Sunrise Memorial Service at Hellfire Pass

I hired a local driver to bring me to the Pass. The hour long drive at 3 in the morning was quiet and dark. My driver spoke "nitnoy" English and my Thai is the same so there was little conversation. What I do remember the most is how red the trunks of the teak trees shone along the highway as we drove though the national forest to get to the Pass. We saw very few vehicles except other vans and vehicles carrying fellow attendees. We arrived an hour before the service was to start and were told that the parking lots were already full. My driver would have to drop me at the museum and circle out to park along the highway. I opted to take the tuktuk ride around the hillside to the entrance at the other end of the Pass since I'd never walked that end. While it was a more level walk, the large stones in the path and sporadic tree root combined with no light but burning bamboo oil lamps made the walk slow and tedious. I made it just the same and will remember being there for a long time. And I'll always remember the shine of red-brown teak tree trunks illuminated by the high beams of an old Toyota pickup.

Morning prayer; morning birdsong; morning sunlight trying to reach us beneath a thick jungle

It's The End.... of April, of summer session, of....

Near the end of April is a special date for those from Down Under. April 25th , ANZACS Day, is a time for remembering those in the military who died in service to their country. In Kanchanaburi there are 2 big services for the ANZAC soldiers who died as POWs forced by their Japanese captors to build the Thai-Burma Railroad. It was my great honor to attend both of those services. The first is a sunrise service at Hellfire Pass, about 80km from town. There is a small monument in the pass where the tracks once ran and a graveled path through the jungle that follows the route cut through by those POWs 65 years ago. I arrived at 4:30 and was disappointed to find a large crowd already gathered and by 5:30 when the service began, the crowd had doubled in size (the number I heard was over 700). The service was brief yet moving. Wreaths were layed at the base of the monument; an honor guard stood silently around the monument throughout the service; bagpipers played Amazing Grace on a rise just above the cutting; Royal Thai Army buglers played a soulful taps. All the while a light drizzle of rain tried to penetrate the heavy canopy of bamboo trees, vague morning sunlight forced its way through the heavy leaf cover, and birds sang out their resentment to our early intrusion. I cried. I wasn't the only one.

Later that morning an even bigger crowd gathered at the Don Rak Cemetery in town where over 9,000 POW dead are buried. Chairs were set up under tents for visitors and in the hour or so before services began people wandered through the graves reading markers and looking for their relatives. As the memorial began those same pipers marched in behind a guide on carrying the Australian flag followed by an honor guard who took up their post around the large cross in the center of the cemetery. Speakers were eloquent but thankfully brief (it is extremely hot in the middle of the day in the hot April sun here). The longest speech was from one of the 5 survivors who were in attendance though I doubt that anyone cared how long he spoke. It was a privilege for me to shake the hand of those 5 men - I would have sat there all afternoon had they wanted to tell their stories to me. Finally the service ended with the Royal Thai Army buglers following by the pipers leading the guide on and the honor guard off the field to the tune of what else? Waltzing Matilda! And a hearty round of applause. A great way for me to end the month of April.


Today was a bittersweet day at school. The last day of April is the last day of summer session and I really hated to say good bye to so many of the darling little P1 kids that I had come to know. This past month was really the first time I have taught first grade every day. It has got to be the hardest job here (my hat is off to Brad and his Thai teacher partners who do this all year) and the most rewarding. The first day there were 3 in tears clinging to mothers and fathers. Today they were running, playing, laughing, and ignoring the urging of mothers and fathers to get in the car and go home. I also taught in the upper elementary grades and had some adorable and very bright students there, but as far as I know none of them cried first or last day. So my first "summer school" experience has come and gone. I learned a lot about trying to teach a 45 minute lesson to a room full of 5 minute attention spans (oh and the fact that I'm teaching in English which only a few of them understand even a little bit) and how to talk a little, play a little, talk a little more, write a little, play some more. Like I said, Brad is my hero! And as the saying goes, all good things (and even some not so good things) come to an end. About 4:00pm today the school was quiet as a tomb with students gone and exhausted teachers sitting, staring into space.

And finally, with the end of April comes the end of my time as a teacher in Thailand - for now. I am returning to Tennessee the first week of May - not sure when I will return to the Land of Smiles but sure that I will. It is another bittersweet ending for me for although I do look forward to being back home with my family and friends, I am struggling with leaving my Thai family of teachers and friends that I have come to love so quickly. More tears - just like the P1 students (maybe I do belong in that grade?). But I know we will keep in touch. Perhaps some of them will come to visit me in Tennessee. So much to do in so little time: pack, give things away (no more room in the suitcase), write thank you notes, clean out my room, ship boxes home (things that don't fit in the suitcase but I don't want to give away), plane reservations, etc., etc.

If it's the end, then why is there so much to do?

Songkran Hangover - The Final Chapter

Typically a VIP bus means nice comfortable seats on the upper level with wide, clear windows for viewing the countryside, air conditioning, a TV console up near the front playing some recent movie in English with Thai subtitles (or sometimes in Thai with English subtitles), and a bottom level with a restroom and luggage storage. I've ridden several of these so I saw no problem taking one back to the city since I had failed to make a reservation on the train and all the seats there were sold out.

But this VIP stood for Very Iffy Proposition. We didn't leave out until 7:30 which wasn't so bad. But as soon as we got on board I knew this was just an extra bus pulled off the company's yard to accomodate the extra travelers for the holiday. Not really dirty, but not the usual cleanliness I was used to. Every seat was full and every one of us had a book to read (must be a reason for all the bookstores in Chiang Mai). Unfortunately, the first thing I noticed was that the individual reading lamps didn't work. Then my seatmate noticed that the a/c vent wasn't putting out air. About 30 minutes down the road I noticed that it was getting very dark in the bus and realized that the little running lights that are usually on along the sides of the ceiling and on the aisle were also not working. All this is coming to "light" as the poor bus works hard at pulling up the steep hills for we are in the mountains but there are mountains we must climb up and come down again in order to reach Bangkok.

The driver and his assistant don't speak any English so it's no use to ask them why nothing electrical seems to work on the bus. Most of us have reading lights and flashlights to read by. I heard the girl in the seat behind me complain that there was no light in the bathroom either. Soon we all smelled that chemical bathroom smell and realized that the fan unit in the bathroom didn't work either. This was going to be a long night. All this in the first 100 miles - only 400 more to go.

We stopped at a truck stop about 12:30 in the morning and people gladly got off to stretch, smell fresh air, and use the bathrooms. 30 minutes later we were back on the road again, still trying to get down out of the mountains. I had my GPSr out watching our route and realizing that we were following a highway that ran within 50 miles of the Myanmar border. I looked at the mountains outside the window and listened to the bus engine strain. For some reason I was reminded of WW II pilots and their stories of getting over the hump in Burma. I was developing a new respect for their survival. Around 2am we had to stop for a red light and the driver stalled out the engine. I was getting nervous since students would be back at school in about 6 hours and I was due to teach a class in about 7 hours. Some of the young men sitting near the front of the bus understood the problem and got out to push the bus till the engine caught. Off we went with only 150 miles to go.

We reached Bangkok around 6am: hot, tired, restless, and thankful to be done with the trip and to be alive (the next day I read about a bus just like this one turning over in the mountains and 7 people on board died!). But I was still 2 miles away from the train station where I catch the bus to the school which was still another 2 hours away from Bangkok. I bargained a tuktuk driver down to 50 baht. He drove like a madman but I hung on and somehow arrived at the station with my luggage and myself still in the tuktuk. The bus was just pulling out but I managed to flag it down and board. By 7:30 I was in my room peeling sweaty clothing off my tired body and dreaming of a hot shower.

The water felt so goooood! I came out and looked at my bed and then at the clock. Why not just a little rest before class? I was really feeling the push of the trip and all the sightseeing and no sleep on the all night bus ride and, well, what would just a little nap hurt? The phone ringin in my purse beside me on the bed didn't really register at first. When I finally realized where I was and what was happening, the caller had hung up. I looked at the clock and realized my class had begun 15 minutes before. Holy Cow!!! I dressed quickly and ran to the school to find that Jimmy had taken my class for me. Had just about 10 minutes to prepare for my 11:00 class which I somehow got through as well as the rest of the day. I clocked out at 4pm, went to supper with some of the other teachers, and was in bed asleep by 6pm.

So what great adventure did I have this weekend? A sleeping marathon in my quiet little dorm room. Best trip all year, I think. I had to cure my Songkran hangover from lack of sleep and rest because this weekend I will make one final trip to Kanchanaburi. But for this trip no VIP bus and no long train rides, I promise!

Songkran Hangover

Well, it finally happened. I had to take a weekend to recover from a weekend. Well, to be fair, my Songkran weekend lasted 5 days - 5 1/2 if you count the 4 hours I was AWOL.

As you know the train finally did pull into the station in Chiang Mai. For the next 2 hours it was sheer pandimonium trying to get into the old part of the city and find my guest house. Up and down every street people were lined up throwing water. Believe me, as hot as April is here in Thailand, I don't mind getting wet. But I didn't want my suitcase and laptop to get soaked. My purse didn't worry me too much either. I had to dry out my passport twice during rainy season last year so I'm a pro at that. But the new laptop and my dry clothes in the suitcase were a different matter. My car could only get me within 2 blocks of the guest house so I literally ran the gauntlet (fortunately my suitcase has wheels and a handle) to the guest house. Once things got put away I bagged up my important stuff and went to town to watch the fun. Yes, all during Songkran the plastic bag industry makes a killing in Thailand. My cell phone was first put into a small bag, sealed, then dropped into the pocket for it in my purse. Next, I put my passport in a baggie and then into my purse. Then I had a ziploc bag for my wallet and money. Once all those bagged items are in my purse I then take a plastic grocery bag and "bag" my bag, tying it at the top and leaving the strap out. Then it all fits ove my shoulder. My camera is very small and I put it in another plastic bag and then in my pocket. That way I was able to pull it out from time to time when I was out of the line of fire and takes some photos. In fact, most people will pose with their buckets and water guns, and then soak you once you put your camera back in the bag! Later I found a restaurant near the moat where I was able to stay dry and watch the last hour of the water throwing.

My hosts at the guest house, Joe and Amara, arranged for me to take a tour the next day to the northern-most reaches of Thailand. At 7am on Sunday a van picked me up and after picking up 8 more people around the city we were off to the north. We stopped for breakfast in the province of Chiang Rai and after viewing a small hot water geyser we all ate breakfast and wandered around the sourvenir shops. But you never got far from the sulfur smell of the geyser. There was even a bent old lady walking around with baskets of eggs hanging on each end of a pole across her shoulders. People buy the eggs to boil in the hot water from the geyser. The locals believe the hot sulfur water has special curative powers. After about 45 minutes we were back on the road - a winding mountain road that climbed steeply and slowly reminding me of the train ride to Chiang Mai - and in about 2 hours we were at Chedi Luang. This is an ancient temple and chedi that is still used today even though it is crumbling in places. It reminded me of the old remains at Ayottaya although not as old.

Our next destination was only 30 minutes away and the point of the trip I had been looking forward to: The Golden Triangle. At the northern tip of Thailand the Ruak River meets the Mekong River and forms a triangle with Myanmar and Laos on the other two sides. Historically, this was an area of rich soil and large poppy fields harvested for the opium trades. Today it's just a stop on busy tour routes although I did see a stray poppy growing in the wild here and there. Because there is so much to tell about Chiang Mai I will just finish the day by saying that I did ride on the Mekong River in a long tail boat, I didn't drink the whiskey made with rattlesnakes and scorpions, and it was 10pm before I got back to the guest house that night. Whew! What a day.


On Monday the tour van picked me up at 8am and we drove up into the Doi Inthanon National Forest where again I worried about the van making it up the steep, winding mountain roads. We saw waterfalls and native hill tribe villages. I stood on the highest peak in Thailand (and got the T shirt to prove it). A shorter day that saw me back at the guest house by 7pm.

On Tuesday I bagged up all my important stuff and went out to see what I could of the town and to get wet. I succeeded on both accounts. Chiang Mai today is built around the original city moat and what's left of the gates and walls from 1261 so it's pretty cool historically. But all around the moat stood kids of all ages ready to soak me down. By the time I got back to the house I was dripping wet - but that's OK since it was almost 100F that afternoon. I was sitting on the terrace talking with Joe and Amara when their teenage son came by with some friends and invited me to join their pick up truck run. You see, while people stand around the moat to throw water, other people ride by on motorcycles and in pick up trucks throwing water back at them. Did I go? You better bet I did! But you'll have to take my word for it because I knew I couldn't take my camera on this run.

Wednesday, my final day in town, was quiet. Locals were back to work and businesses were open again. I roamed the city taking pictures and looking for reading material for the long ride home. There are 8 used book stores in Chiang Mai! At 7pm I climbed on the "VIP" bus for the 10 hour ride back to Bangkok. It turned out to be a very long night!

Happy New Year!! - again

I know the last time we talked New Year it was February and we were talking Chinese New Year. Now welcome to Thai New Year. The festival is called Songkran and the biggest symbol of the festival is water: water guns sprayed at each other, water poured gently over buddha statues to clean and bless them, watealr tossed in bucket loads from a street corner. (for a better explanation go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thai_New_Year). Wow - Thai people know how to throw a holiday. For one thing, it lasts 3 days which is a whole lot better than one. Which leads me to explain what I was doing hanging around the train station last night to see the Songkran blessing of the trains. I'm off for 5 days so I decided to take a train to Chiang Mai - the one remaining large Thai city that I was yet to visit. More about that later. Suffice it to say, I've been wet for 2 days and will likely be that way 2 more days. On Friday afternoon all the kids brought out their water guns and after a very solemn blessing ceremony which included traditional bongos and chimes, Thai dancers, we all got wet. It was 2 hours of uninhibited fun and my hat is off to Brad who teaches P1 and was the biggest 6 year old in the group. He brought his own super soaker from home and played water wars all afternoon. Great fun!

Later we all scattered for popular vacation spots: Hua Hin, Pattaya, and in my case, Chiang Mai. I had to sit around the train depot for a couple of hours which was cool because I got to see the blessing of the trains several times as part of the Songkran events. Then I was off on what should have been a 12 hour train ride but turned into much longer. I took the overnight sleeper train thinking I would wake up the next morning and enjoy the scenery on the last couple of hours there. I woke up to find we were behind schedule. Oh well, at least we're on the way. Then around 11:00 the train began to slow down as we started up the mountains (Chiang Mai is in the mountainous northern part of Thailand). Suddenly the train stopped and porters came through telling us to get off the train. Get off where I thought. We're in a jungle. For about an hour we stood in the edge of the jungle in the shade of a bamboo grove while workers tried feverishly to repair whatever broke (I never did understand). I was nervouse since I don't like snakes and I was wearing only flip flops and my crop pants. But the Thai perspective is why be worried, it won't fix the problem any faster. In about an hour we were on our way again and I had only a couple of bug bites around my ankles and some great pictures of a huge ladybug. Eventually we did make it to the depot in Chiang Mai and the real craziness began!

Back to the Bridge

I realize I've been AWOL from the blog for over a week. Blame it on sheer laziness. Last week was panic city around the school with finals taking place and kids having farewell parties. Then deadlines to meet for turning in exams and entering grades into computer systems that always seem to run slowest at this time of year. On Friday afternoon I was beat so I ate an early supper and went to bed abour 6:30. Woke up early the next morning and decided since I had a while weekend with no training or classwork to do, best to run away. And my favorite place to run away lately is Kanchanaburi.

The bus got me there mid morning and I just walked around the town for a little while to see things. About 3 months ago I took up a new hobby called Waymarking which is kind of like geocaching except that in geocaching you have coordinates that you go to and find a cache. In waymarking you find a site that is exceptional in some way (or else fits into one of the hundreds of categories listed at the website) take photos, gather info, and most importantly, get the coordinates. Then you upload the info under your trail name - mine is Horizon Seeker - and other folks try to visit that site. Meanwhile others are posting interesting waymarks as well, all over the world, so that if you know you are going to visit another city, across the state or across the world, you can check for waymarks at that locale to find neat things to see or do and great places to eat and sleep. I like to waymark used book stores (read a lot on buses, trains, and long distance flights), internet cafes, and unusual things to see. So check out waymarking.com and see all the neat things we waymarkers have found.

One of the coolest waymarks I've added is an old firefighter jeep that I came across when I was walking around Kanchanaburi this weekend. I've uploaded the picture to my blog in case you're too lazy to look it up on waymarking. Anyway, the fireman told me that it still runs (well, best I could get from what little English he spoke & what little Thai I understand) and judging from the fairly new looking tires I don't doubt it. All the labeling is in Japanese so I do wonder if it could have come over during WW II when the Japanese occupied Thailand. It looks like it could be 60 years old. I do know that the Japanese brought a bridge from Japan that was used in building The Bridge. This weekend I noticed the info plate on The Bridge (yes, I walked across again) which I hadn't noticed before so I've added that picture here as well. I also met some other Farang teachers who hang out in Kanchanaburi but teach in Bangkok. The place to find them is Birdland Used Books where you will also find a colorful fellow named Big Jimmy. He knows a lot about the area and what he doesn't know he makes up I'm sure. He is quite glib and a very entertaining host. And who wouldn't love a used book store/bar/internet cafe/local information booth? Picture attached.

Returned to reality Sunday afternoon (took a van back to Bangkok which was something I don't plan to do again real soon since he broke all kinds of land speed records) because I had to get up early Monday and go to an international school in the city for classroom observations. Left the school at 6am with 2 other teachers. What should have been a 45 drive at 6am took an hour and a half. The driver doesn't get to Bangkok much I guess and he just didn't know exactly where we were wanting to go. So with much hesitation we got into a different taxi this morning and made the same trip. Except this time it took 2 hours and the guy was really lost. Add to that the morning rush hour traffic in Bangkok and the smog, and the smells, and the other teacher in the backseat who kept yelling at him when he made the wrong turn and then punching his arm when he ignored her..... That's it. I'm swearing off taxis in Bangkok. Had an enjoyable visit in the school and was glad for the opportunity to visit a different teaching environment and to talk with other teachers and students. The campus was beautiful and the faculty and staff all very welcoming and helpful. If they offered me a job I would take it in a heartbeat - if they moved it away from Bangkok. Too many taxis!

A Change in the Seasons

Back home they were hit with a big snow. Looks lovely and cold. I always like snow - especially if there's enough to give us a snow day. But it's almost the middle of March and soon the snows will give way to green grass and tulips. Here in Thailand we are about to change seasons too. The locals have warned me that there are only 3 seasons here: hot, hotter, hottest. We are just about to go into the hottest season. I went out to walk to the market around lunch time today and I got a taste of what they mean. The heat just bores down on you. Gave up the idea of walking and caught a motorcycle taxi. Did all my shopping in the shade and had a motorcyle bring me back. I've been back in my room under the fan since then. And this is just the beginning!

Seems the heat may have driven one of our neighbors up looking for some cool shade Friday. One of the teachers who lives on the first floor of the dorm went home at lunch to eat. When she stepped out on her patio to smoke a cigarette one of the wild cats that hang out around the building started hissing at something near the wall. Just about that time the neighbor, a hooded cobra, raised up and hissed back at the cat. Somehow in all the excitement she thought to grab her camera and get a picture. Not sure I would have been so calm. She promises to send me a copy of the picture and I will post it here as soon as I get it. In the meantime, I'm glad I live on the 2nd floor. Meant to look up cobras and see if they can climb. No, don't think I want to know. More later. Bye for now.

Take a ride on the local with me

Riding the Rails

Well, this past weekend's get away plans found me back in Kanchanaburi. I was there the first weekend in December for the reenactment show and to walk Hellfire Pass, but I really couldn't see everything in just one weekend, so I had to get back there. Got in late Friday night and after a light supper went to my room to watch the news. This is something of a novelty to me since I don't have a TV in my room or in the school. Fell asleep watching CNN Asia. Got an early start on Saturday morning. Rented a bicycle from a vendor around the corner from my room and rode out to the Don Rak War Cemetery. This is the main cemetery on the highway in town that is a gift from the people of Thailand to the Allied POWs who died in the camps during WWII. It's all Dutch, Australian, New Zealand, and British soldiers. The few American POWs who died at Kanchanaburi were repatriated to the US. Right next to this cemetery is a Chinese cemetery with lots of interesting looking markers. Both places are a chilling place to be at 6am as the sun is just rising. Rode back into the old town area and stopped at the Japanese Peace Park. It's sort of a sad place as it's so overlooked and looks like it's been vandalized. It's right next to the war museum but I didn't go into that one because it's more like a souvenir shop than a museum. Saw it last time and was greatly disappointed. There is a good museum on a side street by the cemetery that has a large window on the 2nd floor looking down into the cemetery. It's a great museum and worth the time if you get there.

Since I was up early I rode down to the bridge around 7am and noticed several people standing around with cameras. I hung out too and was rewarded with a picture of the morning train to Bangkok as it rolled across THE BRIDGE. That's when it dawned on me that I had seen THE BRIDGE. I had seen the reenactment of the story of THE BRIDGE. I had certainly seen the movie about THE BRIDGE. I had even walked across THE BRIDGE. But I hadn't ridden the train across and on to the end of the line at Nam Tok. So I bought a ticket and climbed aboard the 10am run. This is the regular weekend commuter so it was bare of any luxury. In fact, it was not hard to get in the mood of the history. Windows down (no a/c) allowed for the loud clatter of the steel wheels on the rail. Crowded with locals on their way to visit family in the small villages along the line meant standing for a little while. I did get a seat with a young family on their way to a picnic. After a little while it was mostly tourists aboard and not too many locals. We all marveled at the scenery. As you go around Wang Pho Viaduct the track literally seems to cling to the side of a mountain with nothing but air between you and the Kwai River way, way down below. Decided right then I have to take the river boat tour next time I'm there and see the track from below.

Arrived at Nam Tok in about 2 hours. The track ends there but at one time it did go on through the jungle and up to the line where Hellfire Pass was cut. There's a small station at Nam Tok, a picnic area at the foot of Saiyoke Noi Waterfall, and some food and souvenir vendors. Had sticky rice and gai (chicken) for lunch at an old trestle table in an open air restaurant with chickens pecking the ground under the table. Then I boarded the express train for the 5 hour ride back to Bangkok. Good news: I got to ride in an air conditioned car and saw lots of new countryside. Bad news: after the bike ride and all the train riding my tailbone is very, very sore today. Good thing teaching is a stand up job!

So back to school today and nothing but reviewing classes for next week's finals. Too bad I can't test them on Kanchanaburi.

Fred & Ethel's new digs: the babboons next door are real animals & very loud!

A follow up for Ann and something for Alice

Well, the school year is coming to an end here. In the teacher workroom everyone is alternately working on final exams and writing plans for summer school. Seems odd to say that in February but the morning program (every morning out on the terrace the student body lines up by grades and we sing the national anthem, recite the morning prayers and the school credo, then have announcements) I thought it felt warmer than usual for 8am. Then I noticed a couple of the high school boys were dripping in sweat just from standing there. And summer doesn't begin until next month!

So, with all the work week stress I decided to go out sightseeing in Bangkok this weekend. On Saturday I went to the zoo. Yes, the zoo. And rather than take a taxi, bus, or tuktuk, I walked the mile down a wide, tree-lined boulevard to the zoo. My walk took me past Chitralada Palace where the current king lives which happens to be across the boulevard from the zoo. The "moat" that runs between the boulevard and the palace property is filled with huge fish, turtles, and monitor lizards. In fact, I had to keep an eye out for the lizards as they tend to come up to the edge of the sidewalk to lay in the shade. Nothing more startling than tripping over one of those guys! At either end of the moat I was treated to a wonderful water show put on by huge water fountains. They look fabulous at night as I've seen them when driving by to go somewhere. Oh, and the armed guards walking on the other side of the moat and wondering about the crazy farang walking in the heat were a little unnerving. I've seen lots of armed guards since I came to Asia, but I'm still not used to it.

Despite the distractions I did finally make it to the zoo. Dusit Zoo (this area of the city is called Dusit) is world class. I happen to love the Asian elephants and always make time to see them. In the African exhibit the zebras, giraffes, and ostriches all graze together. I noticed that one of the informational signs had an excellent explanation of zebra stripes and breeds, so I took a picture and will post it to my blog for Ann. I know you wanted to know, but it makes me wonder if you have to look at them from the same angle as the picture was made to determine the breed. Hope not!

Alice, I hope you haven't been worried about Fred and Ethel. As you know, they tagged along on this trip with me. They were pretty upset about my leaving Phuket and all the seashores for the city. But I think they have found themselves a very happy home here in Dusit. Lots of girls for Fred to flirt with and feedings twice a day. And you know how they love to have their pictures taken. I'm posting pix to my blog on them too. But I hope something can be done about their noisy neighbors. They are real party animals - worse than 1007 Drummond!

On Sunday I did the tourist thing. Went to the river and got an all day pass to visit all the sights along the river banks. Temple of Dawn is the symbol that most people relate to Bangkok. I climbed to the top, which seemed like work until I looked down to see those steps. Going down is definitely harder. Where was OSHA and all their rules about steps 200 years ago? As I gingerly made my way down to terra firma I wondered if anyone had actually fallen on the way down. It was steep! Toured the Grand Palace and Temple of the Emerald Buhdha (which is really made of jade) and shopped the street vendors for lunch. By the way Alice, I passed 3 different vendors selling false teeth - full and partial sets! Now there's a souvenir you don't see everyday.

Whew! I was beat when I got back to my room and my feet were very tired. Going back to the classroom on Monday morning seemed like a rest after that weekend. But I'll have a week to rest up and by Friday I'll be ready to get out again. Besides, I feel sure that the students here are a lot like the ones back home. With 3 weeks of school left they'll be hard to keep on task and by the end of the week I'll need some time away from the school to wind down.

This One's For Ann

I had decided before I came to Thailand that any free time I had should be spent learning about the history and culture of the country and seeing famous and historical sights. Most weekends I do just that and I'm planning to do some more soon. But nothing was planned for this weekend since we had a training session that lasted most of Saturday. A large part of the session turned into a "air your beef" session where teachers were allowed to air their complaints about policies and problems so that management had an idea of any difficulties. I know I closed my eyes once and just listening to the problems made me think I was back in my stateside school. Topics like cell phones and proper clothing/wearing uniform correctly, etc. Seems teachers the world over have the same problems. Still, it was a good chance for everyone to work together and even though we lost a day of free time, we did some group work and this is a teaching team that works together well. It was nice.

Afterwards I decided to take a bus to the mall to look for new shoes. Since my feet aren't made like Asian feet, this could take some time. No luck, so I left the mall and went out to the bus stop. Somehow I got on the wrong bus but found out from a passenger who spoke some English that it would take me almost to where I wanted so I just sat back to relax and enjoy new scenery. As I was looking out the window my eyes landed on a wondrous sight - a herd (is that the right word?) of zebras. I thought of Ann and quickly jumped up and hit the signal button to get off at the next stop. As I walked back to the tree where they were resting I thought of how surprised my good friend Ann would be to receive a zebra from Thailand. I took out my camera (it's always in my purse) and started snapping pix. I was really enjoying this until I realized that they were made from concrete and even the smallest of the litter would cost a fortune to ship to America. Sorry, Ann. I love ya like a sister, but I have to draw the line somewhere. I'll keep my eyes peeled for "lighter" zebras.

And lest you think I only see concrete animals in the city, I'm posting a picture of a real, live elephant that I encountered on the sidewalk of the busiest street in Bangkok last Friday night. I was so amazed, and then sorry for the poor baby. He was small - as elephants go - but still he shouldn't have to walk around in all that noise and smog on hot city sidewalks and streets. Still, I guess it's better than manual labor on construction sites which I have seen the elephants used for. Also saw some elephants in Ayuttaya 2 weeks ago. They were letting people have elephant rides around the park, but I passed. Looked like a really rough ride to me. I really feel bad about Ann's zebra though. And that I had to walk a long ways to get another bus. But you'd do the same for me, right Ann?

Happy Hearts Day

Well, it seems that Valentine's Day is universal. I think that here, at least at this school, it is less commercial. Also it seems there is less emphasis on boyfriend/girlfriend (although that's still there, especially in the upper grades) and more on just expressing love of friends. Since today is Thursday it was also scouts day so all the students were in their uniforms. But that didn't stop them from proudly wearing all the heart stickers their friends pressed upon them. All day long boys and girls were putting stickers on each other. They especially liked the shiny ones, the ones with messages, and the puffy/3d ones. I feel sorry for the people who have to clean up all the stickers on the floors. I didn't see a single store-bought valentine. All the cards were handmade and many of them must have taken hours. There are some fine artists in this school. How ironic that my lesson plan for today's P6 Health class was sexual abuse! But we got through it fine and I left the class with lots of stickers. A fine day for all.

Pains of the Day After

Finally the end has come to a very long Monday. I must have walked too far and too long at Ayuttaya yesterday because all day long my knees and ankles have been hurting. Tonight I will take it easy and go to bed early too. But if I stay up too late with the lights on my roommate screams at me. He also doesn't like for me to have the air conditioner on and he screams about that too. Sometimes I think he just screams to be noticed. My roommate is a house gecko and as roommates go, I guess he's pretty easy to get along with (I guess he's a he, but I'm not checking). I got some pretty good pictures of him in the bathroom last week and added them to the blog. Usually he scurries off before I can get the camera ready. This time I was lucky. So, I will call it a day and get to bed early tonight. Don't want to be screamed at again!

Ever Been on a Milk Run?

Well, had I been looking for something exciting in the way of celebrating Chinese New Year here at school, I would have been disappointed. The Chinese teachers were off for 2 days, of course, but I was surprised to see how many "Chinese" students we have at the school. In one of my classes on Thursday I only had 4 students. Granted, quite a few of our students are either Chinese or descendents of Chinese, so I did expect to have some students out, just not 2/3 of the whole school. Well, so we played some Present Continuous Charades in English class that day. The school walkway was gayly decorated with Chinese laterns and paper decorations that the students made in Chinese class so I've added a couple of pix of that. But there weren't any parties, or special foods, or even fireworks. What a bummer.

So I decided to make my weekend more memorable. Sunday morning I took the train from Bangkok to Ayuttaya, the early capital of Thailand and home to ancient ruins that are just mind-boggling. Also mind-boggling is the fact that the train takes 2 hours to travel the 42 mile trip. I think it was what they used to call a milk run - stopping at every little station along the way. And then there were the wooden bench seats - for 2 hours - which I decided was better than standing which is is what I had to do on the return trip. At least the return trip only stopped at half the little stations along the way and lasted one and a half hours. Treated my feet to a massage at the train station. Got back to school after dark and sat in the quad to watch the stars for a while but it's a bit cloudy tonight. Still, nice to be back in my temporary home, put my feet up, and look over lesson plans for tomorrow.

Observation - Evaluation - Immigration

Wow! It's been a busy week already and it's only Tuesday night.

Came in Monday morning to learn that I was being evaluated by a director of an English program at a school in Bangkok as well as my department head. I won't lie and say I didn't notice they were in the room, but there was certainly no time to come up with some spectacular lesson to wow them. All the better for an honest evaluation. And mine was very good. I got some good tips as well from someone who's been in EFL for a while and a brief discussion of how very different this is from ESL. So, a big surprise, but it ended well. At the end of the day I learned that I would be leaving the school on Tuesday after my morning class to go to immigration in Bangkok to update/change my visa. Whoopee!

Luckily I was able to ride to Bangkok in a school van which probably cut one to two hours off the trip. Plus, there was no parking problem. I was also lucky to have my Thai friend from the office (who speaks very good English) going along with me.

Lots of lines. Lots of forms. Pasting those horrid camera shop photos to the forms. More lines, take a number, etc., etc. But 3 hours later we emerged victorious. Still, I will admit that without my friend along it would have been a daunting task. Even with her along, it felt a bit overwhelming. Glad that's behind. Next big deal this week? Happy Chinese New Year!

A Healthy Discussion

While back home in Tennessee kids, and teachers, are making plans for spring break, here we’re trying to end the school year. It feels awkward to say this, but I’m writing final exams on Feb. 1 and they are due in the office by Monday. The 07/08 year will officially end on March 14th with summer break from then till we begin again on May 15th. Of course, the summer heat is here so it feels like it should be summer break. I have a hard time believing it’s February. At home they’re looking at snow flurries and cold, cold temps. But one way I can tell it’s almost the end of the year is that all the students have a bad case of summeritis – difficulty concentrating on classes, focusing on vacation plans instead of homework, etc. Same disease strikes at home around April, right after prom. Nice to know that some things are the same the world over.

Another thing that I think is the same is health, as in health class. I somehow managed to get 4 health classes on my schedule. Twice a week I go to the P1 classrooms and discuss things like washing your hands after using the toilets with 6 year olds. That’s not bad although my singing voice was not really made for the scrub those germs away jingle. Twice a week I also teach health issues to P6 and M1 classes. Those classes don’t involve jingles, thank goodness, but the subjects probably don’t lend themselves well to songwriting: I Got the Puberty Blues or Sexually Transmitted Diseases Rag. Still, even without the singing I do manage to get some interesting reactions. Nothing like telling a room full of 12 year olds that boys will soon grow hair on their chins, chests, underarms, and other less public (hopefully) places. And while they act very blasé about the topic, I’m sure that many of the 14 year olds in M1 know where to buy X or other drugs within a mile or two or the school. Once again, half a world away from home and some things are just the same.

Duck Eggs and Fried Goldfish

I know this is two entries in one weekend, but I just had to write about my dinner. I was lucky enough to be invited to a large dinner this evening being put on by the owners of a local manufacturing business. The company was celebrating their 30th anniversary. I went along since I knew that one of the Thai women and the one Chinese teacher both could translate for me. Let me tell you what I learned tonight about Thai culture: Thai people love to party and entertain. Tonight was no exception to that rule. Thais also love to eat and to feed their guests well. From the moment we sat down at our table and were served appetizers until we got up to leave 3 1/2 hours later, food was being served to us. I can't begin to list everything but some of it was really interesting and some of it was just plain good. On the appetizer tray there were what looked like globs of sour apple bubble gum (something I've had some experience scrapping off the bottom of school desks). They turned out to be the best little dumplings I've ever had. I am very clumsy still with my chopsticks but I reminded everyone that we are all teachers and they should be helping me rather than laughing at me.

I also had some delicious prawns (Samutsakorn is a fishing port) and glass noodles. The duck was roasted and had a wonderful rich taste. There was a roasted pork leg, a platter of rice, as well as a fish that was on a platter with one eye looking up at me. I'm happy to report that the eye didn't deter me and that Mr. Fish was tender and flaky cooked with peppers, garlic, and basil. There was also a mixed fish and pork dish that was very tasty until my interpreter told me I was eating little fish. All I could think of were the kids' goldfish in the tanks at school. Didn't care for that dish. Back to ol' fish eye. There were 2 soups, one of which the Chinese girl swore to me translated as belly of the fish, but it tasted good. The other was Tom Yum. Finally there was a fruit plate to finish off the meal: fresh grapes, guava slices, and slices of what looks sort of like an apple and tastes sort of like an apple, but isn't an apple. But it's good too. So, it's 11pm and I'm so full I'm fighting to stay awake to finish writing this before tomorrow when I forget some of the things I ate. It was a great time and all the food made me wish my friend Gayle was here with me. She's a chef and would have really enjoyed the culinary show. And my friend Pam would have knocked out one of the waiters and taken him out back to get his apron for her Coke collection. I've got to find a way to buy one of those for her before I leave (it's easy to recognize the Coke logo but it's all in Thai).

Ok, gotta go and get some sleep. Lots of work to do tomorrow, and like I said, my belly is full and I'm sleepy. Sure hope those fermented duck eggs don't keep me up tonight.

shoes and bugs that bite in the night

No, the shoes don't bite here, but the bugs sure do. Thursday night I moved to a room on the second floor of the dorm. A much sunnier room with the tiniest balcony I've ever seen, but enough room to put out some potted plants and make me think I'm still a gardner. I think I will do all orchids which seem to grow like weeds here (sorry Ann). So, after the move I put things away as best as possible for the night and fell into bed exhausted about 10pm. Around 3:30 Friday morning I awoke in agony. In my sleep I had been clawing at my arms and they were inflamed. I could tell something had bit me but then what were all the red blotches and swellings? Luckily I had some cortisone cream which abated the pain enough to get me through the morning classes. Believe me, as soon as the last class was over I was in a cab on my way to relief. This was my first encounter with the hospitals in Thailand. Very different from American medical system although something like the VA. I was seen by a doctor who spoke very good English and explained that yes, I seem to be allergic to whatever bit me. Perhaps I left the door open and a mosquito or some other creature got in while I was moving my things. I left the hospital (which was beautiful and very modern) and was back at work with only 2 hours lost time and had 4 medicines to get me through the painful stage. All this for less than $30 US. A nice system, pleasant people, really modern, clean facilites. Still, I don't think the pain was worth it.

Now, about those shoes. If you've looked at the school's website (sunflowerschool.co.th) you've no doubt noticed that the students all wear uniforms. Same shirts, skirts, shorts, pants, even shoes. And, as is the Thai custom, the students (and even teachers and guests) remove their shoes before entering the classroom. This past week I've been having fun watching the kids bail out of a classroom for lunch or going home time - you know, then they really want to get out quick - and watching them put on their shoes. I'm amazed that 20-30 kids can rush out the door and find their shoes out of 20-30 idential pairs setting on a bench outside the door. The P1's (our first graders) are the most fun. They don't seem to care if they get the right shoes or not. I've seen them swapping out later on the playground. The important thing is to just get outside. The M1's (our freshmen in high school) are more discerning and will try 2 or 3 different pair until they get the right ones. Some try putting little clues on the shoes (tags, stickers, markings) but the principal always seems to notice and makes them remove it. I guess in a country where 4 or 5 people ride on the same motorcycle at the same time in heavy traffic at breakneck speeds, wearing the same shoes as someone with athlete's foot is a minor worry. More next week.


Vickie

Things Are Really Different Here

Once again I'm blogging on a Saturday. I didn't set out to only blog on the weekend, it just seems that my weekdays are so full, Saturdays are the first time I get to sit back and think over the week. For some reason I was really noticing how different things are here. I can remember back in the 60s (when I was a student, not a teacher thank you) and seeing some of the teachers out back of the school taking a smoking break. Now days in the US teachers don't even smoke on the school grounds. Part of our politically correct society. But when a frantic student came into the teacher workroom looking for her teacher to get a report card signed I only had to pantomine smoking a cigarette for her to know where to find that teacher. All the students know that teachers go out to the back garden for a cigarette on their breaks - at least all the teachers that smoke. I will say that the majority of the teachers don't smoke, but there are a few. But smoking in Thailand is not the taboo that it is in the US. The government does their part by selling cigarette packs with horrible images of black lungs and other cancerous futures that lie in store for those who partake. Fortunately it's one of the few sins I haven't taken up in my life and hopefully never will. Here's a link that explains the warnings and even shows a few. Pretty hideous. http://www.smoke-free.ca/warnings/Thailand%20-%20warnings.htm

The other odd thing I have really been paying attention to this week is shoes in the classroom. There aren't any. Every classroom has a long rack just outside the door for all students, teachers, and visitors to leave their shoes. Now for a country girl like me it's great to have an excuse to go around barefoot most of the day. Then again there is the issue of proper foot support which is an important issue as you age and spend all day standing on a concrete floor. One teacher I talked to said that he no longer removes his shoes in the classroom because he's beginning to have trouble with falling arches and he needs the arch support in his shoes. So far I seem to be doing fine with the barefoot teaching. I do usually wear socks though which brings around the extra task of making sure your big toe isn't sticking out of a hole. Especially if you're teaching the little ones who notice things at ground level better than most. The socks are more to protect my ankles after work when I go to the outdoor cafe just outside the school. Around sunset, while I'm enjoying my dinner is when the mosquitos are the worst and I have learned the hard way that bare ankles are a favorite entree for the little moskies.

Finally, the biggest difference in the classrooms here is the opening and closing of the class. The class leader of the day (a classroom role that changes daily & is posted on a chart somewhere in the room) states loudly "Please stand up." All students rise and wai (folded hands before their faces as a sign of respect) and say in their best English (if it's a Thai teacher they of course do this in Thai)"Good Morning (afternoon) Teacher. How are you today?" To this I answer I am fine and you. "I'm fine, thank you," is the usual class response. And they remain standing until the teacher gives permission to sit. Then they go back to being typical students (giggling, passing notes, ignoring the teacher, etc). When the tone sounds (we don't use bells here) to signal the end of class the leader once again instructs fellow students to rise and again I am wai'd with a final "Thank you Teacher Vickie." Then they all burst out into the hallway, struggle into shoes, and run off to the toilets, on break, the playground, lunch, whatever. I admit I was a bit taken aback the first time this happened but have gotten used to it now. I've learned to give instructions at the beginning of class while they are all standing if it's something I really want them to hear because no matter how badly they want to, no student will sit until given permission.

All these differences are what makes this a remarkable time in my life. Some days pass with no real surprises, others are packed full. But the most remarkable thing I've seen is the shoes. Since all of the students wear uniforms and matching shoes, how do they know which pair of shoes to put on? One day I'll find out the secret. Till then, it's back to writing lesson plans and grading workbooks.

Sports Day at Sunflower

This Friday was probably the longest day yet for me as a teacher in Thailand. And I didn't spend one minute in a classroom. It was Sports Day, a day when everyone comes out to play. All students and teachers were divied up into one of three teams: red, blue, or green (yours truly got to be a Blue). The evening before tents had been set up for shade around the soccer field in the center of the campus. Each team had its own tent and one tent was set up for the judges. Students began to show up early and eager to compete. The usual plaid skirts and white shirted school uniforms were left home today in favor of sport pants and a shirt in your team color. I walked over to the Team Blue tent to see if I could help out with preparations. I was impressed to see a beehive of work and most of it being done by the students. It's obvious that the students look forward to this day and know they have to do their part in the set up work. Balloons were being tied to tent posts and chairs were being lined up in the shade of the tent. I found a Thai teacher working in the back of the tent area and pitched in to help her fill the enormous water cooler and set up fresh oranges and cups for the athletes. We worked together well and just seemed to know what was needed without having to communicate which was a good thing since she speaks no English and I speak no Thai. Fortunately we both speak the language of smiles and I must say it made me feel good to help out with the work and feel like a real part of the team.
Soon there were opening festivities, including the lighting of a torch and the school's marching band, and the beginning of the games. On the track we had dashes, distance runs, and relays with competition at all levels. Each team had cheerleaders complete with practiced routines, taunting cheers, and colorful costumes complimented by loads of makeup and glittery painted streaks in their hair. All day the spirits stayed high and the cheers rang out (oh, did I mention that each team also had a drummer?). This is not the sort of place to be if you're put off by high levels of energy and noise. There was plenty of both to go around. After the track events, teams moved to the pool area for swim competition. Then a break for lunch. Finally, I slipped out to the air conditioned comfort of the teacher workroom for some quiet, cooling off time. But before the hour was up my rest was interupted by the news that all teachers were to report to the field for the next event. I'll spare you the full details here but tell you that I am very proud of my silver medal and if I never hop around in an old tote sack again in this lifetime it will be too soon. And where did Sara learn to go so fast in one?
The day went on with more competition until finally, after the last soccer game and the cheering competition, we all paraded out to the field for awarding of the team trophies and closing remarks. And lots of pictures, of course. I was beat. My day began around 6:30 and ended at 4:30. After all the clean up was done and students sent on their way, I walked out to the little store just beyond the school gate to buy some chips and a Coke to take back to my room. I was truly fearful I would fall asleep on the first chip. On the way back to the dorm I was invited to join the Thai teachers in a picnic on the ground. Don't know where the energy came from but I must say it was one of my best meals so far in Thailand. There was good music and lots of smiles and laughter. We were all tired and although the language barrier kept us from expressing it clearly, we all knew we'd done a good day's work. And I felt like a real member of the team, the Sunflower Team.

The 5 Senses of Thailand

It's another beautifully perfect day here in Samut Sakorn. Outside this morning I walked around the campus just admiring all the flowers and trees. It's incredible. This is definitely a place that excites all the senses. Here's my take on the subject.

SIGHT: red, orange, pink, yellow: all the brightest colors you can imagine seem to explode here in Thailand. From the flowers to the clothes to the food arranged in the open market stalls, hot bright colors are everywhere.

SOUND: horns honking: no matter where I go in this country, from Bangkok to Thung Song to Udon Thani, you hear horns - car horns, bus horns, and definitely motorcycle horns. But not angry horn honking like in crowded US cities (I admit to taking part in that a time or two). It's more like a polite warning sound as if to say, "Please notice that I'm back here about to pass you so you'd better move over and give me room."

SMELL: So many new smells everywhere, but one that remains a constant will always mean Thailand to me - Joss Sticks. There are little temples everywhere, big ones too. And all of them have burning Joss Sticks.

TASTE: Sweet, spicy, and hot. And frequently all three come in the same bite! I love it.

TOUCH: The one thing you seem to feel no matter where you go in the Land of Smiles is the sun. It's as if he rides just over your shoulder at all times and you wear this extra layer of warmth. In the early cool mornings of this time of year he feels good on your shoulders. By midday he's burning into your skin again. I understand so much better now why Thai people seek out even the smallest amount of shade.

Happy New Year

Hope everyone had a great holiday season. I know I enjoyed my trip to Laos and then coming back to my room in the teacher's dorm and just relaxing for a few days. But today was back to work day. And just like in my old school back in the states, attendance was low and tardies were high. But by the middle of the day things were back to feeling kind of normal. But normal for here in Thailand is not too much like normal for me.

Take my schedule for instance. I'm used to the American system where I have a classroom that I can be found in all day long except for one class period where I might be in the workroom making copies, or having lunch, or some other teacher-type function. The other 5 class periods of the day would see me standing at the doorway greeting students as they entered the room with each class being a different group. Here, I can be found at my desk in the teacher workroom preparing lesson plans or grading student work. That is until it's time for me to teach a class. At that class period I take the books and materials I need to present the lesson and I walk to the classroom where those students are waiting for me. In other words, the teachers rotate classrooms, not the students. And each day my schedule is different. Some days I teach more morning hours while other days I teach more afternoon hours. And while it does feel a little strange still, I have to admit that keeping the students in the room while the teachers move makes for a lot less hall traffic between classes. And having a varying daily schedule is nice for breaking up the monotony. I'm just glad I'm not the one who has to figure out the schedule!

The other odd piece of information for me as an American teacher is the idea that we are beginning the final quarter of the school year. Yes, our school year ends the second week of March and students don't return until May 15th. The month of April is a summer school program and the rest of the time teachers are writing new lessons, workbooks, etc. for the upcoming year. Some of us will even take some vacation. Again, it feels odd but I think I can get used to it. And even though the timing is different, I could sense a little of that "we're almost done with this year" attitude in some of the older students today. I think that some things about teachers and students are universal. We all look forward to reaching milestones whether it's moving up from P6 to M1 or being around "next" year to greet the new teachers.