Khun sway di

Sawa dee Ka...
Khun sabai di mai?
So my first week in Lopburi. It has been fun! I have def spent a TON more money than I thought I would, for example sheets, food, fan, that stuff. But besides that it has been great. All..ok well most of the spiders are out of my room now. I killed two on Sunday but that was it. I have these weird little guys that look like paper on the wall, but they stick their red head out of the "paper/shell" and craw up and down the walls. God knows what they are, but at least they don't bother me. They also hang from the ceiling?
The weekend went pretty well. I met other teachers from some of the other Lopburi schools.
They are all men, from all over. Most of the men are in their 50's or 60's from England. While the guys at our school one from France, Canada, New York, and England. All of these guys are really cool and they ALL have Thai girlfriends. It is so strange they talk kind of poorly of the girlfriends but obviously these women are doing something right? Who knows, one of them doesn't talk poorly, but he met her online and goes down to Bangkok every weekend to visit her. So I guess Elise and I need to get Thai boyfriends to fit in! Ha...There are some pretty handsome Thai amry men here however! Lopburi is not just monkey town it is Army town. SO many different bases here etc. It is a nice little place. But anyway, this weekend I had one beer with all the guys and went home. Since teachers are so respected here you arent suppose to drink/smoke. The men can, but us..women..no. So I don't want a bad name for myself right away and am just going to wait till all the holiday's we have in December and just go get down in Bangkok! Saturday night I drank some wine in my room and hit th sack. We are just getting to know the town and where everything is.
Sunday..Sunday..Sunday..
Was one of the best days I have had in the last 6 weeks! They had a "water" parade all throughout town. This festival is for the END of the rain season. They today (monday) send out little things they make in the lake to show their thanks for the rain and the harvests. So yesterday was amazing though. This parade went on for hours. ALL of the city was their and some of the outfits the women wore were stunning! The only thing that was REALLY odd was the parade more or less stopped an stared at us. I am not kidding random men in the parade would come up to Elise and myself and ask for pictures with us. Then when the different groups in the parade would come by, they would all stop and stare and wave. It was funny, who knew that at a parade, Elise and myself would be the center of it? Uhh ohhh odd but funny! So afte the parade we went and got some food then hit th sack once again.
I didn't sleep at all last night. I tossed and turned and wondered what the kids were going to think of me. Would they think I was to loud, annoying, funny..etc I seriously woke up every hour, would look at my clock and then go back to bed.
So the day finally comes!!!! I had two classes today, which was very nice. Monday's are "Army Day" and classes end at 12:15. We still have to stay at school, but at least everyone only has one or two classes. I don't usually get to nervous about new situations, but when I got to the school this morning and all the kids were staring at me, my stomach was churning! I had the worst butterflies I have had in awhile. So I walk into my first class. 4/11 at 9:15. 4/11 just means it is 15-16 year olds with good English knowledge. So 10 minutes pass, no students. 15 minutes pass.....no students...25 minutes pass....no students..OH MY GOSH! Finally about 34 minutes into my class all the students appear. The Thai teacher kept them late for a test, a lot of the Thai teachers don't care if all they are doing is going to English class, which sucks but oh well! So after waiting 30 minutes and only have 30 minutes left I started! I started out with the name game, tapping on the desks and speeding it up etc..Then I did "Get to know me" because I am a strange new face! So I made that into a game ex "How old am I" and I divided them into teams and the first one to guess right would get a point. blahbalhb anyway Then I asked them to ask me one question. ALL the boys jumped up with a few girls and asked "Do you have a boyfriend" It was SO funny. All the girls were saying you "Suay" which is beautiful an the boys would wink and say I love you..haha whatever it made my day..This class was SOOO much fun. They all loved the activities I provided and their English was GREAT! I can't wait till next Monday to teach them. (I only see them once a week!!) So my second class came around...a BIT different. This was 5/21 Which means about 16-17 year olds with a LOW level of English. SAME situation....15 minutes passes, no students..blahbahl finally they all roll in..and when I say all (first class 50 kids) I mean 12 kids roll in and that is it. The girls on one side..the boys on the other. Didn't really know English, nor do they seem to care to learn. The girls woudln't talk to the boys and when I tried to play games the girls were to shy to do anything!! So that was good for me to see the RANGE in the different classes I will be teaching. I need to adjust my lesson plans according to the class..a LOT of work but in the end I am SO exited to be here.
All in the all the kids really respect you. I get Waied by most of the students, the girls just simply want to see what I am wearing and the boys..ehh well boys will be boys no matter what age! This week is going to be long, but I had such a good last couple of days I can't wait. Lopburi is truly an amazing provience!! The schools internet is a bit slow..well it doesn't really work at all...But they have desks, AC in the teachers lounge and copy machines below the teachers lounge......The rest of the week varies with the range of students I will have. Soooooo I need to get back to work and actually plan accordingly!
I am hoping to go visit a few friends possibly in Chaiyaphum or bangkok..Not this next weekend but fairly soon! I miss all the people I was with the last month and a half, that part sucks!
Anyway I am off I will write in a few days and let you know how I am doing!!
lap fan di

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Part of trip: Oh that Thailand we go!

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