No April Fool's

Friday, 1 April 2005

April Fool's! Too bad, they don't know what April Fool's is here. I could have tricked Phu's family into thinking he really is going on the 2nd grade this May. Just kidding. The meeting with his family actually went smoothly, and they agreed to retention, and Phu will repeat 1st grade this May, which will be so beneficial for him developmentally.

All of our parent conferences went well, and it was nice to see the families again. They're all so supportive of their children and want to see them do well in school.

Aerobicizing

Thursday, 31 March 2005

Tonight, Keisha, Christy, Aw, and I went to Ba Pa Nakhon, our "Greenlake" version of a park just a 15 baht moto ride away, to walk around the lake and then do 6:30 aerobics. It's the first time Christy and I have tried the outdoor exercise which is so popular here. Many parks hold aerobics classes at this time in the evening, led by teachers with a microphone on stage. But, during the school year, we never could get out of the classroom early enough to try it as the last child usually left at 6 pm each day. This particular aerobics class had three teachers that transitioned in and taught the class together. It was fun, trying to learn new routines, and it was nice to sweat and re-energize....before we bought and stuffed ourselves with foods like fried coconut and bubble tea of course. Next time I'll get a photo of the aerobicizing mania...

You Know It's Hot Out When...

You know it's hot out when you walk out of an air-conditioned car, and your eyeglasses fog up from the humidity in the air.

Missed Photo Ops

Wednesday, 30 March 2005

Missed two great photo ops tonight:

1) Coming out of Big C (like a Target) after grocery shopping, a car was blocking P'Pau's, and we thought, perfect! We can catch this photo of Christy and I pushing the car out of the way. But just as we were going to do it, the owner of the car came and smiled at us. We thought about asking if we could push her car anyway, but by the time we would have figured out how to explain it in Thai to P'Pau, the woman would have jetted away.

2) On our way home, a huge truck bed of filleted pigs passed us by. I got my camera ready, asked P'Pau to stop and roll down her window, and then my camera battery died.

Ugh! Two prime pictures of everyday things here that I want to capture on camera. Will have to try again soon....

The Poor Little One

Wednesday, 30 March 2005

Summer school has been going well...When you only have the students for an hour and a half, the lesson goes by fast....especially, when I'm supposed to have a Thai teaching assistant, but I don't as we're short staffed, so I'm putting my Thai speaking abilities in action.

But, oh, the poor little ones! First I had 7 second and third graders (mostly girls), who don't know much English, but are catching on fast, and love all the songs. It's strange because Keisha has mostly fifth and sixth graders, but they're mostly boys. Then, yesterday, Ink shows up. Ink is this cute little four year old kindergartner (K2 as they call it here). He was a bit shy and clung to his mom, like most young 'uns do when they're coming to school for the first time. I brought out puppets, and Matt and I tried to entertain him. He wasn't too interested, but then came into the classroom. His mom tried to slip away, and he immediately went into hysterics, crying and screaming at the top of his lungs! He ran to her, and I told her it was okay if she came in and sat with him a little bit (especially because there were no other kindergartners in my class). So, she did and he was fine for awhile, but then she tried to slip away again, and when he turned to look for her, he went into hysterics again!

I tried to sing louder and louder with the kids on the carpet as Matt tried to coddle poor little Ink. Matt was very helpful as she could communicate with him in Thai. But, even with our songs and play, Ink was only slightly interested. I figured with time, he'd come around. Only, about ten minutes later, mom peered in the window, and off Ink went straight for the door. They didn't come back, and turns out, mom decided to switch him to a Thai instructed class instead, where there are other kindergartners as well.

Today, two more kindergartners came, but they seem like they'll adjust better. Sea and Ping Pong (I think I should write a book on cute Thai nicknames!).....Sea is interested in everything, and he tries to mimic words and phrases, but is definitely squirrely, as I practically had to hold him and follow him around when we played a "What's this?" (Reading the Room) game today.

Ploy and Phu rocking out with puppets during a recent tutoring session. 

Apparently it's the Dry Season

Tuesday, 29 March 2005

You could've fooled me, but apparently it is the dry season here in Thailand. It's blazing hot, and the humidity is still as strong as ever, causing me to sweat profusely, and I feel like I have to take a shower four times a day...Thank goodness for air conditioned rooms! My left eye has been itchy and bothering me with some lovely discharge (as if you wanted to know) and redness for over 7 days now. I figured it might be because this is the hot season, and I'm constantly wiping the sweat off my brow and rubbing my eyes. I hoped it would go away, but it hasn't, and has been really itchy. But, I convinced myself it wasn't allergies, because I am definitely a seasonal allergy sufferer, and kept laughing at all those back in Seattle who got an early spring and early cases of allergies this year.

Went to an eye doctor the other day, and apparently, it is due to allergies, and my eye is really dry. But why only one eye I ask? I'm sure it's NOT due to allergies, but some infection from some godforesaken tropical creature that loves the heat and my eye! Nope, the doctor says. Allergies. How can my eye be dry? My skin is not dry! I know what dry weather feels like, and it definitely does not involve drippy, sweaty skin all day! Hmmmm.....well, I guess I'll use the two different eye drops the doc prescribed for me and see what happens.

Oh, and by the way, I opened up the directions in one of the eyedrop boxes (which are all in Thai of course) and the only English in the beautiful script I can read says "Herpes Simplex"...And, I'm putting this in my eye for what?!?

The Infamous Report Cards

Monday, 28 March 2005

So I thought I was finished with school, but oh, not until these crazy report cards and parent conferences get done. First it took weeks, even months, for Matt and Christy to translate the report card in both Thai and English. Not even our administrators are clear on the words the meaning of some of the Thai words and educational prose. So, we finally got the books copied and bound with the lovely blue duct tape (Matt told me "Blue so suay!" because some other report cards colors she saw, bound in pink duct tape for example, were not so beautiful.) These report card books travel with each child from grade 1 - 3, so they have to be perfect, but these report cards have been a calculating nightmare!

Not that you care, but I'm going to tell you anyway: We have to separate each subject out by first term and second term, and then by a classwork point total and a final exam total. But, first I had to combine Music and Art into one grade, then Computers and Home Economics into one grade, and Thai History and Social Studies into another grade. Each teacher had different total amounts, so it required converting numbers and an entire Saturday trying to make the numbers make sense. It didn't help that the first term, we had different point totals for the classwork and final exam, so some things had to be manipulated ("made up") to make the calculations work out right. As a result, white out had to be used to correct some errors that were initially made. We had to fill out about four other pages for each child that had to do with the opinion of each child's "character", "freetime", "general knowledge ability" in each of the 8 subjects. And, to think, we only had 8 students this year! Imagine when there's a whole class of 20 plus kids!

Matt tried to explain some crazy calculations she was going to do to find the G.P.A. for each subject, for both the classwork and final exam totals, dividing the totals by the number of hours taught, and it just made no sense whatsoever to me and Christy...the calculations didn't make sense, and logically, I don't even understand the point of it. But, Matt seemed to know what she was doing, and even though I'm a little leary of her math skills (as I had to explain to her how to do a ratio this weekend), I just let her do it. She also told me today that she is going to rewrite all the pages we wrote on because other teachers said the white out/liquid paper we used is not beautiful. I asked her, "You're going to rewrite each page?!" She thinks the parents won't think it's beautiful. And the response to follow, the commonly heard, "Mai pen rai!" (Never mind!)

So, off went the lovely blue duct tape that binds the books and new covers had to be printed and new pages re-inserted...And Matt has been working on them for three days straight ever since.......And we're presenting these to parents on Thursday during conferences! I really think it's not worth the headache....But, whatever!!!! Just another example of how it's all about tedious paperwork and how things look here. Not that the parents will even look that carefully at the crazy calculations...I mean they're first graders! They just want to know if they passed or not! Then, they have to sign each and every little box under each score for each subject and about five other pages as well. (Which makes this whole process silly in the first place, as in Thailand, retention is unheard of, and students will always move on the next grade whether they have failed subjects or not.) ... But, at least the failing marks will look "suay", or beautiful.

Shopping is my Middle Name

Sunday, 27 March 2005

Pulled a "Tanya-Stacy Shopping Spree" tonight when I went to the night market tonight with Aw and Tik. We ended up closing down the stalls. We never made it to the food area as we wandered through clothes aisles at the night market we sometimes ride motos to on Wednesday or Sunday nights. Rode away with several new outfits...Think I must be realizing that I won't be here very much longer, so I'm going on major shopping sprees. Splurged yesterday as well when I went shopping along the Soi Sawng morning market with Keisha. Good thing my mom and friend are bringing extra suitcases for me when they come visit soon!

The man in the middle, underneath the umbrella, will become a monk tomorrow. Music and dancing friends lead him in a parade down our street on Easter Sunday. 

Many people dance down the street, as we watch from the gates of our school, accompanied by a band and the monk-to-be in a truck in the back of the pack. 

Not that you can tell from the picture, but as we sat on our "Modern Furniture" plastic chairs at the Easter Sunday church service, we were amazed at the beautiful, harmonious voices of this a capella group from Christian University. 

In the background, the enclosed area contains the remains of Percy and Mary Clark, two missionaries who founded our school and many other Christian organizations and churches in our town of Nakhon Pathom. Our Easter service was held at this cemetary on Sunday. 

P'Mem, a 1st grade teacher, and her son decide to take some balloons home after graduation. 

P'Thoy's (one of our workers who does our laundry, cleans the school grounds, and prepares our school lunches daily) grandson graduated from kindergarten today!  

Kindergarten 1, 2, and 3 classes line up and wait to enter the auditorium on graduation day. 

Dang, our resident school dog, who is often the lucky one to get our food leftovers from dinner each night, hangs out by P'Lek's apartment behind our house. 

"SUAY!" ....Tik made all of these decorations on the bench and thinks they are so beautiful! 

With Matt on a decorated bench at Kindergarten Graduation 

With Tik at Kindergarten Graduation 

The kindergartners have fun with their diplomas after receiving them. What else are they supposed to do with them? 

Under the huge balloon arch in our red/white school colors on Kindergarten graduation day. 

Game's Beauty Shop

Tuesday, 22 March 2005

Tonight, we all went with Matt to Game's mother's beauty shop. It was so cute to drive up to his house, and look up and notice his shocked and excited expression to see all three of his teachers hop out of the car. I thought Matt was going to tutor him, but apparently she was just going to get her hair done. So, Christy, Matt, and I all decided to get our hair washed and straightened (In Thailand, the straighter the better....Everyone gets their hair blown dry straight and then straight-ironed.) Keisha and I also got manicures and pedicures. By seven o'clock at night, the shop was bustling with customers. His mom opens the shop at 7:30 or 8 in the morning, and sometimes doesn't close down until 9 at night. While Matt and Christy waited for us to get our manicures and pedicures, they ate food with Game and listened to him read his favorite Scooby Doo book. Meanwhile, Keisha and I sat and people-watched. And as Game's mom and teenage sister worked on hair, I couldn't help but comment on the lack of sanitary conditions, the floors covered in hair like it hadn't been swept in a week (Prime example: Game was used to pulling the chunks of hair out of the cracks so the sliding glass door would shut easier) and the ceiling falling apart and moldy...just as the woman next to us was having her ingrown toenails extracted, with the same tools that I'm sure are washed and cleaned thoroughly after each use.

Afterwards, his family treated us to a nice dinner at a Suki restaurant, which is basically barbequeing meat, seafood, vegetables, and soup teppanyaki style. Game's father and uncle kept ordering plates of food, but hardly eating any themselves. His mom came to join us after she closed down the shop, and we left completely stuffed! His parents decided that they want Game to be tutored in English and Thai, so starting tomorrow afternoon, I'll work one-on-one with Game in phonics and reading. So, that puts me at tutoring three students each afternoon from 1 - 5 pm. Summer school starts on Monday and takes place from 9 am till noon, so I'll have a full working schedule for the next few weeks.

As the hairstylist blowdries and straightens my hair in Game's mother's salon, I had to have this picture taken as Christy was laughing at my hair and I have my infamous shirt on...my blog address is on the back...Thanks again for the awesome Christmas gift, Stace and Melis!

Game demonstrates how to ride a motorcycle as he reads his favorite Scooby-Doo book to Matt and Christy as they wait outside for us to get our manicures and pedicures done.

Still Working

Monday, 21 March 2005

Some people do miss coming to school everyday. Game, our class clown, has been calling Christy on her cell phone almost daily to say hello ever since school let out. I talked to him last night, and asked him what he's doing. He told me, in his gruff voice, "Reading!", and when I asked what, he told me "Scooby-Doo." Very cute. Even though school has been out for almost a week now, I still find myself working in the English Program office or classroom, repairing posters or bulletin board letters, creating worksheets for summer school and tutoring, and having our two interns do something productive. Jeed and Jan, two sweet girls in their early 20's, are in their third year at Christian University, a private university in our town. They are getting their degrees in teaching English, so were sent to us the last couple weeks of school to help out. We've been mentoring them as a result, but with no kids here now, we've had to come up with projects for them to do, and it's actually been really helpful. They went through our English conversation curriculum books and typed up all these songs and simple conversations to make posters with. Then there's all the tedious projects like coloring posters and games that I never got a chance to do this year that they are more than happy to do. Plus, we've been able to try out new places to eat lunch during the week, as we don't have our usual homecooked lunch from the school provided for us.

Saturday, after Kindergarten Graduation, Keisha arrived. Keisha, a 26 year old girl who went to school in New York and Seattle, came from a five month teaching English job in Beijing to help teach summer school and stay for the next year teaching English conversation. But, when she got here, she told us she has taken a job in L.A. that she can't refuse (assisting her friend's couture fashion line), but she will stay to teach until we find someone else. Over the past couple of days, we've introduced her to our common eating places, Soi Sawng and the Chedi, the morning market, and the Hello Coffee shop. Now, there are three of us in the house, and we're getting to know each other, which is what you do when you are the only English speaking people to talk to all day and night.

Right now, we're not even sure about this summer school program. Keisha and I are going to teach it, but right now, there are only 7 students (who range in ages from grades 2 - 6) who are enrolled, and I hear more may sign up the day before the start date on the 28th. I'm making up the curriculum, and since it's only a 4 week English conversation course, I'm thinking of picking a theme like Animals or something, and using our English conversation book to help with simple phrases.

I'm sticking to my normal routine of getting up at 6:30 am and being in the office by 7 - 7:30 am so that I don't get too comfortable. I start tutoring Ploy and Phu for two hours each every afternoon as well. We'll catch up and review basics in Math and Reading they missed this year.
It's strange because many teachers are gone to Cha-Am, the beach nearby, for a retreat - an English Camp - and I wish I could go. But, there's painting of our classrooms going on today (which means I have to tear down all the posters I just put up last week!), tutoring I already promised parents I'd do, and still our infamous report cards that need tweaking and corrections in translations (these Thai documents are really driving Christy and Matt nuts!).

...Plus, I REALLY need to stop procrastinating and get my darn taxes done....Okay, back to work!

Christy, P'Aot, and I with the EP students on our surprise field trip to get ice cream at Soi Sawng. 

English Program (aka EP) students from below a jungle gym.

The Last Day of School

Tuesday, 15 March 2005

Today was the last day of school. We practiced our "Three Billy Goats Gruff" skit songs (but we never had time to perform it!), had a suprise field trip to get ice cream, played games outside, then gave them a book of letters from their four teachers they have had this year, with pictures, and an autograph signing page. Then, we gave our gifts to the students. I cried as I gave them theirs (pencil keychains with their names on them) and could see the tears in their eyes as I told them how I'd miss them. Then, after I finished, I notice my poor Phu crying, and he put his head down, then paced around the room with tears in his eyes. It was the sweetest thing. They all gave me a big group hug. The last day of school always goes by quickly, and this day was especially quick. Two students' parents asked me to tutor their children during the summer, so I will be working regular hours all day like I have been with the summer school (in the mornings, I will teach English conversation to Thai students) starting soon too. Three more weeks of work I can handle...Then I'll be off traveling anyway, so that works for me! Still doesn't seem like summer to me anyway as it is only March!

Nothing beats street vendors coming to the school playground to sell coke and munchies through a fence!

Prael, who never smiles in pictures, is all smiles here on the last day of school with a bunny rabbit hat on!

Phu sheds some tears after I announce that I'm not returning next year. Oh so sweet!

Somehow, after they were finished playing outside, Game got all the kids to start fanning him as if he were a king. It was definitely a blog worthy picture!

The girls busily and thoroughly clean our Centers bins on the last day of school.

Another Seattle friend visits Nakhon Pathom...Although it was a quick visit over some rard nah noodles near the train station, Mark brought a care package of American goodies including gummy bears, Skittles, popcorn (now if only I had a microwave!), and Twinkies!

Oil, Aw, Tik, and Christy, after a walk (Well, Christy and I walked) at the park.