The Kingdom of Thailand

So I have arrive in Thailand. The flight over was long, but exciting. Had some trouble getting to the hotel, a bit of an emotional breakdown once I was in the hotel, but other than that fine! Right from that first hotel I could tell everyone was so welcoming and friendly. Everyone will talk to you and smile at you and say hello.

I was picked up by the operations manager who took me to the main office of the company I will be working for. I met some people there and had a super long orientation all about the job, contract, pay, the insanely complicated visa/working permit/teacher licence process, health package etc. etc. Seems like this company really takes care of its teachers. We then went to visit the school and meet some people. I will be working and living in the Nonthaburi province, a suburb just north of Bangkok. It's not so much a suburb (I think of Oakville when I think suburb), but more just a rural area on the outskirts. They have lots of stores and modern conveniences but it is a bit more rustic. People living in shacks some places, farms, chickens, and the big thing is stray dogs everywhere!! On the road to my school there are sooo many. This one dog has about six puppies around her all the time. The most adorable things ever. But of course I have to steer clear since about 7% have rabies. (Apparently you can get rabies even from a lick????)

There is also this great market right beside my school which only seems open in the evening. (It gets dark really early here, around 6pm, and I've been too afraid to be out and about too much in the dark so far..) I went last night though around dusk and they have everything there. Tons of food stalls, fruit, vegetables, rice, dry foods, snow cones and bubble tea, clothes, jewelry etc. Everything incredibly cheap of course. I bought two things of curry and some crushed ice bubble tea for 30 baht ($1).

The school I will be working at is called Sacred Heart Nonthaburi and is a Catholic school for all ages, I believe.. (from 2 years old to high school). It's a gorgeous school. It has a very open, inside-outside type concept. The halls are all technically open air (just covered on top) and each room you go into from outside, which is each individually air conditioned. I will be sharing a classroom with one other teacher. The classroom is very tiny though. Approximately a third or half the size of the classes in Canada. Very tiny desks all jammed together. The English classes only have about 20/25 children compared to the 50/60 in the regular classes.

I will be teaching three grade 4 classes and one grade 5 class. I see each one time a day for 50 minutes each. Between lessons is class prep and marking time, usually in one of the teacher's rooms. I am there from 8 am til 4 pm, but have a huge break in the middle. The cirriculum is all planned out and scheduled, so I just have to follow it. I was given all the books, but am still confused about how it all works. I will be going in tomorrow for some training then classes start on Wednesday.

I went yesterday with the operations manager and his thai wife to look at a bunch of apartments. So helpful in that she talked to everyone, asked all my questions, and tried to negotiate for me. I think I will be staying in this place called Champs Elysees, this super super nice place that is more of a resort than anything. It's all gated in and has its own stores, and each building is done in a different style. Looks super expensive, but is quite reasonable. I went and saw other places, but think I will pay a bit more to stay here. We were looking at studio apartments that start at around 3000 baht ( $90). So very, very cheap to live here.

I think that is about it for now. I came into Bangkok today and am in the centre of the huge shopping malls. They sell everything!! It did not take too long to get here, which is good. There are vans you can take in for super cheap, but wasn't sure how to get to them. So took a taxi for around 6$ to the sky train, which is about 2$. So not too bad, but there are cheaper ways. The most popular mode of transportation is the motorcycle taxis which are everywhere! You sit on the back and they take you wherever for super cheap. I kept asking how to get places and the people I work with kept saying, just take a motorcycle taxi!! Don't know if I am brave enough for that yet. The traffic here is insane, larger vehicles get the right of way, and pedestrians jsut have to try their hardest to not get hit!! They travel on the left side of the road as well, so something I have to take into consideration even more!!!

K, I think NOW that is all for now. I will try to write on this as often as possible and hopefully not be as rambling as this!! Miss you all!!!!!!!!!