First day at work

I wake up having slept like a log and have a shower. A little while later Adjarn Chaweewan arrives to greet me. She is my coordinator here in Li. So she and the teachers i met last night (whose names i have forgotten) bring me to the Mini English Program (MEP) room that is to be my workplace for the next 5 months. Inside is the MEP class of 31 students who i will have for the majority of classes. They are Matayom 1 level which is the first grade of secondary school here so they are quite young. Basically their parents paid extra for them to get into this program so already i feel under pressure to do a good job. Anyway im told to get up in front of the class and introduce myself. No problem right? Well I assumed this would be a few minutes job but boy was i wrong. I got left up there for a half hour while we waited for the monk to come along and take over class for the day. It was tricky to think of stuff to say just off the bat but somehow i managed it. I took inspiration from various things dotted around the room. The local monk was teaching the kids meditation for the day once i was finished.

After this i sit outside the classroom and greet various members of staff that drop by having been tipped off about my arrival. I also talk with my coordinator about what my schedule is like and what im expected to do. by the end of the day im pretty wrecked from the heat of the day and from repeating the same spiel to all and sundry. I head back to the house and arrange to meet the other english teachers for food later. As for the accomodation, it is ok as you can see from the pics on my previous post. Its pretty spartan but i wasnt expecting hotel style furnishings so i'll manage. The important things are the mosquito mesh on all entrances into the room and the fan to cool me down in this sweltering heat. I live in a terrace with some of the other teachers who have the same rooms i do so im not isolated on my own or anything.

We head out for dinner to a place where you have a buffet of meat and veg and then on your table you get a big dish thing where you cook it all. You can turn it into a soup and fry all on the same contraption. We have a decent meal and i get to know some of my fellow teachers who all get to practice their english on me. Afterwards we play with some fireworks that they have and all have a good laugh ( they love their fireworks over here). By this time im exhausted so i go back to my room and pass out.