6.15.12

Had my first intestinal problems on Friday morning. I was really worried about the drive to school. However, the trouble stopped as soon as I went downstairs. Where I immediately popped some Immodium. Just in case.

I was feeling very tired. Like, barely-able-to-keep-my-head-up tired. My first class went fine. We had fun. My second class was one that I took over from Patricia. They are a level one class. I don’t think it is necessarily based on their level of English, as it is their age. Patricia has all level one classes. Now I know why she is so frazzled at the end of the day. It was a very large, fairly unruly class. I had two trouble-making boys. One of them seemed to be the class clown of sorts. The other was his partner in crime. I separated them. Then the side kick kept moving seats and I had to keep moving him back. Then he was sleeping and just waved me off when I woke him up. The original trouble-maker asked to use the restroom and I told him “One at a time”. Of course he tried to get me to let the two of them go. Not a chance. I think he was actually just out in the hall on his cell phone. Then a little later, his friend just got up and left class without asking. Neither of them returned. I asked the class for their names and made marks on the attendance sheet. I think they understood that I meant business, because I had no trouble with the class after they left. Actually, had a really productive morning with them.

I made sure to report the incidents to Pi Len later. I wouldn’t be at all upset if those two didn’t return to class.

Thorn came through and let us know about the apartment near the school. Unfortunately, they were all booked up. As usual.

I was really running on empty by about 1pm. I hadn’t had any breakfast as our new driver didn’t understand that we wanted to stop at 7-11. Probably for the best since he was already trying to figure out how to get to the school. Patricia said there was a little cafe just down the road where you could get sandwiches and the like. I decided to give it a go.

The menu was entirely in Thai, but they had some clip-art of burgers and fries and onion rings. I asked about a hamburger. No hamburgers. She offered me a fish or chicken sandwich instead. I said ‘chicken’. Also grabbed an orange Fanta. Watched Thai T.V. while waiting for my food. She brought me a styrofoam container. I didn’t even look inside until I got to the cafeteria at school.

I expected a chicken breast on a bun (based off the clip-art). What I got was thin breaded chicken between three slices of crusts-off white bread with cucumber, onion, and tomato and something like pink fry sauce. Cut into four triangles. I devoured it. And it was really good. Returned to my office with my orange Fanta feeling a little refreshed.

Called on some apartments (all full). Worked on lesson plans. Tried to stay awake. Finally, time to leave.

Po Or told us that there may be some apartments available near his home. But we wouldn’t know until Monday. I was meant to ride around with Fon on Saturday to look at a couple others.

I took a two-hour nap when I got back to my room. I was feeling so run down all of a sudden. Was woken by a phone call from Patricia telling me that the manager downstairs had a room for me to look at. He had spoken to the owner and I think they were opening up one of the nightly rooms for me to use as a monthly. I got dressed and went down. He took me up to 212 (down the hall from Pat). Smaller than the one I was currently in, but furnished the same. Double bed, table, chairs, vanity, T.V., armoire, air con and mini fridge. And the shower and toilet were indoors. The sink was on the balcony, however. That didn’t matter. I thanked him and let him know that I would speak to Pat about it and that I was going to be looking at some others on the weekend. When we went downstairs, the owner was in the restaurant and the three of us (including the restaurant owner) had a nice conversation. The mansion owner was telling me that I should live in Hat Yai if that is where I teach. I told him that we liked Songkhla better. Then he was telling me that I should move in with his daughter in Bangkok and teach her English for free room and board and (he said) the same salary that the school was paying me. He doesn’t know what the school is paying me. I do need to find out what the going rate for tutoring is. I may be able to work out some arrangement at the mansion in exchange for English lessons for the owner.

I wanted some more grilled pork, but by the time I was done speaking with the people at the mansion, the meat stand was closed up. Instead, I kept walking to my fruit stand. She offered me my ‘usual’ but I asked for pineapple and watermelon and some strange apple-like fruit instead. I paid 50 baht for the whole bag of fruit, got a donut at the store across the street, and walked back to the mansion.

The apple fruit was peeled and bright green on the outside. Then they whack it with a knife and bend it to break pieces off until they are down to the pit. It is bright white on the inside. Doesn’t even look real. But it is super tasty. Has the crunch of an under-ripe pear. Not too sweet. Can’t pinpoint the flavor. But I like it. Tried to look it up on the internet, but I couldn’t find anything that resembled it.

I was meant to meet Fon at the Big C Extra at 8:30am on Saturday. Guess I would test out the wen to Hat Yai on my own…