สวัสดีค่ะ

My new address is:
2/1 Soy Prachasuksan
Muang Nakhon Phanom City
Nakhon Phanom Province
48000 THAILAND
If you would like to look at videos from my trip I am uploading them at www.youtube.com/user/emma1elizabeth

"The aim of life is self-development. To realize one's nature perfectly - that is what each of us is here for. "

"See things as they are and write about them. Don’t waste your creative energy trying to make things up. Even if you are writing fiction, write the things you see and know."

Sometimes my weeks are full of adventure,
And sometimes my weeks are relaxing and slow.
So please be patient with updates,
You want to read them as much as I want to write them.
Peace and Love.

PS. As this is an imperfect world and as this adventure I am on is full of unexpected surprises, I would like to apologise in advance for any comments that may seem offensive or full of frusteration. This whole experience is new and exciting for me, but there are things that I find different and frusterating. I'm not writing about them to complain, but to write the truth of my exchange, the people I meet and all of the places I go to. Because if everything were perfect, it wouldn't be an adventure... it would be a vacation.


Friday, August 22, 2008

Say Goodbye to Rulers and Notebooks

Schedule:

Monday > FREE > Thai > Biology > English > LUNCH > Math > Chemistry > FREE
Tuesday > Math > Thai > Biology > PhysEd > LUNCH > FREE > Thai Dancing > Thai Dancing Wednesday > Thai > Chemistry > Math > Guitar > LUNCH > English > FREE > FREE
Thursday > FREE > English > Thai > FREE > LUNCH > Math > FREE > Glass Engraving Friday > Chemistry > Thai > Guitar > FREE > LUNCH > English > Drama > Homeroom

"Un-Young, Klao, Kulap and Kate" > I am wearing the sports uniform, they are wearing the general uniform.

To say the least, school is still interesting. People still ask for a picture with them and everyone always asks me "Gin khao mai ka?" which really means "have you eaten rice?" [it's more of a greeting than a question]. I love this school, all the students and the teachers. I have NO idea what is going on in any of my classes but I like being a part of them even if I do spend my time writing in my journal or reading books. I am taking classic highschool classes: Biology, Chemistry, Math, English, Thai, PE, Drama but I am also taking creative classes: Thai dancing [mostly hand movements and small steps], Guitar and Glass Engraving [I am learning how to carve pictures into mirrors to make them look decorative]. The only classes I am somewhat productive in are:
Thai [I have one on one classes with a different English teacher every day, which sometimes they don't show up to so I have attempt mission impossible and teach myself]

Guitar [Once I've learned the C Scale I can read the music and pick simple songs]

PE [Gym is gym in every language and badminton is badminton]

I am horrible at Thai dancing, my wrists clicked for days after my first class and as easy as it looks it really strains your arm muscles. English is quite pointless as the English they are learning is for foreign students so it would be much too easy for me to study. I do help my friends sometimes when they are not sure of something. All the rest of my classes are spoken fluently in Thai and so I have no idea in the world what is going on. I attempt to write down equations on the board in Math but they are written in Thai script and although I understand the diagrams in Chemistry, I can't really learn anything if I don't understand the explanation. I also have many free periods where I tag along with friends to their classes and sit in another classroom where I have no idea what is going on, or I will get food and sit in the courtyard and memorise the Thai alphabet. Thursday I had 4 free periods, it was a very boring day.

I have been learning some interesting games though. My gym and guitar class 5/1 invites me to play games with them at lunch most days and we teach each other. There is one game where you have a bunch of star shaped chains and you pick one and then you have to throw it in the air and pick up some and then catch it again. Whoever can pick up the most wins I think. I am not too skilled in that area. Then there is a Pepsi game where you have to remember what people say and there is an order to what you need to say and if you mess up you get a "stupid line". People draw a line down your arm for everytime you mess up so that people know that you lost. They draw stupid lines for most games where you mess up and though I have never got one some people have 6 or 7 or 8 by the time that lunch is over.


I didn't think that school could be so different than in Canada. To start, there is no such thing as being late. Punctuality isn't taken into consideration and the teachers definetely do not seem to mind when students walk in 10, 15 and 20 minutes late. This is the same for role call in the mornings. Secondly, if a Canadian teacher ever taught a Thai class they would probably have a heart attack. At first I thought it was just one of my classes that was extremely rowdy but it turns out that it is not impolite to talk while the teacher is explaining something, or to walk around the classroom and socialize when students are making presentations. It almost frusterates me how the discipline in the classrooms is so lenient. I was really excited to hear that my English class was putting on presentations but even though I sat in the front row of the classroom I couldn't hear a word over all the chatter. I wonder how the students can learn anything over so much noise but I guess it is just different coming from classrooms where you get in trouble if you talk too much. I asked the Thai students who have been to North America on exchange and they said they thought that North American teachers are very strict and that they are used to talking during class and that it doesn't seem weird to them at all. They definetely noticed the difference between a school in Canada and a school here though. Thirdly, the teachers joke around with the students as much as they do with each other. They call them fat, ugly, beautiful, chubby and everyone laughs. No one seems to be upset by insults and I don't think I have seen anyone in a fight yet. Everyone is always smiling. Also, the school is not just one building. It is a campus like a university except without dorm rooms. There are seperate buildings for different subjects [which makes it a pain when it is pouring rain and you have to run from building to building] and some classes you have to take your shoes off before you come inside. The library is really nice, I have been there to look at the English books but unfortunately the book I wanted to read on World History is not allowed to be borrowed. I was hoping that I would be able to borrow a book to read during my classes so that I could learn SOMETHING but I guess I will have to make do with sleeping and talking [that's fine with me]. In the cafeteria you can buy so many things: doughnuts, water, noodles, rice, seafood, som tam, tam yun and all sorts of packaged goodies!
I love school, it has got to be one of my favourite parts about Thailand so far. Once I learn more Thai it will be more enjoyable, but I love being around people my own age and not being stuck inside my house. I finally have people to hang out with after school whether we go on bike rides, out for dinner or to buy crepes. I have been invited to a birthday party for my friend Aom and my friend Ai is going to teach me to play tennis. I love making friends, it is such a wonderful feeling to have people to talk to. They want to learn English [and some of them Spanish which I am happy to help them with] as much as I want to learn Thai. We help each other. We are the best team you could think of.

"You're there and I'm here... There's something wrong with that"

Kulap
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