Meet the Author: Dian Seidel

In Person - Connie Morella Library

Local author Dian Seidel discusses her book "Kindergarten at 60: A Memoir of Teaching in Thailand". A retirement tale like none other.

Meet local author Dian Seidel. She will talk about her book "Kindergarten at 60: A Memoir of Teaching in Thailand", released in June 2023.

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.

Before turning to writing, Dian 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. 

Born and raised in Massachusetts, she lives in the Washington DC area, where she teaches English as a second language and Iyengar yoga.

Book sales and signing will follow the discussion. 

Questions about this program? Call the branch at 240-777-0970.

Accommodation Requests

People who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing should request English-language captioning or sign-language interpretation at least five days before the library-sponsored program they plan to attend. Contact the Assistant Facilities and Accessibility Program Manager at 240-777-0002 with all other accommodation requests.

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