The End???

Well as I’ve been back in the states for a month I suppose it’s time to bring my blog to a finish.  Traveling the world and back takes time to wrap your head around.  Maybe this is the reason I’m left struggling for my final words.  Also a part of me feels like this blog won’t ever be finished because my time in Ubon and beyond will stay with me for life. 

I know many of you are saying wait weren’t you in Australia?  Did you see rainforests, and beaches, and the barrier reef? Didn’t you go scuba diving in Thailand and not write about it?  Don’t you have more travels and adventures to tell about?  Didn’t you go to Thailand and bring home an Australian boyfriend?

And the answer to all these question is Yes!  I do have more to tell, but I will always have more to tell.  When I have time I’ll try to fill in those pieces of the story that are less documented and shared. 

For now though I need to take a break and get a little closure because my next story has already begun.  Jay (the Aussie boyfriend) and I are already nearly buried by western winter weather.   We are busy with a new adventure, a cold and hopefully snowy winter in Utah. 

Jet Lag, Culture Shock, Family, Friends and MORE!

.... When I have the words to tell about homecoming I will.  But let me just say reverse culture shock can definitely hit hard, and there's nothing in the world like seeing your family after so long away.

The short list of my travel in America is this:

    In a month exactly November 16th-December 16th 2015

• Melbourne, Australia
• San Francisco and Oakland, California
• Vermont
• Connecticut and a family wedding
• North Carolina
• and back to New York and Vermont
• then journeying across the country for about 36 hours of driving and 2 days stuck in a Wyoming snowstorm
• AND FINALLY Midvale, Utah and Snowbird Mountain for a ski season.  

It feels good to have somewhere to stay for a while,  but I have to admit I still a strong travel bug and know that 2016 will hold more travels and adventures as well.  

Life as Teacher in Thailand: The Good, the Bad, the Ugly, and Funny

Reposted from 11/15 ( My first semester of teaching 7th-12th grade English in Ubon)

The Good Moments:

• "Ms. Krista I love you!"
• "Be my teacher forever" 
• "Ms. Krista is dressed beautifully today, actually she looks beautiful everyday" 
• Frozen parody songs. 
• When you swear that your 11th grade ESL student writes a better essay than half the graduating class of your former high school. 
• When kids don't want to leave class or are still working on their work when class is done.
• When you have advice for a half dozen good restaurants to eat in Ubon after grading students writing assignments.  
• When you get to teach about Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Superbowl, and all kinds of American culture. 

The Ugly Moments of Awe

• Yes I love the pictures humorously depicting a fanny man, but I do not appreciate that two students copied his paper as he was drawing them…. 
• When one of the worst student scores the highest on the midterm.  Many Thai students have are mastermind cheaters!! What a credible life skill. 
• "We have nothing in our heads" Graduating students truly feel they know nothing :(

But admist the good, bad, ugly, and funny there is still the fact that many students respect you and enjoy you as a teacher.  And that they learned something whether big or small.

Cheese and Beer?

Aua,  Aey, Aem, Oei, Uning, Endoo.

You've got that right?? Ok here are some more names.

Fah, Fon, Fifa, Toomtam, Tonlew, Chatchai, Kaohom, Matmee, Numchoke,  Pangpond, Pingpong, PP, Plub, Pim, Peem, Phing, Pream, Preaw, Poom, Boom, Bam, Dong, Lookpla, Yok, Yam.

You'll remember those right? Along with the other 30 on your class list.

Then there's the Fah 1 and Fah 2 or the students that change their name throughout the semester.

Or some more fun names:  Bonus, Best, Title, Nice, Proud. Often the kids with these names are the worst in class.

Or the cute Primary girls named Ant, Fame, Cheer, Angel, and Cream.

Or some other favorites:   Cheese, Mammoth, Beer, Ikque, Porn, Ice, Auckland.  


I kid you not these are names of real children called by their teachers and families alike.  There are the western names thrown into the mix: Andrew, Annie, Peter, Max,  but those students are a minority, maybe 4 out of a class of 30.

Culturally children are given a nickname at a young age, spelled in English like the ones I listed. They also have their full Thai name which is written for final tests, school and governmental paperwork.  But on a day to day basis they are called Cheese or PP.

At first the nicknames were overwhelming, especially with the number of students I was teaching and only two hours a week.  Now although I still get a good laugh, it's just the norm for me.  I can remember every name of my 100 Primary students on a good day.  I still can't say a few, or don't say it in a way that the students responds too, but they are just the kids names now.

Which are your favorite nicknames? Or teachers in Thailand what awesome names should be added??

Teaching Tiny Ones

It's reached the midterm point of the semester, and now a few weeks past the midterm point because I've taken so long to post.  I've enjoyed teaching Primary 1 and 3 students (1st and 3rd grade).  What I love most is the student joy and excitement.  They are always excited to see you, a rare few aside, and they are almost always enthusiastic to learn, especially Primary 1 students.  They can certainly be exhausting, and even the simplest tasks can take an hour to do, but their smiles still brighten my day.

I've been asked to share some pictures and I must say my kiddos are pretty darn cute.  The pictures are from Wai Kru Day where students say thank you to teachers.

And to keep you entertained here are some of the many faces of a P 1 student. 

Venturing through Vietnam

It's been awhile since I've finished my two months of travel in Southeast Asia and I still never caught up on those blogs.  Sorry that might not actually happen, but I'll post some more pictures and stories here and there.

Some of my favorite places in Vietnam. I truly cannot get over the views from the Sapa hill tribes in northern Vietnam.

My Lovely host 

Phong Nha National Park.

Caves!

 

And backpacker motorcycle gangs

Hoi An the beautiful historic city of lanterns.

Dalat Pretty city prettier mountains and waterfalls. 

Cayoning

 Hoi Van Pass a beautiful motorbike ride!!

Fishing Villages outside Mui Ne, the morning routine.

Hanoi the capital on first glance I was unimpressed, but in a second visit it grew on me greatly.

A rice soup, my favorite street food!

The only two stops in Vietnam I didn't mention where Ho Chi Mihn City, too many people, too much traffic, but still cool.  And Hue where I only spent one day, so I can't truly judge.

I really loved my time in Vietnam, and found it welcoming, easy to travel through and absolutely beautiful.