Picture a day August 31

For Nak Suu, we go to a field not far from here in the labyrinth of back streets. There's a small pavilion area where we do the teaching time, and four or five soccer fields, we rent one to use for the rugby time. At the back of the property there are bathrooms, and this house, where the owners live. When it first started going I thought it was pretty strange that they lived there, but I guess it makes sense. They own the property already, there is plenty of space, and there is plumbing for the bathroom and electric for the lights in the field. 

Picture a day August 30

This mini market pops up occasionally in the front of my apartment complex. They have clothes, jewelry, and some food. Always stuff for sale around these parts! 

Snarky Teacher

There is a person who visits my classroom from time to time, I like to call her Snarky Teacher- along the same lines as Pheobe's Smelly Cat, only with two syllables. She usually makes only occasional appearances, mostly within the last six weeks of the school year. Not this year. I'm not entirely sure why Snarky Teacher is so present this year, but I do think it's a sign that burn out is here, or coming. I know it has everything to do with me and nothing to do with the children. Their behavior is no worse than any other year. In fact, it may even be better. It's hard to say, I'm too busy being sarcastic to notice.

On the immediate level, I have now cut out just about every after school activity that involves students. At first I was unsuccessful in trying to quit one of the activities (What's up with that? I'm usually a world class quitter!) but was finally successful at it this morning. I'm hoping this helps solve the problem, especially since I don't have a great long term burn out solution at this point. I mean sure, I could quit my job (I have more practice quitting teaching jobs than most teachers) but unfortunately I don't have another means of feeding myself and quitting seems a bit drastic when it's only the fourth week of school. I am feeling lately like I am due for a weekend in Singapore, so maybe I can find a time soon to get away down there and maybe recover a bit of my mojo. 

Until then, I'll keep encouraging Snarky Teacher to keep her mouth shut, the filter on, and the flame burning. One day at a time.

**It should be noted that most of what Snarky Teacher says is only said in her head... 

Picture a day August 29

One of my groups of 8th graders giving me one of my favorite things: peace and quiet. Confession: I love walking around the room on test days, monitoring, thinking, enjoying the quiet, and answering their questions (most of which are either how to do the problem, which I can't answer, or confirmation that directions printed on the paper are in fact what they are supposed to do- ummmm, yes, duh). What I do not enjoy do much is grading the essay questions on their tests for days afterward! 

Picture a day August 28

Thailand imports America's finest! This pic is from one of our local malls. Next to Baskin Robbins is KFC. Across the hall is Burger King, and ten paces down is Dunkin Donuts. 

Picture a day August 27

Look what was delivered to my classroom today by one of my friends! Beautiful pink roses, a mug of hot tea, and an encouraging card. It came in my day of the week when I don't have a prep period and thus teach 350 minutes of math with a 35 minute break for lunch- every week when this day rolls around I consider calling in sick...

Picture a day August 26

Full size ovens to exist here, but they are rare, even for foreigners who are used to them. I survive off this toaster oven. That would be a veggie quiche baking in a bread pan in there. It's a bit tough because the baking temperature is relative and it drops dramatically every time you have to open the door to say, check if the middle is cooked yet. Arg. 

Picture a day August 25

Tree in my friend's front yard. Suffice to say, these do not grow in Michigan! 

Picture a day August 24

Yummy Japanese udon noodles for lunch with friends. You know it's going to be good when most of the shopping center is dead, but this place had a line out the door the entire time. 

Picture a day August 23

Why do I love Bangkok's rainy season? Because it makes my little balcony garden grow and a cool breeze rushes in my windows as the gray storm clouds gather. Within 30 seconds of this picture being taken, I was getting wet. And there will be a nice cool breeze for a short time after the rain stops too :) 

Picture a day August 22

This may not be from today, but it is a favorite shot from inside Bangkok's Grand Palace!  This was from January when my mom visited, and I'm posting it today in honor of her birthday.  Happy birthday, Mom! 

Picture a day August 21

Ground floor of my apartment building: bike parking. Notice that the pink bike in the foreground has a second seat in it, for the passenger. Very common in a place where all bikes are built for two and a motorcycle is a family vehicle! 

Picture a day August 20

Walking into the mall there is quite a commotion: loud music, a stage, these nice white chairs with dressed up people being served drinks and food, and a large mob of photographers surround a group of people posing in front of the red sign. Why? Who knows, but it's not all that uncommon around here. Maybe they were super famous, except no one walking by seemed to pay them much attention. 

Picture a day August 19

Stopped in here this evening to run an errand with a friend. Some things are just global/universal :) 

Picture a day August 18

This a quiet back street near my apartment. Bangkok is a giant labyrinth of these narrow streets, and this is where life really happens. Some are full of small humble shops and food vendors, this one is every residential- though if you look in the distance there is a nice pack of soi (street) dogs. I always think of picture for this project when I do down these streets because there are so many interesting things, but since I am always in I the back of a taxi or zipping by on a moto I don't have a chance to take pictures. I got this one when the taxi had to stop to let oncoming traffic pass, and we happened to be passing this soi in my side of the car. 

Picture a day August 17

Getting started at Nak Suu this morning- at this point we were missing one load of kids who arrived late, so even though there weren't many there when this was taken, we ended up with a decent number once we really got into it. I taught a short English lesson about weather words. We talked about the weather and played Pictionary. It was fun and they were even reasonably attentive! I also actually joined in the rugby today. They are working with the older girls to form a ladies touch team so I decided to join them instead of just watching/trying to help out. I don't think I will actually play on the team though, in part because I am on a steep learning curve with the rules and regs of rugby, and in part because my fitness level isn't up to it. The running drills today really kicked my butt. I would have quit if I wasn't trying to be an example to the girls! 

Picture a day August 16

This isn't the best example ever of Thai double parking, but it works. Usually the vertical row of cars would be against a curb, or in a parking garage, or something more pinned in. These cars could pull out easily, but just because you can't, doesn't mean someone isn't going to park horizontally right smack in front of you, parking you in. The trick is, if you park horizontally, you put the car in neutral. Most lots, like this one at my apartment building, have guards/attendants who will help you push the cars and slide them out of the way so you can get out. I've seen it done- not convenient, but it works. And it's actually quite common. 

Picture of the day August 15

My small neighborhood is blessed to be the home of three minimarts- there are entire weeks that I subsist off of what I can get at these places. Each has items that overlap and items that are unique. One of the stores has this small fruit section where I can get a package of pomelo, a grapefruit like citrus. It's sweeter than grapefruit, and easier to eat if you buy it peeled like I do. They often have mango as well, and as you can see, that even had dragon fruit today (the white fruit with black seeds in the back). 

Picture of the day August 14

This is an intersection I pass through regularly, and it always amazes me.  Though its quiet in this moment, that is rare, and it has no traffic light, no stop signs, no yield, nothing. Like any neighborhood intersection here (or in Buenos Aires, for that matter) the traffic rule seems to be "slow down a tad and look". I think in Bs As at least, there was an unwritten rule a bit more complicated than that, but that was the gist of it. 

The beat goes on...

Well, school is up and running with five days under our belt. Long enough to start to make some observations about my new kiddos and start to settle into a bit of a routine. I enjoy routine, and so far enjoy the kiddos as well. I do not enjoy the alarm clock going off at 5am, but soon I'll adjust to that too, and it won't feel so much like the middle of the night. 

Every year at ICS is different- new colleagues, shifts in friends and relationships.  I'm not a big fan of all the change, but at least it keeps me from getting bored. Sometimes I wonder if I would ever survive at a "normal" school where I work with essentially the same people year after year. Example: the entire sixth grade team has changed over since I got here, including the PE, art, Bible, Mandarin, and some music teachers- and the principal! The Thai teachers are the same, and the computer teacher. And me, of course. It keeps life interesting, even if it does mean I have to renegotiate the social landscape on an annual basis. 

Rainy season is in full swing, as witnessed by today's photo of the day. I don't leave home without an umbrella and enjoy the looming gray sky that settles over the city many evenings, but other than that rainy season doesn't really affect me much. Watch me now get totally soaked while I am out tomorrow evening and completely regret that last sentence... 

Yesterday was Mother's Day in Thailand, and also a holiday. It made me wonder though, if I had school age children, is it really a holiday if they all stay home? I heard once that when the kids are young, the perfect Mother's Day is for all the children to be OUT all day, and then when they grow up the perfect day is for them all to be there at the same time. I can definitely see that! I don't think there are many things my mom enjoys more than all her kids in one place at one time. Happy Mother's Day, Mom! 

Picture a day August 13

Walking to school on the banks of the River Parkland. We had a massive storm last night that sounded right on top of my apartment. I secretly hoped it would knock out all the power. It did not. But it did flood the street in front of the school, which let's be honest, happens regularly this time of year. But at least it's a flood and not a Flood. If the water had been much deeper I would have had to get my wellies to cross one section, but as it was I could time it with the waves and make it past in regular shoes- this time... 

Picture a day August 12

I there a better way to spend a day off than with your favorite two people and their grown ups? We had today off for the queen's birthday (also Thai Mother's Day). This drooly little guy was entertaining us on his iPad drum set. 

Picture a day August 11

Beautiful day for a Sunday morning lap swim at the ICS pool. Construction was finished in early 2013 on this new pool, complete with a kiddie pool in the background. I find that another perk of Sunday afternoon church is that I got the pool all to myself this morning :) 

Picture a day August 10

This is my pastor and a translator giving opening remarks at our church Gala Dinner tonight, celebrating our two year anniversary as a church. I have enjoyed being a part of this church for the last year. Whenever you get involved in a church you soon discover that it's a messy place filled with imperfect people, but I am happy to serve and worship alongside this international group of imperfect people who seek to love God and share his love with people across Bangkok. 

Picture a day August 9

                              

This is the note my helper (maid) left for me when she came this week. She knows she can write me notes if she needs to communicate with me because I can either read them or take them to school and have help reading them. I was pretty sure this be said that she was going to come back at 6:30 in the evening, but I wasn't 100% sure. At 7:15 she called and she came by at 7:30, but she greatly overestimates my Thai abilities and I really didn't understand what she was trying to talk to me about. So in the end we still had to get someone to translate, but at least I think I read the note right! 

Picture a day August 8

Okay, I had to be a little sneaky here, so it's not the best angle on the people, but this is one of my favorite things here: exercise in the park. There's some nice work out tunes blasting and a lady up on that tall podium leading aerobics, microphone and all.  And, people come and follow! My friend and I were in the park near my house tonight, just to walk and see green and trees and commune with nature (well, not the ants or the snails, but the rest of it). After two years I still crack up every time I see Asians exercising in the park, but this is the first time I've gotten a picture, and even then I tried to be discreet. 

Picture a day August 7

A shot of the Asoke intersection in downtown Bangkok as a storm approaches. Welcome to rainy season! 

Picture a day August 6

Walking up to school today for the first day of school! It went really well. Basically, my job is to make sure that the students in my sixth grade homeroom don't get lost, get lunch, and can open their locker by the end of the day. Anything beyond that is just icing on the cake. 

The hardest word to learn

This year I am focusing on language learning in two ways. First, I want to study Thai regularly, in a one on one setting, like I did my first year. It's a priority in my schedule and I have a lead or two on teachers who might be willing and able to help me. But I am also going to work on practicing the hardest word to learn in any language: no. 

I'm crap at saying no, and am highly susceptible to guilt trips, which means I frequently end up with too much on my plate. I run around doing things that I don't want to do or feel called to do, not leaving any time for the things that I love to do or the things that feed my soul. So this year I am working on it, no, nein, ไม่ใช่. And even when pressured, I am working on not feeling guilty, and definitely not giving in! I hope to use this newfound freedom to exercise more, cook more, and feel less exhausted so I can spend more time with people, building the relationships that make living here doable. It remains to be seen how successful I am, but so far I'm doing great at saying no, quitting the commitments I need to, and listening for God's call to determine what I do. 

Picture a day August 5

The cereal aisle. The good news: they have cereal. The bad news: it's too expensive to eat very often. That raisin bran, for example, costs over $4. It's not unusual to find the really good cereals at the big import grocery store for closer to $8. Special treats :) 

Picture a day August 4

Commerce on the streets of Bangkok: under my BTS sky train stop you can find all kinds of things for sale, including food, clothes, bags, electronics, cosmetics, etc. It's a high traffic spot as people pour off the sky train and wait here for busses and taxis. 

Picture a day August 3

My Internet is down (am currently borrowing it from a friend who lives right below me) so here's yesterday's pic, a bit belated. I went to Escape Hunt Bangkok with a group, to celebrate a friend's birthday. Basically, they lock your team of four to five people in a room where you use clues to solve a mystery and find the key to get yourselves out of the room in the one hour time limit. It's a bit like a real life Sherlock Holmes themed video game. And, because This Is Thailand, at the end they serve You tea and give your Sherlock Holmes outfits to wear while you take pictures.  

Picture a day August 2

Real life in the rainy season- it's sprinkling and dark and everything is blurry- this is right outside my apartment complex, part of a row of food stalls with plastic tables and chairs in front. The menus in this area aren't in English or pictures, so I rarely eat here. When I passed by this evening it was fairly busy despite the rain. It stay quite dry underneath. 

Picture a day August 1

Weird with the flash and blurry without... Oh well. My friend and I are in the process of eating and drinking our way through high tea at the tea houses of Bangkok. Today was a new Moroccan inspired tea house that just opened in Bangkok after having a lot of success in Chiang Mai. Tea, scones, conversation, and prayer? Yes, please!