Often when I tell people that I’m an artist-in-residence, people reply with “Oh, what’s that?”. Generally, artist residencies are opportunities for artists to escape their regular life, have the time and space to work on a project, and find fresh inspiration. It’s also often an opportunity to connect with fellow creatives. Artist residencies can be … More Life as an Artist-in-Residence in Thailand
Have you ever wondered what goes on inside a publishing house? This past month I had the opportunity to do an internship as an editor at Nanmeebooks, one of the leading publishers in Thailand. I was given amazing opportunities which were both challenging, and beyond what I could have hoped for. The office is in … More Inside the World of Thai Publishing
Never did I expect when I woke this morning, that by the afternoon I would be on a stage, telling a story about a chicken. Yet that is exactly what happened at The 3rd Asia Oceania Regional IBBY Congress at TK Park in Bangkok. In the morning, I attended a session by IBBY Foundation President, … More Using Storytelling to Engage: Day 3 of The 3rd Asia Oceania Regional IBBY Congress
Today was my second day at The 3rd Asia Oceania Regional IBBY Congress at TK Park in Bangkok. What an inspiring day! Four parallel sessions ran with talks on many subjects focusing on children’s books. I wish I could have cloned myself to attend every session! However, I am but one person so did what … More Empowering Communities through Books: Day 2 of The 3rd Asia Oceania Regional IBBY Congress
Today I was in a room filled with people from all over the world. Yet we all had something in common: a great passion for children’s books. I met writers, illustrators, publishers, storytellers, dreamers and leaders in the children’s book world. We spoke excitedly as we shared our experiences and learnt about children’s books from … More Building Bridges with Books: Day 1 of The 3rd Asia Oceania Regional IBBY Congress
Sawatdee Ka! My current home is on the 7th floor of an apartment in Salaya, an hour outside Bangkok. The city can be an exciting place of bustling markets, temples, galleries and street food. Yet I miss green things; things that grow wild and unrestrained. So do my children. So for my 30th birthday, we … More Where the Wild Things Grow
Sawatdee Kah! Have you ever thought of learning a second language? Perhaps you already can, and lucky you if that’s the case! A teacher of mine recently quoted philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein, who said “The limits of my language means the limits of my world.” Before moving back to Thailand 3 months ago my Thai was … More How to expand your world
Sawatdee Kah! Koh Lanta has been home to our family for nearly a month now. It is a relaxed island with steamy jungles, long stretches of sand, cute towns and some very cheeky monkeys. We are staying in a little wooden bungalow, though with four of us it can feel a little crowded at times! … More Exploring Koh Lanta
Sawadee Kha! I know many of you will be getting ready to celebrate Christmas, but in Thailand we recently had a very different kind of celebration. Loi Krathong is one of the main holidays in Thailand. Loi means ‘to float’ and krathong is the name of the beautifully-decorated vessels. The Loi Krathong festival is a … More Making Floating Vessels for Loi Krathong
Life in a Thai Village The pok pok sound of my mother-in-law pounding chillies in her mortar and pestle and the woop woop of frogs greets my morning. Outside dragonflies buzz in the hundreds through a garden green with tropical rain. We are in the rural village of Hua Sai in Southern Thailand, staying with … More Life in a Thai Village
sarakhamkoed.com 