Thai "logic" part 1- because there WILL be more parts!

Thai logic is a bit of an oxymoron! There is very little at use in this country!
1. English is mandatory in all Thai schools. However, they start by learning grammar and writing, then reading, then speaking and listening. Which explains why my oldest students have been taking English for 6 years and don't understand me when I as "Is this some of the students or all of the students?"
2. There is a helmet law for motorbikes- the main mode of transportation here- but it only applies to the driver. This means the 1,2,3,4, or 5 passengers which may include the infant in the basket on the front, the toddler on the stool betweent the driver and the handle bars, or the three women sitting side saddle on the back while the bike is screaming down the highway going the wrong way are not required to wear a helmet.
3. When I told my placement lady that my job was nearly impossible, that the children didn't need a conversation teacher because they can barely read, let alone say the words in the book, she told me that everyone has problems. She is a working mother and needs to balence her time between children and work. Her assistant spends 600 baht a week on gas. Everyone has problems?!? Gee, that helps.
4. Everything comes in at least two plastic bags, but napkins and trash cans are incredibly rare.
5. My school shut down classes for nearly two weeks to prepare for the presentation to prove they are the best school.
6. My minibus driver this morning had a completely full vehicle, but still pulled over and beeped frantically at every bus stop. Where was he going to put more people???
6. Speaking of drivers, some drive down the road beeping at nothing that I can see. They also flash their lights, a lot, in no dicernable pattern.
7. The sushi I buy at the street vendor is kept under a heat lamp.

That's all for now. Like I said, more to follow

*Love*

Working for the weekend.

In the spirit of this blog maybe helping future farang teachers, I will try to post little updates as often as I can be bothered. Here's one now...
I went to Phuket this weekend, very nice. I missed my first flight Friday night due to my crazy, senile old cab driver who yelled at me, drove in circles and (I'm 90% sure) defecated himself on the THREE HOUR cab ride from one end of Bangkok to the other! Everytime I get out of a cab in this city I think it is the scariest cab ride I've ever had (Mardi Gras in St. Louis excluded)
Thai people are very Thai-centric. They are sort of oblivious to anything that is not directly related to themselves. Its kind of annoying and makes for very scary walking/riding anywhere in Thailand. Sabai- sabai is getting pretty old...
The weather says its 91 degrees right now, but I'm actually cool and wore a sweater most of the day. Yikes.
I am itchy. I don't know if its dry skin, or all the mesquito bites or the water or what, but I am itchy none the less.
Patong makes me sad. I bought a shirt that I love tho, and may only be appreciated by people who have spent any amount of time here. On the back it says "No I do not want a f*&%ing tuk tuk, massage or a suit, thank you very much." There is thai on the front. One would think it says the same thing, but it probably says "I am Farang, ask me if I need a tuk tuk, massage or a suit."
All for now, will check back soon.
* Love*

Love Bangkok, hate teaching. Is it February yet???

So, a much- awaited update! Sorry for the delay, its been a busy couple of weeks. As you can see from the previous post, the night I left was mighty hectic! Took the second class bus, which scared me at first but it really wasn’t bad and I took a couple of drammamine so I slept though it basically. Arrived in Bangkok and was shuffled to my new apartment in Bangyai, which is about 20 min northwest of the city. Its actually pretty nice. New construction studio, fairly large- by Thai standards- and its clean, which is also a novelty.  Unfortunatley, after I signed the lease (in Thai), I found out that my school is about an hour away! And that I have to be picked up by the school bus on the main road at 7 am, which means leaving my house by 6 am every day. Me. Miss morning sunshine. Great. Then I found out about my school. It is in the Auyettea Province, in a little town called Lat Bua Luang. I have 620 Matayom 1-6, which is roughly high school, age 12-20. I teach 18 separate classes, only 6 of which I see twice a week, the rest only once. So, people, 620 divided by 18 is….about 34. That’s the average tho, some classes have 20, 25 or so while some have up to 45! 45 teenagers who don’t speak my language and I don’t speak theirs. One word- YIKES! Some classes are great and know a ton, some are dumber than rocks, only not as quiet. They are absolutely out of control and act like I don’t exist when I’m up there teaching. They make me nuts. Really, really nuts. I thought I couldn’t control or get through to my RFK kids (no offense, kids!), but at least that had an idea of what the words coming out of my mouth mean. Its really, really, really hard. I must say that I felt prepared for teaching before I started teaching and now I have no clue, none whatsoever.  Its exhausting and overwhelming and frustrating and I don’t like it.  Period. The people are sweet, many of the kids are so cute and sweet and friendly. But I don’t like teaching. That being said, I will not quit. I will look for another job, but I will not quit, I will not go home. I will perservre!

Now, some observations:

1.     Thai people are obsessed with being white. They have all these whitening products here. Regular brands like in the U.S. make “white beauty” or “whitening” lines. Can you imagine the outrage if Olay marketed their white beauty products in the U.S.?  So anything I buy- soap, body lotion, deodorant- I have to inspect thouroly to be sure that its not bleach or something. Inspect because its all in Thai! And if or when or while the whitening stuff doesn’t work, they just cake their faces in white powder! Like, baby powder. Boys and girls, teachers, merchants, everyone. My kids had a powder fight in class the other day, and got Teacher. Yeah.

2.     So, because of the white obsession, I am like a rock star at school. They can barely speak English but they can say “Teacher Beautiful!” constantly. In class, in the hallways. When I’m walking in the hallways- the school is open air-  I hear from across the school “Good morning, Teacher!” shouted by multiple children from all around me. Its nuts.

3.     Thai females giggle. A lot. It’s making me mental.

4.     Not knowing the language is one thing in Phuket- tourist town- but here, in the (not so) quiet suburbs is really, really hard. Just to get food is a great challenge and takes a ton of mental energy. I am tired all the time. And learning Thai is nearly impossible. Even when I say Thai things- like the names of places or thank you- exactly like I hear them, no one knows what I’m saying. It sucks.

5.     Living alone, being alone, with no one who speaks your language, is a lot lonelier than I was expecting. Now if you know me well, you know that for me to put that in print takes a lot. I hate to be weak, I prefer to suffer in silence as they say. I always put up a front, so when I’m telling you that sometimes I am crippleingly lonely, just imagine what it is actually like.

6.     Kho san road in Bangkok had def made it into the top 3 coolest places I have ever been. It is nuts. Something everyone must try once.

7.     It. Is. Hot. In. Bangkok. And this is the cool season.

Anyway, I’m sure there’s more I mean to write, just a little wiped out right now. I will try to be on this a bit more. Miss everybody.

*Love*

From October 30th

So it’s been a long couple of weeks. I am writing this right now from a restaurant outside the Phuket bus station. I had a couple of jobs fall through and I was told at my lunch break during teaching practice today that I had to be in Bangkok by tomorrow (Saturday) morning. Yikes! I was planning on a couple more days at least in Phuket so it was quite the shock. I had to run home, pack and get to getting. Kind of disappointing, I was planning on one last blow out with the crew, but sabai sabai as the Thai’s say. I could only get a second-class ticket, so that should be interesting for my 13-hour bus ride! I have no idea where I’m going or where I’ll be teaching or if I’ll know any one around me or where I’ll live…you get the idea.  It’s a bit nerve racking and I’m def doing the wallow in self-pity thing right now. I’ll get over it I’m sure. I’m trying to trust in the process of my life and believe that everything happens for a reason. My last few days in Phuket have been great. I have faith, that’s what I keep telling myself. Fear and faith. So I don’t know when I’ll get to post this, but I know all of you who are reading it are pulling for me, so I appreciate that. That’s all for now, this is not helping the self-pity thing at all. Love and miss you all, more than you know, I’m sure.  More details to follow, for you and me.

*Love*

Adventures in Phi Phi

Phi Phi (pronounced p p) is a series of island of the southern tip of Phuket. That's right, an island, a two hour boat ride! For those of you that don't know, I haven't been on a boat in years beacuse I get horribly sea sick and no pill, braclet or satanic ritual has ever helped. I couldn't not go or I would have been left alone all weekend so I stopped by the pharmacy up the street to get sea sickness medicine. Thai pharmacies are verrrrry different from American pharmacies, you don't need a perscription for anything- and I mean ANYTHING. You want it, they got it, no questions asked. I told the lady what I needed and she gave me this pill I'd never heard of, but I took it and it was a miracle! No nausea, no dizziness. I think I'm in love!
All 32 of us went to the island, with no prearranged place to stay. We decided to split up since no one hotel seemed to have room for all of us. Kelsey, Bree, me and several others found the Harmony House. Ya. Me and Kelsey had a 10x10 room with two twin beds and a lightbulb hanging from the celing on the bathroom that fell into the threshold. This meant either don't shut the door or move the bulb. That worked a few times, until Kels go out of the shower and tried to move it and electrocuted herself! The place was grimy, to say the least, but it was 150 baht a piece for the night and the whole island was fairly grimy. They got hit hard by the Tsunami and I think the infastructure is still iffy. Most of the streets reek like sewage and but greatfully there were no cars or motorbikes, feet and bicycles only. Short of the smell and the hotel room, this was the most breathtakingly beautiful place I had ever seen. The water was ridiculously warm, probably warmer than the air ever gets on Cape Cod, and it was a color that I don't even have a name for. It was almost saphire, but deeper. Or torquoise but greener. I have pictures, but they do it no justice. Some of the smaller islands that we saw on our way in were accessible only by rock climbing. One is the island where they filmed "The Beach" which I hce never seen but will now.
Once we got settled, we came across this tour that took you to the "Beach" island, snorkling, kayaking, to watch the sunset and eat dinner- all for 480 baht, about 16 dollars! It was one of the best things I've ever done. We got to jump off the top deck of the boat, which was far but fun. And the snorkling was incredible! I saw all the fish you see in the pet store, but bigger and free, as well as the most colorful fish I've ever seen and a baraccuda! after snorkling we went to Maya beach ("The Beach" beach) which was sick. We swam for a little while and while we were in, two baby sharks were swimming with us. Aside from being a little concerned about where their mother was, it was super cool. And the sunset, oh my God, amazing! The pictures do nothing for it, this is a must see!
After the boat, we went and got ready to get out. Wait, I'll back up. In Phuket and Phi Phi (maybe other places in Thailand, I don't know yet) there is this phemomenon they call "buckets." A bucket is litteraly like a little kid's sand bucket, filled with a drink. On the streets people push flyers at you that call for 2 for 1 or 3 for 1 buckets or 100 baht buckets at happy hour, etc. Sweet, but a little dangerous- maybe thats why they have signs all over the island that remind you "Alcohol impairs your judgement"! they also sell make it yourself buckets at the stores. I bought a vodka, redbull(much stronger than American redbull) and pineapple juice. A very tasty combo! Vodka is the most expensive liquor to buy here, btw, might be time to switch to whiskey...Anyhoo, so I made my bucket and Kelsey and I went down to the beach to check out the fire show. These people light rope and sticks and whatever on fire and start whipping it around. Pretty cool- except when they let the drunk Americans do it. Also cool, but some of the crew returned singed to say the least! Then we went and found the rest of the crew at the Reggae Bar. This is where things went a little downhill for me. At the Reggae Bar there is a full on boxing ring in the middle of the bar. If you fight your friend, you get a free bucket. Not wrestling or playing around but shin guards, head gear and gloves fight. After my second bucket, I decided this was a fantastic idea. I asked every girl in the group to fight me (they wouldn't let me fight a guy) and they all said no! apparently I'm intimidating. Eventually a girl who was visiting some of our group agreed and Rhia declared himself my manager. 3 rounds, 3 minutes, 2 buckets, much, much harder than I was expecting. And I lost of all things! I was comfortated by my very helpful manager who said "Don't worry, It was just a beauty contest." The comforting words of my drunkin manager! anyhoo, I was so winded and dizzy that I completley destroyed my buzz and felt rather beat up. I didn't speak for over an hour, went back to the beach bar and collapsed in a chair for a bit, then went back to the hotel. A bit of a bummer, but now I know.
If you can't tell, I'm having a great time! This blog thing is time consuming tho, so it may just be relegated to sundays. facebooks easier, and I have trouble putting pics on my blog, so check in!
*Love*

Some thoughts...

1. Thai is a very hard language
2. There are tons of random dogs walking the streets
3. Thai people are super sweet and helpful
4. You have to be a certain type of person to come do this, and that type of person is fun loving, wild, fun and independent. My new friends are great!
5. The orchids grow here like weeds! Its incredible.
6. I have never craved a bagel and cream cheese so hard in my life!
7. There is a very complicated system of showing resepect here, some of which involves walking on your knees by your elders.
8. I think I'm really going to like the teaching part, never saw that coming.

Anyhoo, I'm very tired because all these kids are just like me. "Oh, I'm so tired, I need to go to bed early tonight," at 6 pm...then 8pm...then 10, 11, 12, 1 etc. We're going for mexican tonight. I CANNOT drink alcohol tonight, my feet are super swollen still, I'm told its dehydration so I will lay of because its very uncomfotable. Will check back soon, Paytong (sp?) tommorow night...
*Love*

I made it!!!

Ok, here I am! I had quite the arduous trip here but I am now in the land of a thousand smiles and it is fantastic! Here's how it went down...
I made it to the airport with plenty of time, should have know then. I was to fly Boston to San Fransisco to Hong Kong to Phuket. The flight boarded on time. Check. I had a middle seat. Negative, but I was still optimistic. We taxied to the runway and sat..sat...sat until the piolt said that we were having a maintence issue with one of the air conditioning units and we were going back to the gate to see if they could fix it. They could not. "That's okay," he said. We can fly with one. And we did, taking off over an hour and a half late, cutting my 3 hour layover in half, until we reached crusing altitude. That's when boiling hot air came pouring out of the vents and the cabin heated up to at least 120 degrees. Scary and unacceptable, so we diverted to JFK and there went my connection. We were there until midnight (flight was scheduled for 6:40 pm). They promised up and down they would get me to Hong Kong on time, and I was far to discombobulated to figure that one out, so I got on the plane, landed in San Fran 3 am local time. There I was told that I could fly to Korea at 2pm and get to Phuket at midnight Sunday. I was unhappy, but what could I do. They put me up in a hotel and gave me meal vouchers. Fine. I went out to wait for the shuttle and called my dad, quickly approaching 4 am. As the shuttle pulled up, I hung up with my dad. Got to the hotel, super nice! Went to plug in my phone...my phone? Where's my phone?!?! Not in the shuttle according to the driver, so back to the airport to look around. Nope, no crackberry and now, its turned off. Gone, forever. Back to the hotel, a hot mess by now in case you were wondering. Managed to sleep from about 6-9:30 am, back to the airport. Got on the flight with no clue where my bags were at this point but on I went. 12 hours to Korea. One of the coolest flights EVER! Comfy seats, hot towels, lunch, dinner, snacks, toothbrushes, and wicked new t.v. and movies. I got to watch Entourage and Buffy! no sleep tho, still. Got to Korea without incident, where I discovered an odd phenomenon. Young couples, dressed alike. No, not alike, the SAME. Same shirts, sweaters, even pants some. And they went nuts on the duty-free shopping. I plan to find out what the deal with that is soon. Anyhoo, got on the flight to Phuket, only half full, so I chilled, nodded maybe but no real sleep. Six hours later, Phuket @ midnight local time. Waited in the passport line, got my little bag, with shoes and junk, no clothes. Great. Caught a cab (?), at least a guy with a car that charged me money. Got me to my villa, about an hour away about 2 or 3 am. Had to be @ training for 8:30, luckly I had one extra outfit in my carry on. I had made it, and to be honest I was ready to turn around and come home. I was extremley unhappy, lonley, tired and aggravated, but training I did.
Later I hooked up with some others from the program and caught a cab to "The Big C." Oh. My.God. This place is the Thai answer to Wal- Mart, only on steroids. 4 stories of food, clothes, electronics, bowling, nail and hair shops, etc. Very bright, loud and overwhelming on jet lag and no sleep, but I managed to buy a Thai cell phone, no easy feat with my lack of Thai and their lack of English. I felt like a jerk walking up to everyone in a cell phone booth going "English?' "English?" but I got it done (still having some trouble using it tho, will check back on that). Got back to find my crew at dinner at a Thai resturant up the street, so I went. Ate bomb Thai food, drank Tiger beer and swapped life stories until 2 am! at 2 am, I got back to my villa and discovered that my key would not work in my door, had to sleep in another room with none of my stuff, still wouldn't work, one of the maintenance guys used a latter to climb my balcony! Went to training on Thai culture, very different, interesting stuff!
All complaining aside, I'm good now. The people in my group and all the staff are wicked cool, this island is amazing and unlike anything I could have imagined. There are geckos and dogs everywhere! Orchids grow like weeds all over and everything is soooo green and beautiful. It is super hot, but not unbearable. I just got back from a Thai massage! Talk about different.
Well, I have so much more to write, can't wait but my brain is shutting down, so I'm off to bed. Sigh. I will write more soon, so much more to share. In short, I'm great.
*Love*

10 days!

We had my family going away party yesterday, SOOOO fun! It was really weird hugging my aunts and uncles and cousins for the last time for months. Its odd. Its people who are always gonna be there in my mind and its odd knowing I won't see them for Thanksgiving and Christmas and Easter and all that good stuff. Sigh. I managed to hold it together, too. Through toasts and songs and all of it until Maddie. I was holding Miss Maddie when someone said something to me about leaving and she reached over and held my face in between her little hands and said "No Mimi, no leave me" and burried her face in my neck. That's when I lost it and proceeded to cry like a baby for the next hour or so. Lovely. Its only the second time I've cried tho, after the work party on Wednesday where I also held it together remakably well until I was given my very touching and thoughtful gift. I'm sure it will continue as I party like I'm dying for the next 10 days. May not be much blogging til I'm en route...lots to do...

*Love*

Real and Surreal

Yep, got my visa, airline reservations and shots, all last week. That's a lot. Yep.
Also said goodbye to my RFK kids, which was kind of a downer, even though they were all so sweet, staff too. I will miss you guys!
Also, had one crazy weekend! I am definatley in overdrive, where spending as much time with all the people I will miss is way, WAY more important than silly things like sleep. Done with work on Thursday, 17 days til take off!
*Love*

Got my visa! 22 days...

I went to Boston yesterday and got my visa! I spent weeks gathering letters and paperwork and background checks and do you know what? The lady actually said to me "Who told you to get all this?" I almost fell down. It was mad easy to get, all I needed was basically to prove I'm not a degenerate- which I did thank you. So for the future, if anyone needs to get a visa from the Thai consulate in Boston, give them a call and ask what you'll need, cuz I had about 3 times as much stuff as I neeed.
Anyhoo, I about hyperventilated walking down the street, clutching my passport. Its real. I'm going. Holy crap! I'm working on a mantra/meditation or what have you that my gracious and supportive coworker has given me and I'll tell you what, its a lot of work but it helps..."I trust in the process of my life and that all will work out as it should" breathe "I trust in the process of my life...

*Love*

30 Days and Counting!

I have enjoyed a lovely weekend at the beach with my lovely friends and family and then dragged my sorry self back to the office this morning. This morning, September 8th, 2009. That's one month, thirty days until I leave everything and everybody I've ever known and move halfway across the world. Excuse me while I go throw up a little...
Visa appointment next week, then I can finally book a plane ticket. Oh wait, not again....
Okay, so in case you couldn't tell, my anxiety/anticipation is off the charts. I haven't a clue how I'm supposed to focus, sit still, or even sleep for the next month. Guess only time will tell, and I don't have much of that now do I?
*Love*

My first blog post!- 37 days til take off

Wow, so I've never doen this before. This blog is for all of you reading it, so I'll need feedback. I have 37 days until my super long flight to Thailand, which I haven't booked yet. I need to make sure I have the appropriate visa first, and yes, I will call today at lunch to make an appointment to talk to the consulate. Yes, that's right, I am currently at work. 23 days left here, and I will hold it together to the end, I swear I just have a slow day! Actually, I'm feeling a little guilty for blogging instead of working, so I'm off. This will get more exciting, I promise