Week 1—Thailand

What a week. I am still taking it all in. Living for the moment. I am heading into a three day weekend. My roomie and I have big plans to hit the beach and trek up to Phraya Nakhon Cave. This is a cave temple outside of Hua Hia, google it, bask in the amazement and my current gloat status.

After this lavish weekend, the next three weeks are packed with TESOL training. I’ve spent the last two days sitting in a classroom absorbing as much as I can. This week has had a heavy emphasis on learning Thai as well as Thai culture. I mean, how else are you going to get 30+ Thai children to pay attention, if you don't know how to yell stop (pronounced as YOOD ) in Thai? My sister, who has been teaching school for the past 7 years, has always said classroom management is the foundation of teaching. If you can’t get control of your classroom, how the heck are you going to get anyone interested in the subject. I feel really lucky to have 3 family members, my mom,dad and sister with years of teaching experience from pre-k to college level.

Earlier in the week, I visited a rescue shelter for stray dogs, I also visited an elephant refuge, and a muy Thai gym. Muy Thai is Thai boxing and the national sport of Thailand. After that it’s badminton, which makes me giggle, because it is the totally opposite of boxing. At some point I want to go to a muy Thai fight, more on that later.

Cool history fact about pad thai. This dish was invented after WWII. Two army captains overthrew the monarchy, one was heavily influenced by Italian culture and wanted to invent a Thai spaghetti and hence pad thai was born. Eventually the monarchy took back over, but pad thai stuck... and here we are today.

I really haven't had that much pad thai. I’ve been eating a ton of street fruit (it’s safe and delicious, chill out). I think I have made friends with a local vendor because he sometimes gives me free fruit. The food is spicy, its amazing. AMAZING. I ate 5 brownies tonight on a beach, I have no regrets.

Also, bum guns.. these aren’t bidets. It’s literally a stray gun that is hooked to a hose, just like the spray nozzles on a kitchen sink, but you aren't washing ya dishes. You are washing ya butt. Yep, it feels like the coldest water in Thailand. You aren't allowed/suppose to put any kind of paper in the toilet. Toilet paper is mainly used for drying not wiping. That’s been an adjustment and if you put to much toilet paper in the toilet it over flows…then everyone knows...

Exciting news! I could potentially be getting placed in the south of Thailand near Malaysia, a school is interested in me there. More later. Posting more photos under “snaps tab” of elephants, muy thai, some classroom shots and a few songthaew rides with the TESOL crew. Enjoy.

Phraya Nakhon Cave