More of our time in Thailand

Hey All! I’m back again! Sorry I didn’t write my entry sooner…been too busy and tired from school! So Friday I had my last day of lesson planning before classes began. Didn’t get a whole lot done because we didn’t have any of the phonics books we needed yet. Basically just a hangout day with Tash! After school some of the teacher’s Pat works were gone to a bar for some drinks. Pat and I went along...hung out there for a bit and went home around 7pm… Around 9pm we decided we didn’t want to stay in all night-so we took a taxi to this famous night market. It wasn’t too far of a drive, we got there and this place was enormous. It’s called the Suan lum night market...or something along those lines. It’s a night market because it only opens from 3pm-midnight I believe. Once we got there I wasn’t too in the mood to shop, we walked around for a bit---THEY HAVE everything there! It’s crazy! Also at the market they had a whole area of alcohol stands, a big stage and an enormous patio section (**for my friends who I went to Dominican with it was exactly like the “pueblo” I took some pics.lol). -the pueblo was this area on our resort in Dominican that had all these patio tables and a big stage to watch outdoor shows at night surrounded by little stores. Anyhow…the entertainment was good….it was entertaining because it was all these Thai entertainers trying to sing English songs...like black eyes peas and stuff…it was good .lol. Went home and to bed. Saturday we felt a bit touristy so around 1pm we decided to go to The Jim Thompson House (pat really wanted to go). Jim Thompson was this American business man who came to Thailand and started silk business….something like that haha...anyways he built a beautiful Thai house (he was an architect) and one day he disappeared and to this day noone knows of his whereabouts or anything. So his home has now turned in to a sort of museum. -I took a few pics-. After the tour we had some dessert in the Jim Thompson café. Pat had mango sticky rice (a Thai dessert) and I had cheesecake (of course). After that, we headed to the mall because pat needed a few things. We headed home around 6. At 730 we were hungry for dinner, so we tried this Japanese restaurant called Shabushi—it has conveyer belts running through out the whole place, and every person has their own boiling pot and u can make soup or just use it to cook the meats. They also had a lot of sushi. Pat loved it, I dealt with it…I ate the non fishy sushi’s and some chicken and stuff…if I liked sushi and that stuff it would be terrific. It’s a cool idea though. That night nothing big…we were supposed to meet up with Tash and her friends at a bar…but then this big storm happened and I was doing laundry so we decided to just stay in for the night. Sunday we took it easy, I watched a DVD (Jane Austen’s book club) it was cute…we didn’t get dressed until like 2pm and then we met some of the teachers at a British pub around 3pm for a roast lunch/dinner. It was roast beef, mashed potatoes, Yorkshire pudding, gravy, veggies the whole deal. It wasn’t bad! That night took it easy again. MONDAY: It was a Thai holiday of some sort…schools were closed…Thais have a gazillion holidays…but everything stays open like a normal day except like schools! (Good for us) Sunday we visited the mall “Siam paragon” it’s very classy (I took some pictures of stores they have-because I’m cool) we then went to the movies…and saw what happens in Vegas-not bad! Movies are so cheap!!! :) 3$ and popcorn and drink is like 3$...and the cinema is nice like Silvercity. Only one difference…after the previews of movies before film starts everyone stands up for the king’s anthem…its different to witness. That night Pat and I went for a workout at our gym at the apartment and a swim in the pool. TUESDAY: first day of teaching. Children are so cute, and are pretty smart for their level. We started with K1’s which is 3 yr olds; they are still babies, so cute. Sang songs and basically just an introduction class- it went well.
Wednesday: I had to start at 7am because it was my day to greet the students in the morning (It was not fun waking up at 530 AM)! The children always wai their teachers(wai is like a way of greeting, the form their hands like if they were praying put them up near their mouth and bow their heads) imagine little 3 yr olds doing it. And I just have to greet each child as they enter the school, and say good morning and they ~wai~ and say “good morning teacher”. Some children are so sad to go to school and basically have to be ripped out of their parent’s arms screaming and crying. They are little cuties. Teaching was good…very repetitive…sang same song about a million times…because we sang it like 5 times each class… Tash and I only do teach 4 classes a day maximum..so 2 hrs…but we r there until 330/4pm…so it makes for along day. Got home after school was exhausted, rested, and then headed out for some street food. I tried some new food, although I have no idea what it was called. Baught some pineapple and mango too! YUM! Today-Thursday- Only taught 2 classes today so from 8am-10am just hung out in the classroom, got a few things ready, taught our two classes(10-11am)(took pics of one doing a worksheet). Met pat for lunch, ate with him….and then this afternoon I did up all the lesson plans for next week, got them printed(we have to hand our lesson plans in to the office), sent the worksheets to be photocopied and now I’m just writing this blog! At 330 I’m meeting Amy, and she’s showing me how to get to system training office(the company who hired me) as I am tutoring every Tuesday and Thursdays from 4-5pm. Tutoring a 3 yr old for an hr..haha….I’m not sure how well its going to go, but I guess you will hear next blog. As for what Tash and I teach its not like normal kindergarten where its like units-animals, colors, etc…we teach phonics, so the sound of each letter…we have all the materials, a CD, songs, worksheets, what to do, stories all set up for us basically and we follow that. So basically one new sound a week, as we only teach each class ONCE a week for 30 minutes….and the 5 yr olds we teach twice a week-30mins. At first I thought 30 minutes was nothing, but it’s the perfect time for kids that young. Well I hope Ottawa is fabulous! Missing everyone! Take care. xxx

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