Monday, January 13, 2014
Locating by Sound.
This Thai neighborhood is distinguishable by sounds. There are occasional tuk-tuks and motorbikes, but, because the house is at a dead end, there are not many. Birds call, pigeons, doves and others. Tokay lizards make there peculiar croak. Roosters crow, dogs bark, fight and often all howl in unison creating an unearthly sound. The Muslim call to prayer sounds faintly in the distance. Monks monotone chanting, amplified electronically, comes from the temple nearby. Sometimes there are gongs at the temple that sound like the report of a shotgun...accompanying a soul to??? Occasionally pick-up trucks with loudspeakers blaring, peddle fresh meat, fruit or who know what all, slowly cruise past. There is the tinkle of bells from pushcart vendors selling food and other commodities. Thai music wails from a neighbors radio. Chop, chop sounds as the grandma next door prepares the meal. Voices in conversation drift from nearby homes. Once in awhile a car horn give a brief toot.
Back at School.
The warm welcome from students and teachers included an opportunity for me address them all, via a translator, at their morning assembly. It was my first introduction to the third grade class so I'm leaning new names/faces,
I also taught 4th grade today and I remembered most of their names. It was heartening to see that they remembered much of the vocabulary I taught last year. Based on my experience learning Thai I've concluded that one of the best things I can do for them is teach vocabulary with pronunciation. I've found that with my Thai vocabulary (limited) I can negotiate fairly well even if I can't construct sentences.
One of the families from the school brought a special lunch as a treat today...pasta salad. The teachers politely thanked the family and as soon as the family left sent students to buy Thai food from the street vendors.
I also taught 4th grade today and I remembered most of their names. It was heartening to see that they remembered much of the vocabulary I taught last year. Based on my experience learning Thai I've concluded that one of the best things I can do for them is teach vocabulary with pronunciation. I've found that with my Thai vocabulary (limited) I can negotiate fairly well even if I can't construct sentences.
One of the families from the school brought a special lunch as a treat today...pasta salad. The teachers politely thanked the family and as soon as the family left sent students to buy Thai food from the street vendors.
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| "I Spy" question for Nobles students...what is this? |
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| "I Spy" for Noble showing school and Monday uniforms. |
Happy Surprises!
It was a warm welcome in Ayutthaya beginning with tuk-tuk operators Gai & Mai. At the house I was welcomed by the family including new son-in-law/husband and a new house cat. (The cat has upset the ecological balance by eating all the geckos.) Even the neighbors came over to welcome me back.
Just as I left last year Max opened her own Thai massage studio. Business was not sufficient to pay the rent and other overhead costs so she closed it and moved it to the house. She is also on call at another studio. Never one to let grass grow under her feet she also bought two commercial sewing machines and is sewing clothing on a piece work basis,
Piece work is not an easy way to make money. The machines, used?, cost $300. each. She is sewing small boy's shirts. She does all the sewing but not the button holes or buttons. Her pay is 29 cents per shirt, so, at that rate she'll have to sew 2000+ shirts to pay for the machines.
Two happy surprises for me. There is now a bed for me! No more sleeping on the floor and my first night on it proved it very comfortable. This blog is being composed on the new laptop at the house, which, Poo tells me was purchased so I wouldn't have to go to an email cafe. A number of other improvements have been made both inside and outside of the house.
Just as I left last year Max opened her own Thai massage studio. Business was not sufficient to pay the rent and other overhead costs so she closed it and moved it to the house. She is also on call at another studio. Never one to let grass grow under her feet she also bought two commercial sewing machines and is sewing clothing on a piece work basis,
Piece work is not an easy way to make money. The machines, used?, cost $300. each. She is sewing small boy's shirts. She does all the sewing but not the button holes or buttons. Her pay is 29 cents per shirt, so, at that rate she'll have to sew 2000+ shirts to pay for the machines.
Two happy surprises for me. There is now a bed for me! No more sleeping on the floor and my first night on it proved it very comfortable. This blog is being composed on the new laptop at the house, which, Poo tells me was purchased so I wouldn't have to go to an email cafe. A number of other improvements have been made both inside and outside of the house.
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| Poo's and Tong's wedding picture. |
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| "I Spy" Banana plant for students at Noble School. |
Sunday, January 12, 2014
Sign of the time!
This will be my first and quick, (I'm waiting for a tuk-tuk) post from Ayutthaya. Bangkok's all aflutter about the planned protest tomorrow. The majority party are known as the Red Shirts. The opposition party sponsoring the protests formerly were known as the Yellow Shirts...yellow is the royal color. Now they've adopted the colors of the national flag...red, white and blue...and whistles, which, when blown by thousands of demonstrators, make a deafening roar.
Traveling from Bkk to Ayutthaya today I took the Sky Train to the mini-bus loading area. As we left the mini-bus loading area the driver pulled over and bought a whistle from protestors. He held it up for me to see and said "I stopped, I hold whistle and say I friend." Then he laughed to tell me it was not conviction but expedience.
My peeps in Ayutthaya have been anxiously calling me to check on my arrival. It has made for some very interesting bilingual phone conversations. Those conversations are much easier face to face. First day of school tomorrow!
Traveling from Bkk to Ayutthaya today I took the Sky Train to the mini-bus loading area. As we left the mini-bus loading area the driver pulled over and bought a whistle from protestors. He held it up for me to see and said "I stopped, I hold whistle and say I friend." Then he laughed to tell me it was not conviction but expedience.
My peeps in Ayutthaya have been anxiously calling me to check on my arrival. It has made for some very interesting bilingual phone conversations. Those conversations are much easier face to face. First day of school tomorrow!
Friday, January 10, 2014
Bangkok Nursing Hospital (BNH)
BNH was founded 115 years ago and was the first hospital in Thailand to access foreign medical insurance. The lobby is reminiscent of a five star hotel. The 4th floor open air atrium boasts palm trees and green grass. It's the hospital where I recuperated from my Laotian hiking accident a few years ago and is about three blocks from my guesthouse. The BNH card that I carry since that time expedites the paper work.
Needing a refill of the prescription of a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicine I carry for migraines I went to the pharmacy at BNH today. Pharmacy said I'd need to see a doctor in internal medicine and directed me to the 4th floor.
After a 3 min. wait in internal medicine a nurse weighed me, 98 kg, took my blood pressure, 113/76, and sent me back to the waiting area. Fifteen minutes later I was ushered into the doctor. He asked me a number of questions, examined me and wrote the prescription which pharmacy filled.
Charges were as follows. Physician Evaluation 500B ($15.00), Nursing Charges 200B ($6.00) Medication (90) pills 1800B ($54.00). So the 2500B total is $75.00 and there are enough pills to last me at least two years.
The whole experience took about a half hour on a Saturday morning when I went without an appointment!
Needing a refill of the prescription of a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicine I carry for migraines I went to the pharmacy at BNH today. Pharmacy said I'd need to see a doctor in internal medicine and directed me to the 4th floor.
After a 3 min. wait in internal medicine a nurse weighed me, 98 kg, took my blood pressure, 113/76, and sent me back to the waiting area. Fifteen minutes later I was ushered into the doctor. He asked me a number of questions, examined me and wrote the prescription which pharmacy filled.
Charges were as follows. Physician Evaluation 500B ($15.00), Nursing Charges 200B ($6.00) Medication (90) pills 1800B ($54.00). So the 2500B total is $75.00 and there are enough pills to last me at least two years.
The whole experience took about a half hour on a Saturday morning when I went without an appointment!
Bangkok again!
Changes...i pads and smart phones are rendering email cafes obsolete. I'm using a frustratingly inadequate set up the Bangkok Christian Guesthouse. I'm hoping for better access when I get to Ayutthaya where I teach. I'll go tomorrow, Sunday, and start teaching Monday. I guess it's time for me to upgrade my technology..
Big anti-government protests are scheduled to shut down traffic in Bangkok Monday. They propose to close 20 key intersections which will paralyze road traffic which is always at or above capacity. The elevated train (Sky-train) and subway will be jammed. It remains to be seen if I'll be able to return to Bangkok for my weekend R & R.
The protesters don't like the government and are trying to block the planned elections. They're in a pickle because they are the minority and haven't won an election in 10 years and will lose again if there's an election. The government is afraid to call out the police for fear of violence and backlash. Also the government is less popular in Bangkok. Again "when elephants fight the ants suffer". Army coup?...possible.
Changes?...I walked through the local McDonald's and it's half the size it was last year. In the past I've seldom heard sirens in Bangkok. Yesterday I heard 3, including one on an ambulance that wailed for ten minutes in one place as it was stuck in rush hour traffic on Silom Rd.
Weather you ask? Perhaps 90 yesterday.
Big anti-government protests are scheduled to shut down traffic in Bangkok Monday. They propose to close 20 key intersections which will paralyze road traffic which is always at or above capacity. The elevated train (Sky-train) and subway will be jammed. It remains to be seen if I'll be able to return to Bangkok for my weekend R & R.
The protesters don't like the government and are trying to block the planned elections. They're in a pickle because they are the minority and haven't won an election in 10 years and will lose again if there's an election. The government is afraid to call out the police for fear of violence and backlash. Also the government is less popular in Bangkok. Again "when elephants fight the ants suffer". Army coup?...possible.
Changes?...I walked through the local McDonald's and it's half the size it was last year. In the past I've seldom heard sirens in Bangkok. Yesterday I heard 3, including one on an ambulance that wailed for ten minutes in one place as it was stuck in rush hour traffic on Silom Rd.
Weather you ask? Perhaps 90 yesterday.
Monday, January 6, 2014
Minus 20 to 91 above in 24 hours.
It's that time again. It's time for my cross cultural plunge into life in Thailand. Recently I read a comment from an American living in Thailand who said "Thai and American cultures are fundamentally so different that offense is inevitable." True or not they are radically different. One small example is that there is no word for 'guilt' in Thai...the idea doesn't even exist.
This will be my 6th year teaching school in Ayutthaya and the 5th in Wat Klang School. Last year's 6th graders have moved on to junior high and I'll have a new group of 3rd graders. I expect to see all the same teachers but a new principal because of a retirement. The teachers have included me in their group which increases my satisfaction at school.
For the 4th year I will stay with the same family. Poo, (pronounced Poe) the 25 year old daughter, got married in November. Her husband, Tong, has moved into the house. I met him last year. They are keeping a place for me to sleep on their floor. :)
Thailand has been unseasonably cold with day time highs in the low 80s and the low 60s at night. I'm guess they have been very uncomfortable...they probably bought parkas! It will probably be 10 degrees or more above that by the time I arrive.
My flight is at 1:10 pm Wednesday (1/8) and I will arrive in Bangkok at 1:00 am Friday morning. The flight is direct to Tokyo, 12 hours, and then 6.5 hours to Bangkok. Why do we have to go through security in Japan just to change planes? At least we don't have to take off our shoes.
The students at Noble Academy have sent an "I Spy" list with me again. I'll be searching for items on that list for pictures plus adding some of my own mystery pics. It helps me pay better attention to my surroundings.
Assuming that I can find internet access I'll blog regularly from Thailand. I've been cautioned not to rub in the temperature differential between Thailand and Minnesota.
So....'till Thailand.......
This will be my 6th year teaching school in Ayutthaya and the 5th in Wat Klang School. Last year's 6th graders have moved on to junior high and I'll have a new group of 3rd graders. I expect to see all the same teachers but a new principal because of a retirement. The teachers have included me in their group which increases my satisfaction at school.
For the 4th year I will stay with the same family. Poo, (pronounced Poe) the 25 year old daughter, got married in November. Her husband, Tong, has moved into the house. I met him last year. They are keeping a place for me to sleep on their floor. :)
Thailand has been unseasonably cold with day time highs in the low 80s and the low 60s at night. I'm guess they have been very uncomfortable...they probably bought parkas! It will probably be 10 degrees or more above that by the time I arrive.
My flight is at 1:10 pm Wednesday (1/8) and I will arrive in Bangkok at 1:00 am Friday morning. The flight is direct to Tokyo, 12 hours, and then 6.5 hours to Bangkok. Why do we have to go through security in Japan just to change planes? At least we don't have to take off our shoes.
The students at Noble Academy have sent an "I Spy" list with me again. I'll be searching for items on that list for pictures plus adding some of my own mystery pics. It helps me pay better attention to my surroundings.
Assuming that I can find internet access I'll blog regularly from Thailand. I've been cautioned not to rub in the temperature differential between Thailand and Minnesota.
So....'till Thailand.......
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