At last I'm getting round to making a new entry and sharing some pictures! We have been so busy sorting out jobs so that we can get on with obtaining visas etc to stay in Thailand. My new teaching post is in a Girls' Roman Catholic College. I know, it's strange when most of them are Buddhist but if it means I get holidays for both religions, I'm not complaining.
It's a private school for over 4,000 pupils so it's very different from other educational establishments I've been in never mind that it's Thai. I'm teaching in the Bilingual part of the school (English Programme). Parents may more for this so there's quite a lot of pressure to deliver a good curriculum. I know - I must be mad! I have to do English, Health and Social Studies (that's about the Goverment etc) I just have to make sure I don't say something detrimental as we all know where that would lead!
The team of foreign teachers consists of 3 English guys, an American guy and an Australian lady .....and little old me. Also, there are several others who come in to teach from a Language Centre (2 Canadian guys, an Irish girl and another couple of English guys). Quite an assortment of accents abound in the "foreign teachers staffroom".
The school day starts with flagbreak, National Anthem and prayers outside. As I said, all very different!
Staff have to wear uniform but there is a bit of leeway for the foreigner as long as it's smart and covering parts of the body Thai standard. I do my best but it is complicated. Monday is easy, Kings Day, official yellow shirt with black trousers. this is all over Thailand toshow respect for the king. Tuesday is a different yellow shirt day with black trousers. Wednesday is white skirt and blue shirt, Thursday is school pink day shirt and skirt. Friday is Lanna day, traditional long wrap around skirts and tops. Well, I tried my best in the markets to find a suitable lanna outfit but not being Thai size, it was rather off putting. We have XL they say but when that doesn't fit either you begin to lose heart. Anyway, it's far too hot for wrap arounds I say.
At the end of the first week, there was a ceremony to welcome the new teachers. We all had to be officially introduced to the school. Then we were presented with flowers and were supposed to go over the stage on our knees in front of the priest and his nuns. I decided I might not be able to get up afterwards so I declined and walked across. The priest asked me my denomination. "Christian - Church of England" I said. "Oh, that's like the Roman Catholic Church" he replied and they all smiled happily.
Getting to school in the mornings is a challenge. There are several school in the area with, literally, thousands of school kids all being transported in. With no rules of the road, it's chaos. So...it's an early start..I'm there before 7 a.m. to beat the traffic jams. And there are already girls there. School finishes at 4.00 p.m. but many of them stay on for extra lessons. I do not as I'm shattered by then!
So, as you can see, I'm officially out of retirement. Well, you can't sit around doing nothing and enjoying yourself for the rest of your life can you?
