Wow, I've done one month on my own in another country at 18. I've been gone for a month. 'Gone' was my first word so maybe that was the start of something all that time ago. Or it was that I had just eaten something and said it. I'm leaning towards that but the greater meaning thing fits better. However I'm really enjoying this ride so far. I've learnt a lot about myself, independence, teaching style, money control and all sorts of other things. Whilst enjoying every second.
I've realised I like fish. Maybe not the fish cooked in England (that's nothing against my mother, brother or father's cooking...) it's just here they make it taste beautiful. Or 'chnang' which is delicious or depending on the way you say it 'cooking pot.' So I get some weird looks at restaurants when trying to compliment the food. The soups they have here....yum! The pork, the spices, the bitter and sour, the bbq's are all great. Also I ate rat. Tasted like pistachio a bit. It wasn't a sewer rat. It was one that swims in the dirty lakes and rivers but also lives on land so wasn't huge but wasn't tiny. If someone offered it to me I wouldn't refuse it but I wouldn't eat the whole thing probably. When I was back in England I knew that some food had to taste more than what we had and that I was missing it! So I'm glad I'm here, catching up...by eating rat. Whilst not really having to worry about weight issues because you sweat more off whilst you are eating the stuff!
The language I'm getting there with. It will take time, I can do directions, marketplace, food ordering and classroom environment but I can't do conversation. So it's no good when I ask someone what they did at the weekend and they reply to which I have no idea to what they said. I just nod and say yes which has led to a few situations where I have placed joke bets. At least I hope they were jokes... So as they in 'Field of Dreams' 'They will come' or in my case 'It will come' it's just a matter of practising a bit at a time. Certainly when my teaching stops it'll drop as I won't be speaking it everyday to kids who have the patience to listen. On the other hand there are others who I have made friends with who do have the patience to teach and help. I just don't want to not keep learning it. As it is so useful to have a second language. Although I had an embarrassing moment the other day...I managed to learn some not so good words just because they would become useful. Possibly to say to a tuk tuk driver eventually! They also taught me a respectful term for lady. I thought 'great! Thanks guys' Next day in class I use it when talking to a girl...Turns out the word is the same one we use for a girl dog. Cue embarrassment all round. Will have to use some of those words with the people I learnt that one off! We learn from our mistakes though. I now won't forget it, nor will I use it.
Heat. As you can imagine it's hot. Very hot. Some days it rains and guess what it's hot. At the time of writing this it's 33 degrees. I'm not too bad though I think playing football in this weather in Bangkok and here means that I have become more accustomed to it and am able to deal with it. That's not to say if I had the chance I wouldn't jump in a swimming pool. It just means that I'm not constantly dripping like I was when I first got to Bangkok. So as I've been learning on this ride my body adapts pretty well after it gets used to the toilet.
I have had to be fairly careful with money because I didn't have a lot and I have to pay for things like rent and deposits and food in the coming months which I may not have a paycheck coming in. This weekend I am going around looking at places to live hopefully. Then next week it will be CV central as it'll be my last week at the guesthouse. I really don't want this teaching to end. I've grown with my kids. I have loved it. When I have been tired on a Sunday night I was looking forward to Monday to see them again and there cheekiness. I would miss it after only two days! So not doing it for a while, whilst trying to find a job will be annoying.
These two last days I have been playing football with the kids at break times. Finally! They played often but didn't invite me. As I was a teacher. Then the older kids in another class asked me if I wanted to play. Of course. So now break times I go play! Come back in sweating as the bell rings, just like being back at school! Although here you have to wash the dripping sweat off of you before you go back to class and clean your dirty feet as you play barefoot. Which isn't a great idea considering what we play on...
This weekend will be hard but I hope to maybe find somewhere to live but also I'm attempting to get another haircut so hopefully it goes better than last time...
Haircut attempt last time. They call it 'The Hitler'...
However I must ride on to the next stop and see what it holds for me.
Good commentary on life Greg. I know what you mean about your growing attachment to the kids. I know some games you could play which are fun. I am sure you are well away from the tourist routes. Why not try a river cruise to the Mekong Delta?
ReplyDelete