[My First Pay Check!]

And they even pay for this! But as you can see when you do the calculations, I aint doing this for the money :-)

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[Back to School - North Thailand]

Gave my first English class in Chiang Mai University yesterday. Thats right, a proper job and all. But its only 6 hours a week which is just fine with me, got to ease slowly into these new adventures I say :-)

I have 13 in my class, mostly young adults. They are rather shy to speak (very Asian) and their English isnt quite upto the "intermediate" level I was told to teach. But once I got over my initial nerves of having to stand before a class things seemed to roll along nicely. (good preparation really helps :)

Already facing typical teaching challenges like what to do with the students that complete the activity way before the others and how to help/support one student that is struggling behind in class. And the headaches of teaching English grammar; I discovered today that for the pronouns (I, me, them, his, her etc) there are actually 5 different categories (Personal subject form, Personal object form, Possessive adjective, Possessive and Reflexive) and ofcourse each category has its own quirky rules. I seriously start to sweat when a student asks me a grammar question...!

For me this marks a completely new phase in my life, what with my last paid job being some 7+ years ago.... [sigh] Nothing lasts forever, but it was a good a run wasnt it 8-)

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[Gender Benders - Thailand]

When boys will be girls and girls will be boys. Complete gender bending, can you tell?

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[Wisdom on the Wall]

I may be writing a book on some of the more mystical aspects of life but this sign in an organic Cafe in Chiang Mai certainly brought the simple truth home...

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[Life in Chiang Mai - North Thailand]

Settled into a more every day sort of lifestyle here in Chiang Mai, even live in my own apartment. When I first arrived here I was a bit depressed about moving back into a city. But the city worked its charm on me and I soon realised I was falling in love with Chiang Mai, a wonderfully uncomplicated relationship!

Its a small city with enough variety to keep one interested and small enough to be relaxed and quite. No wonder over 17000 foreigners live here as well.

Work hasnt turned out as planned, ie- havent found a job yet. Its now holidays for the Thai schools so things wont look promising until May again. And since I had so much free time I felt I needed to do something meaningful, and by careful massaging of events by the universe, I started to write a book.

On my most favorite topic of-course, spiritual awakening. I see it more as a book for myself, to clearly outline what I know and discover what I dont, so its a great teaching tool for me. What is the proverb- if you want to know something, teach it. So publishing it, if I ever do, is a secondary motive. (So far about 15 500 words)

Otherwise making a big effort to learn Thai at home and when possible annoy my Thai friends by trying to speak with them. So far I am quite successful, annoying my Thai friends that is 8>

Enjoying a social life and getting to know more people. Start to feel more and more like a local, especially after I donated blood at the local Red Cross center and recently went to a Thai wedding of a friends friend.

A few days ago I rode to Pai to have a "weekend away in the country". I was actually home sick for my apartment & Chiang Mai, something I rarely experience. So by all reckoning this should be home for the coming period.



Pics on a local Life













For Hire!

Night life in Chiang Mai

One of many temples in Chiang Mai

Stupa Chiang Mai

Moat around old city

My home street in Chiang Mai

Thai Wedding

Take my friends dog for regular walks

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[New Year in Pai - North Thailand]

Love hiring a scooter and visiting the nature around Pai. Met Vince on New Years Eve in 7/11 and we saw the New Year come in together on a bridge over a river in Pai, with hundreds of lanterns being sent into the sky by local Thais. Very picturesque.

Chiang Mai tomorrow where I will start the door to door knock on the language schools in an attempt to secure some paid English teaching work.

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