Settling In

Before leaving for Thailand, I had mentally prepped myself for being all alone in a rural town where I would not be able to converse with anyone in English.  I ensured I had enough books downloaded on my kindle (and also pirated all the Harry Potter audiobooks from the library) to fill my free time.  When I found out I’d be living in Chaiyaphum with two other people from my program (Brynne and Marina), part of me was a little disappointed that this would not be my “own” unique experience.  I would not have all the “struggles” of loneliness I had prepared myself for before I left.  However, after reflecting on it, I think I had things backwards.  I am an introvert and I thrive on being alone.  Very rarely do I feel lonely.  I enjoy sitting and reading books or binging on Netflix for hours and wandering around alone.  But I came to Thailand to grow, and I need to push myself to be more outgoing, to engage with others for knowledge and companionship and provide the same in return.  And not just with the 30 other western teachers that live here in Chaiyaphum, but with my Thai, Chinese, Filipino and Kenyan colleagues and neighbors as well.   I know that for everything I read and learn in books, I can learn twofold more by putting myself out there and interacting with new people of different cultures and backgrounds.  I am so beyond excited for that continued opportunity here in Chaiyaphum. 

My new apartment.  There is no kitchen, but I guess that is the perfect excuse to eat out every meal! 

Apartment pups! I will get to watch them grow up! -heart eyes-

We found a coffee shop in a tree house!

Chaiyaphum City Hall

Sunset photo taken from my 4th floor apartment

The lake near my apartment

Old temple ruins just outside of town

After exploring much of Chaiyaphum on foot for the first couple days, I decided that to truly embrace the Thailand experience, I’d need to get a motor bike.  Everyone drives a bike here and we actually felt less safe walking down the street (because there are no sidewalks anywhere) than we figured we’d would if we were driving a motorbike. For those of you who know me well, or have spent any time with me at all, you know my lack of coordination and ungracefulness is cause for some concern.  But I’ve channeled my inner Macklemore and have begun to gain confidence on the bike.  I’ve learned that there is a very fine line whilst driving between under-confidence, which leads to other drivers dominating you on the road, and over-confidence, which causes stupid mistakes. I am definitely still more cautious than other drivers, and will always remain cautious (I promise, Mom), but I am also having a lot of fun zooming around town. 

We're going to start a motorcycle gang called "Danny's Angels".  When we went to the shop to rent our bikes, we met Danny who graciously taught us how ride, helped us select our bikes and took us on a tour around town.  We found out later that he didn't even actually work at the shop, he just lived in the apartments above.  We then learned that he is a Filipino English teacher at another school, and he gave us the lowdown on all our new schools (each of us is teaching at a different school in town).  He also took us to the one Western Bar in town, "1 Bar" for trivia night where we met a lot of the other western teachers in town.  

My teaching experience thus far feels like I'm living in a dream.  There are multiple times a day where I feel like this can't actually be real life. For example, the other day was exercise day.  Of course, I don't know what occurs on exercise day since I am brand new. Turns out, nobody knows what happens on exercise day and nobody even knew it was exercise day until the day before.  I found out when the spunky Thai director of Foreign Languages, essentially my boss, pulled me (literally pulled me. She likes to affectionately, I think?, walk arm in arm with me) out of the teacher's lounge and told me she was taking me shopping for exercise clothes.  In the middle of the school day.  Luckily I didn't have classes until later in the afternoon.  Ostensibly exercise day was recently mandated by the Prime Minister for all teachers and students to work out together for an hour, which means all classes were cut short by ten minutes.  However when students already arrive 10-15 minutes late anyways because there are no passing periods here, meaning one class ends and the other is supposed to begin at the same time, exercise day basically meant no class.  When we were called down to the auditorium for our exercises (an hour earlier than we were originally told), the teachers spent the first 35 minutes of the hour of aerobics frantically taking photos while 3500 students sat quietly in rows watching mayhem ensue.  Thankfully, I don't consider myself type A, because if I did, my brain may have just exploded from the lack of efficiency.  Luckily, the chaos provided me entertainment, especially the exercises themselves, which largely resembled "The Carleton" dance** from Fresh Prince of Bel Air, prompting me to have Tom Jones' "It's Not Unusual," stuck in my head for the rest of the day.  

And today, I forgot my phone at home, but since my apartment is only a 5 minute motorbike ride away, I was able to run back after my first class, which happened to be inexplicably missing about 15 students.  On my way back to school on the main highway, I couldn't get in the main gates because the road was blocked by what looked to be a big parade.  There was a grand marshal, the school marching band and, among 200 or so other students, the other half of my first period class.  And when I asked the director about it after finally making it back, she nonchalantly explained that it was a parade for the greatest Robot prize from the Thai Princess.  Naturally.  Essentially my town is like a Thai Stars Hallow where seemingly odd things are actually the norm.  So, I should fit in just fine...

** For those of you unfamiliar with Fresh Prince of Bel Air, imagine Todd Kurtz style dancing.

The Foreign Language teachers at the morning assembly on exercise day.  I am the only western girl English teacher at my school.  P'Amy, the director/my boss is on the far left.  The P' prefix is similar to Mrs. or Mr. in English and should be used when addressing all older figures in Thai society. 

After exercise day.  Who knows if this will become a weekly thing.  Regardless, a poster with the Prime Minster in a sweatsuit (behind) was made to commemorate the occasion.  I meant to get a closer snapshot of the poster but forgot.  I think he'd make a good meme.

P'Amy and me.  She had our new shirts custom printed.

P'Amy, me and a couple of Thai teachers I don't know.  P'Amy is the queen of photo bombing.  She also had me photo bomb another department's group picture.