Living a life without borders.
On St. Patrick’s Day, the world is clamping down. Governments are sinking their teeth into the coronavirus and methodically removing individual freedoms. Each step takes us closer to a world that was only conceivable in science fiction or post-apocalyptic stories. France and Italy require their citizens to fill out a form explaining why they are …
Continue reading "Shelter in Place"I didn’t wake up until 11:00am. The sounds of rain outside my bedroom window lulled me into a hypnotic state-peaceful, calm, and “quarantined” from the rising specter of the pandemic. Now I know something is definitely wrong in the world if I sleep in that late and am not sick or hungover. The rain could …
Continue reading "No More Normal"On Friday (March 13, 2020), Fresno County Schools closed down until April 14th, 2020. All events were cancelled and parents were left to figure out how to care for their children full-time. On a global scale, Italy locked their country down calling it a national quarantine and there seems to be more European countries looking …
Continue reading "Wait and See"March 12, 2020 was a marker, a bright line drawn in the sand of history, the culmination of the world coming together and yet simultaneously separated by borders and fear. As a result of coronavirus (COVID-19) infections spreading across the world [approximately 140,000 infected and over 5,000 dead], all major sports (NBA, PGA, NCAA, MLB, …
Continue reading "Pause Button"Sunlight reflects off the calm blue waters of Avila Beach, CA like jewels set in Poseidon’s crown. The town rests peacefully. Winter has slowed the pace down: beachgoers sit huddled together for warmth, like clockwork set after set of overhead waves are absent their summer riders, parking spots lay dormant, and restaurants are hauntingly empty. …
Continue reading "90 Days (Part 3) — Nowhere to run, Nowhere to hide"From August to the end of December 2019 (Monday through Friday) you can find me in a high school English Language Arts classroom learning the craft of teaching under the tutelage of master-teachers who have honed their techniques through decades of trial and error. There are definitely moments where I question if I have the …
Continue reading "90 Days (Part 2) — Bridging the Great Divide"To be honest, I didn’t want to come back to America. Who in their right mind would? Consider for a moment: I had respectful amazing thoughtful intuitive progressive Thai students, I adored my job teaching English at a government school, the city of Pathum Thani-Rangsit was a thrumming inclusive environment, there were an infinite supply …
Continue reading "90 Days (Part I) – Religious vacuum leads to reverse culture shock"About a month ago, I was sitting at my desk in the Foreign Language Department at Suankularb Wittayalai Rangsit School preparing my lesson plan for the day. I recall it was a Monday and the AC had kicked on cooling down the office in preparation for the humid day. I usually arrived early to organize, …
Continue reading "Entering Eden (An adventure on Koh Samet Island)"For the last three months, I have experienced Thailand from the perspective of my external senses and internal ideology. This reality changed dramatically with the arrival of my son and daughter. Prior to their arrival, I made a detailed list as though I was Chevy Chase in European Vacation. The “To Do list” grew to …
Continue reading "Shared Experiences (The Speakeasy Rooftop Bar)"The pulsating sting of change has been pricking that area where I normally seek solace and shut everyone out. But that is NOT my story. In one day, I left colleagues and friends who I grew to respect and love, students who showed me what it means to build honest-authentic student-teacher relationships, a culture that …
Continue reading "Sting of Change"