Waiing Away the Day

I wonder will I ever get used to being bowed to. Its quite unnerving to have every person that passes you press their hands together and bow their heads. I feel slightly like the that woman in 'The King and I', except without the oversized dress and the desire to constantly bounce/run around in it. In Thailand this gesture is called waiing, and if you happen to find yourself as a teacher in Thailand every student will do this to you. And I mean EVERY student. I try to acknowledge their wai by saying 'hello' or 'good morning/afternoon' but this usually brings on a fit of the giggles as teachers do not usually respond to the students like this. They giggle here for everything. They giggle if they are nervous, excited, happy, worried, surprised, or even annoyed. Confrontation is something that does not exist here. Don't get me wrong, people give out, just not to the person who has rattled them.

Anyway, my first week of proper teaching is going as well as can be expected. I had a slight disaster on Monday where I found myself a little lost in a class trying to explain simple concepts only to be confronted with the dreaded 'what the hell is she on about' look, but I am going to put that down to Monday laziness on both mine and the students' parts and move on. Yesterday and today have been what can only described as a complete success. Most of my students are turning up (school here is like college, sometimes you just don't bother going), and they seem to like me. My 5th years spent a good bit of time today asking me my age and then thinking I was a teenager because I know all the songs they like and the movies they watch. They are only 4 years younger than me, some even less, but my answer to their questions was 'too old to say, I will get embarrassed!' They understand embarrassment and the desire to not lose face here. Its very important.

Also, I have discovered way of tapping into students' enthusiasm in the classroom, and this is through competition. Nothing could have made my day better than the buzz in the classroom when there is a heated race to get to the end of the line in Chinese Whispers (just 'Whispers' here, no need to cause an awkward situation for myself trying to explain that one). Every kid loved it, whether 12 or 17 and it fits my job description of 'Speaking Listening Instructor' down to a tee.

I must admit though, its challenging. Some kids cannot grasp the simplest of things, such as 'what is your name', and there is only so simple a explanation you can give to a 17 year old without being patronising. It can be very frustrating, as my job is to basically talk really slowly and simply all the time. That takes a lot of mental energy. Thats not including discipline (I have had a few who have pushed me, but the 'dont you dare try that' look seems to be having the desired effect), or keeping them constantly active in some way, or satisfying their insatiable desire to show me every bit of work they do and get it ticked. Its hard work, but I am loving it so far. Hopefully that feeling lasts.

Sawatdiikha.

ps, on a side note, I must thank my Mother for her Irish Mammy Care Package containing knorr pasta sachets and instant mash. The simple things that keep us expats happy :-)