The Life and Times of a Nong Changer

So, I've been here in Thailand, "land of the free," for 5 and a half months. I often find I could write about this, or that, or the other thing, but all in all it just boils down to a relatively humdrum existence so I don't bother. Occasionally I go on a trip for a weekend or more, but usually it's either mostly business related (now I am in Bangkok to put in a deposit for my CELTA course which will beef up my resume nicely) or just like everything else in Thailand which I'm finding doesn't have quite the zest and variety of India.
I went to Chiang Mai last weekend, to apply for the CELTA course. Chiang Mai is like the Asheville of Thailand... lot's of coffee shops, international restaurants (i.e. Mexican, Indian, American) and white people... but all in all pretty much like the rest of Thailand. One experience of note was seeing a group of Novice monks (probably all around 10-12) jumping over the wall of their temple for a day out on the town... one by one a bald head poked up, looked around, and down came a little monk landing with the resounding clap of sandals on pavement.
So, what have I been doing with my humdrum existence? What fills my days with meaning? I've picked up a couple new hobbies, revived a couple old ones, and have been reading tremendously...
I've taken up basketball... or rather, the guys who play basketball down the street from my house are nice enough to let me on the court - and even pass me the ball - without making fun of me. I don't ask to be passed the ball... and I certainly don't deserve it, but I enjoy playing very much and have even showed improvement. I don't expect to ever become a "good" player, or even not the worst player, but I hope to get worthy of the game.
I feel like it's good for me to be doing something totally outside of my experience, I have never played a team sport... at least not worth mentioning, and also that I am totally inept at. It takes no small degree of willpower to go back every day, and an awful lot of personal fortitude to enjoy the game... but all in all I think it's building character.
Online courses? UF has several online courses that I have been looking at. They have several certification programs for teachers, and even an Ed.S. (Educational Specialist) and Ed.D. (Educational Doctorate) program available via the internet. I would have never considered going for an EdD in Technology in Education... but as something to fill up my time in a small town it seems like a worthwhile endeavor. I could take courses as diverse as web design, digital photography, psychology of technology, and gaming and education... and probably tack on some computer programing courses...
I do love technology, and if I can take a wide variety of interesting courses that just happen to also give me an Ed. D... why not? If one day I had loftier goals I could still go and get a PhD... and probably have a stronger application at that (assuming I do well)... This is of course all in the fictional planning stage in my mind as of yet. I will sign up for a certification in... something, and if I like it transfer to the Ed.D. track and keep my delicious credits.
And of course, books. My god I've had access to some wonderful books, fiction and non-fiction, and would suggest all of the ones I had the inspiration to finish:
Poisonwood Bible: A family of 5 missionaries from the south move to Africa. This book is amazing and beyond description and gives a fascinating account of America's involvement in the Congo... If you've ever wondered why everyone hates Americans, this book will make at least some of it vividly justified.
Sacred Games: Set in India... a small time cop goes after an international mobster... the plot is amazingly more complex, as it's a book significantly wider than my forearm, but anything else would give too much away. If you want to really feel like what India is "like" with none of the glitz and glamour of a "far away place" this book has it. Also, the writing is brilliant and the plot thrilling.
Acacia: The best fantasy novel ever written, ever. Written by a historian who usually focuses on historical fiction, this book accurately creates a kingdom with small traces of magic and a lot of political intrigue.
Trilogy: His Dark Materials - Golden Compass, Subtle Knife, & Amber Spy Glass - This is mainly a children's book, about half way through you begin to wonder whether any novel, for any age, could be so lofty as to take on the theme it attempts... and then find your self astounded at how well it was done.
Robertson Davies: This is, quite possibly, my favorite author of late. I first read the Cornish Trilogy and couldn't get enough and immediately after finishing it had to find the willpower not to immediately re-read it. For Christmas, Trevor scored a copy of his Deptford Trilogy, which I am now consuming with a deep, almost unfitting for literature, euphoria.
The Moral Animal: An account of evolutionary psychology that is well written, educational, and very insightful. If you've ever wondered why we do what we do, this lays out some pretty decent theories... considering it 's psychology.