The Set-Up

Hi all,

So, yes, I am starting a blog 4 months into my adventure. I do indeed suck. Sorry folks. However, better late then never. There are pluses and minuses to this blogging thing. The plus is that I might actually put more things up this way, so you all get to know a bit more about what's going on. The negative is that from past experiences, I've noticed I get a lot more responses if I'm bugging your email accounts every so often then if I'm blogging. So the deal is, I'll start a blog if you guys actually have to write back some too! Ok? Ok.

So, here goes. Entry one.

Today is parent teacher day. Everyone remember those from when you were a kid? Its great fun. Everyone is in a good mood, students parading their parents around everywhere, teachers just as happy to not be in class as the students. Its been slow going getting to know my Thai co-teachers here, as most speak very little English...which is why they paid big bucks (of which I'm getting half, and my placement agency is getting half- sigh) for me to be here. It makes it a bit lonely sometimes though. In the last few weeks though, teachers seem to be getting over their initial shyness is speaking English to me, and my Thai is getting better, so I've had some very nice conversations with my Thai teachers. They are a happy lot.

My school really is a pleasant place. I think I mentioned this before, but I am teaching pratum 4, 5, and 6, aka ages ~9-11. I have only one class, aka 40 students, in p. 4 though, so my other 20 classes, aka about 800 students, are in p.5 and p.6, aged 10 and 11. The school is very open, with a big courtyard/soccer field in the middle that the classroom buildings surround. The classrooms themselves are also very open, with one wall of big open windows and two doors that open onto the courtyard on the other side; air circulation is key when its hot outside. Students stay put in their classrooms here and teachers come to them to teach, so I get a nice little walk outside between classes. I love having all the fresh air all the time, though there are definitely days when I wish I could close the door and/or windows; it can be pretty hard to teach over the noise at times. I'll post pictures soon.

I'm living in Chaiyaphum, the capital of Chaiyaphum province in northeast Thailand. Its definitely off the tourist map, but a nice city to live in. There is a night market every day with many food stands, clothes stands, waffles stands, and even stands selling puppy dogs (initially my favorite until I realized they sedate the dogs to keep them from running away). The night market is pretty centrally located, with tennis courts, an outdoor track around the pond, a community center with a free gym and aerobics classes out front every weeknight at 6, a playground and even a big screen they set up and project Thai soap operas on every night. A good third of the town is there on any given night, and its great people watching.

ok, well, that's the basic set-up. I'll add more as time goes on, and try to take some more pictures around town to post asap.

Much love,
C