Saraburi and Week 1&2 Teaching

Me and Gemma arrived in Saraburi at 8:30am on Thursday (30th October), after our loooooooooooooong journey from Chiang Mai via Bangkok. We got off the bus in our sleep deprived state and headed down the main road, purple blimp in tow.... with no idea how to get to the school. Luckily there was a lovely Thai opening her shop and she told us to "Thong Pai" (straight on). We guessed when we arrived at the gates that this was the place to be and wandered into the desolate site. Then wandered into the first office type room we saw. The head mistress was there and swiftly welcomed us by showing us to the "teachers toilets" aka squatters (dont worry we later found the proper loos!). 

We were then told we would be taken to our apartment around 12 by Supaporn (yes, thats right). We initially thought we would be taken straight to our lovely new homes straight away to enjoy a shower... we we're hustled into a room where we met the other 40 odd teachers and were then interviewed by the best English speaking teacher they had, the lovely Somjit. After this we were told that we had to kill 3 hours while they finished their meeting........

We wandered around, found a market that was closed, a "pub" that was closed and a bulk buyers shop. We eventually managed to ask a woman for some "kow" (rice) and whatever meat product it was she had. The best thing about being somewhere small are the eateries that are literally ran out of their living room.... you just dont know if they are for anyone else. 

We got back to the school and then headed to the apartments. A few things happened here that were close to breaking our spirits. After 6 weeks of sharing rooms we we're told we had to share a room again.. we were not expecting this but sorted out another room for the day after. We then asked about mopeds.... no.... mopeds too dangerous... main road..... At first we couldnt accept this, but it didnt take long to realise we had to accept this defeat. We were also then told that we would be required at the school on the Sunday in order to get our timetable. We then got to the room, and showered, no less than an hour later the teachers were back to take us shopping, so lovely of them, but all I wanted was sleep. Tesco was a little bit of home, but very far away down the horrendous highway! No mopeds, far too dangerous. 

When we got back to the room we sat on the bed and contemplated life, then one realisation after another hit and we were both sobbing. Then we would try and ease each others worries, think of another and cry again.

We had to let it go.... this is the theme for Thailand, you just have to let it go, or else it'll ruin you, we spent our weekend in Bangkok, it was Halloween and we got smashed.

 

Week 1 and 2 went by quickly, by 9am on the first day of school we were still non the wiser to our schedules and hadnt even been shown the classrooms so had no idea what we were contending with, we also had no curriculum guide or English programme.... "teach them communication".... Well ok.... 

I teach Kindergarten 1 to 2 which is 4 classes and then Prathom 1-6 which each have 3 classes in each level. Thats 9 levels and 21 classes a week. I was expected to plan everything they were taught.... I was not prepared for this. It seemed everyone else on the planet was on a curriculum except our school. The one that seemingly just didnt give a rats arse. So week 1 and 2 were all about seeing where they were and what they needed. They all were at a very basic level, there was very little engagement around English... who could blame them, there were no English speakers on their radar! Second week was very little teaching, half of my classes were lost to Buddha exams..... 

Some classes were good, some were not, some kids wanted to learn, a lot didn't. They are surprisingly loving outside the classroom.... having "teacha" "teacha" sang at you all day while they run waving and jostling for your hand certainly put a smile on my face.

Next: Lopburi and Week 3 teaching

S x