It was also very cold at the top of the hill where the hotel was. The hotel does not have air conditioning because it is so cold there.
The next day we went back to Panang and flew home. Overall, I was impressed with how modern Malaysia looked, especially KL. I would have liked to see more. Tan and I were disappointed that lots of the time was spent riding in the bus. I'll upload some pictures.
Saturday, February 25, 2006
Goodbye School
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 are always held a long time after students have graduated. Chris and Derrick also went. Chris is a long time friend. I met him two years ago. He's Thai. Derrick is a new friend. He is an exchange student from Holland. Ice and her family invited us to have dinner with them to celebrate.
Tomorrow's date will mark 14 months that Tan and I have been together. We will go out to eat and then watch a film from the Bangkok International Film Festival.
Today Tan and I went to Ice's graduation ceremony. The ceremonies are always held a long time after students have graduated. Chris and Derrick also went. Chris is a long time friend. I met him two years ago. He's Thai. Derrick is a new friend. He is an exchange student from Holland. Ice and her family invited us to have dinner with them to celebrate.
Tomorrow's date will mark 14 months that Tan and I have been together. We will go out to eat and then watch a film from the Bangkok International Film Festival.
Saturday, February 18, 2006
Just eat cake
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 man who is content. A man without regrets. A friend named Tim said, "If you want it all, you'll never be happy." I know that. He also said, "Just eat cake and the rest of life is frosting." That's true. I should focus on what's important. But what's the cake? My cake this year could be my relationships with God, with Tan, with family, with friends and my career as a teacher. Frosting might be traveling, playing guitar and other things. These were just some thoughts I had at 2 a.m.
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
Trip to Lampang
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.
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
Time flies by
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 at the end of February.
I'll write more soon.
I'll write more soon.
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
Visitors
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 to them about what life is like in Bangkok and the places we've been to in our travels. I was surprised to see Jon Mizuta was with them. We worked together from Fall 2003 to Spring 2004 as community leaders (resident assistants) in Brooks Residence Hall. That was my senior year and his sophomore year. It was good to see him again.
The group also came to see the school we teach at, and I went on a tour of the Grand Palace with them. They may see us again this weekend before they go back to America.
Life after College
Thinking about their visit has caused me to reflect on my life nearly two years after I left college. I have lost contact with lots of college friends. I accept the blame. It's hard to think of what to write after being away from America and away from college. Sadly, TheFacebook.com is my only connection to lots of them. Life has changed dramatically. I realize it would have changed no matter where I chose to live. I wish I thought more about books I read in school. I don't spend as much time reading or writing now. I find it much harder to just soak in knowledge. I miss that. On the other hand, I feel like I have learned a lot of lessons I would never have learned without leaving college. I am still learning how to manage my time and money. I'm learning to handle frustration and anger in better ways. I'm learning to handle different challenges that come from being in a relationship with Tan. Personally, college life was complicated, but it was much simpler than life is now. May God give me wisdom to face these new challenges.
The group also came to see the school we teach at, and I went on a tour of the Grand Palace with them. They may see us again this weekend before they go back to America.
Life after College
Thinking about their visit has caused me to reflect on my life nearly two years after I left college. I have lost contact with lots of college friends. I accept the blame. It's hard to think of what to write after being away from America and away from college. Sadly, TheFacebook.com is my only connection to lots of them. Life has changed dramatically. I realize it would have changed no matter where I chose to live. I wish I thought more about books I read in school. I don't spend as much time reading or writing now. I find it much harder to just soak in knowledge. I miss that. On the other hand, I feel like I have learned a lot of lessons I would never have learned without leaving college. I am still learning how to manage my time and money. I'm learning to handle frustration and anger in better ways. I'm learning to handle different challenges that come from being in a relationship with Tan. Personally, college life was complicated, but it was much simpler than life is now. May God give me wisdom to face these new challenges.
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
Visa
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.
Take care.
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