SOOO I wrote this a month ago and never posted it.. I didn't mean to abandon my blog once I got home but that is exactly what I did! Heres my final wrap up of my Thai time..
I've been back in California for exactly a month now.. I'm more behind now on my blog than I've ever been! Now that I'm adjusted and a real person again, its time to catch up.
My last day in Khon Kaen was my kids graduation ceremony. I sat on stage and had to hold back tears as I handed them their diplomas. They then did a dance performance and at the end of the show, I had to say goodbye to my kids, parents, and other teachers. I'd lie if I said I didn't cry.. because I sure did!
My last three weeks in Thailand was a whirl-wind.. After graduation I headed down south as the Thai islands are my favorite places in the world. The time flew and I was a whole mess of emotions! I feel like I can't get into too much detail as I'm extremely behind on blogging.. but long story short, I visited a temple in BKK with Liz, spent two weeks on Ko Tao, got my advanced diving certification, did tons of diving, made a ton of new traveling friends, and did one last full moon party. I MISS THAILAND!!!
Today was our second to last day of school. So naturally, we had a "Bye Bye Party!"
What does a Thailand Kindergarten end of the school year party consist of?
Signing paper hearts, kind of like signing a yearbook but since my kids are five and six, we wrote our names and drew pictures on the paper hearts of everyone in class that we love
Plenty of snacks
Some dancing
Singing and karaoke
Playground play
.. Sounds like a party to me!
What kind of snacks do Thai children like to bring in to share for parties!?
Lay's seaweed chips (yes, lay's makes seaweed flavor chips and they are sold in Asia)
Sun chips seaweed chips
Dried shrimp flavored chips
Chicken BBQ flavored chips
Dried fish taro snack
Fish flavored crackers
Rice and corn crackers
A few sweet things which include chocolate crackers, artificial flavored strawberry sticks, marshmallow filled with chocolate, and JELLY CANDIES
What did Teacher Chelsea bring to the party? Bananas and oranges. Needless to say, after school Teacher Chelsea had enough bananas and oranges to last me until the day I leave Khon Kaen.
Sharing is caring! In my book if you share a cookie, they must be a REALLY good friend
I took this picture the very first day I stepped foot into my school and classroom in October 2010. At that time, I had NO idea what an adventure I would have, how much this experience would help me grow as a person, and how much I would LOVE these children! I remember being very timid, nervous, and convinced these kids could smell the fear sweating out of my pores. The class I had my first semester in Thailand sure was a handful but they taught me how to be a good teacher when it comes to discipline and patience. Plus, every single child and class I've had after that seems like a piece of cake after working with that one!
Above is Kenneth. He's half farang and half Thai and spent the first few years of his life in America before he moved to Thailand with his family. Kenneth is spunky and thats what I love about him. His English is the best of any child I've come across in Thailand, English is spoken very frequently at his home. He will say anything on his mind and has no censor, he seriously CRACKS me up! I appreciate his comments and humor much more now that he isn't my student as he went up to grade one after our one semester together.
Its SO crazy to see how much the kids I taught my first semester have grown! I still see them nearly everyday at school and they always scream "GOOD MORNING TEECHA" at me, but I love to look back on my pictures and see how little they used to be, think about how far they've come, and realize how much they've learned! Boy oh boy, I'm going to miss every single one of them!
Me: Wearing jeans, a t-shirt, and my backpack on my back walking the ten minute walk in the sun to the mall to tutor.
Khon Kaen: Hot season has officially started and today it gave the city a very dry heat, which is a nice change from the moist and humid heat that Khon Kaen is normally feeling. The streets are filled with traffic and smog which seems to magnify the intense heat on this incredibly toasty day. Its 113°F.
My overall consensus of Thailand Weather: Thailand has three seasons.. Hot, hot and wet, and ARE YOU KIDDING ME hot
"If you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen." - Harry Truman
Hot season, you win. I surrender. I'm ready to throw in my sweaty towel.
I have NO idea if they are just as popular back home, but my kids are OBSESSED with Angry Birds! I believe they were made popular by an iPad game and my kids LOVE them! Its angry bird shirts, hats, drawings, birthday cakes, and they talk about them all the time. I found Angry Bird stickers and they are the best reward tool I have found yet!
Today, Wednesday, is Makha Bucha Day! Even though I was here for the holiday last year, I have no idea what Makha Bucha Day is other than its a public holiday so there was no school today! Lets take a look at wikipedia to answer the question "What is Makha Bucka Day?!"
My summary from Wikipedia: The third lunar month is known in the Thai language as Makha and Bucha means "to venerate" or "to honor", so the holiday is a day for the veneration of Buddha and his teachings on the full moon day of the third lunar month. The spiritual aims of the day are:
not to commit any kind of sins
do only good
purify one's mind.
The evening of Makha Bucha Day, Buddhists go to the temple to perform merit-making activities. Holding flowers, incense and a lighted candle, the monks and congregation members circle clockwise three times around the temple, once for each of the Three Jewels – the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha.
Don't even THINK about poking fun at my teacher voice,I also use this voice with Thai people without even realizing it, its become second nature and primarily the way I communicate to others. I'm going to work really hard to leave it behind in Thailand.. I have a huge fear I'm going to go to PF Changs and find myself trying to order lo mein noodles in my simple English Teacher Chelsea voice. Nightmare!
On Tuesday, my class piled*** into the school van for a field trip to the temple for Makha Bucha Day! The kids were ready with their gifts to give the monks.. snacks, milk, flowers, candles, incense, and they were SO excited to be going to pay respect. To be honest, I was in the dark most of the time (what else is new, I'm used to being clueless now) about what the heck was going on, what they were doing, and what everything meant. I just followed the kids lead, observed the prayer and was blown away at how my rowdy kids could sit so nicely and chant along with the monk! We then circled the temple in the heat and warm tiled floor three times before the kids payed respect by presenting their flowers and candles to the monk.
***When I say "piled into the school van", I mean we literally crammed all 26 of my kids in the van as it acts as our school bus. All 26 kids and 2 teachers in an average sized van, not a single one of us wearing a seat belt. Kids sitting on kids, 5 to a bench seat.. safety hazard? This is Thailand.
How many kids can we fit into one school van? This doesn't include the two that sat up front with me!
I love my kids.. I really REALLY do! I also consider myself to be a good, patient, in-control, caring teacher.. most days. However, some of my kids really know what to do to drive. Teacher. Chelsea. CRAZY! Both good and bad days are bound to happen, some days are a walk in the park while some are a little more challenging, not matter where in the world I am or what the heck I'm doing, I expect to encounter a rough day or two. Today was one of those "I'm going crazy, I need out NOW and never want to see another child AGAIN" days! My kids can really feel that summer break is around the corner and were bouncing off the walls, running, screaming, not listening, and driving me bananas. They are itching for school to end and summer to start, as am I!
If you really want to drive Teacher Chelsea bonkers, this is all you gotta do... AKA summary of my day today
As soon as you're finished with your worksheet, run and scream "TEECHA! FINISHED!" while uncontrollably waving your paper as if you're attempting to send a distress signal and continuously smacking Teacher Chelsea in the face with it
Whine and fuss every five minutes about how your friend isn't sharing the colored pencils, erasers, or their snack and that your friend says you're not beautiful and they don't love you. I'm sorry but get up and sit with a new friend
After asking the class multiple times to use the restroom before we leave for the field trip to the temple, frantically run to Teacher Chelsea just as its your turn to present your gifts and show respect to the monks screaming "go to the toilet!"
While Teacher Chelsea is trying to teach phonics and explain the alphabet worksheet, talk and chat as loud as you can to everyone around you. Continue to talk after Teacher Chelsea has asked you numerous times to stop, to move seats, and has given you the last warning before Teacher physically takes you to nursery
Go "number two" in your pants
Purposely punch another student in the stomach
Purposely pants another student while heading back to the classroom
Pick your nose so hard that it bleeds.. twice
Okay, some of those don't actually aggrevate me.. but are just a hassle to deal with.
After I cool down, I realize that yes, they are only six years old. And yes, I need to try to be more patient sometimes. And after a few "Teacher Chelsea, beautiful!" "Teacher Chelsea, beautiful hair!" "Teacher Chelsea, I love you!", I forgive them for their annoying tendencies of the day and I adore them again.
The trouble makers are typically the boys.. above are a few culprits! Photo day in their graduation gowns!
