Survival

Well, I've done it. 2 days, 8 classes, and 320 students later, I am officially an English teacher in Thailand. It has not been an easy road, however. There are about 40 students per class, all between the ages of 11-16, and only one of me. They do not listen to me, they do not seem to have a strong desire to learn English, they hit each other with rulers, and they love to do math homework and sleep while I am trying to teach. Today was better than yesterday though, I feel like I am slowly learning how to gain control in the classroom. Although I have just been doing basic introduction lessons so far, the students do seem to understand English pretty well. Apparently, the students do not respect foreign teachers such as myself, but get them behind a desk with a Thai teacher at the front and they act like they are in the military. If it sounds like I am complaining a lot, I have to apologize. I have actually really enjoyed teaching the past 2 days, I just think it is going to be a lot more challenging than I had originally thought. A lot of the students are very friendly and want to learn English, they shake my hand and say hello, eager to please me. They Wai me (a Thai bow) as I walk through the school grounds, and say "Hello new teacher!" Probably the best thing that has happened so far in class happened earlier today. A student farted, rather loudly I might add, and then all the other students jumped back, knocking over desks and chairs pointing their finger at him and yelling "STINK!" I tried my hardest not to laugh and regain order in the classroom, but I must have let out a slight laugh or two. After all, farts are always funny. Last night I went to the Loy Krathong Festival in Nakhon Pathom, where Thai's place a candle in a boat made of banana leaves and ask for forgiveness for polluting the rivers. It was quite the spectacle to see, and it made me look forward to other festivals to come. Oh yeah, I also accidentally ate a banana yesterday, which I wasn't aware was in a Thai dessert, and I almost threw up.

Banana boats float down the river at the Loy Krathong Festival

A ladyboy strikes a pose at a beauty pageant