Week two of being back in school (and my being back in the blogosphere) and much is going on. Due to the delayed start, school is extended to 4pm everyday and 5pm if you teach the extra period (which I do twice a week). Monday through Thursday I also tutor from 7-8 (7-9 on Thursday) but as it is far away I have to leave by 6:30. This makes for an awkward 1 to 2.5 hours in which I must finish any planning of my lessons and eat dinner. I usually come home from tutoring ready to go right to sleep, but I also have to find time to do grading and planning for my regular classes, grading of the student journals, and other various chores/errands. Additionally, we have had class on Saturdays in December (again to make up for missed time) and all this week and last we have had to come in a half hour early to work in order to do reading aloud tests with the students for an hour each morning.
So, my schedule is a bit hectic to begin with, but because I’m awesome (I only surmise this is the reason), I have had to miss classes—and more importantly my free planning periods—to record vocabulary lists or write up memos, letters, etc. for Miss Pat. Yesterday and today, Ashley and I do not have to go to Read Alouds but instead are giving dictation tests to the Secondary 5 and 6 students (my students). Apparently this is a largeish portion of their grade. Basically we read a list of 25 vocabulary words and the students write them down, give the Thai translation, and group every 5 into a subject category. For me this is kind of fun and a nice change up from the monotony of Read Alouds.
Also in the category of extra work I am made to do is exam correction. Supposedly, starting today, I, and a handful of other teachers, will be reading and editing the Formulative and Mid-Term exams. This means I will be missing my classes through Friday which is a shame because I’ve actually been teaching a lot this semester.
That, in a nutshell, is my day to day life these days. Now onto things of special note that occurred in the last week: I had my first class with my new Period 9 class, Primary 1 or first grade. They are adorable!! I have had them twice now and they’re great. They were so much better behaved than I was anticipating and than the third graders I had initially were. Also, some of them are very, very smart. I love my new class.
I also acquired new tutees on Thursday nights. I have three new Vajiravudh students who will not be leaving for New Zealand in January like all of my other tutees. They are in M3 or 9th grade and they are a pretty funny group. They’re fairly willing to talk, but less willing to write or do other “work” than my other tutees. But I like them a bunch so far and they remind me of my old Period 8 M3-ers at St. Gabe’s whom I no longer have.
Hilarity ensued this week when I had two really fabulous moments of both dazzling my M6 students with my knowledge of Thai language (of which I think they assumed I had absolutely none) and of bonding with them. The first was in 6/1. My teacher had stepped out of the room briefly and I was doing the vocabulary exercise with the class who was being decently behaved; only talking some. Then I was interrupted by a few students in the back corner causing a bit of a ruckus, shouting “Teachaa!! Teachaa! He farted!” and pointing—while smiling broadly—at their friend. I turn from the board, look their way, and hit them with a “Kai tot?,” a phrase I learned from my very mature neighbor who took it upon himself to learn only the most sophisticated phrases in Thai and which means “Who farted?” I think “awed and inspired” accurately sums up how the students felt about my employment of this phrase. They laughed heartily while simultaneously being very impressed. A quality bonding moment.
In 6/7 that same day, I had started the class alone because Miss Pimjai had to run an errand and she wasn’t sure she’d make it back in time. This is not too bad because 6/7 is always a small class and as it was Saturday, there were several absentees. Anyway, I get class started and everything is going fine and then Miss Pimjai returns to the usual chorus of “Krou PimJAI!” (This class loves to joke around with my coteacher, but as it is in Thai I don’t often have more than a vague idea what about.) A student said something about “krou farang” which I know to be me (“foreign teacher”) and Miss Pimjai said something back also about me. Then a student said both “krou farang” and “soi,” then Miss Pimjai said “krou farang,” some words, “soi,” some words, and “na ka?” to which another student responded with “krou farang” and “soi mak.” At this point I interjected with a laugh and an “I know what you’re saying!” (The exclamation because I was excited to understand). They had been saying I was “soi” meaning “beautiful” and “soi mak,” “very beautiful.” To this I gave a small curtsey and said “Thanks, guys!” and then moved on with the lesson.
Later in the lesson, the vocabulary word was “delicate” which I told them was a synonym of “fragile.” Miss Pimjai then began to explain in Thai that while “delicate” means “fragile” it can be used otherwise. She asked the students (as far as I could gather from context and the use of “Miss Jennifer” and “delicate”) what “delicate” means if it were used to describe someone like me in terms of frame or build. (Side note: I have never in my life been described as delicate and I think it might be among the more hilariously inaccurate descriptions of me ever.) One student day, rather enthusiastically declared “Sexy!” which was again hilarious. Miss Pimjai then corrected him saying it meant “slim.”
But a big thanks goes out to 6/7 for really inflating my ego on Saturday! It was hysterical and I loved it.
The last matter of note from this week was our John Mary Christmas celebration held on Sunday. We residents of John Mary (the American teachers) had set up a Secret Santa gift exchange. On Sunday, our only day off, many of us went to Chatuchak or Khao San or Central World to shop. We then reconvened in the evening to exchange. Despite some initial worries from some of us about others, it worked out so well! Everyone did a great job shopping and picked perfect gifts for their Secret Santa. I had had Stoll and since I’m around Stoll a fair amount, I got her all things she said she needed/wanted plus an ice cream bar she loves and a random cute dress for kicks. It was most successful! Connor had me and he gave me cash designated for a dance class at Rumperee (a studio in Bangkok where I have taken one ballet class before)! It was perfect! I was so surprised because I don’t know Connor very well, but he knew I like dance and looked up studios in Bangkok and how much classes were and gave me the “gift certificate” of sorts. I was so happy! We all laughed a lot together and took a group photo. It was a great time.
Now I really need to stop writing this and get ready for another busy day. I’m very much looking forward to Portugal at the end of this week!! Though, at the same time, it seems so unreal that Christmas is nearly here.
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