Education, tenure, gentrification, and Blade Runner.

In Thailand the promotion and tenure process for becoming a professor is similar, except for becoming a full professor. To become a full professor is, I believe, part of a national process that includes government oversight. I will try to confirm this, but I think that is what I heard.

After finding out about the Non-Formal Education centers I have been thinking that maybe there is a common set of educational needs that are universal. Countries need comprehensive education for their kids, education for adults, vocational education, second-chance or developmental education, technical education, etc.. Each country meets these educational needs in different ways, but countries have a similar range of educational needs, no matter where they are. Think of medical care, it is similar, there is a comprehensive set of needs that need to be met, no matter where the country is. In Thailand I am discovering more similarity then differences in the problems and challenges of meeting the educational needs of the people. There is different terminology, different organization of delivery, but underlying the differences are similar challenges and opportunities. By sharing ideas and resources for meeting educational needs the learning is reciprocal and the range of choices and methods expands. International educational sharing of methods and organizations is a great resource for learning. I am thankful for my sabbatical, I am already anticipating how I might share some of what I have learned.

There will be a community meeting Sunday by the big tree in Jit's community. The big tree is circled in sashes and is really an impressive tree. I think it is a Tamarin tree. Anyway it will be like a community or town meeting. We delayed our day with Richard so that Jit could attend.

I finished the draft Access database and will give it to Nednapa today when we go to STOU.

Birds in the park this morning, large pink one, one with white wings, a blue one, I am ignorant as to there kind and habits. I am going to start bringing my binoculars.

There are some really nice houses, built, and being built in the community. Many of the houses are built by kids for their parents. Actually, by the quality of housing, many people are making a good living here. In the larger community of Bangkrachao there are some real luxury houses, maybe gentrification is going on. The new bridge could change travel patterns.

I can start to discriminate and see changes now, when I came here it was all so visually overwhelming, but now I can see changes in activity on different days of the week and different times. Riding home from Phra Pradaeng at night is completely different then during the day, so much more confusing and busy. Jit told me that a string of lights hanging in front of a store means that drinks are served, I can see many strings of lights. During the day it would be hard to know if it was a bar. The street lights are not bright so it is a murky multi-layered visual experience. Sometimes I am reminded of the visual experience of Blade Runner, not the devastation, just the very rich evocative visual setting.