Living the Good Life

Sometimes new homes take a little getting used to, and this one is no different. Here is a glimpse into a day at the school.

5:30 am -- Wake up to that damn rooster
5:48 am -- Rooster won't shut up
6:30 am -- Wake up to the annoying sound of my travel alarm. Sometimes it's a normal beep; sometimes it's ocean waves; sometimes it's crickets. But it is unpredictable
6:45 am -- In the shower; often confused. The water heater is mounted on the wall and turns on when water flows through (energy efficient!), though the temperature varies. Water gets everywhere in bathroom (no curtain, door, or ledge, just a floor)

7:00 am -- Getting changed, must wear appropriate color (Yellow Mondays for the King)
7:10 am -- Roll into breakfast, late, after dropping laundry off at the laundry building
7:30 am -- Head to the office, receive lots of "Hello, Teacher" on the way, many giggles from girls scampering away, thumb print to sign in, at office, review the lesson made the night before, use internet

8:30 am -- Make a big entrance in class, kids may return to desks, much more Thai than English is spoken, I smile and pretend they aren't making fun of me, kids (sometimes) like my wicked awesome lesson, lots of blank faces
9:20 am -- Return to office, at a loss, use internet and think about lessons, write blog, communicate with friends, look at schedule to see what's next

12:00 pm -- Lunch, almost as disappointing as breakfast, oh school lunches
1:00 pm -- office and class again, internet again, days begin to blend together, lessons for tomorrow, the end of work is coming!
5:00 pm -- heading home, giggles, "Good morning, Teacher," "Good AFTERNOON" I say, make it home, relieved, maybe exercise (run, frisbee with kids, fail at learning the unicycle), much needed shower again, await dinner

6:00 pm -- DINNER! oh... dinner... slight disappointment again, hopefully not eat alone again, wish I had motorbike to get delicious food in town
6:48 pm -- nighttime routine, read, journal, exercise if I did not earlier, wander around school and talk with kids, "What is your name?" "My name is Brian" I say, "Where are you from" "I am from America" I say, I think I have been over this before..., head to room, smell myself, shower again
10:12 pm -- read, talk to orientation friends on phone, sleep, dream of roosters