Rejoining the ranks of the employed.

1I just went to the school and got my schedule for my first week of teaching. It turns out that I'm mostly doing private lessons. I got the course books & notes on my students and will spend the rest of today figuring out what exactly to teach them tomorrow. My first week is actually really light - only 10 hours total. But I have a 3 hour business English class on Tuesday and I don't have the profile for that class yet. Should be interesting.





Still alternating between panic & elation on a moment by moment basis. The people at the school are really nice, and one of them just gave me my first motorbike lesson. I didn't crash! Elation! But it's a new city and I don't know where anything is. I'm hungry and I don't know where to go for lunch. All my clothes are dirty, but I don't know where the laundromat is. My notebook is out of blank paper and I don't know where the book store is. Panic! But in exploring I successfully crossed 8 lanes of Thai traffic... terror followed by elation. AHHHHH!!





Last night when I was out looking for the internet cafe a big storm blew in. It was like something out of a movie. It was breezy, then there was a HUGE crack of lightening that caused the power to blink out for a second. Next came huge gust of wind bringing a few sprinkles. Shop owners were rushing to bring their products inside and close up shop. Before I could figure out what to do or where to goI as completely drenched. I ducked into the pub just as their power went out. I felt so stupid and awkward, the soaking wet farang who can't communicate anything to the bar staff. I turned around and left but the rain was so bad it almost wasn't safe to walk. The waitress brought me back inside and brought me a beer. The power came back on, but so did the AC. So I sat dripping and freezing drinking over priced beer all by myself watching cute Thai couples dash easily from their cars into the bar. I wondered, not for the first time, what on earth I was doing here.





I think once my classes start and I have a purpose for each day, I'll feel a little better. It'll also help when I learn my way around. Until then though... it's a challenge.