Thailand with Phil 2024

Of all our students, one is particularly dear to us: Nui. There are many reasons for this, but I will not break her confidences with us by telling you more about her life. Instead, I will write about what she has done for Phil and me. Nui has been especially anxious that we should see all the sights of Bangkok while we are here. The three of us are free on Fridays, and so on several Fridays she has journeyed an hour from her home to meet us on the boat dock behind Bangkhapi Mall. She travels with us the hour-long journey down the canals to various places—most recently to the splendid Grand Palace and to Chinatown. Here are a few pictures of the world she has opened to us: Tuk-tuks are a great way to get around in the tourist areas. Nui finds a driver who is willing to bargain, and gets us the best price. In front of our tuk-tuk. Ready for a day in the hot sun—over 90 degrees and high humidity. The Grand Palace has evolved over the centuries into a sprawling complex of temples, stupas, ...

Phil and I are in limbo. This is the weekend between the January and February teaching sessions. Last week was a blur of final classes, tests, grading, and end-of-session parties. Next week will pick up the pace with new classes and faces. But for now we’re sitting in our air-conditioned apartment, reading books and watching Netflix, because it’s too hot outside to do much exploring. It’s been a bit of a wrench to say good-bye to students, not knowing if we’ll be their teachers this next session. Here are faces that have become dear to us, from our 1:00-3:00 Level I class: The couple on the far right will not be here for Level II, as Jhim will spend much of February caring for an older sister who is ill. The lovely young woman behind my right shoulder is heading to Saudi Arabia for airline stewardess training for the Saudi budget airlines, FlyaDeal. We pray that no one there will take advantage of her and her friends as they navigate a new and challenging culture. Three in the group wi...

Phil and I are lucky enough to live within ten minute’s walk of “The Mall”—a sprawling, five-story complex that could put the Mall of America to shame. And it’s not even the largest shopping mall in Bangkok. Our Thai students are continually writing sentences about going to the mall, meeting friends there, eating at the mall restaurants, and using it as their chief entertainment center. And why not? It’s a huge public space that’s air conditioned, full of glitz and glamour, and chock full of good places to eat. There are few public parks in the area—and it’s too hot to be in the sun anyway. So the mall has replaced parks as the main venue of public recreation. And here are a few reasons why: This is taken from the main floor, looking up four stories at a floating dragon (to celebrate the Chinese new year, the Year of the Dragon). Looking down on the same dragon from the fourth floor. (This is only a small portion of the mall.) One of many places to sit and relax, with fantastical decor...

It’s odd how happy and sad can collide and kind of meld together. That’s how it felt on Jina’s last day with us. Jina is a young woman of singular sweetness of disposition, and a member of our early afternoon Level I class. She is now, as I write this, flying over the Pacific on her way to Boston, Massachusetts. Jina is going to be an au pair for a young family there, and we all feel anxious and hopeful for her in equal measure. Will she know enough English to navigate her first month or so there? Will the children take advantage of her kindness and start a reign of tyranny? Is this a loving and patient family, or might they treat her unfairly? Well, we don’t know. But we do know she has brightened our lives considerably. The two older couples in the class seem to have adopted Jina as a daughter. Jhim makes soup and special dishes for her, and cooked an entire feast for the class last week as a way of honoring Jina. Nid and Ton give her hugs, pat her hand, and hover over her like mothe...