The CD school principal, called Ajarn Yai, invited the teachers to come to her house for a weekend. We had a great time! Her house is located right by the River Kwai. Its design is based on Khmer ruins in Muang Sing which is nearby. Her house has been featured in a few Thai home magazines.
We saw the bridge over the River Kwai. It was an infamous bridge constructed by mostly British, Aussie, and Dutch and also Thai prisoners of war. The Japanese invaded Thailand during WWII. They wanted to construct the bridge to make an easier passage to Burma. The bridge was destroyed by Allied forces' bombs and later rebuilt after the war by a Japanese company as part of war reparations.
We rode a train on the bridge. We saw nice countryside, and we stopped at a cave. Then we rode a house-boat. Jaron and I swam and slid down a waterfall. It was a great way to get to know the teachers at our school better.
I got to know an older couple Susie and Kirk and their family better. Susie is a teacher at the high school. They shared many stories. They met in Thailand, got married and have been living and working in Thailand for 17 years. They studied linguistics and did work with hill tribe people. They help tribal people develop a writing system for their spoken languages. They moved to Bangkok for one year to do some different work with the Thai educational system.
One thing was funny. There is a Chinese teacher that the foreign girl teachers have a crush on. He surprised them. They didn't think he was going. Some of the teachers may try to sign up for Chinese lessons now.
We had lots of fun. I hope we can go on another school trip.
Showing posts with label Life in Thailand. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Life in Thailand. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 23, 2005
Friday, March 04, 2005
Khao Lak
It's hard to believe I've been a teacher in Thailand for almost 10 months.
I had a break from work, so I went with three friends who are also teachers to go to Southern Thailand. We were hoping to volunteer for Tsunami relief. We flew to Phuket from Bangkok on Sunday night and stayed in a very cheap hotel. Whoever named the place a hotel had wishful thinking. The next afternoon we hopped on a bus to the Tsunami Volunteer Center at Khao Lak Nature Resort, Phang Nga Province. http://www.tsunamivolunteer.net/
After a two-and-a-half hour trip, we spotted the volunteer center and jumped off the bus. Well, most of us did. Cyndi didn't get off at first because she was looking for her sandals. The busses don't stop very long, so you must exit quickly. The driver kept going for half-a-minute until he noticed she wanted to get off.
We didn't know where we would stay so we walked towards the volunteer center. Luckily, we found a place not far from it. We never found out the name of the guesthouse, but it used to be a restaurant. It must have just opened. We were located near a police station and the entrance to Khao Lak National Park. There were pictures of unidentified bodies at the station. Most of them were Thai, and some were children. Across the road was a religious shrine with lots of abandoned motorbikes in front of it. Thai people honked as they drove by. The Thai lady who ran our guesthouse told us it was a place to honor the ghosts and Buddha.
My friends and I had driven through Khao Lak in early December. It was a busy, little tourist town with dive shops restaurants, beach resorts and ATMs from all major bank branches. Lots of the places are still there, but there are virtually no tourists, except volunteers. Almost everything closed in town after 9 p.m.
The beaches looked like a war zone in the aftermath of the tsunami. Beaches that were once covered with hotels and resorts were now deserted with a few crumbled buildings and overturned cars. We also saw a large ship, probably from the Thai Navy, that was washed about 500 meters from the road on the side opposite from the beach. It is not a small boat.
The volunteer center used to be a beach resort, but the owner Khun Somporn generously let survivors and volunteer workers stay for free. Then it became a center for registering the dead. Now volunteers are doing all sorts of things from building furniture for schools, laying bricks, clearing debris off the beach, boatyard construction to twisting wire around rebar.
The center had some pets. There were two dogs and even two gibbons hanging around. One of the monkeys was friendly. It let volunteers give it foot massages. The other one hit people on the head and swung away. Every once in a while we saw a monkey fight one of the dogs.
Zach went to work with an intense construction guy from America to build a boatyard. He used power tools and helped mix cement and other labor. He worked with two Thai men who had lost family members in the disaster. He also worked with two Germans who were members of an ancient journeyman association. They had to wear strange outfits and stay at least 500 km away from their homes for two years. They wore black vests and ties over white shirts, dark cordorouy pants with two zippers, and black hats. One of them was very tall, even for a German, and he wore a black top hat. He didn't speak much English. The shorter one wore a derby hat and spoke English fairly well. They also drank Singha beer with Sprite.
Cyndi, Leigh and I helped out a construction site for a village called Bang Sak. Nishon from Canada was our guide from the center. He helped us hitch a ride to the site. Thai people were very friendly to volunteers. Volunteers from the center were teamed up with Mercy Foundation, a Thai Christian organization, who is trying to build 50 houses for the Bang Sak village community. Cyndi and Leigh twisted wire around rebar. I helped mix cement, move dirt and other jobs at the construction site. I met volunteers from places all around the world like England, Germany, Belgium, France, Ireland, Japan, Canada, and Norway. And I'm proud to say there were lots of Americans. I also met many Thai people while working. Some of them had come down from Isaan, NE Thailand.
I enjoyed the experience despite the tough work in the stifling heat. I was worn out after three days of work. Some volunteers had been there for over two months. I give other volunteers special praise. Some guys from Iowa took time off from college to come and volunteer. Two Germans were sleeping in tents while buidling houses. Many other volunteers were doing the same because guesthouses in the area were filling up. That's true sacrifice.
Why is it that volunteers seem to always have a huge "hippy" crowd? There were lots of vegetarians. At a BBQ party one night and I mistakenly ate some tofu and veggie shishkabobs. Eck! They had real BBQ too, but it was dark and I just grabbed whatever I could off the grill.
I hope I can go back sometime and work longer. I recommend the Tsunami Volunteer Center for anyone who wants the opportunity to volunteer. Just be aware of the tofu BBQ.
In Other News...
Way to go Lady Bears Basketball!! Big 12 Champions!!
I had a break from work, so I went with three friends who are also teachers to go to Southern Thailand. We were hoping to volunteer for Tsunami relief. We flew to Phuket from Bangkok on Sunday night and stayed in a very cheap hotel. Whoever named the place a hotel had wishful thinking. The next afternoon we hopped on a bus to the Tsunami Volunteer Center at Khao Lak Nature Resort, Phang Nga Province. http://www.tsunamivolunteer.net/
After a two-and-a-half hour trip, we spotted the volunteer center and jumped off the bus. Well, most of us did. Cyndi didn't get off at first because she was looking for her sandals. The busses don't stop very long, so you must exit quickly. The driver kept going for half-a-minute until he noticed she wanted to get off.
We didn't know where we would stay so we walked towards the volunteer center. Luckily, we found a place not far from it. We never found out the name of the guesthouse, but it used to be a restaurant. It must have just opened. We were located near a police station and the entrance to Khao Lak National Park. There were pictures of unidentified bodies at the station. Most of them were Thai, and some were children. Across the road was a religious shrine with lots of abandoned motorbikes in front of it. Thai people honked as they drove by. The Thai lady who ran our guesthouse told us it was a place to honor the ghosts and Buddha.
My friends and I had driven through Khao Lak in early December. It was a busy, little tourist town with dive shops restaurants, beach resorts and ATMs from all major bank branches. Lots of the places are still there, but there are virtually no tourists, except volunteers. Almost everything closed in town after 9 p.m.
The beaches looked like a war zone in the aftermath of the tsunami. Beaches that were once covered with hotels and resorts were now deserted with a few crumbled buildings and overturned cars. We also saw a large ship, probably from the Thai Navy, that was washed about 500 meters from the road on the side opposite from the beach. It is not a small boat.
The volunteer center used to be a beach resort, but the owner Khun Somporn generously let survivors and volunteer workers stay for free. Then it became a center for registering the dead. Now volunteers are doing all sorts of things from building furniture for schools, laying bricks, clearing debris off the beach, boatyard construction to twisting wire around rebar.
The center had some pets. There were two dogs and even two gibbons hanging around. One of the monkeys was friendly. It let volunteers give it foot massages. The other one hit people on the head and swung away. Every once in a while we saw a monkey fight one of the dogs.
Zach went to work with an intense construction guy from America to build a boatyard. He used power tools and helped mix cement and other labor. He worked with two Thai men who had lost family members in the disaster. He also worked with two Germans who were members of an ancient journeyman association. They had to wear strange outfits and stay at least 500 km away from their homes for two years. They wore black vests and ties over white shirts, dark cordorouy pants with two zippers, and black hats. One of them was very tall, even for a German, and he wore a black top hat. He didn't speak much English. The shorter one wore a derby hat and spoke English fairly well. They also drank Singha beer with Sprite.
Cyndi, Leigh and I helped out a construction site for a village called Bang Sak. Nishon from Canada was our guide from the center. He helped us hitch a ride to the site. Thai people were very friendly to volunteers. Volunteers from the center were teamed up with Mercy Foundation, a Thai Christian organization, who is trying to build 50 houses for the Bang Sak village community. Cyndi and Leigh twisted wire around rebar. I helped mix cement, move dirt and other jobs at the construction site. I met volunteers from places all around the world like England, Germany, Belgium, France, Ireland, Japan, Canada, and Norway. And I'm proud to say there were lots of Americans. I also met many Thai people while working. Some of them had come down from Isaan, NE Thailand.
I enjoyed the experience despite the tough work in the stifling heat. I was worn out after three days of work. Some volunteers had been there for over two months. I give other volunteers special praise. Some guys from Iowa took time off from college to come and volunteer. Two Germans were sleeping in tents while buidling houses. Many other volunteers were doing the same because guesthouses in the area were filling up. That's true sacrifice.
Why is it that volunteers seem to always have a huge "hippy" crowd? There were lots of vegetarians. At a BBQ party one night and I mistakenly ate some tofu and veggie shishkabobs. Eck! They had real BBQ too, but it was dark and I just grabbed whatever I could off the grill.
I hope I can go back sometime and work longer. I recommend the Tsunami Volunteer Center for anyone who wants the opportunity to volunteer. Just be aware of the tofu BBQ.
In Other News...
Way to go Lady Bears Basketball!! Big 12 Champions!!
Friday, January 14, 2005
Heaven and Hell mixed together
Hello to all,
I'm sure all of you have seen or heard of the Indian Ocean disaster, the latest name the media has given to the horrible events on Dec. 26th. We're all tired of seeing the images in our mind. Disturbing as they are, we must not block them out. Remember the survivors in prayer. Pray that they realize their lives still have purpose. Donate to whomever you trust to help in the relief effort, as you are able. But don't stop acting after you donate. Pray and pay attention. This is going to cause long-term problems for the region. Here are some stories I've heard. These can help you to pray and act more specifically.
Indonesia has been devastated the worst from this tragedy. Earthquakes are common there, but this one was more than anyone expected. You can pray that the people will be able to receive food and water. It is extremely difficult to deliver necessities to survivors in some regions. Some areas are only accessible by helicopters. There is also filthy standing water that could allow diseases to spread.
Sri Lanka was devasted by tidal waves. There were many people who lived along the coast. Many of the victims were women and children. There is also a lack of cooperation between Tamil Tigers army and the government. The Tamil Tigers want their own country. Violence could spread and prevent the survivors from being helped.
Thailand
I'd like to announce some good news. I emailed my scuba instructor who worked at Ko Pi Pi, and he wrote back that he and his wife are okay. But a Thai woman who worked at Princess Dive Shop was lost. He remembered me and my teacher friends who went diving there in August. He is the only person I knew who could have been hurt. So far all of my friends were not there. One of my friends was planning a trip to Phuket with her parents, but they were planning to go on Wednesday. The earthquake and waves happened on Sunday. So they went to Cambodia instead. I don't think any members of my church in Bangkok went either, which is amazing. It is a large church.
On Sunday, I heard the stories of members of my church who went to Phang Nga to help in the aftermath of the tragedy. Two families with about six teenagers went to the area. They helped the survivors and family members looking for their loved ones. These families felt called to do this work because they had lived in Phang Nga for about ten years. I am amazed by what they did, especially the teenagers. One woman was a nurse. Teenagers gave their phone to survivors who called their families and let them know they were okay. They also worked with translation teams with people from all over the world. Some of the members of the these teams were themselves injured survivors. One father summed up his experience by saying it was like seeing "Heaven and Hell mixed together". The Hell of seeing bodies and families separated from each other is obvious. But he described a glimpse of what Heaven would be like. No one needed money to get food, to find a place to stay or even to fly out of the country. No one needed passports. People from many nations, who spoke many languages, and came from many backgrounds cared for one another. One of them said "It did not matter who you were. Everyone was seen only as a human."
Sadly, I read in the Bangkok Post that the Thai government has not been helping Burmese refugees who were victims. Many illegal Burmese workers have had to hide because the Thai government is deporting them. These people are denied the right to receive medical treatment and search for their loved ones.
The family said that we should pray for the orphans. One boy was at a family reunion when the waves hit. The survivors wonder "Why am I alive?" Pray that they will find purpose and hope for their lives.
Sweden declared that this was their worst disaster ever even though the country is far away from the Indian Ocean. More Swedish people died in this disaster than in any other event in their history. Many of them were in Thailand on holiday. Sweden has been neutral in wars and they have not suffered many disasters. This tragedy can truly be called a global catastrophe. Almost every nation on earth lost someone on December 26th.
This is only a short list. Other parts of Asia, India, and even Africa were also hit by the waves.
I believe God allowed all this to happen. I don't believe He did this. Everything I know about God says He is kind and merciful. But He is also a creator who set powerful forces of nature to shape our amazing universe. Governments, scientists, and businesses acted irresponsilby. Why were so many people living in risky areas? Why was there no tsunami warning system? Humans were responsible, but I still wonder why God let it happen. I have to believe that God is good and that He cares for us. The Bible says that we will see many disasters and wars before Jesus comes again. Maybe this is a sign of the end of the world. Maybe it is a warning to not waste time. Our lives are short. If you know someone who does not know Christ, then it's time to tell to them.
May God bless you. I hope my post has helped you to pray and respond with action.
-Steve
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Wednesday, August 18, 2004
Thai Mother's Day, Diving at Ko Pi Pi and almost walking on "The Beach"
I had a great weekend! I got my scuba diving certificate during my four days in Ko Pi Pi. I need two more dives to get my open water certificate. I would have done it, but we had to fly on Sunday. You have to wait at least twelve hours before flying after a dive.
There was a holiday because it was Queen Sikrit's birthday on August 12. Thais celebrate Mother's Day on her birthday also. They celebrate it much like we do in America. Farang (foreign) teachers at Chitralada (pronounced Chit-la-da) School were invited to her birthday ceremony. I saw the queen for a second as her motorcade of light tan BMWs drove by the Chitralada Palace. No pictures were permitted. I wasn't looking at her long because I was supposed to bow. Then she made a speech for a long time that none of us farang understood. There were Thais there from all over the country. His Majesty the King wasn't there.
The next day three of us went to Pi Pi. It has two main islands. The big one is Pi Pi Don and the smaller one is Pi Pi Lay. Maya Bay at Pi Pi Lay is where the movie "The Beach" was filmed. We flew to Phuket but didn't look around there. Then we took a taxi out to the pier, caught a boat to Pi Pi Don, and by then it was late in the afternoon. We had to find a place to stay the night. It was a little difficult. We were told all the guesthouses were full, so we had to spend more money than we wanted to. We stayed at a "resort". I would very loosely call it that. It had no A/C. But we found a cheaper place the next two nights.
Leigh and I signed up to get diver training at a PADI diving center, while Zach went diving since he was already certified. Our instructor was a big Swedish man. He was a good teacher and made it feel easier. A British girl joined us to get certified. We had to watch lots of videos that were corny like driver's ed. I was nervous about diving, but after doing it twice I have to say it's really fun. On the first day we stayed in shallow water and learned basic skills. The next day we went to Bata Nai, a small island near Pi Pi Lay. The deepest we went down was 12 meters and we stayed underwater for 47 minutes. It was weird breathing underwater. I couldn't inhale through my nose, which is hard to get used to. It was a little tricky equalizing the pressure in my ears too.
As you go down you have to pinch your nose and then blow gently about every meter. During the first dive we saw a leopard shark and many kinds of fish like trumpet fish, which are long, narrow and almost transparent. The leopard shark, white-gray with black stripes, was resting on the bottom of the ocean. Very lazy.
Then we had a break for lunch before we went to a site called Turtle Village. We were hoping to see a turtle but we didn't. Other divers who on the boat saw one. They also saw moray eels. Our group saw a scorpian fish. It was really cool. Our instructor pointed to it but I didn't see it. Then he tapped a rock and part of the rock was alive. The scorpian fish is very poisonous, but it doesn't attack without being provoked. It went back to hiding almost as soon as it moved. On this dive we stayed down a little longer but went to the same depth. We were under for 52 mintues. By the end I was getting used to hovering. You can control descent and ascent by just my breathing.
One of the things I love about diving is all the hand signals. You can communicate almost anything you need to say underwater with your hands. how much air? ok? go up, go down, follow me, look, i need to equalize, etc. If it's too complicated to say with hands you can use a thing that's like a dry erase board. I especially like the symbols for different animals. I learned signals for turtle, scorpian fish, lion fish, and shark.
The Andeamean Sea is really colorful underwater. I saw greens, purples, pinks, oranges, reds, and browns. It's not just the fish. It's also the coral reefs, sea urchins and other creatures. I want to go back. But I'll probably do my last two dives at Pattaya or Ko Tao. Pattaya is only two hours from Bangkok.
Since we coudn't dive the last day, we went on a snorkeling tour. We saw "The Beach" but we couldn't snorkel there because it was rough water. That was a big disappointment. But I took pictures. I guess I'll have to go back. Wow! Long post!
There was a holiday because it was Queen Sikrit's birthday on August 12. Thais celebrate Mother's Day on her birthday also. They celebrate it much like we do in America. Farang (foreign) teachers at Chitralada (pronounced Chit-la-da) School were invited to her birthday ceremony. I saw the queen for a second as her motorcade of light tan BMWs drove by the Chitralada Palace. No pictures were permitted. I wasn't looking at her long because I was supposed to bow. Then she made a speech for a long time that none of us farang understood. There were Thais there from all over the country. His Majesty the King wasn't there.
The next day three of us went to Pi Pi. It has two main islands. The big one is Pi Pi Don and the smaller one is Pi Pi Lay. Maya Bay at Pi Pi Lay is where the movie "The Beach" was filmed. We flew to Phuket but didn't look around there. Then we took a taxi out to the pier, caught a boat to Pi Pi Don, and by then it was late in the afternoon. We had to find a place to stay the night. It was a little difficult. We were told all the guesthouses were full, so we had to spend more money than we wanted to. We stayed at a "resort". I would very loosely call it that. It had no A/C. But we found a cheaper place the next two nights.
Leigh and I signed up to get diver training at a PADI diving center, while Zach went diving since he was already certified. Our instructor was a big Swedish man. He was a good teacher and made it feel easier. A British girl joined us to get certified. We had to watch lots of videos that were corny like driver's ed. I was nervous about diving, but after doing it twice I have to say it's really fun. On the first day we stayed in shallow water and learned basic skills. The next day we went to Bata Nai, a small island near Pi Pi Lay. The deepest we went down was 12 meters and we stayed underwater for 47 minutes. It was weird breathing underwater. I couldn't inhale through my nose, which is hard to get used to. It was a little tricky equalizing the pressure in my ears too.
As you go down you have to pinch your nose and then blow gently about every meter. During the first dive we saw a leopard shark and many kinds of fish like trumpet fish, which are long, narrow and almost transparent. The leopard shark, white-gray with black stripes, was resting on the bottom of the ocean. Very lazy.
Then we had a break for lunch before we went to a site called Turtle Village. We were hoping to see a turtle but we didn't. Other divers who on the boat saw one. They also saw moray eels. Our group saw a scorpian fish. It was really cool. Our instructor pointed to it but I didn't see it. Then he tapped a rock and part of the rock was alive. The scorpian fish is very poisonous, but it doesn't attack without being provoked. It went back to hiding almost as soon as it moved. On this dive we stayed down a little longer but went to the same depth. We were under for 52 mintues. By the end I was getting used to hovering. You can control descent and ascent by just my breathing.
One of the things I love about diving is all the hand signals. You can communicate almost anything you need to say underwater with your hands. how much air? ok? go up, go down, follow me, look, i need to equalize, etc. If it's too complicated to say with hands you can use a thing that's like a dry erase board. I especially like the symbols for different animals. I learned signals for turtle, scorpian fish, lion fish, and shark.
The Andeamean Sea is really colorful underwater. I saw greens, purples, pinks, oranges, reds, and browns. It's not just the fish. It's also the coral reefs, sea urchins and other creatures. I want to go back. But I'll probably do my last two dives at Pattaya or Ko Tao. Pattaya is only two hours from Bangkok.
Since we coudn't dive the last day, we went on a snorkeling tour. We saw "The Beach" but we couldn't snorkel there because it was rough water. That was a big disappointment. But I took pictures. I guess I'll have to go back. Wow! Long post!
Thursday, July 22, 2004
Exploring Chiang Mai
Here's a late breaking story about my trip to Chiang Mai. One of the best parts of my trip was meeting other interesting travelers. I met two artists (a couple) on my trek through Doi Inthanon National Park. David is a printmaker and college lecturer from England. Caroline is more interested in sculpture and videography. She's from Ireland. One of the last projects she made was a 3-D sculpture of garnish out of 500 TV dinner boxes. David and I talked about history, religion and politics. I also met travelers from New Zealand, Scotland, Denmark, Holland, France and South Korea. Our trek guide Mr. P was quite a character. He kept telling the same jokes. Every time we walked by a Karen tribe hut, he would say "Cannibal House!". He said that at least seven times. When we walked by vines that twisted around trees, he said, "Anaconda!" It was funny because he seemed to laugh at his own jokes every time. He often would say "Oh my Buddha" instead of "Oh my God." When we went to ride elephants he said, "We go to Thai airport. We catch Thai jumbo jet." The "Thai A/C" he spoke of was a leaf that could be used as a fan. And "Thai 7-11" was a jungle shop that sold cokes and beers. One time he showed us a huge termite hill. He said it had a termite queen and that if you broke the mound open you would see it looked just like Bangkok with a termite Royal Palace, termite school, termite temple, and so on. Mr. P was impressive. He spoke English well and he knew some French as well as some words in the native tribal languages. He was also amazingly fit for a 60-year-old man. He set a quick pace through the jungle. I was disappointed with my train ride during the day. The scenery was nothing spectacular. I've romanticized train rides from seeing too many movies. They aren't that great. It was better than a bus ride though.
Chiang Mai was an impressive city. It is way more laid back than Bangkok. I could walk everywhere but I got tired of it and usually rode tuk-tuks. The traffic was heavy sometimes and made it hard to cross the street. On one day, quite by accident, David, Caroline and I ended up going on a tour with a tuk-tuk driver. He took us to the oldest wat in the city and lots of other interesting ones. One had an unfinished mural of the water festival. It was very contemporary. It included water guns (that looked like Super Soakers), hoses, and people with tattoos. In a hundred years what will people look back at this mural and say? I think if I lived in Thailand for a long time I would want to live in Chiang Mai. Bangkok is very Westernized and very big and busy. I hate the traffic. I hate the pollution. And there isn't much to do if you tired of going shopping. In Chiang Mai there were lots of interesting arts and crafts being made. I saw a silk factory, a lacquer wear factory, a jade shop, and place that made wonderful looking umbrellas. I bought some gifts for family and friends at the Night Bazaar. The funny thing is that much of what I got has elephants on it. I didn't really even intend that. People are going to think I like elephants. But almost everything has an elephant on it. Thailand is an elephant country. There are pictures of my trip on the yahoo pictures website. I also went to two mountain top wats: Doi Suthep and Doi Saket. Doi Suthep had a wonderful view of the city. I hope everyone is doing well. I'll send you another report soon. I might go to Ayutthaya this weekend. Law gaan. Bye.
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Wednesday, June 02, 2004
Answers to Some of Your Questions
This post was written during my first year in Thailand:
You might be wondering how I write my blog. It isn't always easy to update it. I use the computer lab almost everyday at school, but sometimes it is full. Other times I use the Internet cafes, but they are very slow. It takes about 30 minutes to send one email from them. The school computers are fast most of the time. At peak times they get really slow too, and one time the power went out in the lab. Fortunately, I had just sent my email.
Here are some answers to some of your questions. I don't have a roommate. My apartment is bigger than my dorm room was at Baylor. It has a bathroom, a patio, and air conditioning.
At school, I haven't received any more teacher training in Thailand. I guess they just assume I can do the job. I was given lesson plans for the year. Basically, I teach whatever is in the textbook. It is a British curriculum. I am also teaching my students the words for common classroom objects like desk, pencil, and "rubbish bin" instead of trash can. I'm also teaching them colors.
My students know how to greet me, but I'm convinced many of them don't fully understand what they're saying. Every day one of the students says, "Students stand up." Then they say,"Good morning teacher." And I reply, "Good morning, students. How are you?" They say, "I'm fine thank you." (That's the usual answer from almost every Thai person when I ask them, "How are you?" Even adults. No one ever taught them to say something like, "I'm having a rough day, but thanks for asking.")
I have managed to get most kids to turn in their work before class ends and the rest do it for homework. There are only a couple of kids who don't do any of it. It is surprising how much kids can learn from me when I don't know their language. I'll say a command in English just like I would if I was teaching a 2nd grade class in America. If they don't understand then I pantomime or gesture what I mean. I also draw pictures and write words on the board. I have about 20 to 25 students in each class. I teach three classes per day from morning until lunch. Each period lasts 50 minutes but no one is in a hurry to leave when class ends. My workday lasts from 8 am until about 4 pm. A van picks me up at 7 am. I will soon start tutoring kids after school. I don't know how much time that will be.
I still haven't got a cheap way to call home. I'll buy a mobile phone and a calling card soon.
I bought a guitar yesterday. It is a nice one. The brand is Fina, which I've never heard of before. I got the case and everything for it for 7,000 Baht or about $150. It might be nicer than the guitar I have at home which was $200 used from a pawn shop, and that doesn't include the case I got for it. Many things are cheap here.
I really enjoyed playing soccer. I didn't score any goals, but I assisted one. Our team lost 2-1. It was fun though. I was the most aggressive player on the field. When I pressured the ball the other team shouted Farang! Farang! Farang! Which means foreigner. I want to get a jersey that says farang on the back.
I love and miss y'all.
You might be wondering how I write my blog. It isn't always easy to update it. I use the computer lab almost everyday at school, but sometimes it is full. Other times I use the Internet cafes, but they are very slow. It takes about 30 minutes to send one email from them. The school computers are fast most of the time. At peak times they get really slow too, and one time the power went out in the lab. Fortunately, I had just sent my email.
Here are some answers to some of your questions. I don't have a roommate. My apartment is bigger than my dorm room was at Baylor. It has a bathroom, a patio, and air conditioning.
At school, I haven't received any more teacher training in Thailand. I guess they just assume I can do the job. I was given lesson plans for the year. Basically, I teach whatever is in the textbook. It is a British curriculum. I am also teaching my students the words for common classroom objects like desk, pencil, and "rubbish bin" instead of trash can. I'm also teaching them colors.
My students know how to greet me, but I'm convinced many of them don't fully understand what they're saying. Every day one of the students says, "Students stand up." Then they say,"Good morning teacher." And I reply, "Good morning, students. How are you?" They say, "I'm fine thank you." (That's the usual answer from almost every Thai person when I ask them, "How are you?" Even adults. No one ever taught them to say something like, "I'm having a rough day, but thanks for asking.")
I have managed to get most kids to turn in their work before class ends and the rest do it for homework. There are only a couple of kids who don't do any of it. It is surprising how much kids can learn from me when I don't know their language. I'll say a command in English just like I would if I was teaching a 2nd grade class in America. If they don't understand then I pantomime or gesture what I mean. I also draw pictures and write words on the board. I have about 20 to 25 students in each class. I teach three classes per day from morning until lunch. Each period lasts 50 minutes but no one is in a hurry to leave when class ends. My workday lasts from 8 am until about 4 pm. A van picks me up at 7 am. I will soon start tutoring kids after school. I don't know how much time that will be.
I still haven't got a cheap way to call home. I'll buy a mobile phone and a calling card soon.
I bought a guitar yesterday. It is a nice one. The brand is Fina, which I've never heard of before. I got the case and everything for it for 7,000 Baht or about $150. It might be nicer than the guitar I have at home which was $200 used from a pawn shop, and that doesn't include the case I got for it. Many things are cheap here.
I really enjoyed playing soccer. I didn't score any goals, but I assisted one. Our team lost 2-1. It was fun though. I was the most aggressive player on the field. When I pressured the ball the other team shouted Farang! Farang! Farang! Which means foreigner. I want to get a jersey that says farang on the back.
I love and miss y'all.
Friday, May 28, 2004
Trying Thai Food
This post was written during my first year in Thailand:
I try to be adventurous when it comes to food. I'll try anything twice is my motto. I've tried some really spicy soups and lots of things that I can't even name. I order food in a restaurant at the bottom of my apartment by pointing at pictures. It's hit or miss. Some of foods are good and others are just weird. At school the lunch has been different everyday. I've had squid. It wasn't bad. It just doesn't look very appetizing. Yesterday there was this jello-like stuff around some fruit that was crunchy and served in coconut milk. Thais love the coconut milk. There is something with coconut milk almost everyday at lunch. I have also tried some Thai fruits. I think "mangosteens" are my favorite fruit now. They have a brown skin and two leaves. It's messy when you peel them off. It has a bunch of red junk, but inside it has a juicy white part. It has a flavor unlike anything I've ever tried before.
Later, I went to a restaurant called BBQ Plaza with my friends from Baylor. It had grills on the tables. You order meat and vegetables and then cook them yourself. They pour water on the grill and it becomes a nice broth. They had some awesome dipping sauce with garlic and chilies.
Yesterday, I hung out with some Thai friends. They taught me some words and told me not to repeat them, except to specific friends. They aren't curse words, but I guess they are too informal. I've been warned that I could get into some trouble if I use therm with people I don't know well.
I'll also hopefully play soccer this weekend with a team of school teachers.
Later
I try to be adventurous when it comes to food. I'll try anything twice is my motto. I've tried some really spicy soups and lots of things that I can't even name. I order food in a restaurant at the bottom of my apartment by pointing at pictures. It's hit or miss. Some of foods are good and others are just weird. At school the lunch has been different everyday. I've had squid. It wasn't bad. It just doesn't look very appetizing. Yesterday there was this jello-like stuff around some fruit that was crunchy and served in coconut milk. Thais love the coconut milk. There is something with coconut milk almost everyday at lunch. I have also tried some Thai fruits. I think "mangosteens" are my favorite fruit now. They have a brown skin and two leaves. It's messy when you peel them off. It has a bunch of red junk, but inside it has a juicy white part. It has a flavor unlike anything I've ever tried before.
Later, I went to a restaurant called BBQ Plaza with my friends from Baylor. It had grills on the tables. You order meat and vegetables and then cook them yourself. They pour water on the grill and it becomes a nice broth. They had some awesome dipping sauce with garlic and chilies.
Yesterday, I hung out with some Thai friends. They taught me some words and told me not to repeat them, except to specific friends. They aren't curse words, but I guess they are too informal. I've been warned that I could get into some trouble if I use therm with people I don't know well.
I'll also hopefully play soccer this weekend with a team of school teachers.
Later
Monday, May 24, 2004
Greetings from Bangkok, Thailand
This post was the first email I sent after I arrived in Bangkok, Thailand to teach English:
Hello Everyone,
Sawat Dii, Krahp!
Greetings from Bangkok, Thailand.
This is my big e-mail that I'm sending to lots of people. I won't send very many like this. I will start updating my online journal soon. I have not talked with some of you in so long that you may not know what I am up to at the moment. I am currently in Bangkok, Thailand. I will be teaching English for the next nine months.
Here is a brief update of what is going on right now. I am having a blast! I graduated on Saturday, May 19th. Then I caught a flight on Wednesday morning and I arrived in Bangkok on Thursday at 10:30 pm local time. The time is about 12 hours different from Central Standard Time. I didn't suffer from jet lag too badly, but I don't want to go near a stinkin' plane again for a while. It was so boring. The day after I got to Bangkok I went on a bus trip with some of the other teachers from the school. What a great cure for a plane trip, right? I don't know what I was thinking. It was a very long bus trip. They told me it would only be three hours. It ended up being seven hours. Oh well. It was fun. I got to meet other teachers before school started. The other teachers who went were mostly Thai. But two Australians came along too. After getting back from the bus trip yesterday, I taught my first day of school today.
The kids were hard to control. Some of them were well behaved, but others were just running around the room. I told them to sit down but either they didn't understand or they pretended not to. I had almost no preparation time. I was given a lesson plan half an hour before class. But I did get some things accomplished. I took attendance and taught some of them how to say "Hello, my name is ..." Fortunately, Namon, the lead teacher of the 2nd grade, came by and helped me get the class under control. Some of them started their homework and some even finished in class. One kid was very funny. He wrote his answers in a fluorescent pen so they would be invisible. Then, he showed me with a big smile as he lit up the letters with a special light. Another kid was a troublemaker. He got up on a chair, bent a plastic ruler and then launched it in the air at the ceiling. Later, I was talking to the class with a microphone. I asked each kid, 'What is your name?' He ran up and shouted, "JAPON!" into the microphone then he ran back and sat down. He is a very funny kid!
Well I'm going to write some more individual emails, but I won't be able to write everyone individually. Please be patient for a response from me if you write me an email. God bless you all. I will keep you in my thoughts.
Hello Everyone,
Sawat Dii, Krahp!
Greetings from Bangkok, Thailand.
This is my big e-mail that I'm sending to lots of people. I won't send very many like this. I will start updating my online journal soon. I have not talked with some of you in so long that you may not know what I am up to at the moment. I am currently in Bangkok, Thailand. I will be teaching English for the next nine months.
Here is a brief update of what is going on right now. I am having a blast! I graduated on Saturday, May 19th. Then I caught a flight on Wednesday morning and I arrived in Bangkok on Thursday at 10:30 pm local time. The time is about 12 hours different from Central Standard Time. I didn't suffer from jet lag too badly, but I don't want to go near a stinkin' plane again for a while. It was so boring. The day after I got to Bangkok I went on a bus trip with some of the other teachers from the school. What a great cure for a plane trip, right? I don't know what I was thinking. It was a very long bus trip. They told me it would only be three hours. It ended up being seven hours. Oh well. It was fun. I got to meet other teachers before school started. The other teachers who went were mostly Thai. But two Australians came along too. After getting back from the bus trip yesterday, I taught my first day of school today.
The kids were hard to control. Some of them were well behaved, but others were just running around the room. I told them to sit down but either they didn't understand or they pretended not to. I had almost no preparation time. I was given a lesson plan half an hour before class. But I did get some things accomplished. I took attendance and taught some of them how to say "Hello, my name is ..." Fortunately, Namon, the lead teacher of the 2nd grade, came by and helped me get the class under control. Some of them started their homework and some even finished in class. One kid was very funny. He wrote his answers in a fluorescent pen so they would be invisible. Then, he showed me with a big smile as he lit up the letters with a special light. Another kid was a troublemaker. He got up on a chair, bent a plastic ruler and then launched it in the air at the ceiling. Later, I was talking to the class with a microphone. I asked each kid, 'What is your name?' He ran up and shouted, "JAPON!" into the microphone then he ran back and sat down. He is a very funny kid!
Well I'm going to write some more individual emails, but I won't be able to write everyone individually. Please be patient for a response from me if you write me an email. God bless you all. I will keep you in my thoughts.
Wednesday, May 05, 2004
I have a job this summer
This post was written during my senior year at Baylor University:
I am so excited. I am doing the Baylor in Thailand program. I will be teaching English in Thailand for nine months. I leave a few days after graduation and get back in March 'O5. If you're shocked, just imagine how I am feeling. I didn't even think this was a possibility two days ago. But I think God had plans for me. I really do. I was not on the list to go, but yesterday I received an e-mail that told me there was a spot available. I called Professor Mueller and I got it. Now I'm scrambling to get a passport and visa and a plane ticket. I'll let y'all know more details later.
I really am thrilled! You cannot understand how cool this is! I'll try to keep updating this blog while I'm there. Later.
I am so excited. I am doing the Baylor in Thailand program. I will be teaching English in Thailand for nine months. I leave a few days after graduation and get back in March 'O5. If you're shocked, just imagine how I am feeling. I didn't even think this was a possibility two days ago. But I think God had plans for me. I really do. I was not on the list to go, but yesterday I received an e-mail that told me there was a spot available. I called Professor Mueller and I got it. Now I'm scrambling to get a passport and visa and a plane ticket. I'll let y'all know more details later.
I really am thrilled! You cannot understand how cool this is! I'll try to keep updating this blog while I'm there. Later.
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