Finding People and Information

Was High School and/or College the Best Days of Your Life? Do you pick up your yearbook and get that good feeling when reliving those days. Do you remember the good times you had and wonder what happened to your friends from those days? We get on with our lives, our jobs, our families and lose track of people we shared part of our life with. Are you like me, you never was able to make it to Class Reunions? How are they doing? Do they have families? Are they married? Are they successul? Where do they live? What happened to you "best friend"? What happened to your first love? What happened to the quarterback of the football team? You don't really have to keep wondering you can find out. With todays technology you can find people from your past and quit imagining. If you have lived abroad or out of the area you can get back in touch. It's easier than you think. Just check out Classmates.com and go for it.



If you live in the USA, UK, or Canada now there is a way to find people and information. If you are an employer, a landlord, a private investigator you can all get the information you need on the people you want it for on People Search. You can find information about driving records, military service, court and legal matters. Do you want to know who is working for you? Do you want to know who you are going into business with? Do you want to know who is marrying your daughter? Don't keep yourself in the dark, find what you need and find it quickly. In todays high tech fast moving world, identify theft is rampant. So protect yourself, your family, your business your affairs. We are all busy in our lives and don't always have time to do the things we need to do but fortunately there are others who can do it for us. So do yourself a favor and check out people search for your peace of mind. Click Here!

Internet Shopping and E-Malls

Since the creation of the internet and WWW, life has gotten so much easier. It's always nice to be face-to-face with people but it's also very nice to do most everything I need to do at home, at my convenience, when I want and where I want. I don't have to worry about the price of gas or parking. I don't have to fight the traffic or the crowds. You can do most anything you want or need to do on the internet. And mostly is reliable and safe. Have you ever gone shopping for somehting and you just want to look and take your time, but the sales associate is standing there beside you? Seems they are pressuring you to take some action or leave. This is true whether it's a car you are buying or just a shirt. But sitting at home in my shorts and sandals, I can do things in my time. On internet now you can go shopping, buy many things at E-Malls or just websites. YOu can buy a car, get insurance for your car and financing. YOu canhouse buy a house, you can get a mortgage, you can get homeowners insurance and do all you need to close the deal. You can find a job, you can start an internet business. You can work from home. You can get cable or internet connections. YOu can get yourself a website, or a domain and get your domain registry, you can find a web host. You can find a soulmate too. Send flowers to your love or cards for all special occasions. When you want to travel you can make hotel reservations, get airline tickets, train tickets, cruise packages, all online quickly and easily. You can still do all outside, drive, park, fight traffic, say you are just looking 100 times, buy gas, get there and find out that the last one was just sold. But whatever you do just keep an open mind and give Internet Shopping and E-Malls a chance. Please feel free to check out my whole blog. Thank you for reading my words and visiting me here in Thailand. Using the internet for work, business, shopping gives me the same opportunities and chances as anybody anywehere. Thanks again. Darwin

Insurance, GREAT to Have When You Need It

During my life in the US Army I always had free medical and dental. When I retired from the Army I didn't really think about it too much. Most of my medical while I was a soldier were physical exams. I have been fortunate to have good health. Insurance. I didn't ask for it but while I was working at Burapha University in Bangsaen, Chonburi, Thailand I had to sign up for and pay for medical insurance. It wasn't much, I think is 3% of a monthly salary. I did complain from time to time about paying for something I didn't neeed. I could buy a good meal or a few cold beers with that money.

Well I was lucky again that I has that insurance. In July 2005, I suddenly contracted an invasion infection and required surgery and a long hospital stay of 39 days in a private room. The nurses and doctors took good care of me in Somdet Hospital in Sriracha, but I was never so happy to leave a room in all my life. I hope none of you have to stay in a hospital that long.

Well back to the insurance. For that long stay it paid for most of it, including pharmaceuticals. All I had to pay was 20,000 Thai Baht, or about $500. So looking back that insurance was an excellent investment and I was lucky I had it. I am healthy again and hope I never need to use that insurance again. But I will never complain again about paying for insurance whether its, medical, health, auto, life, homeowners or whatever. Its worth it.

Take care and enjoy good health.

Beer and Wildlife

Some of the good things in Thailand are the beer and the wildlife (or the nightlife). If you want to just be yourself and be accepted, this is the place to be. It seems Thai people have a short memory about people doing crazy and stupid things. Thai people love to socialize, party, and eat that good Thai food. Thailand is also known for its Wildlife Night Life, mostly in Bangkok and Pattaya. Always easy to find a place with ice cold beer and Lovely Thai girls. And here the beer is literally ice cold. When ordering a beer they are usually in a pitcher or large bottle and you will always be asked if you want ice in your beer.

There is Thai beer which is good. Chang Beer, Leo Beer and Singha beer. Besides the Thai beer the other popular beers are Heineken, Kloster, and Carlsberg. Other than Heineken, these beers are not household brands in USA. American beer is hard to find here and when you do find it, it is very expensive. Can also get a Corona and San Miguel here.

If you come here to visit and like your beer, just be advised now that you can only buy in stores and some restaurant/pubs 11am to 2pm and 5pm to midnight. This is in an effort to curb consumption. But beer lovers are beer lovers and if want a cold beer will just plan ahead and keep a few extras in the fridge. Cheers,

My House is My Castle, No Matter Where it Is

When living abroad many things are the same and many things are different. We get used to our way of life and sometimes it is hard to accept change. I love my homeland, USA. I also love it here in Thailand. In America I think we are open to different people and cultures because America is about people from many places finding a good, comfortable place to live.

Here in Thailand life is much different. Many people prefer to wash clothes by hand. A large percentage of people eat outside of their house all the time. Cooking at home is a minority. So many places to live do not have cooking facilities. Washing dishes when you do eat at home is different too. Sometimes just use a large tub. The shower is, many times, just a shower head in the bathroom so the floor is often wet. Many toilets are 'squatters' instead of sit down toilets. But this is changing.When only have a squatter you don't read the newspaper in the bathroom. Some houses don't have a shower or bath just a large dip tank, used to pick up water in a container and pour it on your body.

Many people live in rooms that resemble studio apartments. But houses here are relatively cheap to rent. Can rent a 2-3 bedroom, 2 bath house for around $100-$250 price range. This is great. If you want to buy a house it is also relatively cheap. The government helps people. But the newer houses are built very close together in large developments. But all in all life is good. So no matter where you live make it your home. And remember life is too short to procrastinate. More later, to be continued. Aloha, Sawasdee.

Buying a Car in Thailand

Buying a car in Thailand is an adventure. It is nothing like what I have experienced in the USA. If you are trying to buy a new car here in Thailand it's just black and white. No haggling, no hassels, no bargaining. You go to the car dealer and see what they have in stock on the lot and in the showroom. Those are the cars you can buy. The selection of colors and options are limited and if you want something special you have to keep going back until you find it. Or you can request the dealer to find or order what you want, if the dealer decides to do it for you it might take 6 months to get the car. Most dealers have a sheet with the purchase options. Down payment, monthly payment. length of loan. That is how it is. No negotiating and no bargaining. If you are a foreigner it's almost impossible to get a loan in your name. You must find some Thai people to sign to loan for you and guarantee it too. If you pay cash or have a down payment over 50% of the purchase price you might be able to get it in your name.

Used cars are not easy to buy here. At least no good ones. There is really no warranty on used cars and when you look at them on the lot they usually aren't even cleaned up. However used cars don't depreciate much so they are relatively expensive. If you live in Thailand or plan to live here it's best to think about a new car if you plan to drive. If you come to visit its best to take public transportation. Renting a car with or without a driver is an option too.

As for me I just drive a motorcycle. A very challenging experience. Driving here is always exciting.

Thank God for Telephones and Internet

When I first came to Thailand 11 years ago, there were few mobile phones and internet was hard to find. We would rent mobile phones but the service was poor. Many people here didn't even have land line phones in their homes much less mobile phones. Internet was hard to find and slow and expensive to use. When using telephones I had to find the special spot and stay there while using the phone. If I moved it would lose the signal. When using the internet often websites and emails would freeze halfway through and then I would lose all. But Thaialnd has come a long way since then. Mobile phone service is everywhere with all the extras, such as mms. Can even access the internet via the mobile phones. Internet now is high speed and everywhere. Now it is almost cheaper to get your own website and make your own homepage.

For me living abroad in Thailand internet and mobile phones help me keep in touch with friends and family back in the states. Don't have to wait for letters to get here from USA after 6 weeks. Email and chat gives us instant connection and helps us keep in touch. Pictures are still fresh now can almost see as soon as its taken. So thank god for internet and mobile phones it makes this big world so much small. Aloha

Introduction to Ubon Ratchathani and the Candle Festival

Hello again from Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand. This is the heart of Isan or Esan, however you choose to spell it. Isan is the Northeastern region of Thailand. Here in Ubon Ratchathani there is the most famous Candle Festival in Thailand. It is held here every year in July. During that time it is hard to find a hotel room. Many visitors and tourists must go to neighboring provinces to get lodging. What is a Candle Festival? Well originally it was just Buddhist monks in certain temples building large candles, now it has expanded and many institutions also participate. The large wax candles are mounted on trailers or vehicles, much like the floats in the Rose Parade New Years Day in Los Angeles. There is a big parade of all the candles, and four days or more of festivities at Tung Sri Muang, the local park. There is lots of good Thai Isan food, cold beer, Thai handicrafts for sale, games to play and of course many lovely Thai girls. If you have a chance to come visit Ubon Ratchathani for the Candle Festival you definitely should come. Other places of interest in Ubon are Phra Taem, an archeological site, Khong Jiam, where the Mekong and Moon Rivers meet and it is called The Two-Colored rivers. There are many nice places here and good people. Welcome to Ubon, I am proud to call it home now. p.s. In Ubon at Khong Jiam is where you can first see the sun come up in Thailand.

He May Be A Jerk, But He "Is" Rich

I "retired" from the US Army back in 1999. Since then I have been happily "retired", first working in outside sales in California for a year. Then I came to Thailand and I have been teaching since then. So even though I am "retired" I am not really retired. Teaching Thai university students was fun, challenging and often exciting. The students have been great but the older Thai teachers and faculty remind me of old school teachers back in USA long ago in movies. Teaching 95% 18-22 year old girls was nice. Kept me young at heart. I love Thailand but it's best experienced not working. Is the best place to retire for real. I have been searching for ways to truly retire and I truly believe I have finally found it. I have investigated and researched many unconventional businesses and ways of making money. None really seemed to work. I ended up spending more than I made and did my part to make the other guy rich.

I found this program that is excellent. It is simple and in laymans talk. I can understand it. It's not really a get rich quick program but you can earn a good living. The author is a bit obnoxious but he has a system that works. But having been a soldier I know that all successes are a team effort. His program works but need a few supporting things to make it complete. He has a proven track record earning lots of money. Currently, especially with the cost of gas and everything that is going on globally, wouldn't it be nice just to work at home and make enough to have a good living, put your kids through college, have a secure future and maybe even get rich? I live here in Thailand and I want to spend my time at the beach enjoying the Thai people, Thai weather and Thai food. The Rich Jerk, in his program makes everything understandable and uses the concept that, repition is the mother of skill. The more you practice, the luckier you will get. And when you get lucky enough you can put your earnings on auto-pilot and enjoy the one life you have to live. Don't cost you anything to check him out. And if you decide to give his program a try it somes with a guarantee. His offers come and go because he is successful and made him lazy. He only works when he wants to. Thanks for taking the time to read my words. Take care and good luck. or as they say in Thailand, "choke dee na".

Teachers Day in Thailand

Today, January 16, is Teacher's Day in Thailand. That means that we Expat English Teachers have the day off today. However there is a catch, if you teach at a university you might have the day off but you are expected to "make up" the class time at the end of the term. Many of the Thai teachers have to put on their government uniforms, which look similar to military uniforms and go participate in ceremonies. Here in Thailand, if Expats want to live here, they must work for convenience, to get Thailand Visa and Work Permit. The work as an English Teacher is not to difficult and if teaching English Majors at a university approximately 85% of your students are Thai Girls. Many times it is easy to find job teaching English but there are communication problem and the faculty sometimes wants you to be slave labor. But if you want to Live and Work in Thailand, it is the easiest way. Jobs teaching English are plentiful and as long as you have at least a Bachelor Degree you can teach most anywhere. The pay is usually enough to live on in Thailand, but you won't get rich. I am still teaching English, but am also beginning a Business in Thailand too. You can have Online or Internet Businesses here in Thaland too. If you are Successful you can Live Better in Thailand for less money. HAPPPY TEACHERS DAY.

A Sunday afternoon in Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand

 

Oakland Raiders

The Oakland Raiders have been my favorite football team as long as I can remember. My first recollection is of Lamonica as quaterback and George Blanda was still on the team over 40 years old. The most exciting time was, of course, when John Madden was coach and Kenny Stabler was the QB. Since then its been up and down but I have stuck by them. This season 2 or 3 teams have more wins then the Raiders have had in the past 3 seasons but I am hoping for a return to glory. 'Just Win, Baby' and 'Committment to Excellence'. Even though I live in Thailand they have American Football on cable so I get to see them play sometimes. Though the regular games are at 1am and 4am on Monday mornings. Sunday and Monday night football was on 8am and the games were rebroadcast several times. I will keep hoping. Go Raiders.

My favorite team win or lose

 

MSG Dennis, me when i was still a soldier in Hawaii

 

Looking out over Pattaya, Thailand

 

Back in Hawaii after 5 weeks in Thailand

 

About myself

My name is Darwin. I am an American. I was born in California but have lived many places. My hometown in California is in the north. The town of Redding. It is nestled in the foothills of the Cascade mountains between two volcanoes, Mount Shasta and Mount Lassen. It is a beautiful place usually but gets very brown in the summer due to the heat and lack of rain. There is a lot of recreation in the area such as hunting, fishing, hiking, skiing (both water and snow), and boating. Also there are many opportunities for eco-tourism. I love it there but unfortunately there aren't many opportunities for good employment.

Now I am 50 years old and I live in Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand. I learned of this place while coming here for training when I was a soldier. We had an annual training exercise here called Cobra Gold, which was very large and several smaller exercises. I came to live here after I retired from the US Army as a Master Sergeant. The cost of living is very cheap here and the weather is always hot or warm. The food is good and also spicey. The people are normally good and fairly easy to get along with. I love to travel and since it is fairly inexpensive here i have many opportunities. Those are the reasons why I chose to live here in Thailand rather than stay in my native USA.

I was married for 20 years and have three daughters. I am divorced now for 6 years and my daughters are grown. We keep in touch by letters, telephone, e-mails and messenger services. I was born in Redding, Caliornia and lived there for about seven years until my family moved to Silverton, Oregon, a small farming community. I lived on a farm there and worked baling hay, feeding chickens, milking cows and such. I think I aslo developed my good imagination there because I didn't have any brothers and no close neighbors so had to make things up to do. Also my love for adventure and exploriing was born there. Many hours I spent running in the woods and pastures. I also lived in Pasadena, California for a short time but I don't rememeber too much about life there. In Oregon it was very green and rained a lot. I went to a small one room school house that I had to walk to everyday. My most vivid memory of it was sitting in class when we were informed that President Kennedy had been shot.

Back in Redding I grew to my teens having off jobs cutting grass, paper routes and finally washing dishes and short order cook. I graduated high school and tried to go to college but I wasn't ready yet so I just worked. After a time I finally decided to join the Army and see the world. I got to see a lot of Europe and the U.S. too. I had the good fortune to be stationed inWest Berlin November 9, 1989, the beginnig of the fall of the Berlin Wall. I finished my career being stationed in Hawaii. I would say I had a good career and many good experiences. I began in logistics then change to intelligence. I got promoted to Sergeant First Class back to logistics. When I was serving in a tactical intel unit at Fort Bragg, North Carolina I attended and graduated from jump school. I spent six years back in West Berlin without jumping then went to Fort Lewis, Washington to support a Special Forces unit. I spend the rest of my career on jump status and also supporting special operations forces. My final assignment was logistics plans for
Special Operations Command, Pacific.