Fantastic Friday: Bugs and Hugs

Finally, the end of the week and another "Fantastic Friday"!

• On Monday after I tutored at Central Plaza, I went to the ground floor to do a little grocery shopping for the week.  As I walked by the small arcade in front of "Tops", the grocery store", I heard a small voice squeal "TEACHER CHELSEA!!"  I then see little Lyching, the smallest child (by far) in my class barreling into my legs to give me a mighty hug.  Most of my kids that I run into out of school are usually very shy and avoid saying "Hello Teacher Chelsea" like they are avoiding the plague.  Or maybe they think the same thing that I did when I was a child, my mom reminded me how I was shocked as a kid when i ran into a teacher at the grocery store or Blockbuster, "teachers arn't real people.. they sleep at school, right?!"  Well, little Lyching made my day and talked all week about how she saw Teacher Chelsea at Centran.  She's one of my favs.

• On Sunday afternoon, Tan's mom drops him off at my apartment where we have an hour and a half of special class.  I typically have some worksheets and games prepared to practice his conversational English.  If we have time, I'll end the last 15 minutes or so with a fun video that we can talk about, like "Planet Earth"!  Recently, Tan has been getting caught up with some of the "naughty" boys in the first grade at school.. it just so happens that this group of naughty boys were the very same boys that were in my KG 3 class last semester, they knew how to push my buttons!  But Tan always behaves very well in Special Class with me, and I actually look forward to our time together on Sundays.  He's a jokester and seriously cracks me up!

Looking thrilled

"Chelsea, you know what we have to do before we leave Thailand, right?" Jess asked me.
*long pause* "Uh oh, What?"
"EAT BUGS AT THE NIGHT MARKET!".     

• I desperately tried to chicken out but after Jess and I had some pad thai at the night market last weekend, she purchased a small bag or grasshoppers for us to try.  Its true, she leaves Thailand in just about a week and our experience wouldn't be complete without willingly eating a bug or two, an ant or fly in our soup doesn't count.  Armed with our camera to take video to prove we did it, we each ate a grasshopper.  I have to say, it was crunchy and tasted similar to a potato chip, minus this had legs and antennas.  Not as bad as I thought, but i wouldn't do it again.  Not too intimidating in the picture, but considering how picky I am, this was huge for me!  Jess and I can now leave Thailand prepared to be on an episode of "Fear Factor".

HAPPY FRIDAY! :)