Oh Monday. Monday, Monday, Monday…

Ellie started teaching Patricia’s classes and William had returned from Malaysia.

My first class went swimmingly. I wanted them to start the class speaking in past tense (usually I ask what they did on the weekend). But I was tired of hearing the same answers (I went to waterfall, I went shopping, I chatted on Facebook). Yes, chatting on Facebook on the weekend is its own distinct activity here. Instead, I asked them what they ate for dinner. When they told me, I asked “How was it?” An enterprising student had found the page in the book titled “How does it taste?” On page 45. I hadn’t read that far ahead. Didn’t even know it was a lesson. Good for her. They were all able to tell me what they ate and how it was. After warming them up, I handed back their quizzes. I cleared up a common mistake. Q: “How are you doing?” A: “I am student.” Explained the difference between ‘what’ and ‘how’. I think they got it this time. At least, I hope so since they get it right when I ask them ‘How are you doing?’, individually, every class…

My second class on Mondays I have come to think of as one of my ‘Maybe, Maybe Not’ classes. As in, maybe they will show up and maybe not. It is comprised of three different groups (accounting, computer and foreign language special). Not to be confused with my other foreign language class. There are many different levels and groups in each focus of study. So, foreign language (which is one girl) and accounting showed up. No computer. Since the groups in this class period are ones that I repeat in other classes, I use it to work on pronunciation. I administered an oral exam to each student. Had them recite their R and L, TH, and THR practice sentences with me and gave them one-on-one correction and assistance. They all did really well and I think the personalized instruction was helpful.

My last class of the day contains the same accounting group and foreign language. In addition, another accounting class (normal, instead of special) and a marketing class (Mim is the only student in that group). Mim showed, as usual, Kob, the foreign language student, and two of the accounting special students. They had been to class that morning also. So, I was missing all of one accounting class and most of another (who had been present and accounted for that morning). I really have no explanation. I went down to my office and told Frista about the absenteeism and asked how I should proceed. She said maybe just have them work on homework from another class or something. Basically, keep them busy for 90 minutes. I went back down and checked that they had done the homework from last week. I had them all do a family tree (one of the pages in their ABA book). Two of them had done it, one hadn’t and Mim had copied down some of my example, including MY grandparents’, parents’ and brothers’ names. I re-explained the homework to her and Kob helped get the understanding across. This time she got it and went to work on her OWN family tree. Nas and Kob conversed quietly with each other and Na started her family tree. After a little while, Kob and Nas started asking me questions. Questions about English, questions about my family. It was really nice. When the girls finished their family trees, I went back to all four of them and asked about individual family members. It was a review of a previous lesson. “What is he/she like?”, “What does he/she like?”, “What does he/she look like?” They remembered the differences in the questions and did great with their answers. It’s so fulfilling to teach the students who actually want to learn.

When I went downstairs to take my room key back, I saw one of the missing accounting classes sitting around the table in the foyer. I asked why they hadn’t come to class. One student, Book, answered, “Teacher, I sick.” I told her that she can be sick, but not everyone is sick. Then I told them that they would have a speaking test in class the next day and that they needed to come to class. We’ll see.

At the end of the day, I made my way outside and Khun Sungob was out in the parking lot. I wei-ed him and he asked about where we were living now. I told him we were still in Songkhla. Then he asked how we get to and from school each day. Told him taxi in the morning. Then, to get home, motorbike to wen and then motorbike from wen stop in Songkhla to my mansion. He said, “Come, I drive you.” And he drove me home to Songkhla. He really is a gentleman.

On the drive, he asked me about my family and how long I will be in Thailand and apologized for not remembering before if I was married or not. Which I’m not. We talked about his wife’s trip to America. She will be home in a week. We talked about the current weather in Colorado. I tried to explain about the fires, but I don’t know that I got that idea across. It was actually a really pleasant ride. He really wants to work on bettering his English and I am more than happy to help. He had taken us home once before when we were staying in the guesthouse and he thought I still lived there. I had pointed out my road, but he didn’t understand. So, when he tried to go to the guesthouse, I had to explain that we were living at Greenview and gave him directions. Down Saiburi soi 11, left on Rad-uthit 1, and then straight on until the Greenview Mansion. At one point I said, “Dtrong-pai”. My Thai app said that meant go straight, but he said “Go ahead” when he translated. He was really happy when I said it though and asked, “You speak Thai now?” I had to tell him that I didn’t but that I had memorized some words and numbers and such. He told me, “You teach me English, I teach you Thai.” Sounds like a fair trade to me.

On Tuesday, they had a blood drive at school. I didn’t know about it until my second class when half of them were missing. Top kept poking himself in the ditch of his arm. The first place that my mind went was “Oh my God, they are shooting up drugs!” Then I realized what he meant. They were downstairs donating blood. Foreign Language has brilliant attendance. Thirty-seven students and they very nearly all of them show up to class, on time, twice a week. I gave the pronunciation exam to 18 of the students. The ones who showed up late, I had them show me their war-wounds. If they had been donating, I marked them ‘on time’. Not going to penalize them for trying to help. Only one of them was late without donating. And they did so very well with their pronunciation. Two of them were damn near perfect in all three areas! They got a round of applause from the whole class.

Side note: Pronunciation. An interesting thing I have noticed is that the students who are really good with R and L tend to have more trouble with TH and THR. And vice versa. Just an observation.

Ellie asked if she could sit in on my last class. I said sure…if they actually show up. Maybe, maybe not. This group is the worst out of all of them. They missed the first two weeks and are typically very late if they do show and then half the class is still missing. Sure enough, only three students showed up. Really?! Come on! I reviewed some pronunciation and also the questions about their families. I was able get them to speak until 45 minutes in to class. As a reward for showing up and staying engaged with me, I let them go 45 minutes early. I talked to Frista about the attendance and got clarification on the policy. They are allowed only four absences before they are dropped from the class. Before today, the class had been 33 in size. After today, it is now a class of 11. I will let the students know when they (maybe?) show up to class next Tuesday. Frista said she would also let their advisor know.

The really awesome part of the day was that there was something wrong with the plumbing which means that none of the toilets could be used. In the States, this would result in school closure until it was fixed. Can’t have a school full of students and faculty without any available facilities. In Thailand? Nah. They just bring in a potty bus. Literally, a bus with squatter toilets in it. And ‘bidets’. When I was shown the ‘squatter bus’ (as Ellie has dubbed it), there was water just streaming out of it. Nope. No way. Not a chance. I was wearing loose cotton pants to the knee. I wouldn’t be able to use that thing without taking them off all the way or getting whatever sludge was in that bus all over them. Instead, I held it for three hours until they fixed the pipes. I had been contemplating walking to the cafe that never has food and ordering something just to be able to use their toilet. That’s what Ellie did. I was just about to burst when I mentioned something to William and he said that the toilets were working again. Thank God! Let me just say, best bathroom break EVER. The end.