Tuesday night I sat with the children while they meditated. It was incredibly peaceful. You sit cross-legged with your hands on your knees, palms up, eyes closed. You just breath. I couldn't understand what the PE teacher was telling them but what I could tell was that he loves them. I came away from it feeling very much loved and that I was in a place that really gave the children love.
Wednesday was teaching K1, K2 and K3 and then off to the primary school nearby for my 12:30 - 2:30 teaching with 5th and 6th grade. I had a lesson prepared and everything and by the time I got to the 6th grade class I nixed it and changed it to practicing what you would say to someone in the market. Since I've been to the Sunday market, I know what they would find. So I pretended to be someone walking around the market... "Do you have fish?" and the kids or child would have to tell me what they have or ... "Yes I have fish." You get the idea. I was a little frustrated because afterwards I asked the teacher if the lesson was okay or if she wanted something else and she asked that I play more games with them. Ut-oh... anyone got any good classroom games for 10-12 year olds? AYYEEE! But... the reality is, I am here to help them learn to speak English as well as read and write and by playing games they get used to foreigners and get used to different accents and actually begin to learn to recognize English that is spoken. So games like the market game or what will I do in Bangkok and how do I get there games... As opposed to the "writing" lesson I had the 5th graders do. I'm a bit hard on myself and want to give these kids the best so I was frustrated with the class. Again, the teacher gave me food gifts and water when I left. I'm having difficulty reading her - is she happy with me being here? I'm not sure.
Last night I was honorary guest again at the restaurant. This time there were two tables. One set for Kru James and I (he's the one teaching the children the restaurant skills) and one set for three others - two teachers and one of the maintenance engineers. I had cashew shrimp and shared omelet with Kru James. The children are very polite and doing well. "Thank you for visiting Yaowawit Restaurant. We hope you enjoyed your dinner. Please come again..."
After dinner, James invited me to join him and 6 students to celebrate one of the student's birthdays. She was turning 10 and one of his friends from England sent her fireworks (sparklers). So we all gathered on the volunteers' porch and the girls drank coke and had cookies and we lit a candle and they lit the sparklers out front. They had a lot of fun... I took pictures. :-)
Last night was a well needed laundry night. I'm getting the hang of it... I added enough soap this time and had the clothes rinsed and spun and then was able to relax while they dried. I read until I got sleepy and then went and got my clothes... Lights out by 10:00 pm for me.
So... did ya want the details? Just kidding! Some of this writing is also for me to remember my year. I'm not journaling as much and when I am that's more the personal... "what the bloody 'ell am I doin'!! ..." Or... poetry or thoughts on some of the experiences.
Today I was up at 6:00 and hit snooze on my phone until 7:00. I needed to go running and am NOT wanting to but if I want to stay healthy and get in shape for any trekking (like in Nepal) I need to get my butt in gear. Breakfast was a yoghurt I grabbed from the volunteer fridge (one I bought at 7-11) and then up to the office to check e-mail and get ready for class.
Today I worked with K3 on "Go to..." and "Go get..." as well as using repetition on the letters and phonics we've been learning. They are doing really well. K2 was a disaster. The other teacher was not available and they were completely misbehaving... until the PE teacher rescued me. We were in the theatre for today's class and his office is off of the theatre. I was attempting to do the same thing with K2 but without a Thai person to explain the rules, and kids that were being "wild" it didn't work so well!
K3 and K2 and 9:00 - 10:00. Then I have an hour break where I typically check e-mail or chat online or prepare more class stuff. Or talk to the kitchen staff. Today they were chopping up fish. I love to see what they are cooking because it's VERY unlike the US. For example... yesterday afternoon I stopped by and they were slicing pigs' ears. UGH! I made the gesture for "gagging" and they got me a fork! I walked away smiling saying that I would try it later!
Anyways, at 11:00 I work with K1 which is the lowest level and we are working on colors and the low numbers (1-5 and some 6-10) so we sing songs like "One little, two little, three little Indians..." Except that I insert cow or cat or pig or snake or hippopotamus and we try to count. If they look restless we get up and march in a circle. Or whisper the song... or yell the song... or... whatever I can do to help them have fun while learning and keep them engaged.
11:30 I joined the kids for lunch which was some kind of soup like zucchini/cucumber (but not - it's some kind of squash??) and it's really good. There was also cucumbers and chicken and rice and watermelon. I'm getting spoiled with the fresh meat and vegetables! I'm not sure chicken will ever taste as good! I did have the option of eating a chicken leg... which had the foot attached.... I said "No thank you!" But it was actually kind of cool! They gave it to one of the kids. Apparently this is something that is liked and it's actually GOOD to get the chicken leg/foot. Uh- huh.
At 12:30 I had 5 students for tutoring. They are giving up 30 minutes of their lunch. I borrowed a white board from the Kindergarten class and wrote different words. Then I had each child come up to the board and write whatever word I gave them. Changing the vowels for some words so that we got all five. They have a hard time hearing the difference between the vowel sounds for A - E - I.
At this point the wind picked up and was whipping the plastic against the sides of the buildings! CRAZY rain!
From 1:00 - 2:00 I worked with K3 on their phonics for the letters we've been working on and introduced a new one, "F." For FISH, FAN, FUN, FRIEND... We review the other letters and this mornings lesson by having them form two teams of girls vs boys. Then I give them instructions. They can run to foam letters and stand on them if I say... "Go to..." or they can run get the letter and give it to Kru Noi if I say "Go and get..."A" and give it to Kru Noi..." or... I like to make them laugh and tell them to "Get READY!! Are you ready??? ... Sit down!" They laugh and sit down. Or... I tell them to stand up which is funny because they are already standing. Or I gesture for them to stand on one foot, pull on their ear... whatever keeps them happy and smiling and enjoying the game. Then I give whoever gets the letter first a high five.
I also do the "Give me five..." They slap my hand. "On the side" I hold it sideways for them to slap. "Way up high" I have them give me a high five. "Now down low...
Anyways, that was fun but by 2:00 it's POURING. One of the children walks me to the office with the umbrella and I hang out there for a bit until the power goes out. Then since I forgot my umbrella I wait until the rain lightens and then head for the kitchen. They are chopping up fish and it's snack time for the kids so I ask if I can serve them their snack. Way fun! So I give each kiddo a ladle of coconut milk and something that looks like barley but isn't. I love this one. Actually, I just love coconut milk.
I finally braved the rain long enough to get down to my room and write and sleep. (Power was out for several hours for the whole school). Dinner was spicy beans and shrimp (the hottest yet) and some of the squash stuff from lunch with eggs. And... you guessed it... RICE!
Anyways, I'm now hanging out with several girls who are working on a dance they will be doing in Bangkok. They are pretty good. I showed one of them how to IM... thanks Mike!
Anyways, I'm trying to plan my time off. One of the cooks was incredibly sweet and invited me to go with her October 10 - 13 to a place near Bangkok to stay with her and to see the city. I am honored.
I also talked to Kru James today about where to go. I may do a 10 day retreat and get back in time to go with Thui (the cook) and then meet my sister in Bangkok or Phuket... I'll still have a couple of weeks to do something after that.
Kru James also has info on a trek through Nepal. Apparently you don't really need to go with the big tour groups and pay oodles of money... he did one for 27 days and just packed a few things he needed and went by himself as well as with a couple others. That sounds like wonderful fun! Hiking near Mount Everest in January!! Ahhh
Also - Zach - if you need info on New Zealand, Kru James lived there for five years so he has tips on places to go visit. My nephew Zach is going to New Zealand with his girlfriend Amy to work for a year. BRAVO!!! I'm proud of you two!
Anyways, I need to get back down to my room before the bugs eat me alive.
Oh... I found out what the garbage container in my bathroom is for (the giant blue tub thing). Apparently when it rains as hard as it did today, it somehow shuts down the water system so that only the upper level of the school or the lower level of the school has running water. Sounds like I may be dipping a bowl in this big barrel to bath! UGH! This is where I draw the line! I may have to give up toilet paper but I'm NOT bathing from a barrel of water that I've saved from the day before! Okay... maybe I'll have to. Sigh.
Love and hugs. Thanks so much for the e-mails and notes from home. You make my day!
jaz
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