teaching in thanyaburi

i haven't written in ages, but i am back now. i found a place on the first floor of my apartment building where i can use my own computer and not be taking anything away from a lot of kids! the past month has been amazing. i finished my teaching training in chiang mai, journeyed down south to koh pha-ngan with 13 other teachers for one very wild full moon party, spent a week scuba diving in koh tao, explored bangkok for the first time, and helped my friend leslie settle in to her place in prachaup khiri khan. now my vacation time is over. i wish i could just stay on holiday for the next four months!

i started teaching on monday at the udomvittaya school here in thanyaburi, north of bangkok. even when they are out of control, my little kindergarteners and primary one and two students are absolutely adorable. the kindergarten one classes are the best; the kids aren't even four years old. each day of the week, they were different colored aprons over their school uniforms. more to come on kindergarten playtime...

before elephant playtime, i really just wanted to kiss one...

i look cute on an elephant, but more than anything, i am just too tired and lazy to write anything good

sunrise at suthep

cooking up something brilliant with eliza and nigel

still alive and well in chiang mai

appartently, i am not doing the best job at keeping my blog up-to-date. i have been incredibly busy with my teaching training here in chiang mai, and when i am not in class, i am out partying with my fellow teachers-to-be. this week will be a bit different, since it is the first in which we will actually be teaching in schools. i hope i am ready to face a class of twenty thai students! the past few weeks should have prepared me enough.

if they haven't, that is okay as well because i have had a lot of fun. the nights are full of adventures, but the weekends are even better. last saturday, i went to the spa and then rented a scooter, which i rode up to wat suthep on the top of a mountain overlooking the city of chiang mai. i love the way the world looks at sunrise, especially when seeing that world from a beautiful temple. that sunday, i went for an elephant ride, a swim in a waterfall, and a bit of whitewater rafting. this weekend, i took an amazing cooking class and went to a different spa for some much needed time with the girls. a few hours later, my entire body still feels stretched and relaxed--the same feeling i get after a really good yoga or dance class. after yesterday's food coma, it is a nice change.

good morning, thailand

i have been awake since 4:00 am listening to the roosters across the street. faced with the unlikelihood of sleep, i made a decision: it is time to start a blog. and so, welcome to my blog, "sandy feet world travel." i started to think of the title on my way from maui back to oahu on wednesday. i went to the airport still wearing my bikini after spending the day at makena beach. i found a dress to wear but returned to the north shore with maui sand still on my feet. the next morning, i left oahu to come here to chiang mai, bringing with me camp erdman sand. a couple from kona commented on them in tokyo, and a name for my blog was born!

now i am here in northern thailand, surrounded by mountains and hundreds of miles from the beach. a new adventure begins.