Post for April 4 2006:

This morning I held the first English camp for the 11-14 year old kids of my soi and I have to say it was a total disaster. Half the group ended up being below 5 years old and I didn't have any thing prepared for them and the kids that I did have things prepared for already knew everything that I was going to teach them. I was told that the kids that were coming didn't know english but they seemed to know enough to know everything I had prepared. So the day was a flop but tomorrow the little kids are coming and I prepared a new lesson (which will hopefully be harder) for the 11-14 year olds that are returning. Also they wanted a snack and I didn't have the forethought to get one for them so I bought some cookie/cracker things today. Again, I was swayed by the packaging, as I was in the case of the "Tourist" last week. What sold me on the cookie (which is named Lexus by the way) was the slogan "The Sandwich Calcium Cracker Loaded with Nutritional Horsepower!" No one could ever convince me that that isn't a totally awesome slogan, I have never eaten a cracker with it's own horsepower before! Lets hope they don't taste awful, I guess I will find out tomorrow when I take them out for the kids. Ok, I just found out that the company that makes the Lexus is Munchy's and their slogan is "Bite me", hehehe. I'm hoping things go well tomorrow, I find it hard to guage what the kids know because they sometimes won't talk to me and it's hard to tell if they don't understand or are shy. Tomorrow I will try again with the morning group, I think it will go better. I am better prepared this time.

After my unsuccessful morning class I went to teach the grade ones. It was one of the best days I've had at that school. I arrived on school grounds when the kids were on thier lunch recess and a few of my students were playing outside and when they saw me they all ran over smiling yelling "Teacher Naisaaa Teacher Naisaaa" (the Thai's pronounce my name with an awww sound at the end). The kids jumped all over me, pulled on my shirt, pet my arm and tried to hold my hand and it was really sweet. My class went well too the kids are really responding well to me this week, I think it's because we got used to each other last week. I was spent by the end of the day but I still had to go out and buy a snack (the Lexus cracker/cookies)and some pencil crayons for my morning group. Jenny and I went to a new shopping centre which was big and not too far away, I feel like I'm really starting to learn my surroundings. In the evening I had two lesson plans to arrange and so I had to skip the Tuesday night devotions. Tomorrow there is some confusion as to whether there is Ruhi or not, we'll see I guess.

Every evening Jenny has been practicing the guitar (she bought a really cheap one at the 'cash converters' here). She took up playing the guitar a month before going on her world travels and hasn't played in two months so isn't very experience yet and I've been spending many hours every night helping her tune the guitar and practicing children's songs. Everything sounds like the itsy bitsy spider now.

I forgot to mention the other day that I received a letter two days ago from my friend Nadia who is doing service in Belize and it sounds like she's doing well.

Also, Mattea has asked me to write something about the pictures I post. The one for today was just a pretty tree that I saw in Khao Yai National Park on the way to the water fall. Yesterday was some monkeys gathered on the road, there were tons of them but the mother and baby were so cute. Unfortunately, the sun was descending so the picture turned out quite dark. The one yesterday was just a guy walking by the Marble Temple, he had a really confident walk so I took his picture. The stone Buddha that I posted on March 31 was just outside of Wat Phra Kaeo. March 30 were baby bananas growing in the Government House Yard, Jenny and I passed them when we were trying to figure out how to get to the Royal Palace and since I'd never seen bananas growing naturally outside before I took their picture. Before that was the Marble Palace picture and I'm really happy with the way it turned out. I think before that things are sufficiently marked, from now on though I will write a little something about what I'm posting. Also, if you click on the picture the title of the picture may tell you all you need to know.

Alas not in bed early, maybe tomorrow. Do check back by the end of the week for the links and edits on my Jungle post, I just haven't had time with the lesson plans I've been working on.