Good news!
I am hired at HeadStart International School (www.headstartphuket.com). I will have my 2nd grade class in September, alongside an assistant to help me in the classroom! From what I observed the assistant whisks around the class to remind students to pay attention and to help those who don't understand. So helpful! Plus the classes don't have more than 18 students!
The school is close enough for me to take the local bus every day. I will be teaching English, Math, Science, History and Geography. The school has specialists for Arts, Technology, Thai, Mandarin and Physical Education. It seems like I will have many free periods to correct and plan which sounds great! The schedule is from 8:30 to 15:30, but the teachers have to be there from 8:00 to 16:30. There's another 2nd grade class and I think the other teacher is Canadian as well, so it will be nice having someone to plan with!
The interview process was quite long and stressful. I did feel like they dragged me around a bit too much, but now that I'm hired (verbally for now, hopefully I will sign the contract soon). In a nutshell, I first went to the school and met with the principal for the first interview. Then I went to observe a 3rd grade class on Monday, and went back on Wednesday to do a teaching demonstration (English and Math class). It went very well and the principal who evaluated me said he was impressed but he was waiting for the other principal to come back from holiday the following Monday to confirm everything. Then they asked me to come in again for another interview. I talked to the three principals - headmasters for about 30 minutes. They asked me the classic questions about my philosophy on education, my management skills, etc. It all went well, but I was crushed when they said they would call me back in one week. I made it clear I was hoping to hear back from them as soon as possible... and then I got back home and received a phone call with an offer!!!! They should sort out my visa too, but in the mean time we had to do a border run because our 30 days visa was expired!
So everything is looking up! In a few days we will start looking for long-term accommodation which should go easier than the first time, because we now have a few contacts!
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Saturday, June 19, 2010
The King
You see him everywhere in golden frames! I do mean everywhere : every single restaurant or store has a picture of him, not to mention the billboards around town. Most Thais are fanatic royalists, and you risk offense if you speak of the King without due respect. Unlike some of his predecessors, who murdered their way to the throne, King Bhumibol seems to deserve adulation. According to a book I read, "He is an attractive, high-profile figure, who spends a lot of time helicoptering around the remote regions of the kingdom, setting up the Royal Projects one encounters everywhere: irrigation projects, hydro-electric schemes, schoolhouses, medical centers, temple restoration, road construction, etc." He seems to be a blend of tradition and modernity, and the people love him! His face is shown on every single paper bill and coin.
Buddhist Monks
Traditionally, a young man approaching adulthood enrolls in the community of monks, the sangha, for anywhere from one to three months – although in many cases he will remain a monk for several years as he pursues his education. Many will even return to the wats (wat = Buddhist temple and grounds) once in a while throughout adulthood.
They rise at 4 o’clock daily to being their strictly regimented day. After the morning bath, the monks leave at sunrise in groups to collect food and offerings from around the community. They wear orange robes called phikkhu. They shave their heads and eyebrows. You see them walk around town and many people donate food to them. By 7:30, the monks return to the temple for breakfast. This will be their only meal of the day. No one eats between midday and breakfast the following morning.
Monks are venerated in Thai society. They set the standard of behavior in the community. It’s believed that by serving, housing or feeding a monk, a person gains merit that will elevate his social standing in future incarnations.
Fun fact – I was walking around Patong with Chris when we came across a monk sitting in some sort of tuk tuk. We smiled at him. He did the wai, then he blessed me with holy water!! (aka he threw a cold liquid at me and I assumed I was blessed and it was holy water he threw at me!). It was a first!
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
The Wai
Thais very rarely shake hands. Instead, they use the wai to greet and say goodbye, or to acknowledge respect, gratitude or apology. It’s a prayer-like gesture made with raised hands, and it changes according to the relative status of the two people involved. Thais instantly know which wai to use when, but for us farangs, we do our best to imitate the wai received! I was taught that placing the hands close to the chest with the fingertips below the chin is the safest way to go : the stranger’s wai. For an example, see Ronald McDonald and myself doing the wai!
Farangs
The word farang is actually a Thai derivation from ‘français’ although I always thought it was derived from ‘foreign’... Maybe it’s both! It is used to describe any fair-skinned, round-eyed foreigner from Europe or the USA. According to Thai tradition, the farang comes from a far away land called the muang nauk, the ‘outside kingdom’. For a laugh, let me copy you part of a chronicle, the Thai Nya Phuum, who sums up the concept as follows : ‘They are exceedingly tall, hairy and evil-smelling. They school their children long and devote their lives to the amassing of riches. Their woman, though large and round, are very beautiful. They do not grow rice’. What do you think? Pretty fair description! Although I believe we now smell better as a population than when this was written!
When a Thai calls you farang, it is not pejorative. But they are still amused by our customs and will often look at you with a grin when you do things differently (like eating with chopsticks, they find that amusing!).
When a Thai calls you farang, it is not pejorative. But they are still amused by our customs and will often look at you with a grin when you do things differently (like eating with chopsticks, they find that amusing!).
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Day and Night in Patong
I have been putting off writing because it's hard to get my head around what to say about Patong. It is loud, it is flashy... Sometimes it's amusing, sometimes it's heartbreaking : the beggars, the sellers, the Thai massages, the tuk-tuks, the prostitution, the smell of petrol and fish...
We spent one night out and we enjoyed it. Met nice people and had a good laugh. But that was it for our nightlife. Everything's is a bit too much here. Wherever you walk people are trying to sell you things, to shake your hand, the get you inside their shop...
The rain falls are impressive : violent, sudden, destructive. No umbrella will protect you from it! You either jump in the storm and expect coming out soaking wet or hide somewhere until it stops.
You can get anything here, but everything has a price. I am already tired of eating rice, getting other food is expensive. We pack up on fruits from the market and leave it in our fridge for when we're in need of refreshment : mangoes, papayas, melons, bananas, lychees, dragon fruit...
Today I had an interview at HeadStart International School in Phuket. It went great and they offered me a very well paid position. The school is awesome, very small, very clean and new. The classes are no bigger than 16 students! The only problem is they follow the British school year and I would only start 16th August. I don't know if I can afford waiting that long without employment... I will have to weigh my options now!
Speak later for more news!
We spent one night out and we enjoyed it. Met nice people and had a good laugh. But that was it for our nightlife. Everything's is a bit too much here. Wherever you walk people are trying to sell you things, to shake your hand, the get you inside their shop...
The rain falls are impressive : violent, sudden, destructive. No umbrella will protect you from it! You either jump in the storm and expect coming out soaking wet or hide somewhere until it stops.
You can get anything here, but everything has a price. I am already tired of eating rice, getting other food is expensive. We pack up on fruits from the market and leave it in our fridge for when we're in need of refreshment : mangoes, papayas, melons, bananas, lychees, dragon fruit...
Today I had an interview at HeadStart International School in Phuket. It went great and they offered me a very well paid position. The school is awesome, very small, very clean and new. The classes are no bigger than 16 students! The only problem is they follow the British school year and I would only start 16th August. I don't know if I can afford waiting that long without employment... I will have to weigh my options now!
Speak later for more news!
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Patong
Sawatdee Ka!
After spending two nights in Phuket town, we realized there wasn't much more we wanted to do there. Plus, we weren't successful with the job search. We woke up around 6am this morning, had a last tour of the city and market before checking out and jumping on a local bus. We are now in Patong, which is very touristic and loud, but our first view of the coast was very exciting. The beach is surrounded by mountains and the view is spectacular. It is the monsoon season (rainy season) and it has rained a lot, especially today, but the view of the beach itself - clouds or not, makes us very happy!
We are resting in our great hotel (Tiger Inn), slightly cheaper than the previous one (and so much nicer!!) and getting mentally ready for the night ahead. The nightlife here should be crazy, a lot of go-go girls and flashy bars. I don't know how long we will be entertained, but seeing it for the first time promises a lot!
We are taking the weekend off : apart from sending some emails, updating our profiles on job search engine and checking the Phuket Gazette for vacancies, we will get our bearings, relax and start job searching again on Monday!
Laana ka!
After spending two nights in Phuket town, we realized there wasn't much more we wanted to do there. Plus, we weren't successful with the job search. We woke up around 6am this morning, had a last tour of the city and market before checking out and jumping on a local bus. We are now in Patong, which is very touristic and loud, but our first view of the coast was very exciting. The beach is surrounded by mountains and the view is spectacular. It is the monsoon season (rainy season) and it has rained a lot, especially today, but the view of the beach itself - clouds or not, makes us very happy!
We are resting in our great hotel (Tiger Inn), slightly cheaper than the previous one (and so much nicer!!) and getting mentally ready for the night ahead. The nightlife here should be crazy, a lot of go-go girls and flashy bars. I don't know how long we will be entertained, but seeing it for the first time promises a lot!
We are taking the weekend off : apart from sending some emails, updating our profiles on job search engine and checking the Phuket Gazette for vacancies, we will get our bearings, relax and start job searching again on Monday!
Laana ka!
Thursday, June 3, 2010
We have both landed safe and sound!
It started out bad as soon as I got to Ottawa airport : my flight had been canceled. Continental Airline rerouted me through Air Canada, who had higher restrictions concerning flying me to Thailand without a return ticket. I knew that the Thais wouldn’t make any fuss about it, but apparently the Canadians were. So they made me buy a return ticket and promised me it was refundable. My new route was Ottawa-Frankfurt-Delhi-Bangkok-Phuket.
I was not able to sleep one second on the 1st flight so I was a bit grumpy in Frankfurt airport. Happily, the plane going to Dehli (Air Asia) was nearly empty and the big comfy seats made up for any lack of comfort on the Air Canada flight. I probably slept 5 of the 7 hour flight. I was in good shape in Delhi airport, and loved looking at the beautiful saran’s worn by the Indian women. I had to wait a few hours there. I sat beside an Indian couple on my flight to Bangkok. I barely slept there either cause we didn’t have much space and I kept receiving elbow hits from my neighbour.
Landing in Bangkok was very exciting – probably the most excited I had been until then because of the lack of sleep. I am a very ashamed to admit it, but with the excitement, I actually left my ‘purse’ on the plane, with my passport and Thai Baht. Needless to say I thought I started my trip as a stupid farang. I met a lovely Thai security man and he was very kind in helping me. I noticed very quickly that I had forgotten it and some passengers were still exiting the plane. We found it quite easily and I was surprised to see everything was still in it! It hadn't left my seat. After the security guard reassured me that I wasn’t a stupid farang and that it can happen to anyone (to be stupid) he let me jump the line to cross customs right away, not without leaving me his business card with his email address so I could ‘tell him if I got the job’. My first encounter with Thai people was great!
I was relieved to see my backpack arrive with the rest of the luggage. Few! I then proceeded to check-in my flight from BKK to Phuket and waited for Chris, who arrived about 30 minutes later! It was great to finally be with him. All his flights went as planned and he says the food was amazing (first thing he told me!!
We were both very tired on our last flight (from Bangkok to Phuket) but it was only over an hour. Landing was great as we got to see the coast, many beautiful islands and the clear water.... breathtaking!
We had booked two nights in a small hotel in Phuket Town called Talang Guest House which isn’t bad. My first impression of the town is that it’s a lot poorer and dirtier than I had imagined, but this goes with Phuket town reputation. There are too many cockroaches on the street if you ask me, but I guess it can’t be worse than living with them in Spain! We weren’t planning on staying here long anyway, but I ate my first pad thai and it was very nice.
Our plan for tomorrow is to go around the work agencies and see what they say about teaching jobs. We would like to get half-sorted before traveling around. It’s night time here and 30oc so I am already scared for tomorrow! Hopefully I will feel more rested and ready to live in this heat!
Speak soon!
I was not able to sleep one second on the 1st flight so I was a bit grumpy in Frankfurt airport. Happily, the plane going to Dehli (Air Asia) was nearly empty and the big comfy seats made up for any lack of comfort on the Air Canada flight. I probably slept 5 of the 7 hour flight. I was in good shape in Delhi airport, and loved looking at the beautiful saran’s worn by the Indian women. I had to wait a few hours there. I sat beside an Indian couple on my flight to Bangkok. I barely slept there either cause we didn’t have much space and I kept receiving elbow hits from my neighbour.
Landing in Bangkok was very exciting – probably the most excited I had been until then because of the lack of sleep. I am a very ashamed to admit it, but with the excitement, I actually left my ‘purse’ on the plane, with my passport and Thai Baht. Needless to say I thought I started my trip as a stupid farang. I met a lovely Thai security man and he was very kind in helping me. I noticed very quickly that I had forgotten it and some passengers were still exiting the plane. We found it quite easily and I was surprised to see everything was still in it! It hadn't left my seat. After the security guard reassured me that I wasn’t a stupid farang and that it can happen to anyone (to be stupid) he let me jump the line to cross customs right away, not without leaving me his business card with his email address so I could ‘tell him if I got the job’. My first encounter with Thai people was great!
I was relieved to see my backpack arrive with the rest of the luggage. Few! I then proceeded to check-in my flight from BKK to Phuket and waited for Chris, who arrived about 30 minutes later! It was great to finally be with him. All his flights went as planned and he says the food was amazing (first thing he told me!!
We were both very tired on our last flight (from Bangkok to Phuket) but it was only over an hour. Landing was great as we got to see the coast, many beautiful islands and the clear water.... breathtaking!
We had booked two nights in a small hotel in Phuket Town called Talang Guest House which isn’t bad. My first impression of the town is that it’s a lot poorer and dirtier than I had imagined, but this goes with Phuket town reputation. There are too many cockroaches on the street if you ask me, but I guess it can’t be worse than living with them in Spain! We weren’t planning on staying here long anyway, but I ate my first pad thai and it was very nice.
Our plan for tomorrow is to go around the work agencies and see what they say about teaching jobs. We would like to get half-sorted before traveling around. It’s night time here and 30oc so I am already scared for tomorrow! Hopefully I will feel more rested and ready to live in this heat!
Speak soon!
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