The Start of Something New

I wanted to start this first entry with a joke about the title of the blog, Ties in Thailand.  At first I thought about gloating over the cleverness of the title but I then figured I didn’t exactly write the great American novel or anything so I should probably stop patting myself on the back.  Then I thought about shedding my bravado and appealing to your pathos by admitting how truly pitiful my attempt at wittiness was.  However, both those approaches seemed somewhat trivial considering the significance of the experience myself and all the Teach in Thailand participants have embarked on.  We’ve been told countless times that our adventures in Thailand will forever alter the trajectory of our lives and it’s in that vein that I write this first entry. 

The title Ties in Thailand embodies two essential ideas for me.  The first, as you may have guessed from the background photo of the blog, is the tie as an article of clothing.  As a teacher I’ve always worn a tie.  I began wearing one because it was the only visible sign distinguishing my prepubescent looks from the students, but over time it developed into a point of pride.  It became a symbol of commitment to my students, to high expectations, and to a fearlessness of failure.   I’ve continued that tradition since arriving in Thailand and even though it’s not the most appropriate uniform for working on the surface of the sun, I will stick with it because it represents, to some degree, why I’m doing what I’m doing.  The second idea reflected in the blog’s title speaks to the bonds I will make in Thailand to the country, the culture, and the people.  In just over three weeks Thailand has already proven to be a truly special place and I recognize that as I become even more embedded in the lifestyle I will find it considerably more difficult to eventually pry myself away. 

Whether I’ve clearly articulated my vision for this blog or not is certainly up for debate but my hope is that, as you follow along, you begin to understand why I’m here and why this experience is so essential to all the Teach in Thailand participants.  While I didn’t actually share any details of the “super cool” things I’ve done or the “super cool” people I’ve met I promise there will be plenty of that in the coming posts.  I’ll conclude this entry with a quote by Mark Twain which a very good friend of mine shared with me before I departed.

 “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts.  Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.” – Mark Twain