Touring Thailand: Out of the City (Part 3 of 3)

Kanchanaburi, Thailand

One of the goals for our Thailand tour was to get out of the city of Bangkok. Though it was a unique and interesting city with its own culture and experiences, we really wanted to see more of Thailand than just the pavement and skyscrapers. So, we scheduled a full-day tour for our last day in Thailand. The tour took us about two hours outside the city of Bangkok to a rural town called Kanchanaburi. We had an exquisite time on the private tour, and this was by far my favorite day of our travels. I particularly enjoyed our tour guide, Nan, who was a fountain of knowledge; I learned more about Thailand’s culture, religion, history, and nature in that one day than in the rest of the trip combined. Here’s our little tour group with Nan (in the pink hat):

Touring Thailand: Being Pampered (Part 2 of 3)

Not Much $$$

In the area around our hotel (the beautiful one in the picture to the right) there were lots of massage establishments, presumably because the area is quite touristy. I’m not someone who spends exorbitant amounts of money on pampering myself, so I’ve never gotten a massage in the U.S. However, in East Asia, the pampering costs a lot less! =) So, while in Thailand, I indulged myself on two occasions, each time in the evening after a long day of the teacher conference.

Touring Thailand: Delicious Tastes (Part 1 of 3)

EARCOS & Why I Was in Thailand

As a teacher at an international school in Taiwan, I have the opportunity to attend the EARCOS Teachers’ Conference (EARCOS = East Asia Regional Council of Schools) which takes place in a different East Asian country each year. At Morrison, teachers must apply and be approved to attend the conference, but if we are approved, our airfare and conference fees are paid for, leaving ground transportation, lodging, and meals to us. Not a bad deal, if you ask me.

My Crazy Summer

I just finished Mapquest-ing my destinations for the next three weeks, and all the travels add up to one crazy summer!

I am definitely looking forward to spending time with good friends and family in Ohio, Kentucky, Virginia, and New Jersey, but I think I will be ready for a few weeks of peace and quiet in New York with my parents during July.  Pray with me for safe travels!

Penghu w/ the 6th Grade

Recently, I spent two days on the islands of Penghu with my 6th grade class for their science field trip.  Obviously, I’m not a science teacher, but I went along as the female chaperon, and we had a blast!  Grant Wardle did an excellent job planning and leading the trip, and the students were able to see in real life a lot of what they’ve learned in science class this year.  Beyond all the science and natural beauty we experienced, we also had a great time hanging out together. Here are some of the highlights from our trip:

Killing time and playing “Monopoly Deal” at the airport.

Surprise!

When is Ashleigh coming to Taiwan?  Well, according to my iCal, she’s supposed to arrive on Wednesday, April 13.*  However, in true Hatcher fashion (we love surprises!), Ashleigh arrived in Taiwan last night, April 6.  Sara was the only one who knew she was coming, so Sara (and Kara) met Ashleigh at the airport late last night.  Ashleigh showed up at school today during lunch time, and she, Sara, and Kara met me on the stairs.

Summer Travels

I will be traveling from June 24-July 29 this summer, and I hope to see as many friends (and of course all of my family) as possible while I am in the States. 

Jeepneys, Monkeys, & Babies, oh my!

I decided to try something new with my blog.  Thus far, I’ve been updating with long letters that usually recap several months of experiences.  Yet it is a daunting task to write an all-encompassing missive, and therefore I find myself postponing the work of composing until the task becomes even greater.  Instead, I’d like to start writing short(er) entries about various little adventures in my life.  Here goes…