Saturday, February 27, 2016

Two and a half years in the making...

It's been about two and a half years since my last blog post, and a lot has happened since then. For example, I got married... Thank you for the congratulations that you are thinking. I really appreciate it and any prayer on our behalf. I'm sure marriage will be equally challenging as it is rewarding.

I hope to write semi-regular blog posts as updates about life over here. The problem is that daily happenings seem mundane and usual to me, so I don't write about them. Let the catch up begin...

First of all, my wife's name is Jintana Manotham (just changed to Jintana Smith). If you're American and you're thinking, "How the heck do I say that," don't worry. Thai people usually go by a nickname. Hers is Biew; it sounds pretty similar to the "beau" part of "beautiful." If you live in North Texas, there's a chance you'll meet her in summer 2016. We haven't found a church home yet in Chiang Mai, so prayer for that would be appreciated. We have found a few that are interesting, but we have yet to determine where to be planted.

Secondly, I'm still teaching at Chiang Mai University. I'm finishing my third academic year, and I still enjoy it. I plan teaching at least five academic years, so at least two more, before moving on to try something new. I'm not exactly ready to come back to the US permanently (more than a month, haha), so I plan on remaining in Thailand for another four or five years. If I decide to leave CMU, I may try another university, possibly in another city, or maybe try primary or secondary education. I'm leaning to universities because it is easier to do research, which I hope to start soon. After Thailand, I'm considering moving to Taiwan or South Korea as a possibility before moving to the US.

Lastly, I have been making English learning videos with a friend and fellow teacher. It has been a fun extra activity. I'm also planning on making another blog that focuses on teaching English: mini lessons or explanations for learners, tips for teachers, and commentary about the English teaching scene from Chiang Mai to maybe even the SE Asian region. When I get it up and running, I'll post a link in an update on this blog.

I'm currently in a coffee shop. I've had too much coffee, so I will consider this a stopping point. See you next time...

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