Last Saturday morning Khun Dakom called me at 8:00 and told me to come to breakfast “Now.” He had first mentioned lunch at a nearby restaurant and then he talked about breakfast at a teacher’s house opposite Khun Kwan’s house. So I was a little confused as to where to go. (I think I was an afterthought, as they were already there. Since I am not living near them, they don’t think about including me as often.) When I was part way there, Khun Suwit met me in his truck. It turned out that one of the teachers has bought the house across from Khun Kwan’s house and this was her house-warming party. Since I hadn’t been clear exactly what I was going for, I had not worn silk (a missed opportunity, as I hardly ever get to wear my silk skirts these days), but I was glad I had at least dressed in nice casual clothes.
Outside the house was an altar with a Hindu god and two masks. This was different; so I was curious to know what this was about. After the monks left (I missed their blessing of the house.), another man went around and tied string around the circumference of the lot. Then a man wearing animal skin patterned fabric came to the altar. A small group of people joined him there.
He lit incense and prayed and then sprinkled water toward the entrance. After eating, we went in to see the house. A small group of people was sitting in the living room around this priest. He used one of the masks to bless people. Some came out with a gold patch on their foreheads. When I asked him, Khun Dakom was able to tell me a little about this. He said it’s a religion originally from India, not a branch of Buddhism; so I think it is Hinduism. He said many people in Thailand follow this religion. It’s not something I’ve encountered before; so it was interesting to see. I thought it was interesting, too, that they had both the Buddhist monks and this Hindu priest. Walking through the house, I noticed that the bedroom was set up for the monks.
I’m enjoying my weekend tutoring group. They’re fun, and it gives me something to do with social contact on the weekend. They want to have general conversation; so that’s what we do. We chat and see what language comes up that need practice. Speaking practice is always good for the students, since they don’t get that in class. They do pretty well. I learned that Khun Dang does laundry on Saturday for four people. It takes her three hours to wash the clothes and two hours to iron them. That’s quite a chunk of time for laundry. She doesn’t have a machine.
The women invited me to have lunch with them on last Sunday. They cooked special food that was quite good. We chatted in English, which is a challenge since they don’t know much. But it was fun. These experiences always remind me what it’s like for Thai people to have to decipher my Thai. They have talked to their school director about my teaching there next year and he is interested. They asked how much money I want. I’m putting this on hold, as I don’t think I’m interested.
At school, the boom, boom, boom was back for a couple days but not as loudly as last week. Thursday and Friday students spent an hour practicing standing in a greeting double line to greet the government officials who will visit the pre-school on Monday. (The officials will walk between the two lines of facing students the center.) Unfortunately, both practices were when I didn’t have class. Even my larger school didn’t spend that much time practicing the greeting line. More “We have to do it better because we’re a private school” I guess.
The other excitement on Friday was when the firemen came. (Another missed class that didn’t affect me.) I don’t know what they talked about, but they demonstrated lighting gas coming out of the gas tank, the kind that everyone has in their kitchen. The students loved seeing the huge flames. They did this several times.
My 8th grade make-up English class was last week. Only half of the students came. Kru Toom told each student about the opportunity; so I guess the rest weren’t interested. They worked well in class but did more talking to share answers than the 7th grade did, which is not a surprise, as that’s what they do in class all the time. And I didn’t notice any changes in their classroom behavior like I did with the 7th graders, most of whom are now trying to do the work. Those who aren’t trying truly can’t do anything. I really feel bad for them. I’m trying to point to the words they need to copy. I’m thinking about having them come in the morning and just giving them the answers to copy. I don’t want to do that in class, as they’ll get circulated—no matter what I do.
I spent the weekend being ill—fever and then a cough and congested chest. When the fever was still there Sunday, I went to the clinic. The doctor gave me four medicines: antibiotics for the pharangitis (I hadn’t realized I had a sore throat but she said it was infected.), one for the chest mucus, one for the fever, and cough syrup. (Cost 140 bahts, about $4.60) Since I still had a fever Monday morning, I went to school to listen to Bank, since his competition is Tuesday, and then came home.
Random acts of kindness:
One day a woman riding her motorcycle in my neighborhood asked where I was going and then told me to get on. When she dropped me off and I started to walk, she asked again where I was going and said she’d take me to the bus station, which is near the school and most people know. We stopped at the morning market where she purchased some soy milk from a woman I sometime buy from. Then we delivered the milk to a woman and boy. That woman told the driver what school I teach at. I have no idea who she is and we were not near anywhere I walk; so I don’t know how she knows me. Then the driver understood where I was going. When she let me off at the intersection to the school, Kru Oy pulled over and took me the rest of the way.
At the morning market Saturday, I bought some cookies from a woman I sometimes buy such things from. Then she gave me a pack of buns, saying that I teach her son, who is in 5th grade at the school.
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