As payday approaches..

I apologize, faithful followers, for my lack of posting in the last week. I now FINALLY have internet in my apt, as of two days ago, and will now be able to upload my blogs from the comfort and convenience of my room, as opposed to the internet cafe or work. One more unit until midterms, and I'm not looking forward to grading them.
Last weekend Brenda and I went to a salsa show put on by Salsa Hacha. The show was very well choreographed, and some of the dancers were interesting to watch. Dr Salsa invited me as his VIP guest, so I got a free ticket in. Apparently he thought that meant we were on a date, and made the mistake of attempting to kiss me on the balcony. He seemed confused at my rejection, despite being twice my age and clearly not hearing a word of my earlier cautionary schpeel about his forwardness potentially getting him into trouble with the wrong person. Needless to say, he won't be getting a dance with me again anytime soon.
This weekend, however, was much better. Brenda unfortunately wasn't able to go out Friday night because of a hurt muscle from yoga(I told her yoga was bad for her health haha), so I got in touch with April to see if she had plans and wanted to do something. We met up at the MRT station, then took it to Sukhumvit Rd, Soi 15, where we salsa danced for about an hour or two, then left and hitched a motorcycle ride to Soi 33(which April confused with Soi 11 somehow, lol, and we headed back after a bit of wandering through what was clearly a street aimed at luring MEN, not just any tourist). But before heading to the correct Soi, we ran into Travis, another teacher at Convent, where April works. He and his brotha from anotha motha(don't remember his name) joined us for a drink at a little bar with a live band and pool tables, which we had considered using, but instead spent our time raising our glasses to every cheers the boys decided needed saying. After parting with them, we hopped a motorbike back to Soi 11, and found a little British pub called The Pickled Liver tucked back on a quiet little side street. I ordered my Mai Tai, April ordered her beer, and we split a delicious plate of nachos(made with doritos, haha, but it tasted really good). On our way out, I noticed a guy across the room, who happened to make eye contact with me. Four times before I got out the door. If there's anything I'm good at, it's eye-flirting, and about 20 yards out the door, I stopped and mentioned it to April. After some hasty deliberation, we decided to go back in, and see if I couldn't get more than a few glances from this mystery person. We each ordered another drink, and sat down at a table where we both had an excellent view of both the tvs and him. We couldn't quite hear what language they were speaking, so we didn't want to go sit with them and then feel awkward. After a while of stewing over what to do, April caught one of them speaking English, and suggested I go over and talk to him. Still seemed awkward, since they were watching the game and all, so I did something I've never done before. I borrowed a pen from April, wrote my name and number on the back of a receipt, and as we left I stuffed the folded paper into his shirt pocket as I walked by without even saying a word. He started to ask me something, but I couldn't stop or I wouldn't ruined the whole thing. I continued out the door, and once I was safely out and a few yards away, I breathed a sigh of relief that it was over and waited for April to catch up.

About an hour later, a Mister Matthew Lavender calls me up to introduce himself, and to apologize for not getting up to talk to me first. :D Ah, the power of impulsive actions.


Cheese from Harry and Melissa's trip to...somewhere.

My mugshot, also known as my work visa picture.

Dress - 150B
Necklace - 200B

Teacher "Amelina"

The assignment was:

"Draw a picture of Teacher Amelia on the back of your paper."

"Make it pretty."

My P.5/1 class







My P.5/2 class






Let's recap:
I'm a PowerPuff Girl, an anime character, I have my name tattooed on my arm, I wear multicolored pants to work, I live in the clouds and control the lightning, I also have halo, my hair is like Rapunzel's, I am sometimes a South Park character, and I have a pet dog.

Day Trip to...places

On Saturday a day trip was offered, so I went for it. There were about ten of us, but I was the only one from Nonthaburi, as Bauj and Rani preferred running and cleaning to exploring apparently. As you may recall, I got home Friday night around 3:30am; nevertheless, I was up again at 7 and on a motorbike by 8:30 to meet Sert at the school and head for Don Muang to meet up with the others. We were all on our way by 9:30, and we visited the King Rama II Museum in Amphawa County on the Mae Klong River, saw a demonstration of how to make sugar from coconut, visited the Julamanee Temple, and then spent time at the Amphawa Evening Floating Market.

Lunchtime

Pork and noodles...soup

This market goes right along the train tracks. Active train tracks. A train that comes through sometimes up to 8 times in a day. So of course we had to walk through it. No train scheduled for at least an hour or so.

He was selling little ducklings!

Frogs. Toasty.

King and Queen of Thailand

At the King Rama II Museum

April and I listening to music from "back then"

Sert being "The Giant" lol

Standing in a heart of flowers(obviously)

Khun Pooh and I pressing down buddha's flaking gold skin

Hit the gong three times and make a wish! I wished for the cute Australian to show up at Salsa again soon.

Inside the temple, and up in the back there are the mummified(sort of) remains of...the guy they "pay respect to"

Khun Pooh paying respect

Giving fishies new life....lol at 10B per fish

"I've got a lov-a-ly bunch of coconuts, diddly diddly, there they are standing in a row..."

The floating market

On the long tail boat to cruise down the river and see fireflies when it got dark

One of the houses along the canal


It took me almost a week to get this blog posted, as the computers at work refused to cooperate with pictures. I hope you all truly appreciate all the work this is to keep you all informed. :)

Arriba! (Farewell, Holly)

Friday was our manager Holly's last day(Sunny is taking over), so we all went to Que Pasa Mexican Restaurant for dinner that night. It was great fun, especially since IDEAL picked up the tab for the night. Salsa dancing was in line afterwards, and Rani and Bauj also came along this time. We finished the night at a thai nightclub, where they danced..and I first sat and watched, then stood and watched when we moved into a different room that had nowhere to sit. Got home about 3:30am.

One end of our long table

The administrators from IDEAL who came to join us...and Holly(the blonde)

Shyr and Bauj

Me, with a margarita on the rocks and a cherry brandy...I didn't order the margarita

Group picture

Bauj with her root beer float

Our new manager, Sunny
"Do I look like a Mexican drug dealer?"
"No, you look like an Asian drug dealer in a sombrero."

Holly reading the card we made her. The prompt question was, "What's the first vegetable that comes to mind when you think of Holly?" (She's vegetarian). I put a kumquat.

Rani learning to Salsa with Jo

Me dancing with Dr. Salsa, one of the instructors

Wai Kru Day

Thursday was Wai Kru Day, or Teacher Respect Day. A very big deal here, and the whole school participates in the ceremony. The teachers sit in chairs in rows in the middle, and the students are all sitting in their class rows on the sides. A few children from each class are selected ahead of time to present each teacher with a gift. Only it's not just walking up and handing it to us. There is music played, the selected students first kneel in front of us, the students offer up the decorated basket of books(symbolic of what we teach them being remembered and passed back and forth between learner and teacher), then they bow completely to the ground for a minute or two at our feet, until a certain part of the song cues them to sit back up. It is, for some teachers, a very awkward ceremony, as they feel children should not be bowing down to them. I would never ask a child to bow down to me, but I certainly didn't mind having a day solely designated for respecting me. Here are a "few" pictures from the day. The littlest ones getting ready for the ceremony Wednesday after school

Students presenting Sert with a gift before the ceremony

Kristian, Me, Shyr, Rani and Colin

Harry, Melissa, Jeffrey, Me, Shyr, Bauj and Rani(sigh..without Harry I would look like a giant lol)

Tiniest little piccolo player

Students sitting with their gifts

Presenting bouquets to Christ

..and to the Sisters

A few of the gifts my other students gave me that day during class