Category: Travel
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Don’t Have Syphilis, Get a Thai Work Permit! Phrao, Thailand
Warm Heart dog. Warm Heart Volunteer I arrived at Warm Heart Worldwide to volunteer as a TEFL teacher. Located 70km north of Chiang Mai, this nonprofit is tucked in the village of Phrao. My students—the orphans—would depend on me to teach them and deliver fun, engaging lessons. I felt nervous, but thankfully had my TEFL…
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Chiang Mai the Polluted, Chiang Mai the Hipster Art Scene
I think every post has to start with a dog. Chiang Mai has the illustrious honor of being in the news for being such a pretty and charming city with a small town vibe. Now it has the ignominious honor for being the world’s most polluted! More polluted than India, Bangladesh, and China! This past…
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Luxury, Kawaii, and Too Many Chocolate Cakes: Vientiane, Laos
I flew to Vientiane, Laos to make my volunteer visa for Thailand. Unfortunately, I had failed to consult the Thai Embassy calendar and didn’t realize that Friday, May 8 was a national holiday—”International Women’s Day”. I had assumed I could pick up my passport that day, and fly out that same evening. But after having…
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Devotees at Ramana Ashram
Upon successfully completing my TEFL (Teach English as a Foreign Language) course, I had to leave Thailand in order to apply for my volunteer visa. I would submit my application in Laos, but I took a detour to Tiruvannamalai, India in order to visit Arunachala and Ramana Ashram again. This devotee couldn’t help but wilt…
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Techno Club in a Songthaew
In order to prepare for my upcoming English teaching volunteer service, I enrolled in a TEFL (teach English as a foreign language) course in Chiang Mai. For four weeks, 8am-5pm, I brushed up on grammar rules, learned how to make lesson plans, and taught classes as a teacher-in-training. At the end of one day, I…
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Lessons Learned: Never Put Your Hand in an Indian Toilet
Having spent a year and three months abroad, I have not come away unscathed. Although the majority of my experiences have been filled with the kindness of strangers, adorable dogs, inspiring art, and otherwise drama-free days of applying balm to my mosquito bites, I did have to learn some lessons the hard way. Case in…
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Chiang Mai, Thailand: Soi Culture
Photo Essay In a previous post, I stated that Georgetown, Penang was one of the most photogenic cities I’ve ever visited. Chiang Mai, Thailand not only matches or surpasses that photogenic quality, but additionally, I found the locals and animals utterly charming. The aesthetics reflect the creativity of Chiang Mai-ers in blending their traditional Lanna…
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Georgetown, Penang Malaysia: An Artist’s Haven
Photo Essay Due to its well-preserved heritage buildings, Penang’s capital, Georgetown, has been accorded a listing as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site. In my opinion, Penang is one of the most photogenic cities I’ve ever visited. There was never a bad shot, and the beauty and mood of the city translate from the real…
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Ahjumma goes to a Tibetan Wedding
I went to tell my landlady that my bulb had burned out. It was 7:00am and she was in the kitchen cooking, while one of the Indian domestic helpers—a teenage girl—stirred several large pots on a roiling boil. My landlady, Da, is petite and wears her dark hair parted in the center and clasped in…
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Temple Scenes: Tsuglagkang Temple
I was fortunate to be in McLeodganj to witness and participate in several special celebrations—including teachings by the Dalai Lama himself. The Dalai Lama’s temple, Tsuglagkang Temple, is a busy hub of activity. Daily there are devotees spinning prayer wheels, chanting, and performing full-body prostrations. Monks debate and foreigners watch. Domestic Indian tourists throng the…