Sports Day for Teachers (10-9)

The big event this week was Sports Day on Friday. When I was originally told about this, I thought it was for students, but it turned out to be for teachers. Teachers from 78 private schools in the province came to Ubon for the event. Schools were divided into four teams and we all had to purchase a shirt (185 bahts, about $6) for our team. We were on the orange team; so our shirts are orange, which is not my favorite color to wear. I guess I have a shirt to give away sometime.

The day began with a parade. I’d forgotten that all such events have to start with a parade. Kru Toom had told me to go Assumption College at 8:00 or, if I wanted to walk in the parade, I could go to the other school at 6:30. Not being a morning person, I chose 8:00. Tony was asked to carry a flag in the parade. When the songtaew went past the school where the people were gathering, I decided to get out and walk with the teachers. However, I couldn’t find any of our teachers just walking in our orange shirts; I only found those carrying flags. So I decided to walk on my own and take photos. 

The costumes were quite interesting. The theme of the event seemed to be the ASEAN countries, since there is an ASEAN event coming here in a few years. People were dressed to represent some of the countries and the flags of all the countries were carried. 

Our school band led the parade. The parade started at 8:20 and finished at 9:00.

When everyone was gathered in the sports field, the opening ceremony began. It lasted until 10:30. I had been feeling a bit left out, since Tony was asked to carry a flag and I wasn’t (Several female teachers carried flags; so it wasn’t about his being male.) and Kate and Lovely were asked at the last minute to walk with the cheerleaders, but as the morning dragged on, I was happy to be able to go sit on the side with a few of the teachers I found there.

After the opening ceremony, we were given lunch—a box with rice and a fried egg and a small bag of curry and a box with drinking yogurt and a muffin. I passed on the first box. After we ate, it was time for photos. Football games started. 

Our cheerleaders went out to cheer on the orange team.

Kate and Lovely went with Kru Tang to her car to get their bags so they could change from their parade outfits into the orange shirt and sports pants for the rest of the day. I walked along with them and realized that the school was next to City Mall. I knew it was close, but hadn’t realized it was right there. When we got back, I sat with Kru Tang and Kru Irene for a while. I was hungry and tired and bored already, and it was only 11:20. So I excused myself and went to the mall. I remembered eating the best pad Thai in the food court there and decided that I needed to have some for lunch. I asked a woman where to purchase a card, and she pointed to the man cooking. I could see that she had a card and knew I needed one; so I asked again when she returned. This time she understood that I was talking about the “coupon” and pointed out the booth where I could get one. When I picked up my food, she pointed to a table and left her friends to sit with me so I wouldn’t have to eat alone.

An hour later, I returned to the school and couldn’t find anyone I knew. So I went as far as I could get from the loud speakers and booming base and sat in the shade to read the book I had thoughtfully taken with me. After a while, one of the teachers came and joined me. He was there to watch chairball, which was beginning. A few of our teachers were playing on the orange team; so I watched that for a while. One team member stands on a chair and holds a basket. The others try to get the ball into the basket. The basket holder can move the basket as long as he stays on the chair. When the games were over, the teacher told me to leave with him. We went to the area where they were playing petong, and I watched for a few minutes. There were also volleyball games going on in the gym and football in the field. I walked around a bit looking for someone I knew, but I didn’t see anyone. So I decided to go home, since I was tired and bored and didn’t know what was happening. There was a dinner in the evening, but I missed that. It was an enjoyable event. It was just too long.

Thursday morning at the opening ceremony there were two large bouquets of roses on the counter. I hung around to see what they were for. They were presented to Sister Viphaporn and Kru Tang. I asked later why they were given the flowers and learned that they had received an award from the government for their hard work.

Saturday at noon my phone rang and the woman asked where I lived and then told to “walk around.” I learned that the caller was at the swimming pool and headed there, not knowing who was waiting for me. It turned out to be the woman we met at the hospital who wanted me to teacher her daughters. She, her friend, and her three daughters had come to talk to me about teaching them all. The girls are on break now and they wanted me to start next week, but I’ll be on break and gone then. So we’ll start next month. I was talking about Saturday and Sunday morning, but somehow it turned into evening because the girls study during the day. I suppose that means they go somewhere for special classes. They also mentioned bringing a few more people to class; so this could be interesting. The two women teach in Lue Amnat, near my village, and want me to teach at their school next year. They would take me with them to school and home every day. I told them “maybe.” They said they’ll talk to the principal.