At The Night Market

     Gai's family took me to the night market for dinner to say goodbye.  We had a lovely setting along a canal.  The historical district of Ayutthaya is an island, essentially square, with rivers on three sides and a canal on the fourth,  This was the capital of Thailand and the water served as a defensive barrier.  It wasn't enough, however, the Burmese army over ran it in an invasion (1765-67) defeating the Thai army and destroying the city.  The capital was then moved down river, away from Burma to Bangkok (Krung Thep).
    Both Mai, now 17, and Ploy, now 16, had recent birthdays so after dinner we went shopping,  Naturally 9 year old Pearwa could not be left out.

Row boat on the canal

Truck engine poweres 'long tail' boat

Dinner table

Mai and Ploy

Girl cooking in the night market

Pearwa shopping

Game Day

     Today I had my final classes with 5th and 6th grade.  The 6th graders actually graduate tomorrow. It was time to have some fun so I made it game day.  They were not familiar with the old "pass the thimble (bottle cap)"  but they quickly caught on and thought it great fun.  Not only did they know "drop the handkerchief" they have a chanting clap that they do in unison as they play.  I've taught what I can, their term is over, I'm going home...'let's play.'   That goes well almost anywhere but the Thai are especially keen on having fun..."sanook'.  My plan is the same for the 3rd and 4th grades tomorrow.

3 & 4 years olds at lunch

Cucumbers and silverware

In the computer room

Boys raking before school

6th grade playing pass the bottle cap

Ramblings

      In the hotel in Ch-Am I watched some Aljazeera on TV.  That was a first for me and I was positively impressed.  It was just after the Israeli prime minster spoke to congress.  They presented a half hour analysis featuring two Americans and one Israeli.   It was very respectful discussion in spite sharp disagreement which considered the issue in depth.
      There was also an hour long feature on the place of women on the world.  The most ardant feminists would have been quite statisfied,   The status of women in the Middle East got balanced and significant coverage.
      And then there's this positive: no Wolf Blitzer!

Pictures

Mee eating breakfast bought on the way to school

With 4th grade in library

Twins Lila and Nada

Reed and Munhid

No lock toilets

I'm in the light pants

Hula hoop while standing on the backs of others

Pictures

Hawa, Meena and Belle, grade six

Principal lauding the haircuts

Sunset from the house

Morning line up from the 6th grade side

Tightener on bamboo scaffold

Thought it was cooler today so I checked the temperature and it was 98.

Different Values

    There's a new cook in the kitchen at school...different from last year and there were two then.  This year teachers have be involved with the cooking as have students from the 6th grade.  Today when I taught 6th grade three of the most proficient students were in the kitchen.
  This pattern has caused me to wonder about the efficiency of using teachers and students to cook. The pay scale for teachers is much higher than for a cook.  Students could benefit from additional class time.  Why, I wondered, rely on teachers and students?  Teachers also go to the market to buy food during school time.
   It was time to ask I decided.  The answers spoke volumes about values.  The dialog went something like this.  "Why use teachers and students in the kitchen when they could be in class?"  "I love my students so I like to cook for them."  "Couldn't you show your love by teaching them more?"  "But there's only one cook and she wouldn't have the food ready when the students come to eat?"  "Why don't you hire another cook?"  "Because the cook doesn't have any friends who are interested."  "Why do you have this cook?"  "Because she is a friend of ours."
   That's where the conversation ended...it's a matter of values and when it comes to values we always think ours are right.

Student line up from the 3yr old side

Dogs welcome at morning line up

Teachers talking while students lead

Students leading while teachers talk to each other

Two Sewing Machines

     They're not Singers, but, I bought two sewing machines today and unlike my mother's they aren't foot powered.  Poe has been working as a bookkeeper/accountant.  She gets paid 37 baht per hour, which is slightly more than a dollar, for regular time which is 48 hours a week.  That's 8 hours a day six days a week with Sunday off.  She's now on overtime so is working 6 twelve hour days and her over time pay is 54 baht per hour...which is still less than $2.  Her university degree qualified her for this position.  She is on day shift for two weeks then night shift for two.  Her bus fare is 150 baht per day  round trip to work or about $4. There is no paid vacation, sick time or pension benefits.
    When Met, Poe's mother, was twelve she was sent to Bangkok for a month to learn how to sew. Two years ago I bought Met two sewing machines which she uses to supplement her income from doing Thai massage.  Those sewing skills she learned as a girl have come in handy.
    Keeping up the tradition, Met sent Poe to sewing classes when she twelve.  Poe has decided she'd rather sew than work as a bookkeeper.  I did the math and it makes sense to me on a number of levels,  Currently Met is finishing athletic shorts for which she gets paid 27 baht each (32 baht = $1.).
If Poe only sews 2 per hour she's equalled her overtime pay and she can easily do several more than that. Other benefits include not having to pay bus fare, working from home, not working twelve hour shifts and not working nights.
   The machines are commercial grade.  One will have two needles and the other will be equipped with four.  Met's two machines are similar; one has two needles and the other five.  She has found that she seldom needs five needles so having only one machine like that will be adequate for the two of them.  The total for the two machines including the tables was approximately $450.
 

   

The five needle machine

Met at her two needle machine