Thanks Noble Academy!

     This Thailand trip was different.  Reflecting on the differences I am aware of two changes.  In the first place is the familiarity of teaching in Thailand five times, four times at Wat Klong and three years of living with the same family.  In so many ways so familiar.
     However, the big difference is my relationship with the students at Noble Academy.  Their interest in my trip caused me to open my eyes.  It made me look for things that are unique to SE Asia that I've begun to look past because of my familiarity with them.  I tried to see through the eyes of Noble Students.
     This was a great gift to me. I think it is a truism that life is better, richer, deeper when we truly pay attention.  So, there I was back in SE Asia, an area that I find endlessly fascinating, with responsibility to see on behalf of the students at Noble.  This reality enriched my experience and made the whole trip and teaching experience more meaningful.
   I'm really looking forward to my return to Noble tomorrow (Monday).
   I have many pictures that have not been posted so I'll post some of them from time to time.

Cattle at the downtown temple.

Monk finger painting on the window.

Side view of the big Buddha statue.

Right side of 3rd grade classroom.

Left side of 3rd grade classroom.

Yet more pics.

Bangkok power grid.

Pictures from the downtown temple, Bangkok.

   The last post from Thailand tells about this temple in downtown Bangkok.

White water buffalo.

Feeding the buffalo.

Inside the temple.

Skyscraper  across the street from the temple.

Guarding the entrance.

The temple downtown.

Interesting characters.

Outside view.

Playing for donations.

Night market silk seller.

Home Again!

   After 5 weeks; shoes are uncomfortable, snow looks weird, carpet under bare feel feels strange, blankets in bed feel heavy, a meal with out rice?, cold seeps in and I can't go outside to warm up, a bed feels very soft.  I'm home again and may jet lag fade quickly.

Street performers in Bangkok celebrating Chinese New Year.

Noble Students: What is this?

Noble Students:  What are these flowers for?

Key maker's cart on the street in Bangkok.

Silk seller in the night market.

Final Post From Bangkok.

  The computers at the Guesthouse are so slow that I'm unable to upload any more pictures.  When I'm home, Valentine's Day, I'll post more pictures.
  Today I visited a Buddhist Temple a few blocks from where I stay in the heart of downtown Bangkok.  Was I surprised to find it had a stable with 16 head of cattle and 7 or 8 water buffalo. I've visited hundreds of temples in SE Asia but this was a first.  Worshipers were buying plastic bags of hay to feed the animals.                                                                               If I understand correctly that ritual offers the promise of eternal life.  How that squares with reincarnation I have no idea.  I think I got some good pictures including the temple against the background of the downtown sky scrapers.
   Noted:  Sign in a bathroom:  "Please do not deposit waste in the toilet."  No comment.   A note in the handbook for the Bangkok Christian Guesthouse;  "Absolutely no alcohol, smoking or durian allowed anywhere on the premises."  Seen on the street in Bangkok;  an older farang (western) man playing his guitar and singing for donations.  He wasn't receiving much. It perhaps didn't help that he was playing acoustic guitar next to noisy Silom Road.
   What will I miss about Thailand?  The weather, of  course, but beyond that there is much I will miss.  I'll miss the people I know in Ayutthaya and the energy of Bangkok.  It is so different here it's like living in a carnival or circus.  It's just so different that I find it endlessly  fascinating, like find that animal stable in downtown Bangkok    Much of tourism is going to someplace that's much like home to hang out with people like we know from home.  In some small way I've been able to live a little bit like Thai and interact with them as they go about their everyday lives. It's been another great experience.
  Now, just 24 hours of travel and I'll be home!
   

Buddhist Blessing.

  The day began with the blessing ceremony for Max' new business.  I was struck with the similarities to Christian blessings in similar circumstances.  A religious leader who, led a liturgy, though there were no congregational responses, sprinkled water on the facility and the people gathered (aspirges), received gifts of money and food for his temple and he brought two acolytes with him.  Max gave him $120., which in this economy is huge, and the friends gathered gave him more. I added my own silent blessing as the monk was doing his.
   Several of Max' friends were there as was her mother and step-father.  Poo took the morning off to participate and Gai also came.  A good time was had by all and now the business is officially open.
  Max plans to spend her days there, from 9:00 or 10:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. She has done a lot of work to get ready for the opening and the place looked great.  She's had to buy furniture, linens, dressing gowns and everything else  needed to operate.  We (Grace University Lutheran and other friends) provided some funds to help her get started.
  The monk started the blessing by finger painting Buddhist symbols on the window above the door.  The symbols are ubiquitous and very popular as a tattoo. I need to do some research on their meaning.
  PS  This just in. While I was typing the last sentence Max called me, I'm in Bangkok on the first leg of my trip home, to say that she had receipts of $24.00 today.  A few blogs ago I had reported that she came home excited because she had made $10.00. Let's hope that this is the beginning of something good.

Max' new business.

Monk finger painting.

Blessing the people. An acolyte is standing in the back.

Receiving gifts.

Random photo:  Gad, one of the students I tutored came over  this morning in  her school  uniform for a  photo  retake.

This 'n that.

   A post yesterday mentioned the king.  He's old, ailing and much beloved.  Thai are beginning to discuss the 'lese magste' law which makes it crime to criticize the royalty.  Say or write something derogatory and you're likely to end up in jail.  In most cases the king pardons the offender after a short time.
  A few years ago an Australian author was jailed for a book he'd written 20 year earlier.  The irony was that no one read the book until he was jailed.  He was eventually pardoned.
   It gets tricky because even discussing the law can be interpreted as being anti-royalty.  The king's daughter's and both of the king's son's wives are hugely popular and are on  TV daily doing feel good ceremonial things.  The son who will be become king is not very popular.  Succession will be interesting.

This is the first grade teacher, very spirited!  She's Muslim.

I miss them already!

Lacking a noise ordinance!

   If I were king of Thailand the first thing I'd do is ask the people to clean up the trash.  It's not unusual to see a car by the side of the road dumping trash in the ditch.  Any unclaimed spot around town is used as a dumping ground.
  My second action as king would be a request to turn down the sound.  The Chinese New Years fireworks have begun.  Loud speakers blare from temples and mosques.  Pick-up trucks laden with merchandise, even fresh meat, ply the streets with a sound track blaring, announcing their presence.  Motor cycles, tuk-tuks and other vehicles roar.  Dogs bark and howl.  Buses have split manifolds,  and straight pipes to enhance their sound.  Neighborhood parties blast ear splitting music through the night.  Could we have a little peace and quiet please?

I Spy asked for an ox but I found this cow in a confinement near the house.

The kitchen at the house, many are outside.

The kitchen.

Farwell Wat Klong!

    It was a grand farewell with food, a demonstration of ancient Thai dance and sword fighting, gifts and speeches as I said goodbye to Wat Klong School.  Among the gifts was a genuine Thai silk shirt and presents for my family in America.  Most volunteers only stay a few days at most so there is much appreciation that I not only come every year but I teach for four weeks.  They made me promise I'd come again next year.
   My farewell to the 3rd and 4th grade classes was tainted a bit by the absence of many of the best students.  They were off at an athletic contest.  When they are gone it takes much of the energy from the class and I didn't get to say goodbye.
  Tutoring the two students at home was delightful.  They came over so we could take pictures last night.  This morning I learned that their mother's were not happy about the pictures.  The girls were in their everyday clothes.  So a retake is scheduled for Monday morning at 7:00 a.m. when they will be dressed "appropriately."
  Every Thai student 3rd grade and above (perhaps younger, too, I don't know) know all the English words and music of Jingle Bells.  For the most part they don't have a clue about the meaning of the words.  It seems that Jingle Bells is universally used for teaching English.  A "one horse open sleigh" are words with out meaning.  Perhaps indicative of some (much?) of the Thai teaching.

This 2nd grader thinks I'm cool.

Pet and Hawa, grade 4.

Hanging out before school.

3rd graders not at the races.

Sword fight demo.

Classic dance demo.

Making snow demo. (Thanks Mrs. N., Noble School)

Snow.

Farwell pic.

Wearing my silk shirt with teachers.

The picture with the girls I tutored.

Last Day At School.

Climbing in  the pick up to go to the races.

Final assembly.

   Today I finished teaching for another year.  A longer report will follow.

The egg store.

   Following up on our decision to eat out once a week we went to the night market last night.  On the way home we stopped at the egg store.  Yes, egg store...it's all they sell.  Max bought three dozen which were then put loose into a plastic bag.  The next thing I knew I was sitting on the back of  motorcycle holding a plastic bag with 3 dozen eggs.  Cost?  $3.00 for 3 dozen.  Yes, they arrived home safely.

The egg store.

I told Max to buy some massage pants large enough for Americans...I think this is large enough.

Pork Fried Rice, my school lunch. (I Spy)

Crafts  made at school and given to me.

Testing the teacher.

   Seeing many students load up in two vehicles and drive off again today for a sports event lowered my spirits.  On my schedule of 3rd & 4th one day and 5th & 6th the next day, today was my day for 5th and 6th.  The sixth graders who left were the best students.  That meant I would not have them in class for the final time.  I've been teaching them since they were 3rd graders.
   Deciding to make the best of the situation I put the remaining 6th graders through the paces of what we've been working on.  It became a bit of a test of my teaching and the results were humbling.  They had learned some but not nearly as much as I had hoped.  It was clear that they had just followed the better students with out absorbing very much.
    The upside of the situation was that I had a delightful hour with them when I was able to attend to them on their level.  I hope I have done them some good.  They have not done very well in the other subjects either.

My, grade 5.

5th grade.