“Bye, Miss!!!!! Bye, Mister!!!!” students always holler at the end of each school year, throwing themselves on us teachers with melodramatic bear hugs. “Not ‘Goodbye’!” I always scream, grabbing each student by the shoulders and looking them in the eye. “You never, ever need to lose touch with people you care about nowadays. I’ll stalk… [Read More]
Thai Massage Course
Thai Massage School Graduation! What Does it Mean?
We passed our Level Two final massage exams! This means that with 60 hours of training under our belts, we are now official graduates of Level One and Two Thai Massage school at ITM. Woooo hooo!! “So what does this mean, practically?” you ask as visions of co-opting my friendship into long hours of forced… [Read More]
Nutso Level Two Thai Massage Positions
Today in Thai Massage class we learned to fix a broken heart. We also learned to twist each other like wet pretzels. Sweat was shed, spines were cracked (in the good way), and everyone gasped to their partner when it was over: “Your legs are really heavy!” The French fellow had a meltdown. “But it… [Read More]
The Results of the Level 1 Massage Exam…
When the director of your Thai massage school tells you that you have to walk two miles Friday morning to arrive in time for 8:30 am Tai Chi/Qi Gong in the far Southwestern park of Chiang Mai, you grumble profusely. Once you’re stretching your arms high above your head in the fresh morning air, however,… [Read More]
How Thai Massage Class is Like Boston Public
Today is Thanksgiving, though you wouldn’t know it in Northern Thailand. Geckos are squeaking, the breeze gusts warm, and there ain’t a turkey in sight. But wherever we are, even kooky Canada with its October Thanksgiving, it’s still that time of year to say thanks! And this year’s thanks goes out to the students and… [Read More]
A Chiang Mai Food Scene Sonata in Four Parts
Part 1: The Blind Food Gamble. Look at the menu pictured to the left. What would you order from it?? For week one in Chiang Mai, I resided in the heart of tourist world, and thus browsed menus and ordered food with ease. Now, however, I’m in the far North of town by the massage… [Read More]
