More Thoughts on Age

Women:
Age is not even a number in Thailand. I’ve already written about the incredible youthful glow widespread among all the middle-aged women I’ve met. Exhibit A: The Thrasri women of my host family. MaReam is hot. She has a hot body, gorgeous curls, nice teeth, and the looks of a 28-year-old. I refuse to accept that she is in her mid-fifties. Aunt O has even better skin than MaReam and she’s 52. I had the pleasure of meeting Aunt O and MaReam’s sister in Chang Lai. She looks the youngest of the three (even though she technically is only 51) but I could easily see her primping that perfect hair alongside my beautiful girlfriends getting ready to go out.
Men:
The men, handsome ones anyway, have not been as plentiful. Every man I meet is either under the age of 14 or over 50. There is a single exception that I’ll explain later when I discuss the trip to Chang Lai in detail. However, Nhaca and I enjoy the man-candy that is Witwat.

Oh Witwat, how I appreciate thee.

Witwat is a “technology teacher” at our school but basically he just struts around looking handsome while Nhaca and I drool at the off-limits, mid-fifties, married Thai brilliance. He wears button downs with the first three unbuttoned, aviators, and has amazing teeth. Witwat certainly makes school entertaining. He takes more interest in Nhaca (of course) because she is gorgeously Asian and exotically born in Vietnam. Witwat is starting to play matchmaker---not for himself, but for his son! He is sketchily trying to set the 28-year-old with Nhaca, but Nhaca’s knowledgeable host mom says he’s been married before! The scandal continues…

I met my first attractive young man in Chang Lai at a family roadside dinner with about 20 attendees. Gong celebrated his 21st birthday with me and we clinked over Thai beer. Turns out Gong studies political science at university (I am a government major) so we had a few things in common. Through our congruently limited language skills, we bonded over the Eagles’ “Hotel California”, an appreciation of Obama, and…the Thai beer. It was refreshing to (sort-of) talk to someone close to my own age. Punch (my host cousin) and I talked a little bit, but it’s difficult with her adorable 2 year old Pin interrupting/crying.

Teens:
Fun and Film are typical teens, bopping to Avril Lavinge and obsessed with anime cartoons and printed tee shirts. Fun bought a Michael Jackson shirt and hasn’t taken it off! However, they are very dependent on their parents—more so than teens in America—and can be slightly whiney. The “Maee” (Mom) call perfects the complaining tone for maximum yield. In case I haven’t written this before, I actually don’t sleep in the host family house but am next door in the now-North-Carolinian uncle’s house. Fun and Film come over to sleep to keep me company and even though there are 3 bedrooms, they sleep together. Come to find out that Film actually slept in her parents’ bed until I came. She’s 15 years old! No judgment, but whoa.

Anyway, back onto age.

Older People!
I love old people. I love hearing stories and just being with people with worn shoes. Luckily for me, old people abound in Thailand. A Thai lifespan is about 72 years of age, a little less than in the United States. I’ve met many old people here and there, and there were a few gems in Chang Rai as well.

First Background:
Saturday July 25th was the most I’ve ever laughed or felt completely at bliss. It was just this: a fantastic day surrounded by happy people, good food, and beautiful scenery. Saturday morning I woke up naturally at 6 am, “up-nam-ed” (showered), and met some extended family during a trip to Chang Rai in Northern Thailand (see post below!)

Old People:
We stayed at MaReam’s sister’s house but I went next door to meet her sister’s mother-in-law, 93-year-old Bea, the first Christian I’ve met in Thailand. Talking in my limited Thai to this shriveled woman on her bed, I realized how quickly life passes by. Bea showed me her prized possession-a picture of herself meeting the queen over 50 years ago in her teaching uniform. It’s so special to step into the lives of these people who live with richness and tradition. She showed me wedding pictures, handmade crocheted side-table covers, a portrait of the last supper, and pictures of her mid-30 year old son who is the family prodigy—because he went to university in Oklahoma; (I was later handed a cell phone to “speak at English!” to the kind man). I literally had been talking to her for less than 5 minutes and she sat up and randomly embraced me. Bea gave me hand-crocheted key-chains—that she makes for weddings—as a parting gift on Sunday and with her soft hand in mind, peered at me through large spectacles and said, “God bless you”. It was very special. When saying goodbye to the rest of the family I used the usual “yin dee tee dai ru juk” aka “nice to meet you” and the regular wai. It’s more casual-see-you-again style. I felt readily aware when I was saying goodbye to Bea that I will never see her again. She and I seemed to be thinking the same thing and although no more words other than the formal “long-gon” (farewell) were exchanged, I could sense her understanding of my thoughts…

I also met PaChub’s parents. His mother is warm, beautiful at 77, and bid me farewell with a hug. His father had a giant potbelly, hearty laugh, and a penchant for growing lum-yai trees—which bear one of my favorite thai fruits.

I love meeting these family members even if I perform the mandatory circus animal routine of smiling, saying cute things in Thai, and having them comment on my appearance.

FAMILY FAMILY FAMILY. The Thais have their priorities down. Even the 21-year old Gong goes home from university about twice a month and celebrated his 21st with 10 relatives instead of with friends. Family makes up all of MaReam’s friends besides her fellow teachers who she’s been alongside for 30 years.

Lesson learned: Age may not matter, but family sure does.

I existed in 3 countries this weekend (and I finally rode an elephant!)

7/26/09

Rule #1: There is no such thing as an ETA.
Rule #2: Don’t ask.

We were supposed to leave on Friday afternoon on a 7 hour drive from Bangkratum in Phitsanulok to Chang Rai, a Northern Province near the golden triangle of Laos, Burma, and Thailand. When I prompted, MaReam said we would depart “2 P… M…”. This meant that we had to leave school early to go home, pick up Aunt O and Film, and continue to drive to Phitsanulok to pick up PaChub and Fun (Film stayed home because of H1N1).

But Friday morning the phone rang, informing MaReam a teacher at school had died. He was a Pratom 4, 5, 6 (middle school) teacher who was much loved by my students. We suited up in black (only worn for mourning).

I only got to teach my morning classes as the entire school headed for the temple at around 12:30 pm. I saw my second ever dead body—the first being about two weeks ago. The funeral felt a little more somber than the first I attended, probably because this man was only 55 and had a sudden heart attack. I couldn’t imagine what his wife was going through and how it had literally been hours since he had been asleep next to her, and now SHE was comforting people with dried tears of her own. The body was just in the temple under a sheet and they uncovered his head and then his arms. Witwat, a teacher at our school, pried open his rigamortis-y hand and the funeral attendees poured water through the claw-clenched hand for good luck in the next life. We hung around for awhile and then headed to the house to pick up Aunt O and Film. Then we drove to Pitsanulok, about one hour away…and waited. Fun was late getting out of school and we ended up leaving at 4:30 pm. I enjoy roadtrips now and am conditioned to sitting for long amounts of time, especially after annual summers to Kentucky with church and oh yeah, a 14 hour plane ride with a15 min layover and 6 hour plane ride…I was ready for anything. We stopped every hour or so for seven hours, eating tons of butter-sugar crackers, strawberry gum, chocolate squeeze-stick things, and other junk like seaweed chips, as well as bopping to Korean pop and poking eachother. I’m starting to feel at ease with my host sisters and try to joke as much as possible with them. We finally arrived at MaReam’s sister’s house around 1am, NOT EVEN BOTHERING TO SHOWER-BIG DEAL!

I woke up Saturday morning naturally around 6am. I love getting up early!
After the nice morning meet-and-greets, MaReam, her sister and sister’s husband and daughter, Aunt O, Fun, Film, and I all(yes Mom, 2 people in passenger’s seat and 5 in the backseat) piled into our truck and headed to our first attraction, the late queen’s mountain palace. The gardens were the most beautiful that I’ve ever seen. We were suited up in long sleeves and pants in what can be described as denim pajamas that were one-size-fit-all and extremely cute. YES. We toured the luxurious cabin-style mansion and gardens.
It was one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been and I also had a memorable iced café mocha. Many people asked to take pictures of me and I started saying “Mai ow ka”(I don’t want, thanks) because it was annoying.

Next we headed to…BURMA!

The Union of Myanmar was exactly the same as Thailand. I paid 600 B, about $20 to hand over my passport for safekeeping (which was difficult to do mentally…I just kept thinking of Aung Sang Suu Ki (bless her)). It took about 3 seconds for my thai family to pass and their fee was 40 B. Ah the perks of being an American. So after a ton of paperwork and surprisingly no health check, we were through! I stepped out of immigration and into an extremely dirty and crowded market. We strolled through the miracle breast creams, knock-off Louis Vutton, and loads of underwear. I have never been more uncomfortable in my life. The stares and cat calls were so much worse in Burma and the vendors were not as polite as Thai vendors. I was grabbed by the arm multiple times, especially by cigarette vendors. Child beggars held onto my legs asking for money…it was hot and uncomfortable. I was glad I got to stamp another country into my passport and I’m sure outside of the market Burma can be a pleasant place…right?

After our Burmese adventure, we headed to a giant temple with a HUGE Buddha. Here I saw so many tourists speaking English, French, and German. It was weird since I’m so used to being the only white person around. I felt happy to be with my host family and not on some impersonal tour with a fanny pack. MaReam asked if I wanted to go to Lao. Laos! OMG yes!

We (about 5 of us)headed to a small long-boat and literally after 10 minutes on the speedy vessel we arrived on the shores of Laos. This island did not have any kind of passport stamp/immigration, so I’m not sure of the legitimacy, but I sent a postcard “from Laos” regardless. I also enjoyed shopping for really cool gifts that I can’t write about. Let’s just say I have to go to the bank to exchange some more! Laughing and splashing my host sisters on the fast boat back, I had another moment of bliss. Ah the cleansing delight of natural beauty.

We stopped at a resort to meet more family who owned it and I saw more white people and enjoyed ice water.

Next we headed to the famous Chang Lai night bazaar complete with singers, dancers, and many many tourists. I walked around with my host sisters and this time, they were a minority! Strange. Dinner was too much and too delicious—some sushi, fried vegetables, rice, etc.

I rode in the bed of the truck and watched a monument in Chang Lai flash lights like the New Years Ball in NYC. Aunt O, MaReam, and I commented on the beautiful scenery that quickly changed from urban lights to rice fields. MaReam struck me when she said “I think, you think we meet. We meet because..” and she pointed to the sky, “…happened”. I used lots of hand motions to explanin the word “fate”and she agreed…and then said “I love you. Forget-me not”. How cute is MaReam? <3

Sunday morning we woke up and hung around, eating fried fish and half-boiled eggs (don’t like ☹ )leaving at a leisurely 10:30am for waterfalls. After driving through ridiculously rugged dirt roads, getting lost, stopping for fruit out the window, we reached the waterfalls. But we didn’t get out of the car.
Bizarrely, MaReam decided that it was too dangerous and since we had “no man”, we couldn’t get out. Strange.

Anyway, I shook it off since we headed to a hilltop village to ride elephants! I enjoyed the drive SO much. Thailand is the most beautiful place I have ever seen. Period. I can’t even explain in words. The pictures help…a little.

Arriving in Karen Ruammit village, we stumbled upon the only industry in this hut-filled nook-elephant rides. A herd of about 10 elephants carry touristy folk like me through winding, muddy rice fields. It was surreal to be so high up and feel my hips shift left and right with every mighty step. There was even a surprise dip in a river and the elephant’s head was pretty much underwater! I felt a little awkward again when I heard the French and saw more white folk. I felt like a tourist instead of a cultural volunteer, and I didn’t like buying into the whole photo op idea. At the same time, I rode an elephant!

Next we headed to an amazing NEW temple in Chang Mai- Wat Rung Khun. It was magnificent and I loved the art museum we toured. The temple itself is white to represent the Buddha’s purity and has many the glittering mirrors to symbolize the Buddha’s dharma that teaches man to observe his own mind and reflect loving kindness towards humankind. It has powerful sculpture to represent suffering and was a really cool take on the four noble truths. Aka I loved it.


Next we drove and drove, stopping to meet random family members, eating giant meals, and finally arriving back home in Bangkratum around 1 am. Getting up at 5:30 was not easy, but teaching is worth getting up for.

On the Movies(Mostly) 7/21/09 Tuesday

Yesterday, Monday July 20th, we ventured to the cinema to see Harry Potter! MaReam and I drove home from school at lightening speed. MaReam is a wild driver on these pot-hole ridden dirt roads. When there is a hole, she accelerates. But that’s not all…whether it’s a tiny motorcyclist, a cowherd, or a rice farmer with his tractor; she honks and continues to barrel through the mud. Thank goodness for seatbelts in the truck!

After a delicious coconut-chunk yogurt, MaReam and Aunt O and I strolled to the bus stop, conveniently located adjacent to our not-so-humble-by-Thai-standards house. The bus was FAST, air-conditioned, and full of coughing people who kept pointing at me.
Granted, I WAS wearing a shirt I bought with Maream last week. In Thai script, it reads “No boyfriend”. MaReam thought it was hilarious and I kind of liked it too, so I bought it. I’m already sticking out enough, right?

We arrived in Phitsanulok, the nearest city about 50 minutes later. Descending back into the 5 pm heat, we met PaChub leaving his bank job as well as my host sisters Fun and Film coming from high school. In the truck on the way to the cinema, Fun briefed me on the normal procedures. I was handed hand sanitizer, an air mask, and instructed not to use the armrests, eat popcorn, or breathe in the movie theatre.

Just kidding about that last item…but really, swine flu is serious business here. A girl in Film’s class has H1N1 and thus Film doesn’t have school Tuesday-Monday. I see more and more kids missing from my classes as well as more mask-wearing students. The worst part is that I too have a cough….going to the doctor on Wednesday to be accessed.

To continue, we bought tickets for the 6:20 showing of HP, in Thai without English subtitles. Regardless the language barrier, I was still excited to get out of the house and see some Daniel Radcliffe up-close. In Thailand, you can go to a movie for 60 B as a student, which is roughly $1.75 for a side seat. We however, bought pricier tickets at 100 B because we were exactly center of the bottom row of the slanted section. Basically the most desirable seats in the house…

Before the movie (at a mall-movie-bowling alley-complex) we noshed on delicious food court dinner. “Delicious food court dinner” is often an oxymoron in the States, but in Thailand the food court is clean, uses glassware, and has fresh, incredible food. I had an awesome dumpling soup and a great iced coffee. We browsed in a bookstore and I enjoyed the cookbook photos, self-help-book covers, and entertaining “English Idiom” books.

Then we (Fun, Film, and I) headed back to the cinema while PaChub, Aunt O, and MaReam hung around to shop. I couldn’t understand why Fun said we couldn’t have popcorn but could have candy during the movie, but I was NOT going to complain about chocolate, even if it was only Hershey’s.

At 6:20, we slouched in the MOST comfortable movie chairs ever and watched hilarious Thai commercials for shrimp-chili-lime chips, diapers, and “Learn Speak English” classes (they are marketed to city kids with more money than the farming families).

At 6:40, I was startled to my feet to stand for a 5-minute video montage of the King. The whole theater stood for respect. The images floated by (with cliché inspirational music) of a group of people pushing a broken truck to the side of the road—oh hey, a picture of the King in the background!. A camera zoomed to the sweaty brow of rice famers who happen to work with a portrait of the King next to them. Cut to schoolchildren coloring headshots of the King and smiling. Next (SERIOUSLY) were nurses in uniform who appeared to be working in a warzone repairing bleeding soldiers with photos and paintings of the King all over the walls. A soldier reaches up his half broken finger and gently strokes the King’s face from his stretcher. The devotion video ended with “Long Live our Loved King” and triumphant music. WOW.

Soon after we sat down, Harry Potter began. I was impressed with the voiceover quality because every time the English-speaking actors spoke, the Thai speech took over with little overlap or awkwardness. I understood snippets of things, but relied more on visuals to understand the plot. I totally forgot that Dumbledore died (and that SNAPE killed him) until the scene in the movie! It was also LONG→3 hours with commercials and King promo. I didn’t get into bed Monday night until 11 pm which is VERY different from my usual 9:15pm. Getting up at 5:15am was tough Tuesday morning!

I’m trying to catch up on rest before my 5-class Thursday (usually 4) and a family trip North to Chang Lai this weekend. Only 3 weeks left in Thailand!

Death

7/16/09

I saw my first dead person ever, and it was in Thailand. In my experience, I’ve attended several memorial services and funerals, but never a wake, so I’ve never actually seen a body until today. It was a normal day at school with a really tough back to back 3 hours with the 6-8 year olds and then afternoon classes. I finished around 2:30 and when I exited my classroom 15 minutes later after erasing the board and cleaning, the Sanamklee schoolyard was deserted. All the kids were gone, the teachers’ cars and motorcycles missing. I called MaReam and she thought I had left with Nhaca. Someone in the village died and everyone was at the temple. Thais never ever wear black unless in mourning. I was wearing white, which apparently is the other appropriate color (thank goodness!). She sped over to the school (because although one can walk to the temple in less than 5 minutes, everyone drives EVERYWHERE). I really really had to pee because I try not to go at school on the squat toilet that is especially small for all the little kids. Bladder bursting, I begged MaReam to help me find a bathroom at the temple. [This was Thursday which means “weekend market” at most temples. Vendors of all kinds(t-shirts, shoes, sweets, famers and their produce) set up in this huge street-festival-esque market. It seemed strange to have this while a funeral was going on]. Some kind monks showed me the way and it was a squat toilet after all! Arg.

Feeling “worth-it” relief, I emerged from the bathroom and looked upon the scene of about 300 people outside the temple-nearly everyone who lived in Sanamklee (the village) and their kids. All my schoolkids were there, smiling and sipping on sweet fruity drinks in the intense heat. In fact, everyone was smiling. It seemed really bizarre to me that we were at a funeral. Walking in a single wave of folk after MaReam gave the signal to “bye” aka go, I slowly climbed the temple stairs armed with a paper flower and what look like sparklers that you light. I saw the tightly clasped hands of the older gentlemen around some roses, stiff as stone. My curiosity got the best of me and I peered in at his face, weathered skin and closed eyes looked at peace. We walked by in droves and one woman was holding a large portrait of him looking stately. The family stood at the bottom of the stairs receiving people and handing out commemorative pins. The entire thing took 5 minutes and everyone was back to the market, buying, socializing, and laughing. It seemed so odd to me. This was how someone was remembered?

Buddhist tradition is very different than the way I grew up mourning in Christian and Jewish ways. People are still sad, although not expressively crying that I saw. The whole Thai attitude about death may have seemed nonchalant to my eyes, but it fits with their theology. I talked to Supa more about reincarnation and she said that although death is sad, it is unpredictable and Thais are comforted by knowing that their soul will find a new host even after their body is cremated. She said “I know there’s a tomorrow”….

Midpoint Break in Taphan Hin

7/18/09

I am feeling so relaxed after an exhausting week of teaching! Thursdays are really long just because I teach 8:30-2:30 and then have an adult English class from 4:30-5:30. Currently it is 2 pm on Saturday the 18th and I have been in Taphan Hin since Friday afternoon. Nhaca and I took the train from Bangkratum to Taphan Hin, a small city where Crystal and Stacy, the other two LE volunteers teach in a high school. Taphan Hin is friendly, bustling, and has the best café yen (iced coffee) I’ve had in my life. We stay at Supa’s gorgeous Adobe house and eat and eat and eat. Yesterday we went to use the wi-fi at Supa’s friend’s cell-phone store for about two hours and it was glorious, although we got many many strange looks. American girls on fancy macbooks attracted many customers.

Whenever we meet someone (or are introduced to so-and-so’s cousin’s grandmother’s monk friend) the first question asked after our names is always “do you have a boyfriend?” Then the following conversation ensued always is “well, you should meet this thai boy I know!” MY host mom MaReam is especially a fan of setting me up with boys, but she is an even bigger fan of setting up Fun and Film with one of my American friends…Supa says that this is because many Thais seek financial security and view all Americans as insanely wealthy even though clearly we are all not rich!

Sorry about the tangent. Anyone, I love love love going to Taphan Hin because the small city has aerobic dancing by the river EVERY night at 6pm. All the women show up in 80’s spandex and do ridiculous hip thrusts and fist pumps to American/British techno. Of course I love making a complete fool of myself. It doesn’t matter at all because I am still a spectacle wherever I go and have gotten used to stares and honks, etc. Aerobic dancing is such a tough workout. After that we went to the tennis and basketball courts to watch (I mean “be” watched) and got to go inside a Thai gym! I can’t believe how many more resources for athleticism Taphan Hin has. Many people have businesses and work in Bangkok and other places so they have more leisure time for working out. After that I enjoyed a creamy coconut smoothie and while sitting in an outdoor restaurant with the whole gang, spotted an elephant! Being led down the street by pan-handlers, an adorable baby elephant waved his trunk to my excitement. I feel bad now that I supported this street industry that strips baby elephants of their mothers, but at the time all I could do was think ELEPHANT ELEPHANT ELEPHANT. Nhaca and I ran to the street, paid 20 baat (about $.66 ) to feed the cute thing. It made lots of noise and slobbered all over my hand! It was so cute-only about 5 feet long and maybe 4 feet tall. It was my most touristy moment thusfar to shriek over an elephant, but I couldn’t help myself.

Then we went back to Supa’s house and gorged on tons of fried seaweed, jackfruit, pineapple, peanut brittle, and noi-na (one of my favorite fruits). Nhaca and Daniel chatted until about 3am but I got up at 6 to run. It was incredibly refreshing to run alone because it is such a personal retreat for me and I love the solitude. Then I took a shower and talked to Supa about Buddhist views on death on the porch. It was very interesting and she has so much to share—Supa is a woman of self-growth and lots of hardship and she is a leadership and inspirational figure to many women in Taphan Hin. She made it to America, owns her own business, and is comfortable with herself. She is the biggest personality I know—the most loud, ridiculous, hoot I have ever met!

This morning (Saturday) Crystal and Stacy arrived and we did some work for LE such as plotting out the next scheme of our failed service program. We decided to ditch the whole high school-middle school letter writing scheme because it isn’t beneficial for their students to dumb down for my students who don’t really know how to hold a pencil. It is also not a sustainable program once we leave. The new plan of action is to put together a comprehensive resource booklet of all of our contacts and information so next year’s volunteers can make a service program that will actually benefit the community. I am going to interview community members so we can better identify needs. Access to higher education and connecting students to college students is important, but because college is not an option for so many, we need to make the program simpler and more in tune to increasing ACCESS to education and extra English. After a huge breakfast, we went to Stacy’s amazing host house. She has maids, a driver, and a lap pool. Definitely different from Bangkratum. I swam laps, then had a huge lunch. Currently working on my laptop with more wi-fi and enjoying some coconut sticky rice with rambutan (heavenly). I don’t want to eat for the rest of the day, but in Thailand that isn’t an option. Luckily I am going to aerobic dancing at 6!

On Thai Cuisine

Gah I know I write about food in every post anyway, but it is just such a huge part of my life here (and in America, haha). Rice is really growing on me-breakfast, lunch, and dinner! It's not like in the states where there is usually one or two main dishes for dinner. Every night there are 6 or 7 things to "chim" or taste and then there are the fruit offerings :) I love it.

Strange Flavor Facts:

There are a lot of corn things here. That reminds me of other interesting flavor tidbits. In Thailand, there are these fantastic powder drink mixers that are mixed with ice for about 33 cents USD. The flavors are pretty normal, like green apple, watermelon, vanilla, chocolate, etc…until one starts reading other labels for beer flavor, corn (of course!), onion, rice, etc. We’ll see when I start saying no to the sweet coffee flavor and choose corn instead.

Fruits I want to find in America:
Custard Apples (Noi-na)
Jackfruit (Canoon)
Pomelo (I know we have it!)
Rambutan
Mangosteen ( I know we have it)
Thai bananas, watermelon, pineapple, and coconut (SO MUCH BETTER)

On Teaching..UPDATE

Since reforming my attitude on teaching to be less hardcore drill-sergeant and more fun older sister-style, I am reinvigorated and in love with teaching. Since no teachers (hhh-rumph) come to relieve me or are ever around in the classroom, I have been staying a few extra hours whenever I don’t have commitments to be in other classrooms.

My schedule has me teaching 15 hours a week with 4 grades., but it’s closer to 25 hours because whenever there is a room without a teacher and I am free, I walk right in and start teaching!

I see my youngest students in Pratom 1 the most frequently, but I don’t mind. It is really hard to only see the Pratom 4 students three times a week however, especially because they scheduled two classes on Thursdays. If a student is absent, as they often are, they have missed at least two hours of English. This is awful if I have taught all new material or even if I am just reviewing old material.
Today I got ready to leave for school as usual at 8am with MaReam. While driving the big ass truck, she pulled over after a friend flagged her down. This woman taught at the other elementary school in Sanamklee; a school with only 6 grades and 46 students. We have 9 grades and around 150 students! We gave her a ride and although I had class at 9:30 and it was already 8:30 I agreed to do my usual “come meet the American” routine. I was introduced to all the teachers and greeted students doing the usual morning chant on the lawn (sing Thai anthem and other We Love the King stuff). I awkwardly talked, they stared and then the teachers said: Teach them English! So, I went with it and started “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes” in my beautiful crackily voice. They absolutely loved it, especially when I went really REALLY fast to trip them up. I was having so much fun I lost track of time and had to make sure MaReam stepped on it to make it to class on time.

There are so many four day weekends that I can never completely count on having class. For example, today, Friday the 17th, Nhaca’s students (the older ones) didn’t have class because policemen came to the school to talk about motorcycle safety. They were “busy” from 8-3, no time for class! BIZZARE.

Also bizarre was that the meeting was held in our outdoor cafeteria so Nhaca could literally watch her students…watch a powerpoint. There was also free ice-cream? I mean, it was great, but really? I had all three flavors at MaReam’s request, coffee, coconut, and corn. Interesting!

My Pratom 3 Class was 25 minutes late. Unacceptable. They dawdled after lunch with the policemen-related festivities. I thought about scolding them, but they are 8 years old. We ended up writing brief letters and coloring while I played some N’Sync on my laptop. The kids LOVE the laptop. The therapeutic benefits of coloring are good for Teacher Deven’s soul. There were also lots of hugs from behind. Cute.