I didn't think it would be like this.

Life is a rough biography.  Memories smooth out the edges.  ~Dante G. Roque


Today I saw my final class for the last time.......


Hold on let me contain myself. 


So yes, I saw my final class for the last time and I also saw my favorite class for the last time. It sucked. So for the last two weeks in my M5 classes, we have been watching the movie "UP!" (That movie is sooo cute!..we watched in English and I treated them with the Thai subtitles) This week was the last week of classes so we were watching the rest of the movie in some classes, or showing pics of NYC and my friends & family.... and then I would say my goodbyes to the class. 


I was dreading saying my goodbyes to my 5/3 class....granted I loved most all of my M5s...but these were my absolute favorite. I mean, their English wasn't the best, but they tried. They also were learning Chinese at the same time as English...that cannot be easy. I struggled enough learning one language! They always made my time in class fun...they were just an awesome group of students... we would talk outside of class, tell jokes...they taught me some Thai... ::tear::


So in 5/3 I got my courage and stood up in front of the class.... "Okay, class so today is the last day...I told myself I wasn't going to cry...(Ahhh I feel it coming). I just wanna say.....::choked up:: that.....(oh darn here it comes) ::tear-tear-teaaaars:: I'm reallly going to miss you guys.......yadda yadda...you guys are more than students but my friends....


I couldn't do it...I started crying and then in turn they started crying. Then I finished and one of them came to the front and gave me a hug and started to thank me on behalf of the class.... the last thing she said was...there is nothing more I can think to say but "I Love You" ::bring on the waterworks::  Just writing this is making me emotional again.... 


Then at the end of class all of them wanted a hug and "joop joop" (kiss) and told me I'm the reason why they like English now...and they love me and that they hope I never forget them..NEVER!! Some of them are even telling me not go back to America and stay until they graduate...lol.. (that won't be until next March...hmmm... nahhh)


Initially, I came to Thailand because I got laid off and wanted to get away from the bad economy vibes @ home. I always wanted to go to either Thailand or Japan and thought teaching would be a good way to kinda "give back" and be able to travel. I didn't think that I would get so attached to these kids...and them to me. Now I'm sitting in my apartment really sad that I have to leave them...But I know that Memories last a lifetime and these students will always have a place in my heart. 


Who knows...maybe next year I will come back to Thailand with my mom just to see these kids graduate HS. 




Leftovers in their less visible form are called memories.  Stored in the refrigerator of the mind and the cupboard of the heart.  ~Thomas Fuller

You Know You've been in Thailand Too long when...

So I decided to make one of these lists on my experience here so far... so here goes...


You Know You've Been In Thailand Too Long When...

1. Desserts you eat no longer have a specific name like "apple pie" everything is Thai Dessert...
2. You've named all the stray dogs in your town and know when there's a newcomer... like the mangy white one in Suphan...eww..
3. You think its normal to eat ice cream between two slices of white bread/sticky rice at 9am...
4. You aren't upset that there are roaches crawling on the wall/floor of your favorite restaurant...
5. Everything is "same, same but different" its "up to you" to figure it out...
6. You are reprimanded for going to teach class and not celebrating someone's birthday in the office...
7. YOU stare and point at other Farang...
8. When the weather is in the low 80's you have on a long sleeved shirt...talkin 'bout its "chilly" today...
9. You no longer use the past tense or articles (a, an or the) when speaking English...I eat dinner yesterday, then I take taxi home.
10. When you are talking on the phone in your apartment, you look around to see if your roommate pet gecko is listening to your convo...
11. You don't feel weird when old thai people/your students touch your butt...
12. Your nickname is door, lamp, stamp, or some other inanimate object...
13. People say "I love you" and "beautiful" to you more than they say "hello"

Did I cover them all...? Probably not....How do you know you've been in Thailand too long?

Moaaaht..!!

Scene:
3:00 pm, Foreign Language Department at Sa-Nguan Ying School.
Characters: Teacher Tash & Teacher Nicki


Teacher Tash has left her afternoon Kashi snack bar @ her apartment and needs a snack...
(Mid-convo with Nicki)
Tash: I'm hungry, I need a snack...
She walks over to the fridge..knowing aint ish in there but some non-appetizing thai desserts but maybe something will magically appear. 
Thai Teacher: Do you want some sugar to eat? (she tried to make a joke)
Tash: 0_O.....No Thanks.....
Tash: oooooh! A ferrero rocher....mmm, I'll eat that.
Nicki: Whadyou get?
Tash: (unwrapping the rocher) this yummy Rocher!
Nicki: Ha...I have a funny story involving rocher actually....One time our family went camping....
Tash and Nicki engage in a converstation about Nicki's story whilst Tash is eating the snack...

Tash: WTF?!....(looking down at her laptop, an ant is crawling on the touchpad) where the heck did this ant come from?!
Tash opens the wrapper that is in her hand....about 10 ants are in the wrapper...

Tash: Yo Nicki...I think I just ate some ants....eewwwww I just ate antssss............ahhhh I need water... >:-{
Nicki: ::chuckle:: ::chuckle::
Tash: 0_0
Both ladies walk over to the fridge looking for water...
Tash: Ugggghhh no waterrrr...
Nicki: eat some crackers...


lol


Google Search: What happens if you eat ants? 
Moaaht=Ant

Its about that time...

...In a few weeks I will be home, home on the range. And it is bitter sweet...Thailand has been great to me...but I mus go back to mi yahhhd. Last week was the last week of school for my 12th graders. It was sad...I cried..they cried.. on one day they went around school and gave out memorabilia of each other...little tokens with their pictures and whatnot. They would pin it to their best friends...and of course their favorite teacher...ME! And I know the other teachers were hating teachers of the lower levels were probably wishing they had the 12th graders this year. Even though they could never be as cool as me ::brushing shoulders off:: Photo of me looking like a Christmas tree here...with my favorite Chinese teacher..who gave me the nickname Papaya Girl...but that's another post. Man I'm gonna miss these kids...


Back to me going back home...I decided to make a list of the top 5 things I am looking forward to & not looking forward to when returning home..(Gotta keep it PG-13 as my nosey wonderfully inquisitive mom and grating smart kid sister just might be reading this): 

1.  My Grandma's food...OMG....u don't understand right now I would let mosquitos bite me in some strange places right about now just to eat some potato pudding, stew peas or just some corn meal porridge.
2. My friends...and maybe my family...I miss having people around that truly get me. Like, just because I don't wanna jump in a dirty a$$ river or go hiking...doesn't make me "high maintenance" #dontjudgeme I'm a city girl to the fullest and I just don't enjoy that outdoorsy ish...I mean I will go to Central Park for a picnic and some rollerblading...I might even go to the poconos and stay in a cabin...BUT...a tent..in the forest...  0_O  ::come on son:: (Ed Lover Voice). I'll go to that after-work lounge event, thank you.  Also I just wanna speak in patois sometimes and can't...
3. New York City...There is something to be said about the people that live in NYC. The artists... aspiring models/actors....dolla cab drivers..wholefoods market clerk...waiters....bartenders...train conductors...traffic cops....harlemites....I miss all of them....and can't wait to see what shenanigans I will get into involving one or all of the above..... 
4. RockBand...Yea so what it made it to the top 5...But you know you're gonna be at the first game night of 2010 at Poochie's house so don't even front. Just be prepared to battle TwinkleFingas on the guitar..ya heard...
5. My Blackberry...eff an iPhone...#yeaisaidit 

Top 5 Things I am deathly afraid of not looking forward to...

1. Cold weather...Yea I know I was complaining about the heat but I don't really like the cold weather...mainly because I hate wearing extra clothing... #dontgothere
2. New York City...yes I know a pro and a con....its dirty..smelly..and expensive. we have a love-hate relationship, but it works perfectly for the both of us.
3. The Job Hunt....#Nuffsaid. I'm already annoyed by it and I haven't even left Thailand as yet.
4. The Recession....Being in Thailand...You really forget that the rest of the world is in a recession. Everyone is so carefree over here and seem to have no worries...ladeee da de da...
5. That long a$$ flight back home...do you know whats its like to be in coach for umpteen hours? No Bueno. 

I get it...I get it....Happy Chinese New Year...

Maybe I didn't get the memo...But does the celebrating of Chinese New Year last for more than one day? Chinese new year was on Sunday and in my town of Suphanburi, Thailand, there have been fireworks every night since....and I like fireworks just as much as the next person but why o why does it have to sound like we are at war?! I coulda sworn the fireworks were blasting from directly over my head...sounds like bombs are going off... geez. Yes..I get it its the new year in China (a whole month after us in the western world but I digress..tehe..) But can we please stop with the fireworks?? #Imjussayin...

Teacha, my fren have stomachack...

So today in my 11th grade mediocre leveled class, they were presenting their biographies on their classmates that they did last week. They love trying to speak so I give many opportunities for them to do so.... anyway about 20 minutes into class a student in the back of the classroom raises her hand... I said "yes?"


"Teacha, my fren have stomachack"
--"oh really...you mean stomachache"
"Yes, she have stomachache, can we go to the toilet" (yes thai girls go to the toilet in pairs, but I make fun of them for doing so..tehe)
--"Which friend?"
(she then points to her friend sitting 2 students away from her, a friend whom in fact has a smile on her face)
--"Your friend has stomachache? but she is smiling"
Another student yells out "Teacha, she take a DUMP"
*Dead*
I try not to laugh; she says again "she take a dump, she take a dump"
There is no way I can contain it now...I crack up laughing as does the entire class..
--"ok, ok, she can go...does anyone want to help her?"


class laughs and ha, whadda ya know...no one wants to go with her....I proceed to tell the young lady good luck...lol.


Next question...who taught them the phrase "to take a dump"?

Hot, Hotter, Hottest...

...Those are the unofficial seasons in Thailand, as told to me by my students and fellow teachers. On this past Sunday it was terribly hot...for about a week before, we had been experiencing some cool weather...you know high 70's low 80's...and then on Sunday...whammy...it was about 90....That's hot. Today was about 93....still hot. And, I'm not complaining (well I actually am, a lil) since I know people at home are freezing their asses off...but geez... I would like to walk down the block to get a Chai Yen (iced tea) without dripping in sweat. Not cool...literally. Apparently we are in the "hot" season...soon it will be "hotter" then "hottest" which doesn't really make any sense since everyone says April is the hottest month. But technically we are in the "winter" season...yea...winter. ha. I sweat all the time....wear powder EVERYwhere...can't even get a good run..errr jog in cuz its so hot...not to mention that teaching isn't fun in non-air conditioned rooms...

So for all those who are complaining about the cold....all this heat isn't pretty either. The grass isn't always greener on the other side. Well, my grass may be a bit greener but....you know what I mean.

Going to eat some watermelon now...