Home Sweet Home, Phrapradaeng

An unexpected life pivot: Moving to Thialand to Teach English

Phrapradaeng was my humble and beautiful home for a year and a half. A mere 20 minute taxi ride from the bustling heart of Bangkok and nestled in between two nearly-touching bends of the Chao Praya river, Phrapradaeng presents as an unexpected, little-known gem. Its riverbanks come alive every November during Loy Krathong, the mesmerizing lantern festival, and its streets draw the second largest crowd in the country for Thailand's annual country-wide water fight to ring in the New Year.

In such a small city, we eagerly befriended the locals and biked to nearby floating markets. Kee Ann, a kind and proud chef, pictured here, fed us every lunch and dinner (a dollar a meal) for 16 months. Her house and family-run store/restaurant underneath our apartment quickly became our second home. Kee Ann's English was very poor, so we found ourselves fully immersed in Thai language and culture almost immediately. Read on for more Thai adventures in my Thai Gems and Temples of Thailand posts.

Having grown up in Hong Kong, I was fortunate enough to travel to Thailand as a child. After graduating from the University of Miami in 2014 with a degree in Motion Pictures and English, my path ahead seemed uncertain. A serendipitous suggestion from my childhood friend Liza changed the course—why not teach English in Thailand? With visions of pristine beaches and a lush climate, I eagerly embraced the opportunity. I spent the next two years traveling Asia, getting to know myself on a deeper level, and beginning a journey that would lead me to discover my passions for yoga, photography and the realm of education.