Stop the Bus!

One of the benefits of being a farang (white foreigner) in Isaan is that fact that you stick out. Everywhere. While sometimes this can be a little trying on the nerves most of the time its just funny and entertaining. In certain situations though it can have its perks....

After running some errands in town on Sunday with friends we decided it was time to head home and prepare for our week. We stood on the side of the road waiting for a Songtaew (a popular mode of public transportation) to drive by and pick us up. However, for some reason every Songtaew that passed us was completely full and refused to stop. They drove by beeping meerily with passengers hanging off the sides waving at us as they passed.

As we were waiting, with sad faces on no less, two police men drove by smiling at us as they went. After a few moments they turned around and pulled up beside us. To truly appreciate this moment and the hilarity of it you should know that they were on a moto, the two of them, and to get back to us they drove on the wrong side of the road. They came back on their scooter to rescue the poor farang!

They asked us where we were headed and upon hearing our answer looked at the time and then shook their heads. A tan songtaew drove by and one of the officers ran out into the road to stop it an inquire which way it was going and what villages it would pass through. He came back shaking his head and told us to go to the bus station, and pointed the way across the street. We thanked them and went on our way.

We crossed the street and were walking down the dirt road towards the town bus station when we heard the familiar buzz of a moto coming up behind us andmoved aside to let it pass...but no, it was the policemen again! They drove slowly beside is for awhile smiling broadly and saying bus station while pointing towards it. We were getting our own special police escort....

As the station came into view it was apparent that a bus was just about to leave as it was backing out of its designated spot. The policemen quickly zoomed to the station, jumped off their bike and ran towards the bus motioning for it to stop. One of the policemen had a few words with the driver and then motioned towards us to get on the bus. We quickly jogged over, thanked them profusely, got on and collapsed into giggles.

This is what I will miss about Thailand, especially Isaan. People go out of their way to help you and make you feel welcomed and appreciated. No one ever passes you without smiling and no one is ever intentionally rude. People generally care for on another and have such a sense of community that you cannot help but feel included. People notice if you need help or if you look lost and they actually stop to assit you instead of just passing on by. I want to remember this, how it feels to be such a part of something, a member in a community. This is how we all deserve to live!

Our Hero's Stopping the Bus
We made it! Oh how we love Thailand...

BINGO!

One absolute I have learned while teaching is that all students love Bingo. As soon as I mention Bingo the classroom room erupts into screams and cheering and in some cases even celebratory dancing.

Today I rewarded my classes for their past few weeks of hard work with a well deserved day of bingo. I keep my call cards in a sticky rice container and as soon as my students catch sight of it they know exactly what is going to happen. Today I kept it hidden in my bag, along with the game cards, and after our warm up of "What day is today? What day is tomorrow? What day was yesterday? What is today's weather like?" I casually walked over to my desk and removed the sticky rice container from my bag....all the students screamed "BINGO!!!!! Len!! Len!! " (len means play in Thai). I passed out the cards and and the small cut up pieces of card board students use to mark their boards and we spent our class time in blissful bingo abandon.

I am always amazed at how magical this game is. It forces students to use both their listening and reading skills while also reinforcing spelling. As I walk around calling out the vocab words as I draw them from my sticky rice container I hear the students repeat them after me, spelling the words under their breath and helping their fellow classmates. Upon finding words on their boards there is often singing, clapping, a victory dance or a satisfied shout of joy.

Yet the most exciting moment is when one of the students eventually shouts "Teacher, Bingo!! ". The entire class seems to hold their breath as I check the victor's board, if their "bingo" passes my inspection I pull out the prize bag and the class collectively gasps in jealous astonishment at the luck of their classmate. I let the winner reach their hand in an pull out a prize and everyone "ohhs" and "ahhs". Then they shout "again, again! Teacher again!" Even my most mischievous and hard to control students sit in rapt attention and beg to play over and over again, sitting like little angels waiting for the next word to be called.

Days that are "Bingo Days" I am the most popular teacher in school. Students from other classes watch jealously from the doorway and try to sneak into the classroom to join the fun. Classes that are usually late show up early as word of Bingo spread quickly throughout the school.

After classes students come sit by my desk and play among themselves, turning to me to help them with their pronunciation. I love this game, but most of all I love to watch my students smile and laugh. I love to dance along to the songs they sing while winning and clap and cheer when the victor emerges. Bingo makes my day fun too!

"Come on teacher, next!"

So excited to play he can't even sit down...

The usual trouble makers bingo turns to Angels...almost

"Teacher, love Bingo!"

Independent Bingo Practice

We are Family

I have a Thai family who I am increadibly grateful for, they have been one of the most unexpected but important parts of my time here. The couple who care for me, Don and Yuu, have become the older siblings I always wanted but never had. I never expected to feel so at home with two people who came from such a different world as me but now I cannot imagine not having them in my life.

I feel especially blessed with my Pisao (big sister) Yuu. She has been one of my biggest supports here in Thailand. We dance together in the kitchen, we talk about our days, we cheer each other up, we tell each other jokes, we even have girl talk and we do it all with out even speaking the same language. We have created our own way of communicating by mixing the little bit of Thai I know, the little bit of English she knows and whole lot of pantomime.

Tonight at dinner as we were talking it hit me how much she really means to me, just how much a part of me she has become. I have never had a sister, I never knew how wonderful it could be.

We have made a pinky-swear pact that I will return to Thailand to see her when she eventually has the baby she dreams of. I know that the pact didn't have to be made, I will return to her throughout my life to share it with her, but knowing she loves me enough to want me to make her a pinky-swear pact is a gift. She is my sister and she always will be.

Me and my sister Yuu

My Thai Family, Yuu and Don

Normal Life

Recently I was required to write a "handing over letter" for the new volunteer teacher destined to take my place here at Wangkasae. The goal of the letter was to help prepare the new volunteer for life here and give them some sort of idea of what to expect and how to deal with their new surroundings. Ever since completing the letter all I can think about are all the things I have adapted to and accepted as normal since I arriving here almost one year ago. Its strange to think that these things I once thought of as so alien and foreign now just seem like an everyday normalcy to me. I thought I would share a few of these with you

Toliet Paper?

Toliet paper is not a common commodity here in Thailand, or SE Asia in general. One either uses a spigot (like the dish washing hose on most American kitchen sinks) to clean up or simply use a bucket to rinse. It has become second nature to me to carry toilet paper with me where ever I go so as to always be prepared. I keep toilet paper in my desk drawer at school, a roll in my purse, and in the pockets of my pants.

Bathrooms

Instead of flushing with a little push of a button here we only have bucket flushes. This means that one pours buckets full of water down the toilet to flush. This means that most bathrooms have buckets full of standing water that also serve as a breeding ground for all sorts of bugs.

I have also grown accustomed to all bathrooms being wet, no floor is ever dry. Bathrooms here do not have a divider for where you bathe and where you relieve yourself. Typically you stand right next to the toilet to shower or bucket bathe.

Toilets are also usually "squatters". While at first I longed to be able to sit I now prefer my squat stance. While it may not promote a lesiurly read on the john my thighs are looking great!

Bugs

I now share my life with millions of insects. Big ones, small ones, biting ones, ugly ones, smelly ones, crawling ones...It doesnt seem strange to me anymore to see bugs everywhere I go. Oh spiders in my fridge? Whatever. Ants crawling all over my tooth brush? Rinse it and use it. Ants in my ceral? Open the bag, put it in the sun, wait for them to crawl away and then enjoy! Hot? Attach a giant beetle to a stick and make him fly, now you have a personal fan.

Bugs are also a food group here. Its not uncommon for me to catch a student eating in class and upon inquiry discover they are munching a bag full of giant deep-fried crickets. (They are actually delicious!) Red ant eggs are a delicacy and the cicada is a delight for the taste buds as well.

Plastic Bags

Everything comes in a plastic bag. Want some take out? You get it in a plastic bag. Want a soda to go? Pour over some ice in a plastic bag and you are good to go.

Powder

I never used any powder other than make-up before arriving in Thailand. Now I use three different types of talcum powder. One called "Sweetie pink" that helps combat the oil that accumulates on my face during the day as I sweat. I never had a problem with oily skin until living here but the humidity is killing me! Another powder is called "Cooling powder" that I pour down my shirt and back when I am so hot I cannot stand it. Cooling powder has menthol in it and when it comes in contact with your sweaty self it activates and its like having an air-conditioner in your shirt. Amazing. I also use regular baby powder after bathing to help combat the inevitable sweat that is soon to start.

Its hot!

I remember when I first arrived here I just couldnt belive how hot and humid it was and I was sure I would never get used to it and just be miserable the whole year. WRONG. I have totally adapted. I dont even notice when I an dripping sweat anymore, it just seems normal. I have adapted so well that the other day it was 77 degrees out and I was convinced it was in 50's I was so cold. I had goosebumps, freezing hands and had to sleep in a long sleeve shirt to stay warm. Needless to say the thought of returning home to New England in November has me a little terrified.

Spicy= Delicious!

I liked spicy food before I lived here, but I didnt LOVE it. I could handle a little bit of spice, but didnt enjoy the burn of a lot of it. Now I just can't get enough of that sweet, spicy heat! The chilis used here are very strong and powerful. When I first arrived they wrecked havoc on my mouth and digestive system but now I am used to them. I can eat with relish a plate of mouth burning "som tom" (papaya salad) with out fear. I find myself able to handle the same level of spice as the Thais around me, no longer do they have to make sure something is "mai pet" (not spicy) for me. If something is bland with no kick I find it boring and inevitably add chilies to it. I wear the pain from the chilis like a badge of honor now, my nose runs from the heat and I breathe in sucking gasps to try and get cool air into my burning mouth, just like my Thai friends do.

Ring, Ring!

The cellphone culture here is out of control. Everyone has one and there doesn't seem to be much etiquette involved. When I first arrived I was horrified that people would answer their phones in the middle of a staff meeting, dinner, movie, etc. Now I am just used to it. Sitting in a meeting and get a call? Simply cover your mouth while talking and its fine...Need to make a shouting phone call on an over night bus at 4am? No biggie...

Water

Don't drink the water! The water out my house often comes out of the tap alongside some algae. While it used to freak me out I have gotten pretty used to it and know that if algae is coming out the pump must have just been turned on so its best to just let it run for a few minutes. I drink and brush my teeth with only bottled water and impress all my colleagues when I tell them that in America you can drink right from the tap.

I have also not lived with hot water the entire time I have been here. I thought when I first arrived that this would be the hardest thing to overcome but it was actually the easiest. You really wake yourself up in the morning with a cold bath and its really refreshing after a long, humid day.

Sink? Whats That?

A sink is another rarity here where I live. While the bathrooms at school have sinks my home has none. I wash my face out of a bucket and wash dishes squatting in the backyard with a hose and bowl. I actually view a sink as a luxury now, its not something that anyone truly needs to have.

Zzzzzt

Electricity is not very safe here. I don't know what it is. Maybe its because the voltage is different, maybe its that outlets are never grounded, or maybe its just that Thailand doesn't have the same building codes as back home. I just am always getting a little shocked. Every time I plug something in it sparks, every time I do laundry (and I mean EVERY single time) the washer takes pleasure in shocking me. When my computer is plugged in if you touch the edges of the screen it shocks you, if you connect headphones while its plugged in your ears will experience an electric zing. Once I was even electrocuted during class while trying to turn the fan oscillator on, I got an entry and exit burn on my hand and scared my students enough for them to scream. But don't worry...its normal!

Beautiful, Fat, Farang!

Everywhere I go people point and say "farang!" (Which mean white forgiener) People's jaws drop when they see a white person with in their midst. My white skin cause them to tell me I am beautiful, often while stroking the whiteness of my arm or my cheeks. Yet because I am tall and also have hips they love to tell me I am fat. When I first arrived all this attention bothered me to no end! Now I am used to the attention and find it strange if a day goes by where I am not told I am beautiful...lucky me, I have the best self confidence! (If only I could get them to stop calling me fat now...)

Love & Happiness

I love my life here in Thailand. I have never felt so content and happy in my job and everyday life. It is truly a gift that I am able to experience all of this craziness. Living here has opened up things within myself I never new existed and put me on a path I am overjoyed to follow.

Girl Time

Today was spectacular, the kind of day I want to remember forever. There was nothing really special about it except for the way I spent it.

I should have had regular classes today but for some reason many of my classes were fairly empty. Perhaps it was a result of yesterday being "science day" (many students went on long field trips) or maybe it was because another teacher decided they needed my students to do something else for them like stuff envelops or clean their office (this happens all the time!) but my classes that typically have 40 students in them only had about 7...and they were all girls. Thus I didn't want to "waste" one of my lesson plans when I would just have to reteach it the next class. Instead I opted to have some girl time with my students....

The most memorable moment today was with one group of my 10th grade girls. We were listening to American pop music and I was teaching them some of the lyrics when they starting demanding to dance. You know me, I love a dance party, how could I refuse? The girls jumped up and closed all the shutters so no one could see inside the windows, a few girls stood in front of the classroom doors, holding them closed to protect us from prying eyes. They asked for a favorite pop song (Nobody, by the Wonder Girls) and we all just danced. They laughed at my American dance moves and tried to copy them. They screamed in excitement when I busted out my Thai moves and swarmed around me to show me proper Thai dance hand movements.Too soon our class time was over and the students walked out humming, smiling and giggling with one another.

In my last class of the day today the few girls that came sat around teaching me Thai pop songs and talking to me about boys and broken hearts. They gossiped about who had a boyfriend, who was single and who was secretly in love with my little brother. They asked me questions about America and my life there and asked to look at pictures of my family, friends and home.

It felt great to just relax and be with my students today, to let them be themselves. I am so filled with love for them and these kind of moments are the ones I will remember alwaysnand make me smile no matter how far from them I am .

Its a Noisy World

Thailand is loud and makes no excuses for it. I find myself amused by everything that is going on around me and thought I should make a list of the noises that surround me here...starting at about 5am! These are the sounds I will miss being part of my daily life once they are gone.

• Roosters cock-a-doodle-doing: They say roosters crow when the sun rises. That is a lie!

• Constant Music: Music seems to always be playing. If you take a bus music blars for most of the trip. Students play music from their cell phones during free time. My neighboors start the tunes up as soon as they wake up (5:30am!) and it plays late into the evening, sometimes until past 11pm on a school night though this is usually accompanied by whiskey influenced singing as well. Classic Thai music is played for two hours everyday after school by the school band and after dinner an aspiring student rock band practices in the music building....and lets not forget Karaoke! I believe that someone is always singing Karaoke in Thailand.

• Shouting: There are no doorbells in Thailand. Instead, you stand under someone's window yelling their name over and over until the respond. There is no "cut off" time for this either, I have had neighbors outside my house yelling for my roomate at 6am on a Sunday morning.

• Motorcycles: Everyone seems to have a moto, cars are the minority. The motos zoom around everywhere, sounding like angry bugs buzzing all over the countryside.

• Loud Speakers: Loudspeakers come in many forms here. Every little village has a loud speaker system set up. When I first arrived in Thailand I can remember being awakened by the loudspeaker ridiculously early one morning and thinking that there must be some emergency occuring...but no, it was just time to update the village on all the local news. Trucks with speakers strapped to them blaring advertisements are an everyday occurrence too, they keep you informed on the latest sale, whose got the best watermelon and what movies are playing in town. My school also has a loudspeaker system and everyday at 7am they start playing music and announcements.

• Dogs: Dogs are almost a wild animal here. They run around the villages in small packs, fighting with one another and trying to keep their "territory" under control. Needless to say their howls, barks and fights can be heard all day and night long.

• Bugs: Bugs are everywhere here and emit a symphony of noise. The buzz of their wings, the chirp of crickets, the eerie scream of cicadas, the list goes on and on.

• Lizards and Amphibians: Little geckos chirp through out the day while the Tukae Gecko calls for a mate at night. Toads chortle, frogs rib-bit, and strange unknown amphibians make a noise like the trouble board popper.

• Cows and Waterbuffalo: Herds of cows and water buffalo wander the lands around my school. I love to hear the tinkle of their bells and the sound of their "mooing" and "mawing" to one another.

• The Rain: The rainy season here has brought the delightful sound of rain. I love to listen to it pelt the tin roof and drip to the ground from the awnings.

• Thai: Lastly the sound I think I will miss the most is the Thai language. It surrounds me here. Be it in class, sitting with the teachers at my school, eating dinner with my Thai family the sound of spoken Thai floats around me. Its become comforting, a little like background music, a soundtrack to my life. I can't even imagine what it will be like to understand all the words being spoken around me when I return home.

Mother's Day

Today, August 12th, is the Queen's birthday. As she is considered the mother of all Thai people it is also Mother's day in Thailand.

Yesterday at school we celebrated mother's day with a very moving ceremony that brought tears to my eyes and made me "kitung" (miss) my own mother. Students and Teachers sang songs in honor of the Queen and mother's everywhere.

After, student's own mothers came forward to be honored by their childern. Students presented flowers, bowed at their feet and expressed their gratitude. Seeing the love, affection, happiness and gratitude students and mother's had for one another was incredible.

Students paying respect to Mom

Warning: The next few picture may bring tears to your eyes!

I love how respect and gratitude are such an important part of Thai society and culture, it keeps one humble while enhancing the gratefulness for each other. I wish in America we were capable of recognizing and reflecting in the the same way. Mother's Day here in Thailand seemed more real and less like a Hallmark Holiday.

So on this Thaim mother's day I wanted to take a moment and say, " I love you Mom!"