From NKP to Chiang mai - summer break travels

The past couple weeks have been amazing, both hectic and relaxing at the same time. I was finished teaching sometime during the first week of March and after going on a school field trip to a temple in Roi Et province with the graduating M.6 students, I packed my backpack and took off for Bangkok! From Bangkok I went back up to Isaan, to Khon Kaen, to help out with and English camp and then I was really on my way to Chiang mai, where I've spent the last week at this wonderful hostel right outside the Old City (where most of the tourist stuff is). I'll admit that I was a little worried about traveling alone - how would I meet people, would I have fun on my own, etc - but it hasn't been an issue at all. Even on day 1, I met people to travel with around Chiang Mai and may even meet up with some others down south. It seems most travelers are either going up through Laos from Chiang Mai, or they're headed South. In my case,  I'm headed to Phuket this afternoon (gotta love overnight transportation) and then island hopping for several weeks. So that's the plan and here are some pictures from my travels so far

(The view from Phra Maha Chedi Chai Mongkhon in Roi Et)

So you can't truly see the temple, but you can sort of see from this picture how far up it was - we were able to spot the pagoda about half an hour before we actually arrived at the temple, it's just built into the side of the mountain and surrounded by trees. Part of it was under construction. It's supposed to be one of the most important wats for the people of Roi Et. Uploading those pictures soon..

With some of the M. 6 students in the Science Club (they test into it in M.4 and continue with the same students until they graduate). 

Just a few of the students - about 200 students went on this trip - we had a 4 bus long caravan and as many of the students were late, we kept stopping on the side of the road to pick up straggling students even an hour into our drive! Roi Et is about a 4 hr drive from NKP. 

Wat Benchamabophit in Bangkok - Haley and I stopped there to see Chokee - our monk friend who lives in New York and who we met in NKP!

With Chokee - women aren't allowed to touch monks nor are they allowed to stand too close....we never quite know if we are doing everything correctly or not...

Sitting down in front of the buddha image at the wat - you aren't allowed to stand in front of a buddha image as it's disrespectful.

Before meeting Chokee in NKP, I was extremely nervous around monks. I never know what was okay for me to do as there are all sorts of rules that monks have to follow regarding women. I would lower my head so that I wouldn't make eye contact or just wai to any monk I was passing. Turns out monks aren't so scary after all! It's polite to wai to a monk if you pass close to them and women really can't stand close to a monk. When receiving something, you must just put out your hand, as you don't want to be taking anything from a monk. There are all these intricacies to behavior around monks that I still don't understand, but at least they no longer make me nervous!

After spending a day or two in Bangkok I was off to the english camp, which was much like the one in Ubon though we did end up sleeping on the floor instead of a hotel. Still, just as comfortable. Only problem with this English camp is that on the way, I managed to lose both my phone and reading glasses. oops...

After khon Kaen i took off for Chiang Mai which was a bit of a long ride. But once I got here, everything has been wonderful. I'm hogging the computer so I'll just upload pictures later and give a brief outline...

Doi Suthep (wat in the mountains), Tiger Kingdom (got to play with baby tigers!!), a man made lake for some R and R, walked around the old city, met up with two people I sort of 'knew' here in Chiang mai (friends of friends), went to the SUnday walking street market - soooo much stuff - and just hung around doing nothing at the hostel with some poeple I've met here. All in all - awesome week. 

Pictures for sure in the next post. Off to phuket! Wish me luck :)

"Chok Dee" to Mattayom 3 & 6

(With some of my Mattayom 3 students...3/9)

Friday was a special day for students and teachers alike. It was graduation day for Mattayom 3 and 6 students, and while I was aware of 'graduation day', I was blown away by the festivities. I really shouldn't have been so surprised, as elaborate parties and celebrations are the norm around here.

(3/8 students with their gifts)

Graduation days at home are full of formal outfits, caps and gowns, and speeches from professors and valedictorians. It's a very organized event, as are most in the US. Here, organized events are a rarity and I'm finding I like this less structured way of doing things more and more. Friday's graduation day was full of more flowers than I have ever seen, class-made t-shirts, dance performances by the students, and a lengthy gift-giving/ photography procession. Friends of the graduating students had made 'photo booths' for them, in which students could pose in front of and take pictures. Opening Assembly went on as usual, with one noticeable difference - every student had baskets of flowers, backpacks full of candy, and arms full of big stuffed animals. I was completely confused when I saw everything, but was quickly told that these were gifts for the graduating students. As it was M.3 and M.6's day, all of the other grades lined up, forming a tunnel that went from the morning assembly area to the grand hall on campus where the hall was decorated in honor of graduation.

photo area for students

 students from my 3/5 class

3/10 students

As the other students were getting ready, I walked over to my M. 3 students and was greeted with smiling faces shouting 'teacher! teacher! take picture please!'.  I received several roses and countless pieces of candy as I walked around taking pictures and congratulating the students. After months of trying to figure out how to teach these students and work around the countless behavior problems, I found that I was rather upset to be saying goodbye to them. While class could be unbelievably frustrating and trying, these students had become what I looked forward to each day when I came to school. I could always count on a bright smile or a wave from one of my 350 students and perhaps a conversation from some of the more courageous ones. Walking around and talking with them on graduation day was wonderful, and I felt fully appreciated as a teacher. They chattered at me in Thai (only some of which I understood), and thanked me for teaching them.

After the graduating students walked through the tunnel of other students, accepting loads of roses, candy necklaces and everything else you can think of, there was (another) picture opportunity. All of the students eventually ended up in the grand hall, singing along to the student band that was playing and excitedly talking to one another. After everyone had gathered, there were some amazing student performances. One of them involved 4 lady-boys dressed up in drag performing quite a provocative dance. It would have neeeever been allowed in the US! Of course, everyone loved it. There were many other dance performances, mostly by the boys. Here, dancing is something that everyone does from a young age, whether you are male or female. Singing is another thing that is just accepted here, everyone does it. Self - consciousness is not a term they seem to know in the realms of singing and dancing. 

inside the grand hall

After the performances and a short presentation of diploma's to M. 6, we had a string tying ceremony, which I've discussed before. This time, I got to be one of the string tie-ers! Usually I'm on the receiving end and until now, hadn't truly understood the ceremony. P'mai, one of the Thai English teachers, explained to me that when you are tying the strings on someones wrist, you are basically saying 'out with the old, in with the new'...they are saying goodbye to the bad fortune and welcoming good fortune. To be super polite in Thai culture, to receive something you put out your hand and clutch that elbow with the other hand. For reasons I still don't understand, you hold a boiled egg or sticky rice in this ceremony. We had the opening speech/ song and then each teacher took some of the strings off of the altar like structure. (see picture). I sat in a chair and students just started running towards me! Some of them were crying, as it's the last time they'll be seeing on another for a long time. Many of my students are going to technical schools or going to another province, and it's not very easy to get from one place to another from the more rural villages. I brushed the strings over their wrist as I was taught, and told them "Chok Dee" (good luck), and congratulated them on their work this semester. It was very moving for everyone involved (I was definitely choked up during all this) and an honor for me to be part of the ceremony in this way. 

the strings for the string tying ceremony

part of the ceremony

When the ceremony was finally finished (it took about an hour), there were more performances and students wandered around the grand hall talking to each other. I talked to my students and tried to comfort the ones that were more upset. Some of them ran up to me and gave me a huge hug and I think I felt my heart melting. As hugging isn't normal in Thai culture, once some of the other students saw that it was okay to hug me, I got accosted by students who wanted to say goodbye. Just the simple act of giving the students a goodbye hug seemed to open doors. They were more willing to try to have a conversation or just hang out around me. I found myself really sad that I wouldn't see them for a few months, and some ever again. It was a completely wonderful experience though and one I'm so glad I was able to be a part of. 

That night, I was coming back from the night market with loads of food for the weekend, expecting to eat in my room, watching some American TV show as per usual. One of my more vocal students from 3/10 (most advanced) rushed up to me wanting to use my bicycle for some reason. I said okay and off she went. She returned just a few minutes later with another student and just started talking to me in Thai! They know that I don't understand most of it but I think she was just so excited. Eventually I figured out that she was inviting me to dinner with her and her friends! It was so unexpected and so sweet. I followed them to a 'bbq' restaurant (where you make your own dinner in a hot pot) and was reminded of what it was like to be 15 again. I didn't try to be the teacher during dinner, and instead just took in their conversation and asked them questions about summer (in Thai!). It was their celebration time and I was invited to take part in it, not asked to teach them things. They were having a blast and acting crazy as teenagers do when they are on their own. When they were on the phone, I could tell they were having a blast telling friends that the 'falang' teacher was at dinner with them. They spent a lot of time laughing at me as I had no idea what was going on most of the night and one of the students had taken on the role of translator. We said our goodbyes at the end of dinner and I wished them luck during their summer vacation. A perfect end to an amazing day.

some of the lower level students (3/1, 3/2)

 I know teacher's aren't supposed to have favorites but I absolutely adore this class (3/9)

(3/8 posing for the class picture)