But it didn't. And we are here.
When I graduated my bachelor degree in 2001, I taught high school in Canada for a short time, and then decided to move to Thailand to try teaching English. I fell in love with Thailand, and instantly felt changed by the people and the culture. I went back to Canada to study my Master degree, and many of my old friends and family noticed that I was different after Thailand. After finishing my MA and moving to India for a while, I came back to Thailand almost two years ago. When I arrived back here, in a strange way, I felt like I was home again. This is a feeling that is difficult to describe. These 10 years has really been the 'decade of Thailand' for me.
When I was in Canada, I was homesick for Chiang Rai. Now I'm homesick for Vancouver. I'm always homesick for "home," wherever that is. Home is an imaginary place.
The CCC blog will take a break for a couple of weeks, and we will start again when we come back to class in the new year. For this blog, feel free to share your experiences of the last decade (2000-2010), and comment about how you have changed, or how your culture has changed, and what are your expectations for the future. I think this is an exciting time to be alive.
I wish you all a very happy new year and my best for you and your life in 2010. Aj. M
"For last year's words belong to last year's language and next year's words await another voice." T. S. Eliot