So I gotta say, I was majorly taken care of during my stay in Nakhon Sawan (check the map – its in the center of Thailand, 4 hours north of Bangkok). Allow me to describe the last 2 days:
By 11:30am on Saturday I was checked out of my lovely guesthouse. I was very proud of myself because I told the taxi driver where I needed to go IN THAI and we even had some mild conversation going (what is that building? it’s a hotel? wow, it’s pretty, but it sure looks expensive!). I got to the bus station and once again used my Thai to buy my ticket and find my bus. I have been very surprised as to how little English people speak in Thailand. I guess I had been spoiled my first few days, but in “real” Thailand, most people don’t speak a single word. Thank GOD I learned a little Thai before coming – I knew there was a reason!
The bus ride to Nakhon Sawan was soooo luxurious! It had air conditioning and comfortable seats just like a greyhound at home. And we were served a cookie with some pepsi. I couldn’t help by think of the kind of transportation I was using only a year ago – car rapides in Senegal, remember? Man, what a difference!
Needless to say the ride was painless. I was met at the bus station by Mike Mulligan and he took me to the hotel he set up for me. I took a picture which I will have to post once I get stable – it wa paradise! I think it was nicer than any hotel I’ve stayed in in North America, and the best part was that I didn’t have to pay for it! The school covered the entire bill for two glorious nights!
Anyway, after dropping off my things, I went to the school with Mike and once again, what luxury! The school was nicer than my own elementary school – there are bathrooms in each classroom, a sweet playground, a ball room inside, a pool… the works. The contract’s pay is for significantly more than at Bamrung (the last school I visited) and I would only be teaching 40 students, instead of 500. I’d be teaching 3-5 year old each day. Sounds nice right? Well… it sounds only ok to me. After observing the classes, it kind of feels like you’re a daycare teacher rather than a real teacher. You pretty much just watch them play, organize crafts, and speak English to them all the while. They’ll get introduced to a concept each day, let’s say, the letter “A” and then will spend the rest of the class drawing apples or something.
There are several foreign teachers there, including 6 girls around my age. They took me out to dinner and for a night on the town, and once again this evening was paid for my Mike and the school. We had a lot of fun chatting and listening to Thai music (which is awful, for the record). I enjoyed their company – only problem is that they’re all going to be gone by the time I return. A few have been there a couple of years but the others are just ready to move on (I sense there are underlying issues with Mike perhaps).
The town itself is actually not quite a town – it’s quite big to be honest. So big in fact that you can’t really get around on foot. Trust me, I tried. All the teachers have purchased motorcycles – yes, motorcycles. Yikes – I can’t really see myself driving one, but they claim it’s a necessity.
The best part of Nakhon Sawan has got to be the park. It’s huge, with a lake in the center (which a circumference of 2km). At night the place is buzzing with young people playing sports – badminton, soccer, Thai soccer (a mix of soccer and volleyball – yes, hard to picture). At 5pm there is a free Tai Chi class and at 6, a very popular aerobics class. There are also several weight and cardio machines (like 100), and all of these things are free and take place in the open air. I could see myself there daily.
I am now in Ayutthaya, 87 km north of Bangkok. I left Nakhon Sawan this morning at 7:30 but didn’t get here until 2:30. That’s because the bus I took didn’t have an actual stop in Ayutthaya and I didn’t know this. You had to tell the bus driver you needed to stop there or something, cuz the bus stopped at several spots, but not Ayutthaya. So yes, I missed it, had to go into Bangkok, buy another bus ticket, and take the bus another hour and a half north. A padded pain in the ass if you ask me. But at least I’m here. I checked into a cute little guesthouse that was actually an old Thai teak house. No AC in the room, but it’s actually quite comfortable (and there’s a fan). So I guess my days of luxury are over, but it’s no biggie. They were nice and I truly appreciated them.
It’s the king’s birthday today. People here LOVE the king so it’s a big deal. Almost everyone is wearing bright yellow, the king’s color. Now I stand out even more than I usually do!
Anyway, keep those emails coming everyone! And enjoy that cold weather for me. Muahahah!
By 11:30am on Saturday I was checked out of my lovely guesthouse. I was very proud of myself because I told the taxi driver where I needed to go IN THAI and we even had some mild conversation going (what is that building? it’s a hotel? wow, it’s pretty, but it sure looks expensive!). I got to the bus station and once again used my Thai to buy my ticket and find my bus. I have been very surprised as to how little English people speak in Thailand. I guess I had been spoiled my first few days, but in “real” Thailand, most people don’t speak a single word. Thank GOD I learned a little Thai before coming – I knew there was a reason!
The bus ride to Nakhon Sawan was soooo luxurious! It had air conditioning and comfortable seats just like a greyhound at home. And we were served a cookie with some pepsi. I couldn’t help by think of the kind of transportation I was using only a year ago – car rapides in Senegal, remember? Man, what a difference!
Needless to say the ride was painless. I was met at the bus station by Mike Mulligan and he took me to the hotel he set up for me. I took a picture which I will have to post once I get stable – it wa paradise! I think it was nicer than any hotel I’ve stayed in in North America, and the best part was that I didn’t have to pay for it! The school covered the entire bill for two glorious nights!
Anyway, after dropping off my things, I went to the school with Mike and once again, what luxury! The school was nicer than my own elementary school – there are bathrooms in each classroom, a sweet playground, a ball room inside, a pool… the works. The contract’s pay is for significantly more than at Bamrung (the last school I visited) and I would only be teaching 40 students, instead of 500. I’d be teaching 3-5 year old each day. Sounds nice right? Well… it sounds only ok to me. After observing the classes, it kind of feels like you’re a daycare teacher rather than a real teacher. You pretty much just watch them play, organize crafts, and speak English to them all the while. They’ll get introduced to a concept each day, let’s say, the letter “A” and then will spend the rest of the class drawing apples or something.
There are several foreign teachers there, including 6 girls around my age. They took me out to dinner and for a night on the town, and once again this evening was paid for my Mike and the school. We had a lot of fun chatting and listening to Thai music (which is awful, for the record). I enjoyed their company – only problem is that they’re all going to be gone by the time I return. A few have been there a couple of years but the others are just ready to move on (I sense there are underlying issues with Mike perhaps).
The town itself is actually not quite a town – it’s quite big to be honest. So big in fact that you can’t really get around on foot. Trust me, I tried. All the teachers have purchased motorcycles – yes, motorcycles. Yikes – I can’t really see myself driving one, but they claim it’s a necessity.
The best part of Nakhon Sawan has got to be the park. It’s huge, with a lake in the center (which a circumference of 2km). At night the place is buzzing with young people playing sports – badminton, soccer, Thai soccer (a mix of soccer and volleyball – yes, hard to picture). At 5pm there is a free Tai Chi class and at 6, a very popular aerobics class. There are also several weight and cardio machines (like 100), and all of these things are free and take place in the open air. I could see myself there daily.
I am now in Ayutthaya, 87 km north of Bangkok. I left Nakhon Sawan this morning at 7:30 but didn’t get here until 2:30. That’s because the bus I took didn’t have an actual stop in Ayutthaya and I didn’t know this. You had to tell the bus driver you needed to stop there or something, cuz the bus stopped at several spots, but not Ayutthaya. So yes, I missed it, had to go into Bangkok, buy another bus ticket, and take the bus another hour and a half north. A padded pain in the ass if you ask me. But at least I’m here. I checked into a cute little guesthouse that was actually an old Thai teak house. No AC in the room, but it’s actually quite comfortable (and there’s a fan). So I guess my days of luxury are over, but it’s no biggie. They were nice and I truly appreciated them.
It’s the king’s birthday today. People here LOVE the king so it’s a big deal. Almost everyone is wearing bright yellow, the king’s color. Now I stand out even more than I usually do!
Anyway, keep those emails coming everyone! And enjoy that cold weather for me. Muahahah!
