Fourth of July means nothing more than Wednesday here. I know of no Americans in my area. Nor do I particularly care. I like to barbeque with my close friends.

We were ‘gifted’ Teacher William last Thursday. He is in his early twenties, from South Africa, and a rugby player. I am pretty sure that every girl and ladyboy in the school has been drawing hearts in their notebooks since last week. Students who never ventured into Foreign Language before are now coming by just to look at him. He is the rooster in the hen-house. Sorry, ladies and ladyboys, he’s engaged.

It’s very nice to have a third teacher. We never considered Tom to be a teacher at all. He was just a body. An angry, rude, arrogant body who did more harm than good being here. Last we heard, he was on a train to Bangkok sharing a sleeper car with a monk. Poor monk.

Andrew Biggs arrived in Hat Yai on Friday afternoon. Myself, Pippa, Lara, Fon and Anelia met up with him at Jeffer’s in Siam Nakarin. Had a really nice dinner and good conversation. Patricia’s back was acting up, so she didn’t accompany us and William had an evening class that he needed to teach. I hopped on a motorbike (after my half-mile trek) and then bartered my fare when he dropped me off. I offered 30, he wanted 50, we settled on 40. I had made the mistake of grabbing a tank top as an over-shirt. So, I had to throw on one of the new batik work shirts I had gotten that day. Quite nice, but too fancy for the dinner. I arrived early so I browsed around for a new shirt. I found some nice cotton v-necks. Held a medium up to myself and thought that it looked like it might be the right size. Paid 100 baht for it and went to the restroom to change. I am not a medium in Thailand… The cotton didn’t have as much give as I hoped. Oh well. You live and you learn. I did wear it to dinner, but it was tighter in the tummy than I would have liked. It was just us girls and Andrew, so I had no one to impress anyhow.

Quite a few groups of school children did come by and ask to take pictures with him. And I know it wasn’t because he is a farang woman with red hair, blue eyes and fair skin…

After dinner, I was going to try and catch a wen back to Songkhla, but they apparently stop running at 6pm or something. So, instead, I had gelato (fresh pineapple, mmmmm) and then caught a ride with Lara to take her daughter home, see her house, and then get dropped at Big C extra to take the songthew to Songkhla. It is basically like the tuk-tuks, only the roof on the pick-up bed is higher, they put more people on it and it travels between cities instead of just around the one town.

I had never taken a songthew before. I asked the woman next to me how much it cost to Songkhla. She told me that she thought maybe it cost 25 (she takes it to Koh Yoh, so she wasn’t sure). We struck up a conversation. Her name is Kung. She is a home economics teacher in Hat Yai and lives with her mother on Koh Yoh. When I was getting off the songthew, she was on her phone so I waved good bye to her. She told me to wait when I was getting my money out to pay and said, “Only pay 20.” I love when people help me save my bahts.

Saturday, we had to be at the school by 8:30am for a parent/student assembly. We found out after the morning session that there would be two sessions that day. One for the underclassmen and one for the upperclassmen. Andrew had brought us some of the ABA black and white v-neck tees. Yay! No awful polo shirts today! No one told us where to sit so we helped ourselves to the unoccupied couch in the front row on the side of the room. It was nice because Khun Attit and Khun Wanchai (Pi Long) translated some of the things that were going on for us. Some of the students did another Thai dance. It was longer and more involved than the one on Teacher’s Day. It seemed like the story was about a fish or mermaid being captured by a fisherman. Some of the girls represented the water while the ‘mermaid’ was being chased by the fisherman. It was really beautiful and the girls looked gorgeous.

After the dance, the director gave a speech. A very long speech. At least half an hour, if not more. Then he had Andrew speak. Of course, it was all completely in Thai (as Andrew speaks Thai fluently). But we could tell that his speech was funny and well-delivered. There was laughter form the audience and even those who had been sleeping during the director’s speech woke up to listen to Andrew. Then they went back to sleep when the director delivered the other half of his speech…

I was speaking to Khun Wanchai (because it is not considered rude to speak while others are speaking here) and he explained to me that if he tried to speak extemporaneously (as the director was doing), he could only go for about 30 minutes. If he has a prepared speech, maybe an hour. So, he said he is getting better at giving speeches. If anyone spoke for longer than 15 minutes in the States, they would be booed off the stage or get the red light. The audience was clearly not listening after the first 20 minutes or so. And we, of course, had no idea what the speech was about anyhow. But we were there for the whole thing. Twice.

After the morning session, we were taken to Khun Tip’s house for lunch. The dining area looked like an outdoor restaurant. I actually wasn’t sure at first that I had understood correctly, but it was definitely her house. There was some sort of green fish in bowls (heads, tails and scales), omelet, a bowl of some sort of squid salad, a couple of nice chicken dishes and rice. I had quite a bit of rice, chicken and mostly omelet. Then they brought us this black jelly for dessert. The only way I can describe it would be like a mild anise Jell-o. Not as strong as black licorice, but that same flavor. I actually really liked it and I don’t care for black licorice. It was a nice palate cleanser.

After a round of photos with Andrew (all the house staff wanted pictures), we were transported back to the school for Round 2. It was the same as the morning except that Andrew’s speech was a bit longer and the director’s a bit shorter. Andrew told what seemed to be a very funny story, complete with different voices and expressions. We still have no idea what the story was about.

One of my students, Champ, was downstairs waiting for the lift with his mother before the second session. He told Andrew, “Teacher Robyn, very funny.” “Yes, she is.” And then Andrew told me that I could slip Champ his hundred baht later.

Lots of the students came around for photos while we were sitting in the conference room. AND not just to take them with Andrew. A bunch of my students wanted pictures with me and also with Patricia and William (of course). I was standing on the stairs talking to a couple of my girls and I felt arms around my waist hugging me from behind. I couldn’t see who it was, but when I did, it was one of the girls who is typically very quiet in class and doesn’t really stand out. I was so honored. It turned out to be a really great day.

We caught motorbikes to Big C Extra to try and get our bank accounts set up. However, the smaller branches won’t open you an account without a work permit, so we decided to forget about it until Monday and instead had a sushi lunch. Neither of us had really gotten filled up from the lunch we were served earlier. It was delicious! I hadn’t realized how much I missed Japanese. Had a caterpillar roll and some chicken gyoza, pan-fried. Also treated myself to a fresh pineapple smoothie that was pretty much Heaven in a glass with a straw. All told, it cost me around 400 ($13). Well worth it. After, we headed to the top floor to get some groceries before heading back to Songkhla. The woman at the entrance tried to get me to leave my backpack at the customer service desk. No thank you. It’s my purse. After procuring two loaves of bread, two jars of strawberry jelly, a box of Oreos, some cereal, and a bundle of hangers, I headed outside to catch either the songthew or the wen. Patricia and I had gotten separated and her phone wasn’t allowing incoming calls. Also, texts from her don’t come through to my phone. I figured that she had already gotten on a wen and headed home. Spotted her after I had gotten on the songthew and flagged her down. We had a rather crowded ride back to Songkhla and arrived home some time around 5pm.

Sunday was entirely uneventful. I was meant to spend the entire morning working on lesson plans and then having lunch with Patricia. Instead, I spent the entire morning watching Criminal Minds and then had lunch with Patricia. A BLT and a cider are just about the best thing on a lazy Sunday afternoon. We thought about going to Aek Liquors, but forgot that they are not open on Sunday. Just went home instead.

Monday. I got a bank account! We had to leave work early since the bank closes at 3pm. Took a motorbike to Diana Mall and went to the big branch of Kasikorn Bank down the road. It was sooo easy. I told her that I wanted an ATM/Debit card and cyber banking. She pulled out a plastic envelope with a slide closure that contained a banking passbook (they stamp transactions in it), some information, and a (drum roll please) HELLO KITTY DEBIT CARD! It was either that or Angry Birds. I didn’t want an angry bird glaring at me every time I spent money. I signed an application for cyber banking, paid 1,050 (500 went in to my account), was taken outside to change the PIN on my card, and told that I would get an email in a couple of days with a temporary password to activate my online account. Done and done. This is actually the first time that I have opened a bank account. At home, I have had the same one since I was 12 and I had no hand in opening that one. And I don’t think it was this easy.

After, I picked up a wen from Diana and it actually took me back the direction that I had come (now I know the route of the wens). Took longer because Diana is basically the beginning of the route. However, since it was only 3:30pm, they don’t get as packed and the trip was fairly comfortable.

Tuesday. We got to wear our pink batik shirts. I don’t think I broke into a sweat even once wearing it. Such a relief. We get to wear them three days a week. Tuesday is pink, Wednesday is orange, and Friday is blue. I still changed at the end of the day because they are a little stiff and wrinkle really easily. Also, they are nice so I don’t want to wander around in them.

Wednesday. Today, Ellie (the substitute for William while he makes a visa run and for Patricia next week while she is in Australia) started teaching. Very lovely. From Northamptonshire, England. She did her TEFL certification in-country a couple of months ago and then went home for six weeks. She said she should have just stayed in Thailand. She has a similar plan as me. To live here for at least a couple of years. Hope she is able to find a permanent position in this part of Thailand. Would be nice to have another friend here. I’ve talked to her about Songkhla and think she might fancy coming up for the weekend. She was thrilled when I told her she could get Indian curries at the Buzz Stop. She had been spending time in Krabi, so I think Songkhla is more her speed. They have her staying at Wangburapa, which is where we had stayed when we got to town. She asked about places to eat and that sort of thing. Let her know about the little restaurant on the ground floor and the market behind, the laundry across the street and the 7-11 around the corner. How weird. I have been here less than two months but I am able to help an even newer person out. Feels good. She was so relieved when I told her there was a restaurant in the mansion. There really isn’t a whole lot in the vicinity of Wangburapa.

Thursday. First paycheck! I have managed my funds pretty well, so I wasn’t hurting for the money, but it still is nice to get a check.

Patricia is heading back to Australia come Friday and will be gone for a week. Her mother is in hospital and I think she is more or less going home to say her goodbyes. Songkhla will be lonely without her.

Had quite a rainstorm Thursday. Totally meant to bring a cardigan with me because it was a bit chilly the night before. I forgot. And it was raining when we left for school. And while we were at school. And when we left school. At least it was warm rain. I walked my usual half mile distance before getting the 10 baht tuk-tuk to my wen stop. I would have had to stand on the outside platform the whole way (which I didn’t mind) but one of the gentlemen offered me his seat instead. Only had to wait a couple of minutes for my wen and it never even got all the way full. He was even picking people up off the street, not at stops, which very rarely happens. And still not to capacity. That was nice for a change. And I have had this wen driver before. I recognized his gray hair. Then to make sure, I checked the passenger side-view mirror. Sure enough. The mirror was broken out. It was the same driver who had taken me to Hat Yai a few weekends back and clipped another truck with his mirror. He talked the entire drive…even when there was no one sitting next to him. And he drove like it was dry conditions. I have a feeling this guy is going to be like a bad penny…

I covered Patricia’s afternoon class on Friday. It was…interesting. It is comprised completely of boys. And let me tell you, these boys try to pull stuff with us farang teachers that they wouldn’t DARE do with a Thai teacher. Fortunately, Thorn is in this class and he tries to keep them in line. I confiscated two cell phones and think I actually did a pretty good job keeping them under control and getting them to behave. However, I am pretty sure that if this was a regular class for me, I would be making trips to Pi Len about them on a weekly basis…

Fon came to the school to pick up my contract in the afternoon. She brought Ellie and I some black bean pastries. They were good, but really heavy. She spent the rest of the afternoon with us and offered to take me to my wen. She wasn’t familiar with the stop, but I was able to show her the way. Yay for knowing my way around some of Hat Yai! It was almost full already when I got on. We didn’t spend much time picking up passengers at the clocktower plaza. This means that we were actually on our way out of Hat Yai by 4:30pm. This has never happened. We are always just starting to leave town closer to 5pm. And me with nothing to do when I get home. (sigh)

He didn’t stop when I told him my road, so I just got off at the next place and took a motorbike. It actually takes less time to get to the mansion from this stop than my usual one, but I have no idea what to call it in order to stop there in the future. It had started to rain when we got in to Songkhla, but it wasn’t too bad on the motorbike drive. Was barely even wet when I got home.

I gathered my laundry, had a chat with Tun, got some pad see ew from Noi and went back to my room. I had meant to maybe go to the Buzz Stop alone later, but I started to fall asleep at like 8pm.

I know, I know. I’m just partying way too hard here in Thailand…