On Sunday we returned to the walking street market and International Lantern Festival. This time a whole big group of us went and possibly set a record for how many people could fit in a song tao (red truck taxi)! We all arrived safe and sound and then naturally split up into smaller groups to explore the now-familiar market. My friends and I stumbled upon this monument a little ways off the main strip of the market, then checked out a smaller side market.
And yes, that new shirt is a market find, wouldn't you say it's FANTASTIC? At the end of the street the International Lantern Festival was still going on, and this time I had my camera with me to capture the awesome sights! I think this lantern of the Sydney Opera House was just a hoot and may or may not have made me go into a terrible Australia accent after seeing it.
The school week started off with an exciting visit to BEAM (Bridging Education Among Migrants), the initiative I mentioned that helps migrants (a lot of the time from Burma) study and sit for the GED so they are recognized as qualified to enter a Thai university. My friend who will be an English tutor and I met with the director and other teachers and it sounds like they are very glad to have us on board! I will be teaching two one-hour a week classes every Friday (they offer classes in both the mornings and evenings to accommodate work schedules) and then an "extra" class in the afternoon where we can do activities, cover materials not necessarily on the GED, and even a few laboratory exercises.
They pointed out a couple boxes of equipment I could use, and I can't wait to check it out and see what's there! When Skyping with my family earlier my dad already had lots of tips and suggestions for activities and lesson plans. Their semester doesn't start until the 9th and my first class isn't until the 13th so I have plenty of time to come up with a syllabus and a couple initial lesson plans. I am still very excited and nervous to meet my class and get started, but I have an incredible support system here and back in the States so I know I can do this!
It's too bad I'm not teaching biology because I came across this (not so) little guy when walking down my street yesterday.
Sometimes my peers and I, especially when faced with a particularly tricky cultural challenge of some sort, lament and say, "Why didn't we just someplace where they speak English or have less of a culture shock like everyone else who studies abroad?" I know everywhere has its challenges, but sometimes in a region with some pretty different culture ideas and a major language barrier it seems like our problems are more immediate and more difficult to overcome. Then we remind ourselves that each day's struggles are totally worth each day's little surprises and adventures, like meeting new crazy caterpillar friends!
The important thing I have to remember is to keep my eyes out for those things that surprise and delight me, and make me so grateful for this opportunity in the first place.
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