I'm somewhat in shock - I was met in Bangkok and driven to a school some 180km south of the capital. I was expecting to be living and working in a small city; this place can't even be called a village! There is one house, half a dozen car-repair workshops and two café/shops - that's it!
The school is set back off the main road and it's a beautifully peaceful location; there is constant bird song and I've seen two enormous, colourful butterflies.
I've been given a two-floored house on the school grounds. It could be a nice house, but it's furnished with the absolute minimum - a double bed (brand new so perhaps they weren't expecting me?), a wardrobe and a desk. There's an electric kettle and a mug and that's as far as the kitchen goes. I won't even mention the 'bathroom' it's so basic.
I don't think there's cable TV here and I haven't seen a satellite dish since leaving Bangkok so the absence of a television is pretty immaterial; I've yet to learn a single word of Thai. I'll have to invest in a cassette player at the earliest opportunity.
Apparently this school has never had a foreign teacher before (I wonder why?) and so tomorrow I have to be presented and introduced to the entire staff and student body before lessons start. I believe there are about five hundred students and thirty teachers so it's all a bit daunting to be honest.
At the moment I'm sitting in the café that serves alcohol and I'm drinking a cold beer. It's only 4pm so this is the first of what will probably be many beers!
It's sometime later and, if I understand correctly, there's an internet café about 2km from here. Problem is there is no taxi or tuk tuk. The lady in the café speaks a very little English; I think that she has offered to take me on the back of her moped ... but maybe she's suggesting that I borrow her moped. I'll let you know when I know myself. By the way, I asked her about the school and she grimaced: "Not good school."
Went to the internet café - she drove and I rode on the back.
24th July
It's 7.15am and I'm having my second cup of 3-in-one coffee. It's a lovely morning - a few clouds in the sky and not too hot or humid yet. In about twenty minutes, I'll walk over to the school and see what's happening. I feel concerned, but not nervous; curious about what the day will bring. It's so nice to be able to walk to work - no waiting for and sitting on hot, stuffy buses.
The birds here are incredibly noisy. I can hear some students, but I can't see them from here. They sound lively and happy though.
It's 7.45 and I'm heading off to start the day. Wish me luck!
Well, that's the first day done. Started off by attending assembly in the school garden - obviously I didn't understand a word. Midway I had to stand at the podium and introduce myself - rather scary.
My first lesson was 10.30 until 11.50 and went quite well. The second lesson was 11.50 - 12.30 and was good. My third class was 13.10 until 2pm and was bad. Most of the students didn't understand a thing and weren't paying any attention. Tried to do a spelling game, but it didn't go down very well. Finished at 2pm, sent some emails from the computer in the office, 'spoke' to some students for a while and now I'm in a café having a beer.
This afternoon there was a ferocious rainstorm; only lasted about fifteen minutes, but was very heavy and loud. I thought it might have cleared the air, but it's still as humid as before.
This is now my third day in Thailand and the last time I spoke to a native speaker was last Friday morning when I saw Lou. I don't miss the company of people so far. Wonder how I'll feel this time next week.
6.45pm - got a lift down to the internet café. Came back on the back of a bicycle courtesy of a young guy at the café. Now I've just seen my first wild monkey; it was quite small and came out of the forest behind the café here in the village. It stayed around for a few minutes and then scampered back into the trees.
25th July
Half past seven in the morning and the children are out sweeping the schoolyard with their witches' brooms - this seems to be a morning ritual. It's not as hot or humid today - no doubt that will change later. A group of kids has just seen me sitting outside my house - cries of "Good morning, teacher."
I've just remembered, I woke up in the night and saw a fairly large lizard on my bedroom wall. Don't think they are interested in people so I turned over and went back to sleep.
9.30am and it seems there are no lessons today. From what I can make out, it's something to do with an inspection. Just having a cup of coffee and a cigarette in my 'garden' then I'll go and mingle with the kids. Could answer all the emails I've got, but I want to save that for later.
Today I'm going to start compiling a list of useful Thai words and phrases.
It's 6.10pm and I've been to the night market in the village, but it wasn't so good or interesting. One stall was selling fried locusts and beetles - how disgusting! Just as I was about to leave, the bats started to come out of the cave at the top of the mountain. There are supposed to be three million bats and I can believe it; was like a thick plume of black smoke and went on for so long. I stood watching for ten minutes and they were still pouring forth in a thick, swirling stream.
Now I'm in the cafe having a beer; I'll eat later.
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