Another easy day ahead - start at 8.30 and finish at 11.50 unless I get any extra classes. I was just thinking this is a bit of a monastic life; almost the Cistercians who never speak except in prayer. I think I might go for a walk this afternoon - venture out of the village and see what's around.
Well, no lessons again today! It's a Scouting day and all the kids and most of the teachers are wearing scouting uniforms. I've been assured that tomorrow everything is back to normal.
It's been a boring day. Spent the morning sending emails from the office computer and the afternoon reading in my 'garden'. It's now 4.30pm and I'm at the café having a cold beer. Looking forward to actually teaching tomorrow.
As I suspected the nearest Post Office is a long way from here. However, someone brings mail here a couple of times a week so I should be able to send letter via him/her.
I've just taken a walk down to the bend in the road i.e. to the end of the village. After the bend, there's nothing but a long, straight road going on for ever; no buildings to be seen unless they are behind the treeline and out of sight. Makes me wonder where all the children and teachers live.
The guy who works in this café is wearing the same things he's had on since Sunday when I first came here - a blue t-shirt and beige shorts. Perhaps he washes them or has them washed every evening, but the shorts certainly don't look as if they've seen soapy water for a while. The café on the other hand is immaculately clean. There are three long, solid wooden tables; each one could probably accommodate twelve people. The chairs are pink plastic and the sort you'd have in a garden - cheap and cheerful, but easy to keep clean with a spray down from a hosepipe.
I'll order some food soon: egg fried rice which has become my staple diet. At least I've learnt the Thai words for it - cowpa kayi.
27th July
Woke up at 8am, which is late for me. No problem though as my first lesson isn't until 9.30am. Had some heavy rain during the night - the air feels clearer this morning and hardly humid at all.
It's 4.30pm. Had four classes today; the first two were good, the third was OK, but the last lesson was a disaster. The kids were totally out of control; some were running around the room, two were having a punch-up and the rest were screaming and shouting! I couldn't shout loud enough for them to hear me so after thirty minutes I gave up and walked out. The head teacher later told me they are the worst class in the school and even the Thai teachers had problems with them which made me feel better.
Get through tomorrow and that's the first week completed - only 51 to go until the end of the contract!
I found out today about my predecessor; an English girl came and stayed one day. Claimed that her father had suddenly been struck down with a mysterious illness and that she had to return to the UK. I'd say she didn't like the school / location and so did a runner! Her loss is my gain - I hope.
28th July
It's Friday and I finish at half past one.
Well, it's now 5.20pm and that's the first week done. However, I had a bit if a 'turn' in the middle of the day - think either my blood pressure fell or perhaps low blood sugar as I felt really lightheaded for a while. Didn't let on though and continued teaching; always the trooper!
I'm going to try and get to the town tomorrow.
In the café now (6pm) and a group of monkeys came out of the jungle - I counted six or seven of them - marvellous. One of them was a baby and had found an empty water bottle which it was playing with. The couple of locals here didn't take a blind bit of notice - normal for them I suppose. For me, what to look at - the monkeys or the bats? The monkeys win of course as the bats come out every evening. Is that me becoming blasé?
29th July
Saturday morning and it's 7am. I hope there will be a bus to the town (Ratchaburi) at about 8am.
The bus finally turned up at 8.40 so I got to town at about half past nine. First went into the temple - small, but quite nice. Then to the museum - quite big and fairly interesting. Next just wandered, looking at the shops and stalls and keeping an eye out for a money changing office. Saw a police station so went in to ask. The police Chief no less told me there was a bank open in a nearby shopping centre.
The bank was open, but they couldn't or wouldn't take American Dollars so I went back to the police station. The Chief spent a while on his radio asking people whatever. Finally he found a bank open in a different shopping centre about three kilometres away. He then summoned a traffic cop + motorbike to take me to the bank! So I'm in good funds again.
The really good find was a huge Tesco superstore so shopping certainly won't be a problem.
My third visit to the police was to ask where the bus left from. Again I was on the back of a police motorbike being driven to the station. The bus left town at 1.30pm and I was back in the village by 2.15.
Now in the café having a cold beer.
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