Back to Thailand and Rayong- The Beginning of a New School Term

With April finished up and May just beginning, it was time to get back into the groove of school.  Thai government schools such as mine begin the first term in May and go through September.  The second term begins at the end of October, and finishes up at the end of February, leaving all of March and April free.

I arrived back to Thailand from my trip in Singapore on a Wednesday afternoon and then made my way via bus back to Rayong.  I was back to my bed by 9pm that evening.  It was nice to be back 'home' and get settled in again.  I really enjoyed my travels, but I was eager to get back to my routines at work and see my students.  I was also ready to get back to a job I knew how to do, as opposed to when I first began and I was totally clueless as to what the next few months would bring.  This time around I was more prepared and therefore more excited.  I knew it would be a good term filled with great learning opportunities both in school and out of school.  I also really enjoy the pace of life in Rayong, so I was excited to be back for another 5 months to learn more about life there and continue to connect with Thai friends and people in my neighborhood.


That Friday, May 6th I had to report to school to organize my desk, get new books, and do a little bit of planning and prep work.  It was really nice to see my Thai teachers again and share stories about the two months off.  

Monday brought the return of the students.  I had two groups of students that I'd had the previous term- the new M5-2 and M2-2 students (previously M4-2 and M1-2) and two groups of new students- M1-2 and M4-2.  M1 = 7th grade, M2 = 8th grade, M4 = 10th grade, and M5 = 11th grade.  the '2' refers to the level.  Each grade has a different amount of levels depending on how many students are enrolled in said grade, but at my school there's roughly 12-15 levels for the lower secondary grades (M1-M3) and 8 or 9 levels for the upper secondary grades (M4-M6).  At my school '-2' refers to the Mini English Program or MEP for short.  These students are slightly more advanced English speakers or willing to pay more for a special program other than the regular Thai curriculum.  In MEP students take more content classes in Thai and English as opposed to the regular program which provides all the content in Thai and only two English classes- a  grammar and a speaking English class.

I knew an exciting year was in store when I met with my M1 and M4 students, the new groups for me.  The M1s were a bit nutty and excitable, but lovely as usual.  The M4s were a bit more serious, and shy with me at first, but again, very sweet.  Some students haven't studied with a foreigner before so they're a little nervous to speak at first.  But since I'm so scary, I forced them all into liking me and only speaking English all the time.  They opened up really quickly with that method.  

Like I said I knew my M5s and M2s from last year, so I was just excited to talk with them again and see how their summer break was.  The M5 class is really small, only 18 students (the smallest class I had and the smallest class in the school as well) and there are a lot of different personalities in that group, making every class pretty entertaining.  My M2s was my largest class, but an average Thai class size- 43 students.  I was happy to see them bounding into the classroom with big smiles on their faces.  We immediately began joking and laughing which is a great way to start any term.

Well, more to come about school, school activities and Rayong life.  Here are some pictures from the first days of school.

First day attendance in the sala (first floor)

Mattayom 5-2.  Always a good time. Left to right back to front: Nhut, Tiger, Justin, Non, Mai, Ploy, Moe, Sai, boy I don't know because he's not in my class but ran in for the picture, and Mike. 

More M5-2: Yam, Jao, Chompoo, Dream and Pond

Tae and Mark

M4-2 serious and busy- doing an introduction assignment I gave them

Hanging out in the hallway between classes

Some M6 gals

View from right outside my office

View from outside my office- Watpapradoo Temple.  My school is a 'school of the temple'- my school and the temple share a name.  Monks comes to school for special occasions and to teach classes about Buddhism in the Thai culture classes.  Not all Thai government schools are affiliated with a Buddhist temple.  I walk through the temple to get to and from school.


 Take a look at some introduction videos I took of my students in the first week of school.  The first one is Ked, in M4-2.  Second is Mek, M1-2.  These two students are two of the more confident English speakers I have in class.  they were more eager to make the videos than others.  Just to give you a sense of what Thai students are like when they speak a foreign language.  In these videos they seem pretty serious, but in reality they are really smiley and lively and like to joke around.  These students are reading from a notebook so they're concentrating on speaking their writing correctly.

 

Singapore- 85 miles from the Equator

After mom left I checked in for my flight to Singapore.  I was happy to have another adventure shortly after she left- I'm not good at goodbyes so having something else on my mind eased that feeling.  I was heading to Singapore for 5 days to play in a ultimate frisbee tournament and to see the sights.  Singapore is roughly 2 hours by flight from Thailand, but they're an hour ahead of Thai time.  It's an island city-state off of the Malay Peninsula.  In my last post I said I would be 'hopping over the Strait of Malacca' which isn't really true because Singapore is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor.  The Strait of Malacca is on the western side of Malaysia and the esatern side of Sumatra and connects the Pacific Ocean to the Indian Ocean.  Coming from Bangkok I just flew south, so I didn't really pass over the western side of Malaysia or any of Sumatra, or the Pacific Ocean.  But I had to add it in a post because my dad, the Matranga family geography professor used to quiz me on the Strait of Malacca and I could never answer his questions as to where it was or why it was so important.  Now I am fully aware of the location and significance of the Strait of Malacca. 

Moving right along- Singapore is a really interesting place.  It became a completely self-governing country in 1965 after years of different occupations and ruling powers- British and Japanese being the two most recent to Singapore's full independence.  It is a wealthy country with a strong economy, a lot of people, and a lot of sunshine.  The value of the Singaporean Dollar is close to the US dollar, so traveling there is quite different from traveling in other South East Asian countries seeing as how most other currencies are not as close to the US dollar.  It's easy to get around in Singapore with a really convenient and fast rail system, and the city is quite easy to navigate.  Singaporeans are really friendly and helpful, and the country itself is just so organized and clean.  It definitely has a western feel to it.  The English language, crosswalks with blinking green men signaling you to cross, the western architecture and general feel of order make you feel like you could be in America...but in Asia.

Thanks Singapore!

 I met up with my teammates from Vietnam at our guesthouse.  The girls from Vietnam Vudoo (Vietnam Ultimate Defense Offense Organization) were out to dinner when I arrived, so I wandered a bit by myself and ate at a great food court.  **Travel tip for Singapore- guesthouses are pricey- that's where most of your money will go.  Eat at food courts- they are clean and standardized, cheap, and delicious.**

The tournament was a good time.  I hadn't played all women's ultimate since college so it was a bit of an adjustment.  It's a way different style of play than mixed ultimate which I have been playing for a while now.  Another necessary adjustment was the fact that Singaporean ultimate culture is different from American frisbee culture.  This is only natural, but an adjustment nonetheless.  Different cultures and different backgrounds result in different playing styles.

Most of the players are young, (university students) fast, and quick learners.  There were many times where there were discrepancies over rules, but it all got cleared up.  Sometimes the rules can be different from playing in the states and playing internationally. 

My team, Vudoo was the only international team at Gendermah, the name of this tournament.  I'm not quite sure what that means.  Our team was composed of three Americans and the rest Vietnamese women.  I traveled with my friend Suzanne who is a teacher in Bangkok, originally from Michigan.  The other American was Cara, originally from Hawaii a mother of three lovely boys.  She and her husband, who is also from the states, met in Taiwan when she was a teacher there.  They have lived in a handful of spots on this big planet, and have been living in Singapore for about 3 years.

Three cheers for Vudoo!

The weather fluctuated between really hot, sticky hot, and wet.  Since Singapore is so close to the Equator, the weather can be pretty intense.  Intense heat and intense rain.  Sunscreen, no lower than SPF 30 and applied often, is a must.  

Saturday and Sunday subsisted of ultimate, and Monday and Tuesday subsisted of touring Singapore.  I have a Singaporean friend, Chai Chin, who I was eager to meet up with while there and we planned to meet on Monday for lunch.  Neo Chai Chin was a camp counselor at Minikani with the International YMCA counselor program a few years back.  She is a wonderfully sweet girl and we hosted her at our house in Oak Park after camp finished.  I was eager to see her in her environment.  We met at our hostel in the neighborhood of Little India and walked to a Chinese Restaurant around the corner.  Aside from English, the official languages are Chinese, Tamil and Malay.  Chai Chin knows a little bit of Chinese so she ordered for us.  The languages amaze me in this part of the world.  It seems that everyone speaks at least two, and often times three languages in Asia- their native language, a local, neighborhood dialect, and enough English to converse with foreigners.  In Singapore students these days learn English and their family language simultaneously.  

The 'Extreme Swing' on the Clark Quay Riverfront- where all the action is

Bridge where everyone hangs out in the evenings in the Clark Quay neighborhood.  My new Vietnamese gal pals- (left to right) Lien, Trang Le, Quyen, Trang Tran and An Nha

visit with Chai Chin

Suzanne headed to the airport after lunch, and Chai Chin walked me to the MRT (the rail link) to go to Cara's house in the suburbs.  she invited me to stay with her for the rest of my time in Singapore which was much appreciated.  I have nothing against hostels, but a home is a great treat.  Plus her boys are hilarious and cute so I was happy to spend some time with some American kids.  Her husband Brian also played frisbee and has traveled all around Asia for business, so conversation around the dinner table was lively and energetic.  With the boys (Declan 8, Aran 7, and Christopher 4 1/2) telling me about their vacation to Thailand, and Cara, Brian and I talking about Thai culture and teaching there, there was never a dull moment.  After dinner we looked at pictures from their Thai vacation, and then we watched the Three Stooges, a bedtime favorite of the boys.  

On my way to Woodlands- the neighborhood where Cara and her family live.  Beautiful trees and amazingly clean streets and sidewalks.

Tuesday I ventured into City Centre, the downtown area of Singapore.  Camera and Singapore walking tour guide book at the ready, I hit the streets.  I had this cute guide book of the architecture of Singapore that my mom picked up for me at borders and brought along on her trip.  It definitely came in handy.  Ready made tours that you just pick from and get out there!  I walked so much and took so many pictures.  The highlight of the tour was the Peranakan Museum.  The Peranakans ('Pur-on-ah-cans'), or  Peranakan Chinese and Baba-Nyonya are terms used for the descendants of late 15th and 16th-century Chinese immigrants to the Indonesian archipelago of Nusantara during the Colonial era.  The Museum is dedicated to their history and life in Singapore as they make up a large portion of the population.  The displays were lovely.  Cases filled with beautiful porcelain dishes, traditional marriage gifts and items used in ceremony, funerary objects, clothes, and stunning batik sarongs.  The patterns of the sarongs are similar around Singapore and the Indonesian islands and they are incredible.  Beautiful works of art on silk, worn by men and women.  Over time fashions and styles changed, dictating changes in the traditional dress, but this did not detract from the handsome outfit.  

The term for this type of doorway escapes me- but it is a hidden entry way in a wall.  Soldiers used these secret entrances and exits to evade enemies.  This is in Fort Canning Park- so named for Viscount Canning, the first Viceroy of India.  Fort Canning Park was once a military fort and the Fort Canning Centre built in 1926 served as a military barracks.  Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, who is largely responsible for the planning and development of colonial era Singapore built a bungalow here in 1823. This served as a government house. At 14, in 1795, he was a clerk for the East India Company, then in 1805 he was appointed assistant secretary for the government in Penang (Malaysia), then Lieutenant-Governer of Java.  He was the only colonial official able to speak Malay. In 1818 he was appointed Lieutenant-Governer of Bencoolen (now Bengkulu) in Sumatra.  While he was there he realized that Britain needed a foothold in the China trade route.  He obtained the Governor-General of India's permission to look for a good location, which led him to tip of the Malay Peninsula where Singapore is located.    He experimented with different spices in a garden in the park because spices was quite valuable.  There is a little walk through these botanic gardens with nice signs.

The Sarong Kebaya Exhibit- the sarong is the wrap skirt, and the kebaya is the blouse.

Saint Andrew's Cathedral

Supreme Court building

Parliament House

Bronze elephant donated by Thai King Chulalongkorn- King Rama V.  King Rama V arrived in Thailand on March 15th, 1871 in his yacht the Regent with a convoy of two other ships, along with 66 followers.  This was the first visit to Singapore from a Thai monarch, the first visit to a foreign country for King Rama, and the start of a good relationship between the two countries.

After the museum I went back out into the heat and continued on with my architecture tour. I stopped into the Philatelic Museum (Philately is the study of stamps and postal history) to buy, mail, and write some postcards.  Then onward to see the National Museum, Parliament house, the super modern Supreme Court building and many other buildings.  I also had to stop by the donated bronze elephant statue by King Rama V on his first visit to Thailand in 1871, the first visit by a Thai monarch.  It stands in front of the old Parliament House, now the Arts House.

I settled in on the train for the roughly 45 minute ride back to Cara's house and was wiped.  The next day I would meet with Chai Chin at the MRT station that transfers to the Airport to get a final lunch together before my departure.  All in all it was a great trip in Singapore.  I got to see and do a lot of interesting things, and seeing a friend is always nice.  Who would have thought that after all these years, I would find myself in Singapore to visit Chai Chin.  It's always good to stay in touch with international folks, you never know when you'll be in their neck of the woods.

Mother Daughter Adventure Chronicles VII: Bangkok or Bust! III

This brings me to my last Mother Daughter travel chronicles installment.  It was a wonderful time and I will always cherish the memories of this special trip.  I was very lucky to have my mom in Thailand for three weeks, and very grateful she was eager to do and see everything while on these adventures.  My mom is a wonderful lady full of spirit and energy.  I was so impressed with her delight in everything and willingness to try and do as much as she could with her time in Asia.  

Here are some photos from the our last evening together in Bangkok and the departure at the airport.  It was a tearful goodbye, but it had to come at some point.  Mom was heading back home on that long, trans-Atlantic flight, and I was just hopping past Malaysia and the Strait of Malacca for Singapore.  

On the Chao Praya River waiting for the river taxi.  Wat Arun in the background.

Masks for sale in a shop at the river taxi docks

Enjoying the breeze and ease of the River boat

Bye Mom!  See you in about six months...

It was a great trip with mom and it was tough to say goodbye.  We shared many great memories, and I'm happy was able to help mom actualize a few dreams she had.  Asia is an incredible place, and it's never to late to get here and experience the life and times. 

Mother Daughter Adventure Chronicles VII- the Final Chapter- Bangkok or Bust! II

Jim Thompson Museum

The next day we visited the Jim Thompson house and museum. This was a very impressive excursion. Jim Thompson left quite a legacy and mystery in Thailand. From reviving the dying Thai silk industry to then disappearing in Malaysia 22 years later, he earned quite a reputation. Check out the Jim Thompson house and museum website for more information about his life and times in Thailand.

http://www.jimthompsonhouse.com/

The only way to see the house is to join a tour.  The tour costs 200 baht per person (about 6 USD) and it definitely worth it.  The guides are friendly and well versed in the history of the house and Jim Thompson's life and work. 

Koi fish pond

Strolling through the beautiful garden

Block print used for silk printing- I think this one was just a design- the actual piece was not used for printing.

Jim Thompson had an eye for Thai artifacts and history.  I don't know where this piece came from, but it is placed beautifully among some plants underneath the main dwelling near an entrance to the house.

The Jim Thompson House and museum has a great collection of artwork from various locations in Thailand and periods of Thai history.  This woodcarving is not unlike many Thai carvings.  The wood used is usually mango or teak which are generally softer and take to woodcarving tools more readily.  Thai woodcraft is a beautiful art form, and you will see simple designs of flowers adorning the roofs of houses, or more elaborate free standing pieces such as this one all over Thailand.





There are a few different styles of traditional Thai style houses in Thailand, and Jim Thomspon wanted them all represented on his property. Here's an entrance to the main house where he lived. Other houses are used as galleries now, or things such as the gift shop.

After we explored the mysteries of Jim Thompson, his beautiful collections of artwork and silk creations, we headed to Wat Pho, home of the Reclining Buddha. We took the BTS and then a river taxi to get there.  I love the river taxi- only 14 baht (less than 50 cents) to get up and down the mighty Chao Praya River and you get a nice breeze and view during the trip. 

This temple holds a special place in my heart as it was one of the first temples I went to in Thailand. I went there with Petey before he left Thailand so it was special for me for that reason as well. A few hours after we visited that temple he flew home.

The Reclining Buddha is pretty marvelous, as well as the paintings inside the temple. The Buddha here is in every sense of the words- larger than life. I wonder why the architects of this temple decided to house the Buddha as if he's in a cell, but I guess that adds to the grandeur. The Buddha fills almost the entire space.

Buddha's feet

 You enter the temple near Buddhas head, resting on his hand right hand (he reclines on the right side at Wat Pho) in the position of entering Nirvana. You walk towards Buddha's feet which are really beautiful. His feet are adorned with mandalas of in-laid mother of pearl.

Walking around the Buddha you see his back and a long row of offering bowls. You can purchase a small bowl of 25 satang pieces (less than a cent US) to deposit in each bowl for good luck. I'll never forget the sound of the small coins tinkling into the bowls. As the ringing echos around the temple you let your bad luck float away and welcome the good luck.

Mother Daughter Adventure Chronicles VII- The Final Stop: Bangkok or Bust!

Hard to believe, but the final chapter of Mom's Asian adventure's was upon us.  We were to spend a few nights and days in Bangkok, and cram in as much culture, food, and as many sights as we could before her departure.  I'd say that for about 3 days, we did a ton of stuff.

We stayed in this adorable hostel called 'Lub D'  which means 'sleep well' (lub = sleep, dee = good).  It was small, but brightly colored, very clean, and quite inviting.  Mom was impressed with their designs and furniture.  Style points!


For our first night's dinner we adventured on the BTS- the elevated train that runs throughout the city to get to our dinner destination this incredible Vietnamese restaurant called La Dalat.  It was set at the end of a busy soi off Sukhumvit Road (a VERY busy road in Bangkok) and was set back from the soi in a beautiful, quiet garden.  We were transported as soon as we stepped through the gates off the street.  The entryway was guarded by two stone statues that were brought from Vietnam as were many treasures inside the restaurant.  The actual restaurant had been moved from a different location to this one and was quite old.  We were seated in the entrance on a sofa in front of large windows that viewed the garden.  We were given some snacks and we ordered ourselves some fancy drinks.  We knew this place was going to be the culinary treat we had read about.  

View of traffic from the BTS platform

Fine dining.

The 90+ year old proprietor- she is a gem.

The garden of La Dalat.