I'm sorry I have been so lax on the blogging but the last few days have been simply intense so I'll have to give brief synopses...
Things I've noticed about Bangkok:
- it initially smells like curry, then like curry and pollution at the same time... there really is no way to describe it other than seeing it for yourself
- the traffic is horrific! Think of NYC traffic but just a little bit more nuts and you have BKK (Bangkok)
- mosquito bites are a way of life - I have at least 5 bites on me at one time and I'm slowly learning to ignore them
- A/C is a luxury that I cannot afford, thank goodness for my trusty fan which I use to keep from sweating all over my sheets at night...
- the people are nice and mean at the same time
BKKers have a love affair with white skin (which I was warned about before I got there), but I have people that are really nice to me and then I've had the occasional schoolgirls literally jump out of my way when I'm approaching them - as if I am planning on eating them alive... at first it was bothersome but i'm slowly starting to ignore it.
This isn't just a problem on the streets but also at the school where I teach. I am the only Baylor student teaching the older kids (7th - 12th grade) and all 5 other students are teaching 1st - 6th grade, and I found out that is because the parents of the younger kids are extremely discriminatory against dark-skinned teachers. It hurts, but I've learned to put these feelings aside.
I've had a great time exploring BKK and there really is so much to see, I wish I had more time to detail things out but even though I just got back from school, I have to run out the door to get supplies for tomorrow. Nevertheless, tonight I will try to update the blog with my school adventures for which there is one word - horrible! But for now, I will entertain you with some pictures I've taken so far! Lots of love!
My little bedroom! It's a one room with the bed right there in the middle of the room and a dresser (not pictured), a little desk, a closet, and a bathroom (thankfully in another room!)
The view from one of my windows...BKK is extremely packed with tons and tons of buildings!
Another view from another set of windows...I love all of the green, but there is also a nasty, algae-filled pool down below those set of trees...but I chose to ignore that in this shot :)
Ahhh!!!! Aliens and one of them is giving birth!!! Not really, these are Rambutan! They are an awesome fruit and you eat them by squeezing that crazy looking shell till it pops open and then you nibble around the outside of the fleshy fruit part but you don't want to bite in because there's a big seed in the middle!
Well, that's all for now but I've got tons more where those came from but I have to have something to keep you reading this blog for! :)
Till next time!
6 comments:
It will get better just hang in there! In a week, you'll be blogging how wonderful your class is, the people and even the mosquitos. Baylor is very quiet without you- who will eat sushi with me?
OMG - rambutan... I miss rambutan. Don't let school get you down - it is tough at the start, but once you get into a regular pattern (and your students see you as an authority figure), it will be easier. As far as the bugs go, if you invest in some bug trap things from Big C or Tesco/Lotus/grocery store etc. that'll help a lot. Also, if aircon is too much, buy a second fan - it'll help move air around. Have a good week - do something fun this weekend - there's a jazz festival in Hua Hin (3 hours away on the beach) in a few weeks (June 13/14). We went last year and it was lots of fun: http://www.huahinafterdark.com/hua-hin-jazz-festival.htm
Ta! Love ya!
It's all part of the Plan. Teaching little kids is fun, but you'll be able to develop real relationships and have a deeper impact on the older kids. You'll open their minds like no one else could! SuperStar, you can do anything!
--Allan
I hope that once your students get to know you as a person, things will get easier. They should soon realize that you're not all that different from them.
Does rambutan taste like lechee?
That really sucks about the accepted racism :-(
Haha, just trying to imagine what curry + pollution smells like.
Miss you
I used to eat Rambutan in Indonesia!!!! I had forgotten all about it. That is so crazy. That stuff tastes really good. I miss you so much. It hurts me that people there don't see your skin as something that is beautiful. I love you!
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