Settling In

Last I left off, I had just reached Thawangpha. It’s been 11 days since then, and a lot has transpired. Ideally, I’d be writing more often so I wouldn’t have to try and cram so much into one post, and in the process, probably leave things out, but I’ve just been too busy.

            The semester started on Wednesday, May 14. Every morning, we are required to report in at 7:30 AM, 7:50 at the latest. There’s a sheet where we have to write our names, initials, and the time, except not the actual time. I still don’t really understand. Cody and I arrived at the same time, so I put in the same time on the first day, but this was wrong, so now I always look at the time above mine, and put at least one minute later. Something about Thai time.

            I wore my long sleeve dress shirts and an undershirt the first week, which I’ve learned is very uncomfortable and unrealistic. Even in shorts and a t-shirt I’m always sweating. I sweat so I shower. I sweat while I shower. I get out of the shower and I sweat. I always sweat. I’ve just resigned myself to the fact that I’ll always be sweating no matter what. That’s what 90 + degrees on the reg does to you.

                                                   Getting ready to melt. None too pleased.

            However, I am incredibly grateful that we had air conditioning units installed last week, so that helps mitigate some of the sweat at night while I’m sleeping. Unfortunately I can’t get the full benefit of the unit because my room isn’t sealed so there’s plenty of ways for the cool air to escape and the hot air to get in. It’s still way better than nothing and I will take it any day of the week and twice on Sundays.

                                           

            Speaking of my apartment, it is a single room with a bathroom and a balcony of sorts out back that overlooks fields and hills. The view is stunning. As I mentioned before, the apartment isn’t sealed, so along with the hot air, there’s plenty of room for all types of critters to get in and out as they please. Some of them I’m cool with, but others leave me feeling a little unsettled that they might be crawling all over me in the middle of the night. The first week I was covered in bug bites and my skin was irritated all over. Last weekend I got a bug net though, and that has gone a long way in saving my skin.

                                                                       My backyard.

                                                                         Bug bites galore!

                                                                  Sleep with protection.

One of the teachers, Kru Noi (the second), was nice enough to give me Systral Cream, which I’ve been applying to the bites when I can remember. Some of the insect denizens include lots of ants (I actually just found out today that they’re eating one of my desks), crickets, moths, spiders, caterpillars, and beetles. To help combat their numbers, I also have plenty of geckos that roam the walls. There are your average, run-of-the-mill geckos, and then there are the big daddies, the Tokays. I’ve got one that regularly sleeps in my room during the day since they are nocturnal creatures. At night he goes on the hunt, and he’s usually nowhere to be found in the morning. However, come lunch time, he’s usually right back behind the mattress propped against the wall that he calls home. Sometimes he chills behind the mirror in my bathroom as well. He’s keeping me company as I type.

                                                In his usual spot behind the mattress.

                                                     Or behind the mirror. He likes his personal space.

But I digress. Back to school. So after we check in, there is an assembly every morning where the students line up outside building 4 (the main administration building that also houses the English department office on the second floor), everyone sings what I believe is the national anthem, and announcements are made. Cody and I gave brief introduction speeches on the first day that went something like this:

“Sawatdee khrab.

Sabaai dee mai khrab?

Phom cheu Ben khrab.

Phom maa jaak America khrab.

Yin dee thee dai ruu jak khrab.”

Some jazz in English about being happy to be teaching English there…

“Khawb khun khrab.

Khao jai mai khrab?”

Translation:

Hello.

How are you?

My name is Ben.

I am from America.

It’s nice to meet you.

Thank you.

Do you understand?

            One thing to note about this copy of my speech is that there are no tone marks on the words. Thai is a tonal language with five tones, and the tones are extremely important, but I don’t want to get too much into that (not that I could if I wanted to).

                                            You already know what time it is! Thawangpha STAND UP!

            First period starts at 8:20 AM, and there are eight periods throughout the day with a break for lunch from 12 PM to 1 PM. I teach Matthayoms (secondary school grades) 3-6. Within each grade, the students are divided into sections by skill level with 1 being the highest, and 8 being the lowest I believe. The majority of my classes are Matthayoms 3 and 4, but I do teach Matthayoms 5/1 (this is actually a Science class in English), 5/6, 5/7, 5/8, and 6/1.  In addition to English and Science, I teach ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) studies. The students I teach range in age from 14 to 17. In total, I teach 19 class periods a weeks with anywhere from 35 to 50 students per class. It’s difficult, but I’m trying to learn as many of my students’ names as possible. I’ve got about three down. Just another 700 some odd to go.

 

            Teaching is exhausting! Usually by the end of the day, all I want to do is eat, take a shower, and go to bed! However, I think it’s just a matter of adjusting. I’m typically finding myself with more energy at the end of each day as time goes by and I’m falling into a rhythm of sorts. I’ve been so tired that I’ve completely neglected any kind of exercise other than what I get walking around the school’s campus or riding my bike into town, so I’m going to have to do something about that soon.

            Lastly, as a minor footnote, there was a military coup this past week, so there’s been a curfew from 10 PM to 5 AM. Other than that, not much has changed other than us getting this past Friday off from school. Cody and I took advantage of this day off by doing some sightseeing in Nan and meeting up with some friends from OEG!

 

 

Ancient Psychic Tandem War Elephant!