First Day Teaching

Hello! So today was my first day of teaching :) I taught grade 8 and grade 7. Their English is pretty decent. Today we worked on responses to how are you (tired, happy, sad, angry, hungry, sick). At first they were a little quiet and unsure but they quickly got into it. We played hatchi-patchi, sang "if you're happy and you know it", and played a version of around the world. It's been really good, the only problem I'm having is with how hot it is. It's like there is no escaping the moisture except for, ironically, when it rains. I constantly feel like I'm wet, it's mad gross.

Also, hilariously they can't say Sara. They call me "Sala", so I made the students call me "Cate". It's easier for them to pronounce. But they still call me Sala.

Yesterday, I learned how to make this Thai soup. Totally forgot what it's called, but no worries. Also, yesterday Zoe and I tutored kids after school. We were told they were "poor students", so we assumed that they couldn't afford tutoring so we were tutoring them for free. Actually, they meant that they are stupid. In Thailand apparently poor student = stupid. Clearly, Thailand is not the place for late bloomers.


I'm trying to bond with my host brother, nicknamed Top Three (9), but he's shy. Today we watched Mulan in Thai and I taught him whaddup. Life is good.

More hilarity on motorcycles today. Legitimately saw a 6 yr old riding a motorcycle. It really provides me endless joy to see who will get on a motorcycle next.

Interesting - I've never felt so white as I do in Thailand. Someone asked me what I did to get my skin this white. I answered "came out of the womb". They didn't get it.

I miss the ability to set my own schedule, but my host family is so accommodating that I don't dwell on it. This weekend, I'm going to see Spiderman and learn Thai dance (HAH). Next weekend, Chiang Mai with Zoe woooot.

Teaching grade 8

Handing out certificates for excellent essays

First day welcome!

First day speech 

First Weekend

The first weekend has been interesting. Yesterday I helped May, my host sister, with tutoring. She tutors grade 3-11 in English. They mainly attend private schools. Their English is so-so, they seem to understand more than they let on. Hilariously they all asked me about One Direction and soccer. I know nothing about the first, which I think they were disappointed in. Still, they seemed encouraged that I had learned so much Thai in the few days that I've been there. Hopefully this will incentivize them. I also noticed that they cannot say the sounds "sh", "ch", and "th". Got to work on those! Then last night we went out to dinner with friends of my host father. The restaurant we went to was awesome - everyone was so nice! I tried Thai wine... It resembles no wine I've ever had. It's like cider with strawberry syrup or something.
Today, I joined Zoe's host family on a trip to Phitanaluk, which is a big town in the Phichit province. We went for Zoe's host sister's, nicknamed Chup Chup, ballet recital. Strangely, it was held in a mall (with Starbucks ho ho). The girls were so cute! Chup Chup is almost 6 and so well behaved. She understands so much English, it's incredible. Zoe's host parents are pharmacists, mine are a family of teachers. Not sure if I mentioned this, but my family lives on a big compound. It used to be a school ground. They live there with other relatives, a total of 7 aunts, 3 uncles, and 4 cousins! They're all so kind, but it's hard to remember their names.

Bang Si Phi

Me and the largest imitation crocodile in the world! 

Pond at Bang Si Phi

My host mom, me, and host sister 

Welcome to Phichit!

Me with crocodile, mascot of Phichit

Sunset over pond

LOL

Zoe and Chup Chup

Me and Chup Chup

Zoe, Chup Chup, me, and Zoe's host Dad

Tomorrow I'm going to go around the school and get acclimated before beginning to teach on Tuesday. Then tomorrow evening I'm going to (try) meditation.
I'll try to post photos of the house sometime tomorrow.

Observations:
-They try to feed me all the time! I feel like I'm constantly eating
-People on motorcycles with umbrellas, dogs, and everything they own.
-Lines on the road are suggestions in Thailand 

Orientation & Host Family

This is going to be a long post since I had questionable Internet in the past couple of days. Starting from the day before, so the 20^th.

We woke up at 5:45 in the morning to give alms to the monks. It is such a humbling experience because these men have devoted their lives to helping others and in turn live as simply as possible. Unfortunately, I didn’t get any photos but I’m sure there are millions around. Afterwards we hiked up to the temple. It sits on a hill overlooking the entire surrounding area and is absolutely magnificent. The temple is so peaceful as are the monks. After working on learning directions in Thai we headed back to the school. We have been taking Thai lessons and working on lesson plans.

These past couple of days we have been to every school around Khao Sai, where we have been staying. You would think we were celebrities! Everywhere we go they have prepared some form of celebration. We’ve received flowers from the students, had amazing buffets prepared for us, and even had a dance performance. It is a big deal for them to have students come and volunteer their time to teach something as important as English (Thailand ranks far behind its other Asian neighbors in English proficiency). It’s been a packed past couple of days – we finally requested a nap. I was lucky that I’m not jetlagged, but even still the heat makes it hard to stay awake sometimes.

Then today came, apprehensively to say the least. Today we met our host families. After 5 days of bonding over the heat, the sometimes-strange food, the overwhelming amount of photos, and the questionable facilities our group was sad to break up. Next time we meet will be in July for midpoint break. My host family… I’ve never met kinder people. My host sister is an English teacher at the school I’m going to be teaching at. She lives with her parents in one of the bigger cities of Phichit province called Taphan Hin. They live in a little enclosed area alongside my host sister’s aunts and uncles. It’s really wonderful that they get to go from house to house. She was kind enough to buy me all sorts of toiletries and move into a separate room! It seems that Thai people are inexhaustibly welcoming.

I have very good housing, with my own room with AC! I have yet to fully explore, so I’ll post pictures of the house when I have. In terms of facilities, this is one of the nicest in the area I believe – we have a Western toilet and Internet. They’re even planning to take my somewhere! It’s really astounding to me… The Country Coordinator, Supa, told them to treat me like family and they really have gone above and beyond.

Thai people are so appreciative of every effort you make. We learned basic Thai phrases and every time I use them they’re so impressed! It’s a hard language though so it’s going to take a lot of effort.

In terms of teaching, my host sister (May) asked me what grade I would prefer to teach. I told her that I preferred younger children and she was shocked. Apparently most foreigners (called falang in Thai, also means guava) don’t like to teach young kids because they thing that they’re too unruly. She had initially planned to have me teach older kids, but I think we’ll see. After school we are planning on going to dance aerobics, which is a big community thing here. Some days I will go to the temple with May to learn to meditate and on Saturdays I’m going to help her tutor.

Food so far has been very good. I am obsessed with these fruits called long – I’m going to try and find a photo. They’re yellow and looking like lychees on the outside. On the inside they also look like lychees but are sectioned and sometimes have seeds. They’re amazing. Also, Thai bananas have pits!

Observations that I find hilarious/interesting:

-Monks on motorcycles/with leaf blowers

-7/11s everywhere  

-Motorcycles with seats for babies built right behind the handlebars. You legitimately see babies all over motorcycles – whether being held by the driver, in a seat, or strapped into a backpack

-To be perfectly frank, Thailand isn’t that different from Texas – everyone drives pickup trucks, it’s hot, in rural areas there are dirt roads, people wear cowboy hats…

BTW sorry for my photos... Definitely not skilled

All of us and the host families

All of us at one of the schools

All of us in front of the school at Khao Sai where we stayed

The temple on the hill with the monks walking towards it

Gate to the temple

Graves by the temple

View from the temple

View from the temple

Buddha at the temple

Buddha and his hot water maker

Not sure what this is... pretty building?

Another view of the building

Another Thai building

Children at the Bangmook municipality school welcoming us with flowers

Orientation Day 2

Finally managed to get internet long enough to write this! Stick 25 Western kids in a place with limited wifi at best and there will be some issues..
So far Thailand has been a great food experience. I've had noodles and curry and fried rice. All delicious. People here are so welcoming, always excited to help you out and be apart of your life and journey in the country.
Truthfully, Thailand looks like other tropical places I've been to. It's quite a smorgasbord of Hawaii-esque jungle, Texas dirt roads and pickup trucks, and sweaty Caribbean weather.
Maybe Texas has well prepared me but I haven't really found it that hot. It's sweaty, that's true, but it isn't Houston sweaty. I think we've been fortunate though. The monsoons are to start soon, storm clouds are approaching!

The view from Zoe's aunt's apartment in Bangkok

View of the river from Zoe's aunt's apartment in Bangkok

Hindu shrine in the floating market

Thai merry-go-round in the floating market

Buddhist shrine in the floating market

Boat in the floating market

Another boat in the floating market

Elephant in the floating market! 

Dessert at one of the schools we visited. The soup thing is coconut milk with tapioca pearls and taro and 'bean jellies'. The juice is a tea made from a flower with added sugar. 

Grace and I at the school (pre-K) we visited. 

Tokyo -> Bangkok

In Narita airport, where the rain is coming down, a typhoon is supposed to hit Japan in a couple of days. Tired as anything but so excited to be on my way to Bangkok finally! It feels like forever in the making. A 7 hour flight stands between me and pad thai, curries, wats, and Zoe. Luckily, I'm exhausted so I will probably not remember much of the flight...
Faux pas: Wearing orange. I look like a monk. Traveller's problems.