Published!

Here is one of my completed summer projects. I feel good to have finished it. I made the cover, liased with the editor and authors, proofread the book, did all the technical editing in order to make this into an ebook, and published it on Amazon and Smashwords.

Menegale, M., (2013) (Ed). Autonomy in language learning: Getting learners actively involved. IATEFL: Canterbury, UK.  Foreword by C.M.Coonan, 365 pages. 

The aim of this volume is to expand knowledge on research and action-research on language learner autonomy, conceivably inspiring further investigation into how students can be helped to be more actively involved in their own learning. The volume explores concepts such as ‘motivation’, ‘self-efficacy’, ‘learner strategies’, ‘self-reflection’, as well as the use of specific autonomous tools and tasks that may be included in the curriculum, yet help students make the most of out-of-class language learning opportunities. The volume contains selected papers from the International Conference on Language Learner Autonomy held at Ca’ Foscari University, Venice in September 2011 supported by the IATEFL Learner Autonomy Special Interest Group.

List of contributors: 

Naghmana Ali, Luisa Bozzo, Annamaria Cacchione, Andrés Canga Alonso, Anna U. Chamot, Donna Clarke, Carmel M. Coonan, Leni Dam, Fabrizia Del Vecchio, Luc Geiller, Hideo Kojima, Lienhard Legenhausen, David Little, Luciano Mariani, Tanya McCarthy, Marcella Menegale, Irina Minakova, , Christine Tiefenthal

Buy the book

Amazon.co.uk (Kindle version)

Smashwords (iBooks/iPad, Kobo, Sony, Nook)

Thewet and Vimanmek Palace

I think we have been to all of the major sites in Bangkok, but each time we come, we revisit at least one of them (because they are pretty incredible). Nowadays, we aren't skint backpackers and could afford to hire a driver to take us places, but we still do these things the old way - as much as possible on public transport. We took the BTS to Saphan and walked to the river boat station at Sathorn. Strangely, we ran into one of David's old students from Japan! We then boarded a boat up the Chao Phraya river to Thewet. We had lunch on a scruffy deck overlooking the river. It was a sleepy Sunday afternoon in that part of town - and boiling hot (between rain showers). Vimanmek Palace didn't look too far to walk on the map and we could go via the flower market. The flower market was awesome - like a roadside garden centre really. I would love to have bought some orchids. It seemed a very long walk in the heat... and after an altercation with a chancer of a tuktuk driver, we briefly visited Wat Benchamabophit, walked past the Dustit Throne Hall and eventually in the rain to the strange but beautiful Vimanmek Palace. The palace was built in 1900, is made of teak, and contains no nails. Inside are 72 rooms decorated in European style. We visitors could only view a few of them and we couldn't actually go into any rooms. Although this is a beautiful palace, the museum is a bit of a pain for visitors actually. We weren't allowed to wear shoes so we had to queue up in the rain and leave shoes in a smelly show room. We then had to got to another room to lock up our phones and cameras. We were then scanned and searched on the way in. As we walked around the palace, we were wedged between hideous loud and uncouth mainland Chinese tour groups. They behaved so poorly and, honestly, should not be allowed to travel. 

River boat

Wat Benchamabophit

Dusit Throne Hall

You aren't allowed to show your knees in the palace so David had to buy a sarong

Photo from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vimanmek_Mansion

Ban Kamtheing (1844 house)

I can't believe that in all of the years of going to Bangkok, we hadn't been to this gorgeous house. It is a northern style Thai house from 1844 right next to Sukhumvit Station in the centre of the city.

Meiji University, Bangkok

Our friend works at Srinakharinwirot University in Bangkok, well actually, she works at Meji University which is located within Srinakharinwirot U. David works at Meiji in Tokyo, so we were keen to see the brand new Bangkok setup. On Tuesdays and Thursdays there is a flea market on campus, so we thought Tuesday would be a good day to visit.

Terminal 21

Terminal 21 is a giant mall, but not just any old giant mall, it is broken down into cities. Each floor has a theme: Caribbean, Rome, Paris, Tokyo, London, Istanbul, San Francisco, Hollywood. It's very clever actually. I like that there are plenty of small independent shops and Thai designers. I have been going back to some of my favourites for the past few visits. It has an excellent food court and restaurants, too. We met Wilalialuck one night after she finished work.

We met Wilailuck in front of the Bus on the London floor

Dinner: som tam, stir fried morning glory, catfish and other spicy delicious Thai food at "Have a Zeed" 

Fun on the Tokyo floor

Lingering over mango sticky rice

On the Tokyo floor

International Bangkok

You can get anything in Bangkok. Seriously. There are so many international restaurants along and off Sukhumvit.

Yes, there really is a fish and chip shop (opposite the Queen Victoria pub..)

Sukhumvit Soi 18, Bangkok

We booked a car to take us back to Bangkok from Koh Chang. This time we stayed in the Asoke area on Sukhumvit 18. We have stayed in Asoke before, but not on this street. We booked a serviced apartment called Oakwood Trilliant. It turned out to be a vey convenient base and very professionally run. We would stay there again, but would ask for a higher floor next time. I had my usual routine of getting a bit of work done early in the morning while David went for a walk around the neighbourhood and reported back on what he found when we later met for coffee. Here are some shots from Asoke.

Typical Asoke traffic (taken from the elevated walkway heading to Terminal 21 shopping mall)

Inside the massive, but fabulous, Terminal 21 shopping mall

Our street, Soi 18.  

Offerings to the spirits 

A cat at Asoke station fast asleep between escalators