When I first moved to Thailand, I lived in Chiang Rai which is also surrounded by mountains like Chiang Mai. Any free time I had, I spent riding my Honda Dream in the mountains. The scenery was so beautiful. I had put some dirt tires on my Dream so I could go up the steep dirt roads. The people I met were so nice. I would spend time talking to them and made life long friends from my travels. Once, I was caught in a terrible storm in the mountains and was unable to make it home. A local family took me in and gave me a place to stay for the night. They fed me and gave me a nice bed to sleep in. There was so much to see in the mountains around Chiang Rai. I recommend to anyone who wants to have fun while enjoying the beautiful mountains to expore around Chiang Rai.
I later moved to a small village about 65 kilometers North of Surin. This was like going back in time about a hundred years. I still was using my Dream to get around on. Although it was only 120 cc, it was plenty strong enough to take me all over Surin. The village I was living in did not have paved roads so you needed to be careful when you were going fast. The nearest ATM, western market, or western food was over 60 km away, so I was always going to town on my motorcycle. At this time, you didn't have to have a one year visa to stay in Thailand. As long as you left Thailand once a month, you could get another one month visa. Cambodia was the closest border to go to make a border run. Plus they had a casino which was fun to kill time in while you re-cooperated from the long ride on the bike. The ride through the area was mostly jungles and small villages. There were monkeys in the trees, but you mostly watched for the unattended livestock that drifted into the road from time to time. The air was so fresh because of all the green vegetation. I didn't wonder off the roads any where near Cambodia because there were still people being killed by land mines from the Vietnam War. To the North of Surin it was safe to explore. The roads were very flat and you could go any direction for a tank of gas and see nothing but rice fields. There were some canals that I would stop to swim in in order to cool off. The weather in this part of Thailand is hot. If you can not tolerate hot weather, do not go to Surin. Even though it was hot as hell, nothing much to look at, and one of the most boring places on earth, I still enjoyed living there. My long rides on my Honda Dream were a lot of fun. I filled my scorched brain with memories of wondering around doing nothing.
After Surin, I moved to the beach in Rayong. This is a great place to ride a motorcycle. I really do not want to bore you with the pleasure of riding up and down the beach every day. This is Thailand where the water is warm and the sand is perfect. Bad weather would only last about the amount of time it took to drink a beer or two. There is one thing I miss about riding by the beach. Every morning I would get some dog food and ride down to a part of the beach were the tourist did not go. There were many stray dogs down there and I enjoyed feeding them. I think I was just jealous of them being able to crash on the beach every day.
Finally I decided to move back to Northern Thailand where it was a bit cooler. I rode my motorcycle to work everyday for many years. The challenge of making it to work everyday without dying was an exhilarating experience. Of course lady luck wasn't on my side every day. I had never broken a bone in my body until I rode in Chiang Mai. A couple of accidents later, a lot of broken bones and steel throughout my body, I gave up riding a motorcycle on a daily basis. If you have a death wish and enjoy pain, ride a motorcycle in Thailand. It may not be your fault, but you will pay in the long run.
Monday, December 3, 2018
Thursday, November 22, 2018
Never Stop Learning
People are told to go to school, get a good , job, and raise a family. When they have accomplished all of these goals, they will be old and ready to retire and their life will have been complete. There is a lot more to life than doing what is socially expected. Dare to be different. Do not be afraid of change. Life is to be lived and if people want something different other than what is currently happening, they should not be afraid to make changes. The pressure put on individuals by there family can cause a person to live a life they are not content living. Financial situations force people to work at jobs they don't like because they need the money to pay for the home, car, or credit card debt they have accumulated. Learning can open many doors to those who thought they would never be able to change their life.
Learning can come in many different ways. The traditional way of going back to school is a simple way of learning. Schools have now made it easier than ever to learn for those who are wanting to expand their knowledge. The internet offers classes on almost any subject a person could wish to learn about. It may take a while to get a degree if a person's time is consumed by their prior commitments, but it is still possible. The universities offer classes on the weekend which is a great way to enter back into the educational system. Once again, this may take longer than normal, but it is possible. If finances are on obstacle, people can volunteer to work at a place that interest them to gain knowledge. Keep in mind that the objective is to gain knowledge which will later give the option of making changes. If a person is not able to gain knowledge from schools, the internet, or volunteering, then there is something wrong with their ability to acquire knowledge.
As a person grows older, they learn how to do what is expected of them. Their daily activities are easy to accomplish. They do the same thing day after day. They do not stimulate their brain with nothing which can lead to the desire to stimulate it with bad things such as drinking, drugs, affairs, or dangerous activities. It has been proven that people who chose to learn a second language later in life stimulate their brains. You are never too old to learn.
Young adults may have earned a degree that made their families happy. It may not have been the degree that they would have chosen. It is OK to admit that there was a mistake made and correct it by going back to school to get the degree they had always wanted to get. I met a young man who was finishing his 6th year at Chiang mai University and was going to be a dentist. One day I asked him why he did not look happy. He told me he did not want to be a dentist, but it was what his parents wanted. He said he wanted to be an artist. I told him that being a dentist could pay for a lot of art material. I also suggested being a dentist Monday through Thursday and an artist Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. He got a huge smile on his face and was thankful for the idea.
I am one of the oldest students at CMRU, but I enjoy going to school. I can see myself when I see the young students. Some of the students feel bad because of their ignorance. Those are the smart students. There are teachers who feel they are not ignorant.
Ignorance is not a bad thing because I too am ignorant. It means "lacking knowledge" and who ever says they have enough knowledge is a fool.
My objective for this blog is to encourage those who want a change in their lives, to acquire more knowledge. Knowledge will stimulate the brain. Knowledge is power. Knowledge will open doors that will bring about change.
Thank You.
Learning can come in many different ways. The traditional way of going back to school is a simple way of learning. Schools have now made it easier than ever to learn for those who are wanting to expand their knowledge. The internet offers classes on almost any subject a person could wish to learn about. It may take a while to get a degree if a person's time is consumed by their prior commitments, but it is still possible. The universities offer classes on the weekend which is a great way to enter back into the educational system. Once again, this may take longer than normal, but it is possible. If finances are on obstacle, people can volunteer to work at a place that interest them to gain knowledge. Keep in mind that the objective is to gain knowledge which will later give the option of making changes. If a person is not able to gain knowledge from schools, the internet, or volunteering, then there is something wrong with their ability to acquire knowledge.
As a person grows older, they learn how to do what is expected of them. Their daily activities are easy to accomplish. They do the same thing day after day. They do not stimulate their brain with nothing which can lead to the desire to stimulate it with bad things such as drinking, drugs, affairs, or dangerous activities. It has been proven that people who chose to learn a second language later in life stimulate their brains. You are never too old to learn.
Young adults may have earned a degree that made their families happy. It may not have been the degree that they would have chosen. It is OK to admit that there was a mistake made and correct it by going back to school to get the degree they had always wanted to get. I met a young man who was finishing his 6th year at Chiang mai University and was going to be a dentist. One day I asked him why he did not look happy. He told me he did not want to be a dentist, but it was what his parents wanted. He said he wanted to be an artist. I told him that being a dentist could pay for a lot of art material. I also suggested being a dentist Monday through Thursday and an artist Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. He got a huge smile on his face and was thankful for the idea.
I am one of the oldest students at CMRU, but I enjoy going to school. I can see myself when I see the young students. Some of the students feel bad because of their ignorance. Those are the smart students. There are teachers who feel they are not ignorant.
My objective for this blog is to encourage those who want a change in their lives, to acquire more knowledge. Knowledge will stimulate the brain. Knowledge is power. Knowledge will open doors that will bring about change.
Thank You.
The Food Sold in Front of School
The food in front of the schools is plentiful and cheap. It is consumed by the students who have not been able too eat before leaving for school. This is unfortunately the majority of the students in the morning. It looks good and it is delicious. The only bad part is that it is not good for the children. It is the fast food of Thailand. The west has their drive through restaurants that causes the obesity and we unfortunately have the street food. I would sure like to see an alternative way to feed the kids before they enter the classrooms.
Oil is probably the main ingredient that is causing the most harm. It is used in almost every product presented in front of the school. There are some items that could be steamed or boiled such as potatoes, chicken, fish, and artificial crab. It is just too easy to deep fry everything because they already have the oil hot from deep frying the French fries and chicken nuggets. The kids get another serving of oil when they are leaving in the afternoon and would like a snack before heading home. I do not know what type of oil is being used but at the prices that they are charging for the food, I am sure it is not the real expensive kind. Now for a child to eat this type of food every once in a while it wouldn't be a big deal. These kids are eating this two times a day for forty weeks a year. There is a reason why the children have weight problems and we take a blind eye to what is a major factor.
Fruits and vegetables are not to be found in what is offered in the a.m.. I wonder why a country with the most beautiful variety of fruit available at the markets can not provide some of it as an option in front of the schools in the morning. There is a lady who sells fruit at one of the back gates most of the time. She always has a steady flow of customers. They are students who are tired of eating all of the junk food. her prices are fair and are comparable to the deep fried alternatives being pushed onto the children. There is unfortunately a larger profit margin selling the deep fried products.
If there is a way to fix of perhaps positively influence this problem, please feel free to write on this blog and give me your point of view. If we work together, I am sure we could come up with some sort of alternative that could help some of the children. Thank You.
Oil is probably the main ingredient that is causing the most harm. It is used in almost every product presented in front of the school. There are some items that could be steamed or boiled such as potatoes, chicken, fish, and artificial crab. It is just too easy to deep fry everything because they already have the oil hot from deep frying the French fries and chicken nuggets. The kids get another serving of oil when they are leaving in the afternoon and would like a snack before heading home. I do not know what type of oil is being used but at the prices that they are charging for the food, I am sure it is not the real expensive kind. Now for a child to eat this type of food every once in a while it wouldn't be a big deal. These kids are eating this two times a day for forty weeks a year. There is a reason why the children have weight problems and we take a blind eye to what is a major factor.
Fruits and vegetables are not to be found in what is offered in the a.m.. I wonder why a country with the most beautiful variety of fruit available at the markets can not provide some of it as an option in front of the schools in the morning. There is a lady who sells fruit at one of the back gates most of the time. She always has a steady flow of customers. They are students who are tired of eating all of the junk food. her prices are fair and are comparable to the deep fried alternatives being pushed onto the children. There is unfortunately a larger profit margin selling the deep fried products.
If there is a way to fix of perhaps positively influence this problem, please feel free to write on this blog and give me your point of view. If we work together, I am sure we could come up with some sort of alternative that could help some of the children. Thank You.
Tuesday, November 20, 2018
Holiday in Hua Hin
If you have been thinking of going on a holiday to Hua Hin Thailand, I would just like to say that I would recommend it. I was just there in October of 2018 for 9 days with my family. Fist of all, they have a nice airport that we did not get to use this time, but I am sure we will take advantage of this in the future. We flew into Don Muang Airport in Bangkok from Chiang mai Thailand which is only about an hour flight because there are no longer direct flights offered.. We were picked up by a real nice van and taken to our hotel in Hua Hin. It is less than a three hour drive and there are a number of things to look at, so the drive was enjoyable. Of course looking at the new buildings that have gone up in Bangkok are always interesting because they are able to put them up so quick. Then, once you get out of the city, it is nice to look at the country side while going to Hua Hin. The driver stopped anytime we requested to stretch our legs or get a drink.
We stayed at the Sheraton Hotel. I was told that it was convenient because it was down town Hua Hin, but it was actually a couple kilometers from down town which meant I had to rent a car or take taxis. I chose to rent a car because it was easier and less expensive. As far as the quality of the hotel is concerned, it couldn't get much better. If you are with your family and not looking for a adventurous night life, it is perfect. The rooms were very clean and had what you would expect from a five star hotel. A bath tub big enough for two is always a nice way to finish a day. Plus, part of the wall would slide out of the way so you could watch TV while taking a bubble bath. The beds were surprisingly so soft and made for a great nights sleep. In the morning we went to the breakfast buffet. The only problem with the breakfast buffet was that my Dad gained 17 lbs and I gained about the same. It was great. The bread variety was better than most bakeries. The western, Chinese, Japanese, and Thai sections were of course done up by chefs. The varieties of fresh juice that was available was enough to keep everyone happy. I could write for an hour about the buffet. The hotel had a kids room that was filled with all the modern toys that I have no idea how to play. The playground included a few trampolines that my daughter loved. There were staff who watch the kids and would not let them leave unattended.The game room next to the bar in the lobby had pool, air-hockey, and darts. The pool was the biggest pool I have ever swam in. It too was perfectly clean and we spent the majority of the holiday in it. The 2 for 1 Draft beer by the pool was taken advantage of or maybe even abused a couple of days. Towels, goggles, and floating rafts were provided. If you wanted to bye a huge blow-up swan or pineapple to play in the pool with, they too were available at the bar by the pool. One thing that my parents mentioned was how friendly all the staff were. I mean every single person, no matter what their job, was very polite. That sure makes a difference when your on holiday.
In the evenings we went to dinner most of the time in the city. There are great places to eat and we did not have one bad experience at any of them. So if your going to Hua Hin, I hope you have a good time because I know it is easy to do
.
We stayed at the Sheraton Hotel. I was told that it was convenient because it was down town Hua Hin, but it was actually a couple kilometers from down town which meant I had to rent a car or take taxis. I chose to rent a car because it was easier and less expensive. As far as the quality of the hotel is concerned, it couldn't get much better. If you are with your family and not looking for a adventurous night life, it is perfect. The rooms were very clean and had what you would expect from a five star hotel. A bath tub big enough for two is always a nice way to finish a day. Plus, part of the wall would slide out of the way so you could watch TV while taking a bubble bath. The beds were surprisingly so soft and made for a great nights sleep. In the morning we went to the breakfast buffet. The only problem with the breakfast buffet was that my Dad gained 17 lbs and I gained about the same. It was great. The bread variety was better than most bakeries. The western, Chinese, Japanese, and Thai sections were of course done up by chefs. The varieties of fresh juice that was available was enough to keep everyone happy. I could write for an hour about the buffet. The hotel had a kids room that was filled with all the modern toys that I have no idea how to play. The playground included a few trampolines that my daughter loved. There were staff who watch the kids and would not let them leave unattended.The game room next to the bar in the lobby had pool, air-hockey, and darts. The pool was the biggest pool I have ever swam in. It too was perfectly clean and we spent the majority of the holiday in it. The 2 for 1 Draft beer by the pool was taken advantage of or maybe even abused a couple of days. Towels, goggles, and floating rafts were provided. If you wanted to bye a huge blow-up swan or pineapple to play in the pool with, they too were available at the bar by the pool. One thing that my parents mentioned was how friendly all the staff were. I mean every single person, no matter what their job, was very polite. That sure makes a difference when your on holiday.
In the evenings we went to dinner most of the time in the city. There are great places to eat and we did not have one bad experience at any of them. So if your going to Hua Hin, I hope you have a good time because I know it is easy to do
Sports Day For Anubaan Chiang mai School
Once again Sports Day is here for Anubaan Chiang mai School.It will be held at the 700 Year Stadium on Canal Rd. in Chiang mai. The children have been getting ready for the Sunday November 25, 2018 Sports Day event. Some of the students will be in running competitions. They have been running everyday at school to get ready to represent their grade and classroom. There have been many injuries because the children did not stretch before running. Some have fallen down and others have ran into each other and miscellaneous things. The kids who were not chosen to run will have other duties to keep Sports Day entertaining. One option is to become a cheerleader. They will get the families and students in the bleachers to cheer for the teams that are running. There is also a group that is responsible for making noise. They have made special noise making devices that make very loud noises. These groups will all work together to keep the audience in the bleachers interested in the races. Those who have chosen to be a part of the flag competition team have had to work very hard. The flag teams are responsible for the opening ceremonies. As you can tell from the photos, all the children are excited and working hard. Some are a little camera shy while the others will pose for a picture any time.
The people who attend are not just students and family members. Students who attended Anubaan Chiang mai School in the past are also invited. The alumni play football against the teachers at the end of the day. There are many vendors who are selling food and toys in the front of the stadium. This is a wonderful activity and those of you who wish to attend are welcome. Feel free to come out and enjoy Sports Day with Anubaan Chiang mai School.
The people who attend are not just students and family members. Students who attended Anubaan Chiang mai School in the past are also invited. The alumni play football against the teachers at the end of the day. There are many vendors who are selling food and toys in the front of the stadium. This is a wonderful activity and those of you who wish to attend are welcome. Feel free to come out and enjoy Sports Day with Anubaan Chiang mai School.
Monday, November 19, 2018
Mother's Day in Thailand
The children at Anubaan Chiang mai School were excited about Mother's Day this year just as they are every year. Two of the grade six classes wanted to do something special for their moms this year. They had already made cards and decorated them in order to give them on Mother's Day, but this was not enough this year. They brainstormed and came up with many ideas. They discussed the suggestions given by the students until they were able to agree on one idea.
The grade six students decided to purchase T-shirts and paint on them and give them to their moms on Mother's Day which is on August 12 every year in Thailand. Mother's Day is celebrated on the birthday of the Queen of Thailand. This would be a present that would reflect the love the children have for their mothers. It would be a gift that expressed their personal feeling about their moms on the T-shirts. They worked very hard for many hours to make sure that their moms would appreciate the work that they had put into the personalized T-shirts. Some of the children were better artists than the others. The enjoyment of the activity was felt by everyone. Please take a look at the photos and see the fun the kids had doing something nice for mom. No matter how the T-shirts turned out, I am sure the moms were thankful to their children.
The grade six students decided to purchase T-shirts and paint on them and give them to their moms on Mother's Day which is on August 12 every year in Thailand. Mother's Day is celebrated on the birthday of the Queen of Thailand. This would be a present that would reflect the love the children have for their mothers. It would be a gift that expressed their personal feeling about their moms on the T-shirts. They worked very hard for many hours to make sure that their moms would appreciate the work that they had put into the personalized T-shirts. Some of the children were better artists than the others. The enjoyment of the activity was felt by everyone. Please take a look at the photos and see the fun the kids had doing something nice for mom. No matter how the T-shirts turned out, I am sure the moms were thankful to their children.
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