Teaching in the Land of Smiles: "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)