DSC_10840506
Originally uploaded by migratorynature.
Monday, May 19, 2008
Sunday, May 18, 2008
BACK TO SCHOOL
Here in Bangkok the school year starts in mid-May and goes until the end of September when it lets out for a month on holiday. Then it starts up again in November and continues until mid-March.
Summer break is now over in May as everyone puts their school uniforms back on, gathers up their books and heads back to school. For the two of us, thank God, we don’t have to wear uniforms like the students do. But we are gearing up for another semester of teaching English in Thailand.
By now you’ve probably grown right jealous of all these blog posts over the last two months entailing the mooky Saccharin of our dangerous adventures and romantic getaways in Asia. Now that we’re back in school, you can count on getting a healthy dose of real life. Long days of teaching mischievous teenagers, sweltering heat that makes your hair stick to the back of your neck, mosquitoes creeping into the bed at night: Yessir, it all comes with the territory. So sit back, relax and enjoy reading about us as we ride out the semester to see if we have what it takes to be…. (drum roll please)... DUN! DUN! DUN!: English teachers.
Summer break is now over in May as everyone puts their school uniforms back on, gathers up their books and heads back to school. For the two of us, thank God, we don’t have to wear uniforms like the students do. But we are gearing up for another semester of teaching English in Thailand.
By now you’ve probably grown right jealous of all these blog posts over the last two months entailing the mooky Saccharin of our dangerous adventures and romantic getaways in Asia. Now that we’re back in school, you can count on getting a healthy dose of real life. Long days of teaching mischievous teenagers, sweltering heat that makes your hair stick to the back of your neck, mosquitoes creeping into the bed at night: Yessir, it all comes with the territory. So sit back, relax and enjoy reading about us as we ride out the semester to see if we have what it takes to be…. (drum roll please)... DUN! DUN! DUN!: English teachers.
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Friday, May 16, 2008
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
KATIE TAKES A HIATUS FROM THAILAND
Katie writes from Seattle:
Last week my entire family flew to Fremont, Nebraska (aka The Sticks) to see the place where my mother, aunts, uncles and grandparents lived before venturing out West. It was in Nebraska that we all sang in their old church choir at Midland Lutheran College, where my grandfather was a professor of music waaaaay back in the 60’s and 70’s. While grandpa directed the choir, I sang and played guitar with my brother… my first official public performance as a guitarist. Whoop whoop!
My grandfather was honored with the prestigious Alumni Achievement Award and an endowment was set up in his name titled, The Gene Nelson Endowed Scholarship for Choral Music. It was quite a big “to do” for our family as both of my grandparents are retired professors of music, all four of their children are musicians and all of us grandchildren have a deep reverence for music. Every last family member blubbered and sniveled nostalgically as my 85 year old grandfather regally stepped onto the podium and became our revered leader of the band once again... a scene which often painted my earliest childhood memories with comfort.
I spent a lot of time with my grandparents as a child, and thus developed a fierce love for them. As a toddler I’d sit for hours watching my grandpa direct his college choir. He always looked so noble and stately, as if Father Time himself were directing the sun to rise. My grandma’s stories from her travels overseas first inspired me to come to Thailand seven years ago. I have always been in quiet awe of these two giants who sit at the bottom of my family’s totem poll and lift everyone else up in the balance.
Dan Fogelburg’s lyrics capture perfectly my catharsis from this short time spent at home:
The leader of the band is tired and his eyes are growing old.
But his blood runs through my instrument, and his song is in my soul.
My life has been a poor attempt to imitate the man.
I’m just a living legacy to the leader of the band.
Last week my entire family flew to Fremont, Nebraska (aka The Sticks) to see the place where my mother, aunts, uncles and grandparents lived before venturing out West. It was in Nebraska that we all sang in their old church choir at Midland Lutheran College, where my grandfather was a professor of music waaaaay back in the 60’s and 70’s. While grandpa directed the choir, I sang and played guitar with my brother… my first official public performance as a guitarist. Whoop whoop!
My grandfather was honored with the prestigious Alumni Achievement Award and an endowment was set up in his name titled, The Gene Nelson Endowed Scholarship for Choral Music. It was quite a big “to do” for our family as both of my grandparents are retired professors of music, all four of their children are musicians and all of us grandchildren have a deep reverence for music. Every last family member blubbered and sniveled nostalgically as my 85 year old grandfather regally stepped onto the podium and became our revered leader of the band once again... a scene which often painted my earliest childhood memories with comfort.
I spent a lot of time with my grandparents as a child, and thus developed a fierce love for them. As a toddler I’d sit for hours watching my grandpa direct his college choir. He always looked so noble and stately, as if Father Time himself were directing the sun to rise. My grandma’s stories from her travels overseas first inspired me to come to Thailand seven years ago. I have always been in quiet awe of these two giants who sit at the bottom of my family’s totem poll and lift everyone else up in the balance.
Dan Fogelburg’s lyrics capture perfectly my catharsis from this short time spent at home:
The leader of the band is tired and his eyes are growing old.
But his blood runs through my instrument, and his song is in my soul.
My life has been a poor attempt to imitate the man.
I’m just a living legacy to the leader of the band.
Monday, May 5, 2008
Sunday, May 4, 2008
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