Interlude

So as well as being rubbish at keeping this blog updated it seems that I'm also a complete failure at keeping my diary updated.

So instead, I'm going to give you a brief overview of my life here.

I teach 12 lessons a week.
The year groups at my school are M1-M6, aged 12-18. In M1-M3 there are 10 classes in each year. M1/1 is the best, followed my M1/2 and so on. In M4-M6 there are 7 classes in a year.

I teach M1/1,1/2,1/3,1/4,1/5,1/6,4/1,4/2,4/3,4/4,4/5 and 6/4.

Recently I've been teaching my M1's about clothes and clothes shops (with some very fun lessons where they tried on my clothes). My M4's have been learning about sports celebrities whilst my M6 class have been learning about university interviews.

On November 24th Alex and I changed host family. We moved in to Bannogrimna restaurant with a 15 year old called Nune and her family.

Outside Bannogrimna

Our first meal there

November 25th was Loi Krathong day. Here the Thai people float a krathong on the water and make a wish as they do so.

My Krathong

My Krathong floating in the river

After school we got driven by Ong's mum to the centre of town where we watched the parade - which was long! Every school in the town had a section! 

It was insanely beautiful though and so much fun!

After watching the parade Ong, his friends and us went to a little ice cream parlour to have some food before continuing down to the river to float our krathongs.

We met up with Tos and his friends and went with them to get dinner. It was on this day that something of great significance happened.

I, Emily Murray, vegetarian of 8 years - ate meat. Voluntarily. I even documented the moment with a picture.

Pork

PeAe had persuaded me to eat meat whilst in Thailand. I want to get as much as I can out of this experience and I think to do that I have to experience as much of Thai culture as I can. This means trying as much food as I can. Of course, I also want to be able to recommend dishes to mum,dad and Anna when they come over.

.

On Saturday the 28th Ong, Nune, Noi (my 10 year old host sister) and their friends took me to Walking Street market. Unfortunately, Alex was ill so she couldn't come.    

I should probably buy a different t-shirt

This is a huge mound of crushed ice with some sort of liquid flavouring, coated with nuts and surrounded by bread.

Noi and I

Nune and I

After the market I got taken to the temple on the other side of the river which was really beautiful!

This temple

The next day Nune, Noi, her friends and us went to Nakhon Sawan. Here, we proceeded to watch The Hunger Games in Thai - with no subtitles. It was pretty hard to follow, even though I had read the books.

We ate Sukiyaki for lunch - which is a Japanese name of a dish where everything is just tipped into hot water.
Okay, it's more elaborate than that but my description gives you an idea.

Sukiyaki

After lunch we visited the park - which was so beautiful!

We even got to stand on one of the bridges over the water and feed the fish.





December 5th was Father's Day (as well as the King's birthday) in Thailand. As this was a Saturday, on the 4th the school had a ceremony. The Thai teachers all dressed up in their smart (I guess, ceremony robes?) clothes, whilst us farang wore our 'Bike for Dad' polos. To celebrate the King's birthday there were nationwide bike rides  for people to participate in.

Echo,Alex, me, Kelsie and Hayden

In the afternoon loads of the school participated in a bike ride around the town. Alex and I couldn't join them because A) we had no bikes and B) we had to go and spend the afternoon having blood taken and sorting out our visas. Can't say I was that disappointed - we saw the course of the bike ride and it was soooo long, also it was a very hot day so I felt nothing but sympathy for the kids (and teachers).