We either walk or ride our bike everywhere, but it seems like what are getting the most exercise as of late are my cheeks from smiling all the time! I feel like I could start lifting weights with these bad boys. The kids cause the cheek workout ALL day long, and relief isn’t found after school because of either attempted (and successful, I might add) two-on-one-bike cycling adventures, story sharing from the day’s hilariousness, or attempting to talk with the locals. We never leave room for dull moments.
On Wednesday night, a teacher named “Nancy” from Meredith’s school took us (Meredith, me, Allison, and Jeanie-two of our fellow TTC teachers who teach with Meredith) to explore Uttaradit in her “pre-oos” (otherwise known as a Toyota Prius). She bought us Thai ice-cream, showed us some good night markets, and even sampled a few maggots (see my Facebook page for video proof). Being the perfect tour guide she was, Nancy didn’t like to drive as she spoke, putting her full attention on us. Unfortunately, this didn’t mean that she pulled over on the side of the road to stop. It means she constantly tapped the breaks (never going over 35 mph), sometimes even coming to a complete halt in the middle of the road, cars and motorbikes speeding past us, just to show us a good restaurant. I’m guessing this is okay since Thailand doesn’t seem to have any traffic rules whatsoever. To my continued surprise, I’ve yet to see a wreck. Perhaps they’re on to something here.
Thursday was a day for the books. From what I gathered, not just our school, but all of Thailand celebrates Teacher Appreciation Day at the same time. All the students and teachers walked to one of the buildings on campus where the ceremony was held, the students with their flower arrangements in tow. After getting each student in organized lines by class, synchronized bowing and prayer chanting started. My fellow teachers explained to me that the students were saying something along the lines of explaining what an important role teachers played in their lives; in Thailand, apparently the role of teacher is second only to the students’ parents. This is such an honor to me every single day. And these Thais? They know how to appreciate a teacher. I didn’t just get a few wayward “thank you’s” mumbled my way. I was bombarded by flower arrangements of all sorts, so much so that I had to have help carrying it all back to my office.
I spent all day Friday signing autographs for my kids. When I tried to leave from my last class, they literally grabbed on to my legs and waist, like a miniature mob not letting me go. In each class, I greet the students with either a “Good morning!” or “Good afternoon!”, and they have been trained with an automatic chorused response of “I am fine, thank you, and you?” so this week I tried to work with them on telling me their real emotions. I think it had a little bit of an effect at least, because now whenever I pass those precious angels, their greeting is “Hello Teacha Cow-see, I am very happy!” I’m not sure I’ve seen anything cuter in my life.
It’s not just the students that have shown me such kindness and compassion. The community has been just as welcoming. Aside from Nancy taking us out in her pre-oos, other people are just as anxious to extend a helping hand. The other day on my walk home from school, a lady pulled up beside me in her motorbike, telling me in very broken English to hop on the back. In America, the last thing I would do is comply, but I decide it couldn’t hurt (much to my parents’ dismay as they’re reading this, I’m sure). Luckily, I was right not to worry because she took me straight to my apartment, and was thrilled to do as much! The same happened when Meredith and I were walking to our favorite coffee shop across town last night. A lady recognized us as the teachers she had heard about, asked us where we were going, and a few moments later we were on a motorbike, then being dropped off at our destination. I’m in for a rude awakening when I get back to America. The only “special treatment” I get there is from creepers asking if I “need help pumping my gas” at gas stations. Call me crazy, but something tells me the genuineness isn’t quite the same coming from the latter.
It’s been a great week here in the Land of Smiles. I’m getting more attached every day, and not just to the sticky rice and sweet pork wrapped in a leaf (that’s my favorite so far), or my adoring fans (even though they’re only 5-15 years old). This country is said to be 3rd world, and even though I’m living on the high end of it, I haven’t even thought twice about the fact that it is. Sure, I’ve complained about the cold showers (but not so much lately because they’re starting to be welcomed after nights of biking), or the hundreds of stairs I have to climb to get to my humble abode, but when it comes down to it, I wouldn’t change a thing. It seems like none of the locals would either. They’re on to something here, these Thais. I think it’s called “being happy with what you have.” I’m glad it’s just the beginning.
Things I’ve learned here after almost a month in Thailand:
17. Oh no. I think I like kids. Actually, I love them. (no worries, still not enough to birth my own)
18. It’s ok to accept rides from strangers here.
19. Thais make coffee that tastes like coffee! Not cream and sugar with a little bit of coffee flavor like we’re used to in America.
20. All we need is a little background serenade from Sarah McLachlan to make the world’s best animal rescue commercial. There are stray dogs everywhere you look. They’re pretty mangy, some even hairless, but they seem to be fairly happy.
21. A giant plate of delicious local Thai food for less than a dollar here is going to spoil me for life.
22. There is unspoken, unquestioned, un-judged acceptance for every lifestyle choice here in Thailand.
23. Thais don’t acknowledge sneezing. Saying “bless you” (and hearing it after a sneeze of my own) is habit for me. Luckily, the sweet ladies in my office are now used to my attention to it.
24. I don’t know if it’s just an Asian thing (help me out with this, Rebecca Holman), but the hardest thing to find in this country is a trashcan.
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