Kindergarten at 60: A Memoir of Teaching in Thailand

by Dian Seidel

Overview

Teaching kindergarten in Thailand wasn't the job Dian Seidel had in mind when, at age sixty and craving adventure, she convinced her husband that they should try working abroad. But coping with rambunctious children, sweltering heat, and Covid-19 turned out to be the challenge she needed. Struggling to understand Thai culture, their school, and their marriage, could she learn Thailand's essential lesson: mai pen rai, don't worry, keep cool? Part travel memoir and part second act story, Kindergarten at 60 is a retirement tale like none other. With gentle humor and polished prose, Seidel explores universal themes via the adventures of everyday life. Job-hunting retirees confront age restrictions. A couple navigates 24/7 togetherness for the first time in their lives. Professionals accustomed to working with adults are overwhelmed, and charmed, by a passel of two-, three-, and four-year-olds. An introvert struggles to forge cross-cultural and cross-generational friendships. Americans face the challenges of the five-tone Thai language and five-alarm Thai chilies. Seidel's heartwarming story offers a unique perspective on contemporary Thailand and introduces readers to an unforgettable cast of characters at Pathum Thani Prep. Join the journey, meet the kids, and experience Kindergarten at 60.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781627204477
Publisher:	Apprentice House
Publication date:	06/20/2023
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

Dian Seidel was a senior scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, where she specialized in detecting climate trends and contributed to the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize-winning Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. She is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley; San Jose State University; and the University of Maryland. Her writing appears in Passager, Anuk Sastra, Lucky Jefferson, The New York Times, and Bethesda Magazine. Originally from Massachusetts, she lives in the Washington, DC, area, where she teaches English as a second language and Iyengar yoga. She loves crossword puzzles, book clubs, open ocean swimming, and the heart of a ripe watermelon on an August afternoon. Visit her at www.DianSeidel.com.