A village school in Thailand (Part 4)

2nd August

Not much to write today. Lessons were good and all nice students. Got an email from a friend who's arriving in Thailand on September 5th. She's going up to Chiang Mai (in the north) to do voluntary work for three months. If she arrives on a Saturday, I might manage to get to Bangkok and meet up with her.
I really must phone Harry today. He's a senior teacher in a school in Petchaburi - I've been told he can tell me about the visa run. I'm here on a tourist visa so will need to get it renewed. My current visa runs out in eighteen days. Hope the trip doesn't cost too much; I've got two thousand Baht and $250 (US). Thai people would say that's enough for three months living, but I don't see how. I think I spend about 200 Baht a day: one packet of cigarettes, dinner and a couple of beers. It's not extravagant living in my eyes, but to a Thai???
Folk here really are generous. I happened to mention to the café man that I wanted to acquire a moped or bicycle - sign language of course. He went into a frantic consultation with his wife and then led me to a storeroom, where there was a bicycle. They want to give it to me for as long as I'm here! The tyres are flat, but apart from that it's perfect. I just need to locate a pump and I'll be mobile so I'll be able to explore a bit more now - what lovely people!

3rd August

My 12th day in the village. Woke up to see a huge, brown moth by the window; not so long ago I'd have been paralysed with phobia - not now though. This is a good place to lose any fear of insects!
Have just spoken to Harry. It seems the easiest way to get a new tourist visa is by going to Burma; he's going to send me written details.
I'm at the café and there are loads of monkeys around today.

4th August

Two weeks since my arrival and the end of my second week teaching here. I'm thinking about whether or not to go to the town tomorrow. I don't need to go, but it would be a change from the village.
I'm going through a bad time. Only six students came to my 11am class and they said "Go home."
- me or them? and then they all walked out! Mr Wannachai (my boss here) phoned the volunteer agency and complained that I smelt of alcohol one morning. Now it's been raining heavily for two hours.
A weekend with no entertainment - do I really want to stay in this village for another 50 weeks? Maybe I should pack my bags, go to Bangkok and look for a job there. What to do?
I tried to send an email earlier, but the computers were 'down' - due to the rain perhaps.
Depression and despair and nobody to get encouragement from.


7th August

Monday morning and the start of week three. I got through the depression and the weekend. Went to Ratchaburi (the town) on Saturday morning just for a change of scene. Got the bicycle from the café on Saturday afternoon and on Sunday went for a very short, experimental cycle - was very wobbly! The rest of the day I stayed in the house reading - not a beer all day!
Let's see what this week brings.
Things are a bit subdued here today because one of the girl students (aged 13) was killed at the weekend. From what I can make out, she crashed her moped into a canal and drowned. What a waste of life. I'm sure it's not a rare tragedy here because just about all of the kids ride mopeds and motorbikes and very few wear any protective gear. Some of the kids are so small - I'm surprised they are strong enough to handle a moped!

8th August

Today is the midpoint of the Chinese year and it's a festival, but there are classes as normal. However, quite a few of the children were absent. I can hear firecrackers being let off at the temple - I'll go there later and see what's happening.
It's 7pm - nothing was happening at the temple; just the small market and the usual groups of people wanting to see the bats coming out of the cave.
The café was closed so the people there must be Chinese. Dinner was a packet of potato crisps (very spicy), coconut biscuits and a bottle of water.

9th August

On this day three weeks ago, I did my last day's work at home. How much longer it seems and I don't miss anything one iota