#24 Thailand part 3: Lesson plans, lightening and a challenge

Imagine you're watching TV in high contrast. Now add unfamiliar flavours, turn up the volume, change the language, switch off the subtitles and you have your very own DIY Thai experience.

As I write this we are having the most epic thunderstorm. The floor shakes with each clap of thunder and the lightening is so bright it hurts your eyes.

The first week of teaching wasn't as scary as I'd expected. Of course there were some classes that made me feel completely out of my depth but overall I'm glad to take on this challenge. I always knew teaching was hard work from what I'd heard from teacher friends and my parents but now I can comprehend that much better.

Despite the hard work and the lesson plans Thai life is good. Our living arrangement is perfect. It's a quiet place to call your own but there's a social element if and when you need it. An introverts dream!

Once a week I am required to speak in front of 1000's of students and teachers and teach them some simple English words. Strangely enough I'm not worried by this. If I mess up it doesn't matter because I'll be gone in four months. Plus they already think I'm a weird foreigner so I'm immune to any further judgement.

I wish I could take this feeling home with me to NZ and overcome the fear of public speaking. It's such a useful skill to have.

Another positive about Thai life is the food. It actually leaves me satisfied unlike in Nepal where I was constantly thinking about my stomach. The people are incredibly friendly and the landscape is beautiful. There's also so much wildlife here which keeps things interesting. Frogs, geckos, snakes, scorpions, friendly cats and dogs and the occasional unidentified insect.

After surviving the first week of school, SOB* and I took the mini bus to the larger city Ubon which is 40 minutes away from our town of Phibun, where we visited the mall.

* I'm going to stop using the SOB acronym now and change it to LS short for Life Saver, because quite honestly, this experience would be no where near as enjoyable without her.

I desperately needed more clothes as after washing and wearing the same three t-shirts for two months I was starting to feel a little shabby.

LS, being vegan, was finding it difficult to find good nutritious food but had found some vegan noodles and was keen to stock up on them.

Once we had all our supplies we ventured out to find a temple LS had seen on the map. In true Thai form it was spectacular and there was A LOT of gold paint involved.

We returned to Phibun after sweating from every pore of our bodies. I'm yet to get used to the backs of my hands sweating. It's not normal I tell you!

The next week passed in a blur of lessons, unrecognisable school lunches and asking 18 different classes to "sit down please..." over and over again.

In Thailand they still use corporal punishment and the kids know that if there is no Thai teacher in the class the foreign teacher (or 'the Farang') won't use the cane. To them this means it's time to cause chaos!

The first week I was left without a Thai teacher in all my older classes and boy did they take advantage of that. I discovered there's really very little you can do if the kids 1. don't understand a word you say and 2. refuse to listen even if they do understand.

Thankfully the second week I had Thai teachers present and the kids behaved themselves much better. The Thai teachers didn't need to do anything. Just having them there was enough.

The school days are long and teaching takes a lot of energy but so far it's more fun than an office job.

Finally the weekend rolled around and LS and I decided to explore the place that we are to call home for the next four months.

We wandered over to a nearby temple which was equally as beautiful as the one we visited the weekend before. It was slightly over grown but it was obvious that someone cared for it as best they could. It was surrounded by very lush green forest and bamboo.

When I think back to the last couple of weeks I still feel like I'm in a dream and can't wake up. I'm stuck with this odd feeling that this isn't real life. Or perhaps it feels like this isn't happening to me but rather I'm watching it happen to someone else. Maybe there's a name for this phenomena but I don't know what it is.

How did I end up here doing so many things that are so far out of my comfort zone? Public speaking, driving in a foreign country and working with children. Who even am I?

LS and I made our way to the river which looked alarmingly/comfortingly like the Northern Wairoa in Dargaville and had a good old fashioned heart to heart. It's difficult to put into words how glad I am to have a real funny, down to earth and interesting conversationalist to share these four months with. I really wasn't expecting to have such good company. It's definately the people that make a place.

The other night I glanced up at the clear
night sky, breathed in the humid, fragrant evening air and realised I felt properly happy. I hadn't been unhappy in Nepal, I just hadn't really felt any strong emotions at all. I'd seen so much in such a short time that things had stopped being surprising or amazing.

If you lose the ability to be surprised or amazed what is the point of travel? I guess this whole time I'd been looking for a challenge and now I'd found one.

To quote the Chic German Artist Girl I met in Nepal "this was definitely part of the plan."

Wat Phra That Nong Bua, Ubon Rachathani, Thailand - May 20

Wat Phu Khao Kaew, Phibun Mangsahan, Thailand - May 27

The romantically named 'Moon River' runs through Phibun Mangsahan and is a lovely place to sit and enjoy the river breeze

#23 Thailand part 2: The hello kitty home

Thailand wasn't a complete shock to the system as I had travelled in Malaysia before. It has the same SE Asia vibe.

The next day I headed for the hotel where the teaching orientation was going to be held and checked in. Just as I was about to leave my room and explore the door across the hall opened at the same time and from that moment on I was never alone for the entirety of the orientation course.

First orientation buddys (FOB) name was Elwood and he was from the UK. I asked if he wanted to get food down the road as that's where I was headed and afterwards we went for a walk sweating profusely the entire time. Later we met two other girls one who I discovered was my room mate and we all had dinner together.

The next morning we got all dressed up in our uniforms and it suddenly felt like real life again or the first day of school. Holiday mode was over. Nepali time was a thing of the past and we were on a schedule!

I was seated next to a girl also from the UK named Eve who was going to be living in the same accomodation and was to be my second orientation buddy (SOB) and partner in crime for the next four months.

Luckily it was soon apparent that she had a brilliant sense of humour and that we would get on well.

So the next three days passed pleasantly with FOB and SOB. (Hehe I like these acronyms.) The days were filled with teaching info and giggles and the night's filled with more laughs, good Thai food and meeting interesting new people.

It was very much like being back at uni and I loved every second of it.

On the last day we were required to get a police check and mine had now expired so a few of us all trundled down to the police station and gave them our finger prints. The rest of the day was spent wandering the streets and exploring with a nice Canadian couple who were going to the same province as me and SOB.

That night we took the overnight bus to Ubon Ratchathani province. It was surprisingly comfortable and they gave us cakes, a drink and a blanket. We even had a weirdly dubbed in Thai movie to watch if we so desired.

I slept a fair bit and we arrived bright and early in Phibun where we were picked up by our land lady and taken to our new homes for the next four months.

I immediately fell in love with it. It is very minimilist but adorable and has everything you need. It even has a tiny tv, a fridge and Hello Kitty sheets. What more could you want? After Nepal and India, Thailand is so organised. There are actual trees and geckos in the bathroom. I'm going to name them.

SOB and I took a catch up nap and then made a couple of trips to Big C which is like The Warehouse but better. It has grocery items and everything else. We also found a place to do washing and sat by the side of the road in the shade (not that it made much difference) and I video called the friendlies Naomi and Sam whilst we waited.

That evening we met the other teachers we were living next to and our land lady invited us to her place for a farewell dinner for her son who is in the army.

We all sat at a table in the middle of her street, feasted on delicious Thai food and got to know one another. I am living next to four other teachers and Eve. One is from Canada, one is from the Philippines, one is from South Africa and one is from Australia.

After the feast was over we went to meet another teacher from the Philippines who had been living in Thailand for two years.

The rest of the weekend was spent doing lesson plans, talking to friends and family back home and making the most of the decent WiFi and airconditioning inside as well as a quick scooter ride. That's right. I ride a scooter now apparently. Life takes some funny turns.

School starts on Monday. I'm 49% excited and 51% terrified.

Plenty of room for activities here! 

#22 Thailand part 1: Y u no boyfrand?

Travel is a real and expensive addiction. It might actually be cheaper to have a habit. Not only does flying make me incredibly happy, the feeling of freedom you get when you can fit everything you need into your backpack, is the best high in the world.

On the last day in Kirtipur my curiosity got the better of me and I woke up early to have a nosey at a prayer/singing group I had been able to hear from my room every day for the five weeks I stayed at Ganga didis. 

Once that scratch was itched I went to school as usual and taught two lessons. After school the teachers gave me a tikka (a blessing where you put red powder on someones forhead) and we said our farewells. One of the younger students, Sanju, gave me a brass bracelet which was engraved with the name of a Hindu goddess for good luck.

Ganga didi then took me to the highest temple in Kirtipur and we sat together and admired the view until it was time for me to get a taxi to the Quest headquarters.

I was feeling very ready to leave Nepal and getting quite excited about travelling somewhere new. For some reason I had a good feeling about Thailand. Any previous doubts evaporated and I felt if I went in with the right attitude everything would be fine.

After a surprisingly good sleep for the night before an international flight, Salve's husband dropped me off at the airport and everything went smoothly from then on. Customs was quick and easy and on the first leg of the journey to Delhi I sat next to a Nepali Buddhist student and his American wife.

We had one of those 'everything that's wrong with the world' conversations. Now don't get me wrong, I much prefer that over shallow chit chat, but it was all very depressing and I was trying my hardest to keep it appropriately light for conversation with someone I'd just met.

He wasn't having any of it. He continued to tell it like it was and I was very much left with a sense of despair. Of course being a Buddhist student he believed that Buddhism was the answer which was nice and yes, if everyone worked on being a better person of course many of the worlds problems would disappear. If only it was a feasible solution.

Acting locally, thinking globally is really the only thing we can keep reminding ourselves to do as best we can.

After a short stop in Delhi where I bought a Lonely Planet guide to Thailand for the Indian traveller with some left over rupees... (can't wait to see Thailand through the eyes of an Indian tourist...) I arrived in Bangkok around 9pm. 

I had decided this travel thing was getting too easy and I needed a challenge so I hadn't booked any accomodation for the first night. 

Immigration went smoothly to my relief as I didn't have an onward ticket and instead of grilling me about my travel intentions Mr Immigration man only asked how long I wanted to stay and how come I didn't have a boyfriend. 

I was not expecting this question so much in Thailand let alone from the immigration officer! India and Nepal was one thing but I imagined Thailand to be less obsessed with marriage and love.

I told him I didn't want a boyfriend and he grinned back perfectly aware he was being very cheeky.

I supressed my giggles as I collected my bag and made my way to the taxi stand before heading for Khao San Road.

There is a lot of hype around this crazy road and I was looking forward to seeing what it was all about. I had visions of the first few scenes of that Leonardo diCaprio movie The Beach where he does a shot of snakes blood.

It was by now 10pm on Saturday night and I wasn't dissapointed. People were spilling out from every bar and dancing in the street. Vendors were selling buckets of beer for 300 baht and there were people selling scorpions on sticks and every other thing you could imagine. And the heat. Oh the heat. Bangkok is like permanently walking into a fan heater.

I found a cheap and reasonably quiet place to stay and went back out to explore, relishing in the freedom of going outside at night, alone and feel safe. I already knew I was going to love this country.

So good to be back in SE Asia where $8 nzd gets you a good bed for the night and a free breakfast

And $2 nzd gets you a tasty meal!

#21 Picking your battles and other life lessons

Maud and Sanju's wedding meant everyone I had met in the last five weeks were all in one place. The Poon Hill group, the Quest family and Sanju's friends I had met along the way. Despite being thousands of kilometres from home I had found my Nepali clan and it felt luxurious after being alone for the first few weeks.

Ganga didi dressed me and the remaining Dutch volunteer in our sarees and we bumped and jumped our way to the wedding venue in the tiny little taxi trying desperately not to let our sarees come untucked. I still don't know how women wear them everyday.

We ate and laughed and danced til late at the wedding. Sanju and Maud were almost floating with happiness and both of them looked amazing.

Many old volunteers had come back to Nepal especially for the wedding. This didn't surprise me because Sanju and Maud are such a lovely couple and work so hard in everything they do.

The rest of the week passed happily and I found myself becoming part of a group of volunteer girls. We ate brownies (we all had the same constant craving for sweet things as I mentioned before), drank coffee everyday at the local cafe with the owner, (a very talkative Phillipino woman), gossiped, talked about boys, relationships, travel and life.

This was not what I was expecting Nepal to be like! I was very much back in my comfort zone. So much for intrepid journeys! Does it still count as an adventure if you do the same things you do at home but in a different country with different people? What does it take to get away from it all? I travelled halfway across the world and it turns out we all pretty much enjoy the same things. Eating sweet things and gossiping!

On the weekend I said goodbye to some of the aforementioned girls as they were due to leave Nepal. It was both sad and happy. I was glad to have people I felt close enough to feel like saying goodbye to!

Then it was just me and one other Dutch girl at Ganga didis. I will call her Strong Personality Dutch Girl (SPDG).

She had very firm opinions about everything and at first I wasn't sure we would get along but I decided we would have to. As one of my favourite Buddhist teachings says, whenever I see ill natured beings or those overwhelmed by heavy misdeeds of suffering I will treat them as something rare, as though I'd found a priceless treasure. Slightly patronising but it worked.

I am a strong believer that out of every experience comes a lesson  and I did learn something from SPDG. She knew very early on she didn't like the womens school or the Nepali way of teaching so she chose to leave as soon as she could. She taught me that being assertive and listening to your gut is important and her parting words to me were DON'T SETTLE.

Until yesterday I was convinced I she was completely right but I pondered some more and realised that perseverance is also a good thing to practise.

The longer I've stayed at the school in Kirtipur the better it has been. It takes a while to build trust and relationships with the students. If I'd quit in the first few days when I was new and nervous I wouldn't be here now, knowing everyone's names, and feeling like I was actually having some kind of impact on the students.

So, I've learnt that although it's good to know what you like and have views about how things should and shouldn't be, I personally find that being flexible and sticking things out ultimately leads to more positive experiences and to pick your battles! SPDG seems to go through life picking battles everywhere and it must be exhausting even if the battles she picks are valid.

Of course when done properly assertiveness is a very positive thing but I also figure when you are a volunteer you are there to simply assist rather than tell people who have lived in the country all their lives what to do. There have been plenty of white people coming in and telling people they are doing things wrong in the past and I'm not about to be another one.

Past and present volunteers at the wedding with our host mama's 

#20 The Dutch invasion

Staying in one place for a significant period of time has been a valuable experience and very different to anything I've done before.

When I first arrived back in Kirtipur Ganga didi was hosting three other volunteers from Sanju's organisation. Another Dutch volunteer from Quest also joined us so at one stage there were four volunteers in the house. Life became so busy and communal that time passed very quickly and i really enjoyed having the other girls to talk to.

Three of them were Dutch and one was from Belgium which meant she could also speak Dutch but they were very thoughtful and mostly spoke in English for my benefit.

I felt a bit silly only being able to speak one language when everyone else jn the house could speak or understand at least three. Just another reason I think Maori should be compulsory in schools (just casually sneaking in personal political opinions...#soznotsoz ).

On my first day back in Kirtipur the Dutch girls cooked Apple pancakes for dinner. I was wracking my brains to think of something I could cook for Ganga didi and Dilip dai that was typically New Zealand cuisine but I couldn't think of anything possible on a gas cooker with the available ingredients. There's fish and chips but I'm always a little put off by the fish here. I've seen the rivers and they aren't pretty...

Two weeks passed and I celebrated Nepali mothers day at Quest with our Quest host Salve and her family. They have a public holiday for mothers day and it's a much bigger deal than in New Zealand. But then that's not surprising. Nepali culture is much more family orientated.

I had a somewhat painful reminder of this when I told Ganga didi about Mum being ill. Leaving Mum behind in New Zealand whilst I go off adventuring is a subject that I'm the first to admit is still a bit sensitive. Sometimes I'm not sure I made the right decision but it's one I made after a great deal of thought and discussion with Mum. Ganga didi commented that I should be looking after my mum and not here in Nepal.

Luckily, although it hurt at the time, I realised in time it was a perfect example of one major difference between western culture and Nepali culture and I shouldn't take it personally. It's important to remember neither culture is right or wrong.

Western parents give love without expecting anything in return whilst Nepali parents expect their children to care for them in their old age. There is no such thing as rest homes, pensions or sickness benefits, so this system is neccesary. It works and makes sense.

Although leaving the caring of the sick and elderly up to strangers in western culture can seem cold and heartless it's simply another way of organising society and it all balances out in the end. In my old age I'll be looked after by strangers too. It certainly does not mean I love my mother any less than a Nepali daughter and I'm very grateful Mum is so understanding.

And so, sometimes surrounded by more Dutch people than Nepali people, I continued on with my new life in Nepal.

Dal bhat, school, lunch, brownies, chit chat, dal bhat, sleep and repeat.

Full house in Kirtipur