Schools out!

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So, on 21st September the semester 1 ended at Nantawan school, and we finished our contract. After 4 1/2 months of teaching, playing, shouting and learning we finished our first teaching experience. It was fun and challenging and rewarding and hard work. But ultimately when we had to say goodbye to the children we have spent the last few months with, it was a tearful farewell. We will really miss them, and miss out on seeing them grow up.

So as a tribute to our time at Nantawan school, in true Big Brother style, here are their best bits:

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Photos

Kris, Kate and some of our friends...
our Thai co-teachers, Ta and Kon, with some of Grades 1P and 1A: from left to right - Ken, Pong, Sun, Steve, Pok, Sia, Kingthong, Mandy and Lily.

Kris likes to spin a spinner on Ken's head
it reminds him of Doraemon, the cat-like robot. Do you have him in the UK?

Kate being sat on by some of her Grade 1 class
Chien Chien, Lily, Mook (squashing me), Sun, Fing, Patrick and Max (pulling a face)

Kris being sat on by his class
Pong, Pooh, Eddie, Fancon, Rico, Ken, Ling-Ling, Li-aang and Ryan.

Lisa and Birth from Grade 3
when we first met Birth, we thought his name was Bert because they can't pronounce their 'th's. But no, it's Birth. Another of the odd choices of names for kids here. Everyone has a proper name and a nickname. The kids nicknames in our school are apparantly "English names". As you will see, some of them are abit strange. Don't worry though, its not for life, they change them through their lives. Fing in Grade 1 used to be called Olympic last year.

Rebecka from Grade 3
She really is this grumpy in real life. And speaking of strange names, her Thai name is Rebecka, her English name is Namfon!

Ryan and Fancon from Grade 1
How cool is Ryan's hat? It spins and everything. Ryan is from American (well his Dad is) and tells you that at every available opportunity. He once introduced himself as Ryan the Lion for a game, which was funny because he can't say his 'r's so it came out "Lyon the Lion". It stuck and now even the other Teachers call him that!

Kris and Mandy
one of his favourite students. I think they were having a discussion on the state of the world today. Or something.

Nice and Pop from Grade 3
check out those dungarees.

"No, don't take my photo yet"!
Paint from Grade 2

Sia and Kingthong
from Kris's Grade 1 class, Thai dancing on Mother's Day. It took them 2 hours to get dressed up like that. And they were wearing gold knickers, they showed us in class!

Kate and Chien Chien
on Mother's Day. In Thailand Mother's Day is the Queen's Birthday, 10th August. I had to pretend to be the mum of all the kids whose parents didn't come to the ceremony.

Making pizza in a bilingual cooking lesson
Kris's class, Grade 1A.

proud of her cooking attempt
Chien Chien

Diana decorating her pizza
looks cute now, but I had to eat it!

Grade 1 boys playing
Ken, Pooh, Fancon, Ryan and Steve. Kris actually, told them to pick Ryan up and cook him, and then the headteacher came over and told them off for messing about. Kris is always getting people into trouble!

Kris and Fancon
rubbing heads in the traditional Korean way - so he says. Fancon is Korean. Jibeom is his Korean-Thai name, Fancon is his English name!!

fishing in the canal behind the school during science week
there are 6 ft monitor lizards in that canal. Luckily we only caught small fish and snails. Mainly snails, they don't swim away.