Secondary School Grade 6 - 4 novices in the class. We walked around the Temple Grounds as I tried to teach them to talk about the Wat Kao and other things in English. Fun times!!
Wat Kao
Wat Kao
Gotta love 'em.
Peace
With all the teachers. Pao (man in the blue) picked me up on his motorbike every morning. Alan is a nice British gentleman with whom I still keep in touch. Jim (monk) has a professional camera that you photographers wish you had, and he took wayyy too many photos of me the last day.
The following is about my first day at Ban Nanok Primary school, followed by some thoughts on the school system. I have limited time here so I cannot bedazzle you all with everything I have learned and experienced in my 4 weeks of volunteering. Needless to say, it was absolutely wonderful and knowledgeable. I miss my teaching experience now that I have been 2 weeks away from it!!
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My last day!
Wednesday, November 24th- I awoke at 6:50am to be at Ban Nanok Primary school at 9:10am. I took the red local bus (songthaew) for 20 baht (and the ride was ~ 35-40 minutes). A songthaew is a converted pick up truck with two benches and a roof for passengers. I have come to really like songthaews, they are just a continuation of the Thai culture of being outside all the time. I just always feel connected with the world here (but the occasional air con experience is nice too :) ). Once I got used to the routine of waking up early, getting dressed, maybe eating some breakfast, and heading to school, I bought my music with me to listen to tunes as my hair waved in the wind. I would also sing out loud when no one else was on the bus. You have no idea how much saves my life. It is a glorious thing.
So, I got to the school and watched the kids do their daily ceremony of singing the national anthem, Buddhist prayer, Muslim prayer, and then I was introduced by Director Somkit, and gave a speech: "Sawatdee ka. Hell. Cheu Dasha. My name is Dasha. Chan arsa samak. I am a volunteer. Yindee tee die roojak, ka. Nice to meet you. Korp kun ka. Thank you." Clap clap clap.
Grade 4
I knew my first class was at 9:30am so I thought I would sit around and journal. Then a bunch of cute kids came up to me asking something in Thai. (Did I mention when I'd gotten to the school Fin the 3rd grader (who'd learned my name the day before) ran across the whole school property yelling my name with such happy excitement?) Morng (the English teacher, my friend) said they wanted me to watch them learn! So I went to Bratom 3 (Primary Grade 3) thinking I would sit and do nothing. The deal is that the Grade 3 class teacher has been in Bangkok for who knows how long having spinal surgery > so they do not have a teacher, but no worries because in this particular government school students learn from a TV. A live feed of a class in Bangkok is shown for all the different subjects: Thai, English, music, shop/learning to fix things, math, etc. The system is such crap for may reasons, but we can start with: 3rd graders don't have a teacher? Like they are going to sit there quietly watching the TV? Ha Ha Ha (or 555, in Thai).
Me with Grade 3 on my last day. My favorite class =)
So, here I am watching them learn math as they copy answers off each other (in Thai is called collaboration, I have gotten used to it), and some of the boys running around the classroom muay thai fighting. Then they decide they no longer want to learn from the TV and all run over to me, gesticulating for me to teach. I do what I know best and do numbers or something with them. And I quickly learn that these kids do not know any English! The class was over very soon after that, and I spent the next period not teaching even though THAT was the Grade 6 class at 9:30am I was supposed to teach.
Grade 4 boys - The guys in Thailand love this pose!
The entire school was going to a district or provincial wide academic competition Thursday and Friday, so the 6th graders were, you know, not studying but making ribbons and sweets to sell. This country does not seem to value education for those who do not have money. There is so much corruption in every sector in Thailand, and it extends to the education system. Ban Nanok does not have a world map! Did not. I bought them one. To me, this is a sign of lack of materials and resources, as well as a lack of worldly knowledge. I got them the map, Director Somkit was very thankful, Morng rolled it back up, and put it in a corner with other rolled up posters. I hope they hang it up. A map of the world or a globe is an essential object to have in a classroom. I realize I come from a family in which travel is a part of our culture, but it is not a bias to say it is necessary to be aware of how large the world is and where your country sits in relation to everywhere else. It is just the tip of the world knowledge iceberg.
Grade 4 boys again! They were all actually standing and sitting here!
The next class period (10:30), I was also brought into a different classroom and just sat there as children touched me, hugged me, smiled at me, had no idea what I meant when I said, "How are you?" The intense excitement over the presence of a farang volunteer just blows my mind. I am not that special, but I sure do love these kids. (ps - How Wai marveled and caressed my long leg hairs! She was amazed. pps - I have since shaved, sorry Linds ;) )
Wai, Mata and me. Grade 4
During lunch I met the other teachers Pee May, Pee Chood, Pee Da, Pee Mampo, Pee Wara, Pee Lai, Pee Yai, as well as the cook Pee Lek. "Pee" means "elder". We ate at a table next to where all the kids ate, but the kids for the first time let me have peace, like "Take your rest now, you're in for a treat once lunch is over." Morng and I spoke about my family and braces (she just got her), and she would translate to the other teachers. I showed them photos of my little family and of course everyone thought Mama Bear was beautiful!! Earlie, during the 9:30 NOT class after thegirls showed me how to make ribbons, I was left alone and felt so lonely for a good 5 minutes. I was just overwhelmed and surprised by how the day was already going, and whenever I am sad, I wish to be in my purple room in my Manhattan Beach house for a moment. I was happy to have those photos with me that day as they reminded me of the love I have at home =)
With all the teachers!
So, the day before, Morng said I would teach Wed-Fri this week since the temple was closed for Buddhist exams, but on Wed. she said I could stay home Thurs & Fri since the competition was going on. Plans do not exist here, it really has challenged my need to make plans...but not really...I can so easily go with the flow here because what do I have to gain by making any plans?
Wai, Narain, me, Mata
I was actually pretty relieved as I was spent and felt like I needed to recover from my first day. Or maybe I'm just lazy. Who knows!
Me and Morng. The only time she was taller than me!!
After lunch a bunch of girls ran up to me saying sweetly "Teach English" but I pretended to not understand so as to mentally prepare myself...because of course 5 minutes later I was in Pee Da's class and she said in broke English, "They want (points at me) teach English." So we did body parts as they all stood by the board ext to me. You see, someone taught them "Head, shoulders, knees, and toes" but failed to explain what these things they are singing are, for when I said, "You do it on your own." and crossed my arms as I said "Head -", they all crossed they arms!
Grade 3 Buffalos and girls!
We went over body parts but they got bored and asked if I could sing Jingle Bells. So I sang that a few times.
Then they asked if we could play a game that they described to me enthusiastically with role play and big hand gestures that was a version of duck, duck, goose only with a hanky placed in a lap. I have obviously played this game when I was little, but I am pretty sure in a class of 20 -30 kids I was rarely chosen. This was no longer the case, in a circle of 10 - 13 kids, I was chosen almost every time! So funny! I would try to create alliances or point for them to pick someone new, but no luck! And naturally little kids are swift and tiny while I am old and tall, and would have to crouch under the tvs everytime I did the circle. Oh and my old knees!
The day I "taught" a music class. Morng and I just took turns playing songs.
And then the strangest, most wonderful thing happened: the kids started pointing at my sweat moustache, and the beads of sweat on my forehead, as well as the dark wet patches under my arms and on my shirt on my stomach. As first I thought, "How nice?" But then they stopped the game, stood me up, walked me over to a chair, sat me down, started fanning me with books, and brought me water.
....
this goes on for ages...
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Being a part of the Thai school system has really opened my eyes to the unfair treatement of people from poor communities. There are many kinds of schools in Thailand: private, public/government schools which are free and those which apparently accept money aka corrupted schools. Ban Nanok is a government school which lacks enough teachers and materials. When Morng taught for 12 years at a secondary (Mateom) school, she only taught English, at Ban Nanok she teaches music, fine arts, English, Shop, and whatever else. "Teaches" is a loose term because of the whole televised lesson situation. Mui (Open Mind Projects coordinator in the South) said the government is testing out what works better - a real teacher or a television. It's like children grow up into adults and forget everything they experienced as young'ns. A televised lesson is cheaper, yes, but why sacrifice education?? It's the same everywhere, it seems. We expect schools to sculpt kids into the intellectual and capable leaders of the future, but we pay teachers crap and cut school funding whenever we can. It's like adults forget they will eventually be old, retired, and die > they will not retain "power" forever, so how about spreading the educational wealth, ey?
So, some of the government schools have these tvs, Ban Nanok is one. It really depends on the teacher if the students learn. Morng doesn't want to hit the kids, so they talk and laugh for ost of the class. They don't pay almost attention during the English lessons. Sometimes they would reuest to watch the television instead of me and Morng teaching, but I would walk around and force them to open their books and write in them. I would copy some key words and things onto the white board and have them repeat things aloud.
But the televised lessons are terrible! The lesson will start with a sign that says "Fruits" but the first 30 minutes will be greetings! When the kids finally understand what 'How are you?" means, the tv has gone through a billion greetings and moved on to fruits. It's so fast and made for the class that is on the televisions, not the class watching it and moving at a much slower pace. It's such a shame. The kids usually want to learn too but they need time.
And here I will abruptly end - I will be happy to talk to you about all of my experiences in the future =)
On November 16th, I arrived at the Open Mind Projects house in Nong Khai around 8am after taking an over night ice cold mini van bus, which left me near the Thai-Laos Friendship Bridge instead of the bus station. A tuk tuk took me to the bus station, because the man had no idea what I was talking about when I pointed at my print out map to the house, and then I walked with my large backpack for a very long time in the early morning watching this small and pretty town wake up. Then I was awoken when two huge house dogs ran out of their gate growling and barking at me - they were literally at my crotch. I yelped. Some of you may know that I have an entirely irrational fear of dogs, which has dramatically decreased now that good friends have great dogs (Anna, Ursula). This "attack" did not help my fear. Thailands streets and temples are peppered with dogs, mostly those who have been abandoned. It is not the stray ones that I fear, but the ones who have a home to protect...but come on, I'm just a lonely blond girl with a backpack!
Moments after this I arrived at the house! Phew!
I met the great Pai and she left me to nap in the most amazing room I had been in in Thailand thus far. I slept soundly for one hour when I was awoken to meet two other freshly arrived volunteers: Ros from Australia and Cushla from New Zealand. After a brief tour of the Open Mind Projects grounds, the girls went biking while I handwashed some clothes, went for a glorious, serene bikeride down the Mekong River, wrote in my journal as Thai boys skateboarded and did tricks (things never change) and generally came back to my senses - the overnight icicle buses always do me in.
Thai-Laos Friendship Bridge in the distance
It is so cool to be able to see people on the other side of the river and to realize they are on a different country. You could just swim over.
Front row: Toto, Natacia, Ros
Back row: Me, Cushla, Pai, Leontien, Fernanda, Kai
That night, my new Open Mind friends (volunteers and staff) and I went out for a delicious dinner together (Aroy! Aroy!) followed by milkshakes and juices, although everything I wanted was unavailable!!
Natacia and Ros ordering food.
Kai, Pada, & Pai teaching
Day One of the orientation (Wednesday, November 17th), we learned how to greet, count, and order food in Thai. Then we went out to apply our knowledge by ordering food. It was great for me as I was already minimally learning the language, but could not grasp the numbers. Truthfully, I did not learn the numbers perfectly until I arrived in Krabi Town and had to use them all the time (with students, at the market, taking photos "Norng, Sorng, Saam!"), but it was great to be forced to learn them! So useful.
Day 2: We met Sven, the founder of Open Mind and got to hear about their mission and development over the years. Open Mind is a small organization and runs right out of Thailand with volunteer opportunities here, Laos, and Nepal mostly for teaching positions in poor communities and villages. While, yes you pay a fee to volunteer, it is a small charge compared to other organizations who have opportunities in Thailand - I met some volunteers in Krabi Town and they pay $1,500 a month! Their organization is huge with offices all over the world, but sounds like a easy and slightly unfair way to make some money! I like Open Mind because it is local. While Sven is a Swede with the most almond skin, who lives most of his days in Nong Khai, everyone else (Toto, Kwan and the trainees: Kai, Pai, Pada) is from Laos and Thailand. The dream, from my understanding, is for the trainees to learn English and then bring it back to their communities....
Oh, and they are all so lovely. Pai and Kai are the sweetest ladies and you would never, ever guess their ages. Toto is the resident dreamboat. Kwan is hilarious and I miss his smile. And Pada became my true friend! We stayed up one night trying to decide what movie to watch ("Up to you." "Up to you." "No, up to you." "No, no. Up to you.") and wound up talking about everything under the sun including philosophies. He tried his hardest (successfully) to make me understand his views, while I fumbled with my Thai-English phrase book trying to explain that my old job was in "HIV" "Safe sex" "drugs", etc, etc. It was wonderful. (We settled on the beautiful Heath Ledger in A Knight's Tale. Pada understood 50%, while I secretly bemoaned the loss of someone I never met.)
Day 2 also included us going to Sala Ke Kou - a Hindu Buddhist Sculpture Park in which every small and gigantic sculpture was built by one man. How? I have no idea. Unfortunately, we could not spend any solo time exploring, but I heard that in the museum building, the sculptures dead body is on display. Lovely. It is a wonderful park and I would definitely recommend visting it if you ever find yourself in Isan - just do a couple of nights in Nong Khai. It's so peaceful.
Christian, Natacia, Kwan, Pai, Cushla, (behind her is Sven's sister), Sven's brother in law, Ros, Me sitting
After a visit to Wat Phochai, we were separated into food making teams. Christian, Anika (Sven's sister), and I were going to the market to buy ingredients for papaya salad, while Cushla, Ros, and Natacia (with help from Pai!) made a delicious fruit salad. Obviously my team won, I am a winner ;). But in all seriousness (and Thais are never serious), it was very fun to put together Thai language and culture knowledge to make some yummy food!
Team papaya salad
Lady(boys)
Learning to dance like a Thai girl
That evening we were entertained with great food, ladyboys (women, as we would call them in PC America), and karaoke. Us 5 new volunteers (along with Leontien & Fernanda -old time pros having been in Nong Khai for 3 months) were given white thread bracelets for good luck and flower necklaces.
Me and Pada!
Girls can sing Backstreet Boys too
Most of the crew went to sleep but a few of us stayed up late into the night drinking rice wine (best. thing. ever.), singing karaoke (Christian: "When I was a little kid, my friends and I had a Backstreet Boys gang and we knew all their song." I have never seen an over 6 foot tall, skinny boy sing Backstreet Boys songs so happily and well! It was a truly fun night and a great welcome to an exciting journey ahead!!
Pada, Fernanda, me, Leontien representing.
Note Ros' excellent drawings.
Kids love when you can't draw.
Day 3: We taught. We were all split into twos and assigned the task of creating a 15 minute lesson plan to do in front of a class at the near by school. Ros and I chose body parts! It was so difficult at first to come up with a lesson plan without knowing the level of English the kids in the class knew, but I think we nailed it. I was surprised that I was not nervous, and Ros told me I was a natural. I am glad I have had a year to get back in touch with the very, very clownish and silly side of me. It has come in handy in this country. There is just no time to be serious - at least not in public! Everyone did a really good job, and we all provided good feedback for each other afterwards, that I still hold onto when I teach in my school. HOWEVER, teaching at my school is faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar different from anything I was prepared for. But that is for another blog post.
Kai, me, and Kwan
Fernanda and Leontien with some
teachers who worked with Leontien!
And for our last night, Fernanda, Leontien, Christian, Cushla, Natacia, Kai, Kwan, and I went out on the town - after I was lucky enough to get a massage (thanks again for being so kind, you guys). We went to a reggae bar, and I have resigned to the fact that reggae bars are the place to be in Thailand. Then we went to the Riverside Country Bar to hear what Fernanda described as Thai country music - but really it was a mix of rock and pop cover hits. We danced. We sang "Chimi Chimi". We laughed. It was wonderful. I had a great four days in Nong Khai and have taken everything that I have learned to my placement and my ongoing adventures in Thailand!!
Rock out.
For those of you who have not yet been sent the link to "Chimi Chimi", you are missing out. This song is wonderful and has gotten me very far in this country, because how many foreigners (farang) request a Thai song in a Western bar on the beach in Railay (among other tales)?
