 |
| The breathtaking views from Erawan National Park |
Good Lord, it’s been three months since I wrote to you
last. Where does the time go?! I have been working away diligently. All work and no play makes Sinead Nua a dull
blogger but I managed to squeeze in some fun and games here and there so I do
have a few tales for you.
We celebrated the Queen’s birthday in August and, similar to
the King’s birthday which doubles up as Father’s Day, this was also a
celebration of Mothers throughout Thailand. As I mentioned before, the Thai royal family
are very highly revered and celebrations held in their honour are always community
involved affairs. As usual the school
put on a show in which the students and their Mums partook with a great sense
of ceremony. And, as is normal for Thai
celebrations, we were granted a long weekend.
I don’t know how these Thai folks get anything done with all these
holliers but I’m not one to complain. I
went back to the home of the 10 baht bar, Kanchanaburi, to resume my failed
trip. This time I was determined not to
fall foul of the dreaded lurgy and I planned an excursion to Erawan
Waterfall. I, and my travelling
comrades, hired motorcycles to transport ourselves through the beautiful
landscape where we stopped for coffee and photographs as we pleased. The drive was exhilarating, with the open
road stretched out before us and the mountains framing our view. It was refreshing to get out and breathe the
rural air. Living in Nakhon Sawan you
feel somewhat stifled by the traffic and smells of the city and, at times, even
claustrophobic at the hoards of people everywhere. But here in the mountains it felt freeing
and, for once in a long while, I could breath. 
We arrived at the national park to find buses and trucks
packed into the car park, and hundreds of people swarming the pathways. We joined the long line of visitors trundling
along the uphill path to make our way to the seven waterfalls that promised to
wow us with their magic. Each level was
even more beautiful than the last, all very different yet each with its own
draw for the crowds of bathers that relaxed in the balmy water. One level had a smooth vertical rock that was
used as a water slide, another had a lip that jutted out like a mezzanine level
where people bathed and enjoyed the view of the others splashing below. The top level was where we decided to get in
the water, and after the ascent in the humidity it was a welcome sight. We derobed and popped ourselves in the smooth
water. I had heard about fish that
nibble at your skin, rather like one of those fish pedicures and thought it
might be a nice beauty treatment that would leave me glowing on the drive
home. No, not at all what
transpired. I ended up being gnawed at
by huge over friendly fish that left me squealing like a little girl. Little bit embarrassing. On the descent I encountered a makeshift
‘shop’ nestled in the trees where one could buy traditional Thai dresses. I guess it shows business acumen, afterall
there are no competitors and you never know when someone may have the hankering
to buy a full trad gown on an amble in the woods. I always kick myself for not thinking of
these great ideas first. |
| Traditional Thai dress anyone? |
With this transient lifestyle I’ve adopted there are ups,
such as spontaneous trips, and there are downs, such as saying goodbye all too
often. I’m just about getting used to
saying goodbye to people and understanding that friendships here are part
time. I’ve learned in the past that you
keep some friendships burning via social media but most of the associations I make
here will probably fizzle out after we leave.
It’s hard to know right in the moment which friendships will pass the
test so all goodbyes here are hard. I
had such an experience again at the end of August when my two housemates
finished their teaching contracts and left Nakhon Sawan. It was incredibly fun living with them and
seeing them leave was sad, but I am kept regularly updated with sickeningly
enviable photos of their travels and it’s made me excited about my own
adventures ahead.
Along with new housemates, September brought with it some
refreshing wind and a chill in the air that I have not felt since Christmas
when the weather went from ‘freaking hot’ to ‘balmy’. It will never be ‘cold’ here but the rainy
season is a welcome change from the searing hot season. There were days when I was so weary from heat
and sunlight that I felt no desire to do anything or be anywhere. Spending most of my days sitting under my air
conditioner, I found hot season a challenge to say the least! Now I’m feeling lovely bustly breezes on my
morning drive to work, although this is usually a sign of rain to come so the
threat of being pelted by raindrops the size of golf balls always looms closely.
Our school day trips were scheduled for mid September and I
was looking forward to an excursion with the little monkeys. The theme was ‘food’ according the school
syllabus so the K2s were treated to a trip to the supermarket to buy ingredients
that they would whip up into pizza and the K3s had a venture to a nearby
organic corn farm. School trips are
always taxing as you’re on your feet all day, hyper aware of every little
munchkin’s whereabouts. The supermarket
was a particular highlight, especially in the seafood section where each of
them picked up a raw shrimp and started playing with it. I have to admit, if I ever have kids of my
own I would like them to be filled with enough personality and fun to sing to a
raw prawn in the middle of Makro. The
kids drew a lot of attention from fellow shoppers when they broke into the
alphabet song at the tops of their voices in the cereal aisle, proud
moment.
After school trips were done, the school started buzzing
with plans for the School Sports Day.
The students took part in various competitions in preparation for the
big event but the main focus was to be the chants for each team. The school was divided into four camps, the
theme being ‘Clash of the Warriors’. We
had Vikings, Gladiators, Pirates and Samurai, and the kids were excited at the
prospect of being kitted out in fitting costume. Each day the kids practised their chants
which comprised of English and Thai song and dance. Teachers busily whipped up costumes, posters
and props while students learned all about the warriors they were to imitate on
the day. My big creation was to be a
Viking ship, that the kids were going to parade through the streets and shout
their chants from. I had it all planned
out, it was going to be super cool.
Except that I hadn’t planned for the searing Thai sun to melt the glue
and leave my Viking ship a floppy sorry mess.
Parts started dropping off it from the minute we set off on our parade
and by the time we arrived back at the school, a mere ten minutes later, my
graceful ship was nothing but a limp pile of cardboard. I would never have succeeded at invading Dublin. Nevertheless, the day proceeded with great
energy and sportsmanship, and each team earned a deserved trophy for it’s
participation.
 |
| We are the Viking Warriors! |
At the end of September my students left for a months
vacation and I prepared to begin Summer school.
The Science theme of Summer school left me blank, I quit Science the
first chance I got and now, 22 years later, I am furiously searching the
interweb, panicking about the prospect of teaching the blasted subject for two
whole weeks. After about a half hour on
Pinterest I calmed myself and prepped for two weeks of pure playfulness, from
learning about Penguins to shooting bottle rockets into the air. I think Summer school may actually be for
teachers rather than students! We also
have meeting the Pre-K kids to look forward to.
They come in during the second term to learn basic stuff like counting,
the alphabet and colours, but mostly to get them acclimatised to the school
environment for when they become K1s and rule the gaff. Their first days are a blend of cuteness and
hilarity.
Of course, the most exciting time of October comes in the final
fortnight when the teachers scatter to their chosen vacation spots to top up
the fading tans. My chosen destination
this October is Bali, and I’m super excited to
be going there finally. It’s somewhere I
had on my list since deciding to move to this part of the world. Now it’s so close I’m a ball of nerves at the
thought of going to a country where I don’t speak the language. I know that’s a pretty crazy thing to say, since
I’ve lived in Thailand
for a year (yes, a whole year, my anniversary was mid September!) but I kind of managed to be understood here
and I’m apprehensive that my crazy charades may not work out in Balinese. However I am excited that this trip will feel
like a proper holiday with a flight, a currency exchange, a new language and
new food, the latter being the most exciting part. I love Thai food but, boy do I need a change! So, I look forward to two weeks of sun, sea
and stuffing my face.
On my return I go straight into term two, which is the
shorter term of the school year, so my departure will be looming closer and
closer. I was due to leave at the end of
the previous term but I decided to extend my contract by five months, and my
original departure date has since come and gone, leaving me feeling very
unprepared to leave. I still feel very
new here. I hope that in February,
homesickness will settle enough to convince me to head back. I often feel a sense of panic at the thought
of not being able to do certain things as freely as I can here, like jumping on
a bus and alighting at a paradise island, picking up dinner for less than a
quid, walking into a bar with a bottle of whiskey and paying only for mixers
(that one’s bonkers), and other such mad things that Thailand allows, and that
I have taken for granted over the past year.
I will look forward to seeing my family and friends again, of course,
but the financial hardship and red tape I constantly encountered back West is
something I don’t miss one bit. I guess
it’s time to start researching the plan of action for 2015!
