Sawàtdee kha from Thailand!
I never would have thought a week could have so much information, travel and emotion jammed in. The first 4 days in Thailand were spent learning about the culture, the language and how to teach. I've met so many amazing people, some that are with me and some that are just a short bus ride away.
After a night bus from Bangkok to Khon Kaen, myself and the 8 other teachers that are with me at my school were able to unpack our bags and see our new school. We didn't get time to rest, but hey, that's what the weekend is for. The past week hasn't been the most exhilarating in a travel and adventure sense compared to a normal trip, but so much growth has already been established in this short time.
Some things that i've learned that are very important to know when coming to Thailand that aren't found on most travel blogs or videos:
Wai: Whenever you greet someone for the first time in a day you should do the Wai. This is an action where you put your hands together and bow your head. Your thumb should be aligned with your nose and the rest of your fingers should be just about your eyebrows. The higher on your face your hands go, the more respectful it is. Above the head is for god.
Mai pen rai: In translation Mai pen rai means “it's ok” or “all good” but the real meaning goes far beyond that. It signifies being relaxed and having no worries, it is almost meditative, like taking a deep breath and release the weight off your shoulders.
Sabai Sabai: “take it easy” or “relaxed” In Thai culture they are very relaxed in the way they live life. They are not in a hurry to get things done. This phrase and Mai pen rai are similar to our “Hakuna Matata”
The app Grab is a girls best friend! Its like uber and uber eats but on one app and for some reason its just better. You can chose a driver based on your prefrence which I think is the number one perk.
7-11: When I was researching about Thailand, I knew 7-11 would be popular but its on every street corner and you could get it for breakfast lunch and dinner and not get tired of it. They will heat up some of the foods for you and they have so many ready to go quick and easy snacks.
In regards to teaching, I have not seen a ton of the major differences yet, seeing that I have only observed for a day and will begin teaching tomorrow. Some of the things we were told at orientation though is that: kids arent allowed to fail, they will never be given a grade lower than 50%. Cheating is understandable because of the students' course load. And at many schools in Thailand they have an English Program where the students learn 80% in English and 20% in Thai. and MEP which is a mini program where they learn mostly in Thai and have a few classes in English.
I cant wait to share this journey, the highs are so incredibly high and the lowers have been few, but are expected and normal!
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