mass email #3: "monsoon+skirt+glasses+being a farang=messy teacher"
hola
so monsoon season has begun!
what a trip of a day i have had already, and it is only 1106 am! (thursday).
first, my alarm didn't go off, and i had to come to school early to photocopy the coloring today. so i rushed into the shower, tossed on a skirt without checking out the "sitting factor" and headed out ther door. i was in my own bubble, and while in my apartment, didn't hear that it was pouring out. and so, in my flip flops (instant SPLAT shoes...) i ran down my street to the main road, past the rabid dogs and the place where the ran runs across the road every ten minutes, running through the rain with my backpack, skirt, and glasses covered in water. i was hoping to see a motorbike taxi (motorbikes are everywhere, and there are these little old thai men who ride around with these colored vests who for a small fee will take you on the back of their bikes to where you want to go.) i have taken a few before, and the skirt issue is always a little tough, but i was late. the thing is, i live in a strictly thai part of town, where there are no farang. and so by now everyone knows me, and while they used to beep at me to see if i wanted a ride, and i would should MAI OW!! (NO) today, i clapped for them (the thai way of hailing a ride) they all said "HELLO TEACHER!" useless. so i was running, clapping, slipping, and i am sure flashing a few thais, and no one would give me a ride. needless to say, i arrived at school dripping, grumpy, dirty, and miserable. one of the security guards ripped a huge sun umbrella from the ground and greeted me at the gate of the school, apologizing for the rain, as if it was his fault. wouldn't we love to have someone to really blame the rain on?
anyway, so i am at school now, in the one air conditioned room, and it is so nice. while my school is rather rustic, it is beautiful for a thai school. the anuban rooms are at the front of the school so when the parents drop their kids off in mercedes and volvos, they see blue eyed teachers with fair skin, and they know that the insane prices they are paying for their kids to learn how to say "apple" is all worthwhile. it is amazing how much the parents dont like the thai teachers. i feel terrible for the thai teachers who also speak english. (wan di, ra, rye, and god...YES...HER NAME IS GOD.:) ) they give iunstructions occasionally in our classrooms because the children do not understand. but whole another farang teacher was teaching, one of the wealthiest parents came into the classroom and said "I DO NOT WANT A THAI TEACHER TEACHING MY CHILD. I DO NOT WANT MY CHILD TO HAVE A THAI ACCENT!!" and the thing is, school has not even started yet. school does not begin until the 17th of may...but these first two weeks are called "english warm up came" where the kids come for hour and a half sessions and get to know us, and we play games and teach a few vocab things. the camp is optional, and kids are here to have fun. they dont have to wear their uniforms (either do i....and yes, i have a uniform to teach. welcome to russia.) and they are not going to be tested on how well they pass the flashcards. i have taught the kids almost all the games i know, and i think their favorite right about now is "red ligh green light." they especiually love that i drive on the wrong side (i think i have mentioned that in thailand they drive on the left side. one more thing to get used to...) and that i beep my horn like the thais. they could play this game forever. but in every class i have one student, usually a girl, who copies my every action. today i had a student who is attached to me, and she walks right at my ankles, and i trip on her every two seconds. you are not allowed to wear shoes in the thai classroom, which i prefer, teaching in bare feet is quite nice. but i tend to step on her little toes, because she hides under my skirt and around me feet. but it is adorable, nonetheless.
today is the last day for me of the warm up camp...because we had yesterday off, and we have tomorrow off as well. on tuesday night i went to a pub that is supposed to have a bunch of farang teachers there, but there was no one there but the people i teach with! we did, however, have a wicked time. we started out at the irish pub, and then went to a "secret location" i can only tell you about if you promise not to repeat it. this is a place EXACTLY like brewtopia in montreal, with a live band all of the time, and a very intimate setting. there was a group singing english songs, and in this place, for the first time, i did not feel like a foreigner. there were hardly any other foreigners, but i still wasn't looked at like a freak. the only incodent i had was, a lady boy tried to swallow my tongue. let me explain. we were upstairs, right infront of the band on the balcony, and i had to use the facilities (which, by thw way, had a sink with a label: "VOMIT STATION.") as i went downstairs, there was a lady (which was a man, more than common in thailand) who grabbed me and said "you soooooooo bee-youuu-tee-fulllll" and proceeded to lean in to kiss me. YIKES! so i turned my head and laughed, and she/he laughed also, and i quickly went back on my way. it all happened before i knew what was happening, and i have to say, it was the wierdest thing that has happened yet.
anyway, i should get going. i think i am on the only one in this lab now not doing school stuff.
but i want to clear something up. people have been sending me emails saying "i hope you dont quit." and the thing is, this is not an option. no, i dont love it yet, and yes, i would kill for a good cup of coffee and a friend, but that is not what i am here for. i came to thailand for a different experience. i came to learn about people, and to learn about myself. i came to study life, and to talk and to laugh, and yes, even to cry. i knew it was going to be hard, and i dont think i have even hit the hardest part yet. but am going to stick it out, because that is what i am here to do. i am a strong person, and i know i can get through this. these past two weeks have been so hard...nothing is how i expected. but the thing is, i am not going to leave. i am here for a year at least. i am through a lot of the initial adjustment that i have worked hard to be able to smile about. so quitting now would be a waste. so keep the letters coming, and damn it...CALL ME. anyone. i think i am forgetting how to speak english.
thanks again, and i will talk to you all soon
gros bisous
so monsoon season has begun!
what a trip of a day i have had already, and it is only 1106 am! (thursday).
first, my alarm didn't go off, and i had to come to school early to photocopy the coloring today. so i rushed into the shower, tossed on a skirt without checking out the "sitting factor" and headed out ther door. i was in my own bubble, and while in my apartment, didn't hear that it was pouring out. and so, in my flip flops (instant SPLAT shoes...) i ran down my street to the main road, past the rabid dogs and the place where the ran runs across the road every ten minutes, running through the rain with my backpack, skirt, and glasses covered in water. i was hoping to see a motorbike taxi (motorbikes are everywhere, and there are these little old thai men who ride around with these colored vests who for a small fee will take you on the back of their bikes to where you want to go.) i have taken a few before, and the skirt issue is always a little tough, but i was late. the thing is, i live in a strictly thai part of town, where there are no farang. and so by now everyone knows me, and while they used to beep at me to see if i wanted a ride, and i would should MAI OW!! (NO) today, i clapped for them (the thai way of hailing a ride) they all said "HELLO TEACHER!" useless. so i was running, clapping, slipping, and i am sure flashing a few thais, and no one would give me a ride. needless to say, i arrived at school dripping, grumpy, dirty, and miserable. one of the security guards ripped a huge sun umbrella from the ground and greeted me at the gate of the school, apologizing for the rain, as if it was his fault. wouldn't we love to have someone to really blame the rain on?
anyway, so i am at school now, in the one air conditioned room, and it is so nice. while my school is rather rustic, it is beautiful for a thai school. the anuban rooms are at the front of the school so when the parents drop their kids off in mercedes and volvos, they see blue eyed teachers with fair skin, and they know that the insane prices they are paying for their kids to learn how to say "apple" is all worthwhile. it is amazing how much the parents dont like the thai teachers. i feel terrible for the thai teachers who also speak english. (wan di, ra, rye, and god...YES...HER NAME IS GOD.:) ) they give iunstructions occasionally in our classrooms because the children do not understand. but whole another farang teacher was teaching, one of the wealthiest parents came into the classroom and said "I DO NOT WANT A THAI TEACHER TEACHING MY CHILD. I DO NOT WANT MY CHILD TO HAVE A THAI ACCENT!!" and the thing is, school has not even started yet. school does not begin until the 17th of may...but these first two weeks are called "english warm up came" where the kids come for hour and a half sessions and get to know us, and we play games and teach a few vocab things. the camp is optional, and kids are here to have fun. they dont have to wear their uniforms (either do i....and yes, i have a uniform to teach. welcome to russia.) and they are not going to be tested on how well they pass the flashcards. i have taught the kids almost all the games i know, and i think their favorite right about now is "red ligh green light." they especiually love that i drive on the wrong side (i think i have mentioned that in thailand they drive on the left side. one more thing to get used to...) and that i beep my horn like the thais. they could play this game forever. but in every class i have one student, usually a girl, who copies my every action. today i had a student who is attached to me, and she walks right at my ankles, and i trip on her every two seconds. you are not allowed to wear shoes in the thai classroom, which i prefer, teaching in bare feet is quite nice. but i tend to step on her little toes, because she hides under my skirt and around me feet. but it is adorable, nonetheless.
today is the last day for me of the warm up camp...because we had yesterday off, and we have tomorrow off as well. on tuesday night i went to a pub that is supposed to have a bunch of farang teachers there, but there was no one there but the people i teach with! we did, however, have a wicked time. we started out at the irish pub, and then went to a "secret location" i can only tell you about if you promise not to repeat it. this is a place EXACTLY like brewtopia in montreal, with a live band all of the time, and a very intimate setting. there was a group singing english songs, and in this place, for the first time, i did not feel like a foreigner. there were hardly any other foreigners, but i still wasn't looked at like a freak. the only incodent i had was, a lady boy tried to swallow my tongue. let me explain. we were upstairs, right infront of the band on the balcony, and i had to use the facilities (which, by thw way, had a sink with a label: "VOMIT STATION.") as i went downstairs, there was a lady (which was a man, more than common in thailand) who grabbed me and said "you soooooooo bee-youuu-tee-fulllll" and proceeded to lean in to kiss me. YIKES! so i turned my head and laughed, and she/he laughed also, and i quickly went back on my way. it all happened before i knew what was happening, and i have to say, it was the wierdest thing that has happened yet.
anyway, i should get going. i think i am on the only one in this lab now not doing school stuff.
but i want to clear something up. people have been sending me emails saying "i hope you dont quit." and the thing is, this is not an option. no, i dont love it yet, and yes, i would kill for a good cup of coffee and a friend, but that is not what i am here for. i came to thailand for a different experience. i came to learn about people, and to learn about myself. i came to study life, and to talk and to laugh, and yes, even to cry. i knew it was going to be hard, and i dont think i have even hit the hardest part yet. but am going to stick it out, because that is what i am here to do. i am a strong person, and i know i can get through this. these past two weeks have been so hard...nothing is how i expected. but the thing is, i am not going to leave. i am here for a year at least. i am through a lot of the initial adjustment that i have worked hard to be able to smile about. so quitting now would be a waste. so keep the letters coming, and damn it...CALL ME. anyone. i think i am forgetting how to speak english.
thanks again, and i will talk to you all soon
gros bisous
posted by isobella at 3:29 PM
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