Tag: The Chiang Rai Alternative Hour

The Chiang Rai Alternative Hour #13 – 23rd November 2019

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

Music from DMBQ, Sebadoh, Belly Button, Units, Amateur Drunks, Round Eye, Blame Game, Minutemen, Ilaiyaraaja, Ween, Motorhead, Széki Kurva, The St Thomas Pepper Smelter, Hebosagil, Tall Dwarfs, DNA, The Milkshakes, Samla Mammas Manna and Pryapisme.

Gratitude Journal

I am so happy and grateful to be working in schools and with a not so serious expectation of my teaching skills. Of course, I always try to improve but the fact it is a little more relaxed has meant that I can enjoy interacting with the kids more. I don’t see many of they other teachers getting involved in the same way so much especially not the Thai teachers. All the kids want to talk to me all the time. I feel like I am a great asset to the school. I hope the school feels the same.*

17th Apr 2021 – * – It didn’t.

The Chiang Rai Alternative Hour #12 – 16th November 2019

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

Music from Ibrahim Maalouf, Pm 7_Jupiter, Vialka, Doctor Coffee, The Fugs, The Fall, Pavement, The Dickies, Turnpike, France Gall, WannFunTastiKlons, uSSSy, Birthday Party, Ween, The Who and And So I Watch You From Afar.

Gratitude Journal

I am so happy and grateful that I have learned not to be afraid to stand up for what I believe in and also accept those consequences even if they are not in my favour. Others may do things differently and that’s their choice.

11th Apr 2021 – You’ll have to keep reading to find out more about those consequences – the period between September 2019 and March 2020 was very trying indeed! The last sentence mention of ‘others’ is just about the advice given by other teachers to me and how some considered that it is impossible for a farang to change and improve things within any Thai system. I fought against it and arguably, I lost – at least at the time. Longer term though I consider the minor changes I did create were worth the effort. Being a teacher is not about taking it easy for me, it’s a responsibility. I see others putting up and shutting up, but to me, that is just lazy. Never give up.

The Chiang Rai Alternative Hour #11 – 9th November 2019

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Music from The Misunderstood, Angelic Upstarts, Passage, Surveillance, 13th Floor Elevators, Lozenge, Vaz, Hard-Ons, The Damned, Queen, Captain Beefheart, Melt Banana, Crass, Hitler SS, Meat Puppets, I Am Above and on the Left, Thee Headcoats, Party Diktator, Supertramp.

Gratitude Journal

I am so happy and grateful to be living in this part of the world. There are many times in a week when I marvel at the views of the rice fields and the mountains. Their depth changes depending on the weather conditions and time of day. There are good and bad points about every place to live but I certainly feel grateful for my time living here.

We got that attitude! – 3rd November 2019

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

Although I turned off my alarm this morning I managed to force myself out of bed and complete a task I’d set for myself – cutting the grass in our driveway. I’ve suffered all day with stinging blisters as a reminder!

I also managed to get a little reading in, a little light exercise, and write my first lessons for this new school – tomorrow I’ll be able to judge how successful they are and make adjustments.

I also managed to record half an episode of the Chiang Rai Alternative Hour – which I’m really enjoying making.

I’m pretty happy with the way the day has gone.

Gratitude Journal

I am so happy and grateful for my ability to handle and accept change.

23rd Mar 2021 – This is an important understanding in my life. Each time I go through a change I will grow. I realised this most obviously when moving from England to Australia in 1994. If I hadn’t made that change I wouldn’t have grown and be where I am now. Sometimes you are in control of changes and other times you are not – but growth will come either way. Some changes may feel like mistakes but eventually, you understand that they are not.

The Chiang Rai Alternative Hour #10 – 2nd November 2019

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

Music from Foojitsu, Kleg, Faust, Trumans Water, Devo, Lightning Bolt, Good Boy, Unsane, Bill Laswell, Charming Hostess, Grim Clone Band and Sly and the Revolutionaries.

Gratitude Journal

I am so happy and grateful to meet with Tok at Utopia, who made my first coffees for the day. I am also happy and grateful to meet a couple of teachers at my new school who were helpful towards me on my first day.

The Chiang Rai Alternative Hour #09 – 26th October 2019

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Music from Flin Flon, Butthole Surfers, Rudi, Walt Mink, Trumans Water, The Residents, Flesh Narc, Meteoro, Andy Partridge, Girls Against Boys, Patrick Fitzgerald, Daniel Striped Tiger, Really Red, R.D. Burman featuring Asha Bhosle, Husker Du, Poison Dwarfs and The Lambrettas.

Gratitude Journal

I am so happy and grateful to have the courage to explore the places we go and discover cool little cafe bars like this and meet their eccentric owners.

Mae Sai hidden cafe

The Chiang Rai Alternative Hour #07 – 12th October 2019

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

Music from The Bugs, Discharge, Autocatalytica, Cows, Iron Maiden, Generation X, Meat Puppets, Mission Impossible, Soul Junk, Dropbears, Damned, Blood Brothers, Durefosog, Tandy Love Presents Turk Jerk, Chavez, Bob Dylan, Electric Orange, The Residents, The Vectors and Gay Witch Abortion.

Gratitude Journal

I am so happy and grateful to have such a wonderful relationship with Amy. She makes me smile most days just with her positive attitude and fun loving nature.

The Chiang Rai Alternative Hour #06 – 5th October 2019

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Music from Faun Fables, Ruins, Unrest, Minibeast, The Deviants, Deerhoof, The Clarendonians, The Mekons, Radio Thailand, The Solid State, NoHayBandaTrio, Joe Strummer, The Jesus Lizard, Martin Cure and the Peeps and Iowa Beef Experience.

Woke up with the sun and again I’m already mentally preparing for my classes next semester. It’s good but could probably turn it down a bit!

It’s only 7am and I already achieved a small thing for today. I went for an early morning walk around the village. A lot of aunties around already selling their veggies and meats. They were all happily curious, as was I. I should try some conversation next time.

Today I will try to remember that life is brief and can be taken away at any time.

I love watching my cats around the house and garden. How lucky we are to be here together.

Gratitude Journal

I am so happy and grateful to watch the sunrise as I walked around the village this morning. Smiling monks, curious aunties, playful dogs, foggy fields.

The Chiang Rai Alternative Hour #05 – 28th September 2019

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

Music from All Right The Captain, Plastic Blues Band, Phleg Camp, Replacements, Tanjaret Daghet, Sweetheart, Mike Watt, Flin Flon, Drive Like Jehu/BlackPink, Keukhot, Birdsongs of the Mesozoic, Ruins, Free Salamander Exhibit, The Halo Benders, The Red Krayola, Eat Avery’s Bones, Idiot Flesh, Thinking Fellers Union Local 282.

Gratitude Journal

Thank you to me for always growing and learning. I know it has been hard but it got my where I am today.

I’m grateful for our friend Baew who always shows us kindness and caring. I’m thankful she is in our lives.