As we wrap up the school year, the time to reflect on my semester of teaching in Thailand has arrived. Lessons have been learned, homework handed in (most of it, anyway), and all that’s left before summer break are final exams. Here is a view of the primary building on our lovely campus in Nakhon Si Thammarat. … More Teaching in Thailand
I awoke before the first dawn of the year to fly back to Yangon (known as Rangoon in its previous incarnation), Burma’s largest city and its capital. The taxi driver pulled up to the curb and pointed up to a fourth story window. On a small sign was written the name of the hostel where I’d … More Yangon, Burma
Over a patchwork of green fields and red earth, flying from Heho to Nyaung U was a quick half-hour jaunt. Upon landing, the 25,000 kyat or about 18 dollar archeological zone fee required of all foreigners took me aback even though I’d known it was coming. Beyond feeling the sticker shock, I doubted much of the fee actually went towards the upkeep of … More Bagan, Burma
Mingalabar from Burma! This new adventure has been particularly special for me. Bear with me while I explain some back story. Exactly one year ago I took my first solo trip and stayed at a hostel for the first time in San Francisco. Only a small collection of travelers were present, many of whom were not … More Inle Lake, Burma
It’s been a while since my last blog post. I’ve been settling into a new pace of life, living and working in Nakhon Si Thammarat, not traveling as much. It’s been a time of deep reflection and inner listening. Although I’ve been practicing yoga for almost ten years and meditation for about two and a … More Stream of Consciousness: Ko Kradan, the Flood, and the Meditative Flow
The journey was arduous. Three and a half hours by minibus to Hat Yai in the far south of Thailand, where I bought a van ticket to Penang (pronounced pee-NAHNG in Thai and sometimes spelled Pinang). The driver dropped me off right at a travel agency, which should have been the first red flag, but fool … More Penang, Malaysia
From Lopburi, I hopped a train to Bangkok’s Hua Lamphong station. Here is a shrine built in honor of the late king. Since his death a couple of weeks ago, all of Thailand appears awash in black and white, from the new national dress code to banners on nearly every building. The overnight train pulled out … More A New Home in Nakhon Si Thammarat
I spent my last few days in Chiang Mai attending yoga workshops and exchanging Facebook messages with my mom during the Cubs games. Then it was time to start heading south to Nakhon Si Thammarat to begin my new life there. I bid farewell as unceremoniously as possible by stealing a move out of my uncle Joe’s … More Lopburi, Thailand
Dear readers, I have a confession to make. In my last post, I told you that I was done traveling for a while. Due to unforeseen circumstances, that is undeniably false. Here I am, back on the road again after less than two weeks. I know, I got some ‘splaining to do. I had every intention … More Chiang Rai, Thailand
I made a stopover in Surat Thani, a city on the mainland peninsula of Southern Thailand, before catching the ferry to the island of Ko Samui the next day. Knowing from experience how jacked up the prices can be in a beach town, I did a little shopping in Surat to stock up on essentials, the … More Ko Samui, Thailand
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