A village school in Thailand (Part 6)

13th August

It's 5.40am and I'm on the coach waiting to leave - very nice coach; better than any I've been on before. The seats recline almost to a horizontal position, leg supports, big television, toilet etc.
We arrived at the border at 10am, crossed into Cambodia, stayed an hour and then back into Thailand at departed at 11am! On the Cambodian side there was a big casino and restaurant where we were served lunch that was included in the price. I only had rice and salad along with a beer. A lot of people (Cambodians?) were playing roulette, poker, slot machines etc.
As soon as we crossed into Cambodia, one of the staff on the coach collected all our passports and handed them back as got onto the coach to leave. All the procedures had been completed and I now had a new tourist visa.
The trip back to Bangkok was uneventful - travelled through a lot of open farmland a few small villages. Not a spectacular journey so I spent a lot of the time dozing. The coach got back into the centre of Bangkok at three o'clock that afternoon, but I didn't get back to the hotel until a quarter past five! I was determined to use a normal passenger bus rather than a tuk tuk. I knew I needed a number 15 because the guide on the coach had told me so and I knew roughly where the bus stop was. I had to wander for quite a while though before I found the right place. The other obstacle was the traffic which never stops in Bangkok. This morning a tuk tuk had cost me 200 Baht - the bus fare was just thirteen Baht.
Will be a relief to get back to the village. Apart from the noise and traffic, it's so expensive here compared to my place. I'm aiming to get the first train out which leave at eight in the morning. That means I should be home by 1pm at the latest.

14th August

Got a bus to the station only to find out that the 8am train has been cancelled. So now I'm waiting for the 9.20 service. Could have had another hour in bed. It was pouring with rain while I was on my way here to the station, but I didn't get too wet.
Railway stations the world over always seem to be in areas of the city where these is nothing to see or do - is it a means of getting passengers into the station's cafes and shops?
The train departed fifteen minutes ago - I'm going home!
The train was slow and we didn't get to Ratchaburi until midday. Fortunately a bus was waiting at the bus stop and I got back to the village at 1pm. It was a good trip, but very tiring. Pity that we saw so little of Cambodia - just the border and a casino. Before I forget, shopping in Cambodia was amazingly cheap. I bought a carton of imported Malboro cigarettes (i.e. ten packets of 20 cigarettes) for only 180 Baht = 18 Baht a packet. Here one packet of Thai cigarettes is 48 Baht!
Next visa run I'll give myself more time and take more money - I'll also check out the price of alcohol.

16th August

It's 9am and it seems there are no lessons today, but I can't find out why. One teacher said 'Evaluation' and another's comment was 'Don't know'. I'm getting fed up with this lack of communication; maybe it's normal here, but to me it indicates a lack of respect. Is it a case of 'the foreigner' doesn't need to know?
It's now 11.45 and nothing has happened - no classes and no visitors as far as I've seen. I'm seriously wondering if I should pack up here and go to Bangkok or even Chiang Mai. I've got a strong feeling that things aren't going to work out in this school, which is a pity as I'm getting used to the teaching and the way of life. The poser is; do I wait until the end of the month and (hopefully) get paid or should I cut my losses and go now?
People whom I met on the visa run said that schools in Bangkok are desperate for teachers so I could find a job and start immediately.
I've had an email from Nora at the employment agency; she says that due to my experience and teaching here, they are waiving the normal three-month probation period and have already applied for my work permit - that changes things. If the work permit comes through in the next 3 weeks or so, I won't have to do another visa run - good or bad? It will save me money, but I won't be able to get any Duty Free. Also, I will be committed to complete my contract here in the village.

17th August

Last night I spent the evening with a elderly (62) Thai man I met in the café. He's a retired army engineer and speaks fairly understandable English. H e lives with his wife in a large house just outside the village. His son is an engineering student in Bangkok while his daughter is a flight attendant with Eva Air (a Japanese airline I think).
The Thai man certainly likes his beer and can drink me under the table! We're going to meet again at the weekend.
Nothing worth noting happened at school today.