End of Asian U, Beginning of Chiang Mai

It's been an extremely long time since I have posted, and since I am on my daily 4 hours of "prep" be completely bored time at work, I thought this would be an ample time to describe as much as I can about what is going on out here.

Asian University Summer Camp #2 was a blast, really a good time. It was a little shorter than the first camp, so I was only sad to see some of the kids go. They were a very cute and fun group, with a lot of energy. They were great... So we finished the camp, and then started our long process of goodbyes. One girl went back south to live with her husband (shes been in Thailand for 5 years). Two of the guys went to live in Bangkok and work a couple months before going home. Johanna spent a week in Bangkok, then flew home. Kelly spent a couple days in BKK, then she also went home (both to america). Everyone split up, and I move dout to Chiang Mai, all alone. It was hard at first, because I missed everyone from the summer camp, and knew that I was leaving Jo for good, and that I wouldnt see Morgan or Kelly for at least 5 months...

So I moved up to Chiang Mai, after getting a job at Prince Royal's College, a K-12 Private Christian school, teaching English to Anuban 3, or babies, as I like to call then. They are all about 5-6 Years old. Its kindergarten... I took the job because I wasnt really sure what level I wanted to teach, and I figured with the kids, the lesson planning would be easy, but it would be hard in class, since you have to run around and scream and jump and act like a fool to keep them interested and motivate. As long as they are having fun, they will respond to the learning. The school is actually HUGE and they have kids, as I said from K-12. They have over 400 kindergarden students, and I think over 6,000 students in all. Its HUGE! I work on the kindergarten campus, off alone, behing the sports complex and near the High School. I am the only farang (white) person in my campus/building. I work with all women (TA's around 18-25 i think, teachers around 40-60) All women, and 400 kids. It is chaotic and loud. I teach in the mornings, M-F.

I get to school at around 7:30, then we have the flag raising ceremony at 7:45, followed by some "aerobics" (meaning simple little dance moves) and the kids go to their classes to do something... My first class starts at 9:10. If I have a full day, I teach until 11:20 (40 minute lessons, and thats pushing it for these kids' attention spans) at 11:20 we play in the playground, or I sit in my room exhausted. 11:45 we eat lunch. I watch the kids eat, they sit in a little area with long tables, all crammed in. They sing, then they pray, then they eat. Then we get to eat. Its usually not the best, and somedays pretty gross, but its food. By 12:30 I go back to my room, and sit there waiting to be able to leave at 4pm. The kids nap until 2pm, then play in their rooms until 3 pm, then if its not raining, they play outside until 4, or whenever their parents come to get them. Sometimes I just sit in my room and stare at things... its pretty boring (but better than lessons ni the afternoon as well...)

Starting in June I will be tutoring the Thai TA's Teachers, and the Assistant Director and Head of the Kindergarten program. Im very nervous about that, but all of the teachers and TAs are really nice, and I think Ill just follow a Tha-English phrasebook I have, and teach them everything I can out of that, since its what I use when I want to learn Thai.

I live in a hotel just 5 minutes on bicycle down from the school. I have rented a bicycle and use it to get everywhere, which is actually quite nice, though I sometimes break out into uncontrollable sweating if I have to do some agressive cycling through traffic (i have to ride like im on a moto, which can be dangerous, and difficult to cut off cars and trucks and busses and motorcycles, all on a bicycle...)

I am a 10 minute ride into the main little park of town, with lots of shopping, food, and entertainment, but can always tuk-tuk anywhere I need to get, for only a couple dollars (50-100 Baht).

I am planning on moving across town, into a 2 bedroom apartment with a friend I met (one of just a few) so that we have more space, and a living room, and a place to be able to hang out on evenings and weekends if we dont want to go into town.

So far its fun, extremely tiring, but very fun. The kids are absolutely adorable, and cling on me, since Im pretty much a huge white playtoy.

To give you an idea of what I do in the classroom, this weeks new lesson was
1) The alphabet- review, and singing the song
2) Story- I just point at pictures in a book and say the words, they repeat everything you say. Everything. Even "so, yeah" "um" "hmm"
3)Commands- stand up, sit down, make a circle, come here, make one line, make two lines (then yelling them out and letting the kids scramble to do what I asked)
4)Vocabulary- classroom objects, book, penicl, backpack, ruler, glue, eraser
5)Boardslap- i yell out a word (1 boy vs 1 girl) try to run and slap the board at the apporpriate picture... (this is very hard for them)

next lesson will be a continuation of the game and words, practice writing out simple sentances "it is a book. It is an eraser." review on "what is your name? My name is..." and Days of the week!!! Whoohoo!

When I woke up this morning is was sunny and hot. I just heard some thunder, and realized there is nothing but dark clouds, and think it will begin to rain heavily soon... which means no outside playtime for the kids, which means they will be running around screaming in the rooms... I should probably go. Hope this was a somewhat sufficient update on what is going on!

Hope all is well!
Love you all (mom and grandma, who I assume are the only people actually following this!)

oh, Ill try to get some photos uploaded on facebook, and ill let you know when, so you can see my school. and pics of the kids