After 'eat rice'.

When I returned from Bkk yesterday, Shanda, a 25 year old woman from Queensland, Australia had arrived to begin her volunteer work. Last night Ed and Shera, a brother and sister from Buffalo, NY and Calif arrived. I'm pleased. I was concerned that it would be lonely after Liz and Kelsey left. It was never definite, but I don't expect Kelsey back, and Liz is home in Australia. All three newcomers are positive and mature.
I began the day with a 6th grade class. Minimizing my preparation time I had the same lesson plan for the 4th, 5th and 6th grade classes I teach today. It began with a copy of a map of the U.S., giving each student one, after the nice copier lady ran them off from a book. It seemed the 6th graders, my first class of the day, were struggling with it. I thought "oh great...and how am I doing to teach this to 4th grade?" It turned out to be easier because the 6th grade, ages 11-15, were more inhibited, beginning to worry about being cool, and not the difficulty of the material. One of the 4th graders asked, "Where does Obama live?" So, after Liz teaching them how to speak Australian they now have their first lesson in speaking Minnesotan. I have no intention of teaching spelling!
It turns out I did not need to worry about either my size or age intimidating them. They are like happy irrepressible children anywhere. However, they are well behaved and almost insufferably cute. A pout is a pout and a smile is a smile and the later predominates here in the land of smiles.
Today the girls are wearing white blouses, blue tie, blue skirts, white socks and Mary Jane shoes, which they leave outside the classroom (teachers don't). The boys have a white shirt, brown shorts and brown, knee high socks. (Just now two forth grade girls decided it was time to chase the birds out of the room with brooms until the teacher? intervened.)
One 4th grade class to teach and then I'm done for the day. That will give me plenty of time to plan my lessons for tomorrow when I'll teach one 2nd and one 6th grade class. Shanda has pre-school teaching experience so I'm hoping to be able to trade some classes with her; she taking the younger ones and me the older.
So that's the fun and excitement until next time at Wat Salapoon...guess I missed a cremation last week...maybe later.