I've arrived in my new village!!!!!

This morning we got up and ate breakfast, then headed out to my village. When we arrived, we met with the headmaster, manager, and the head of the English department (which I believe is just the two of us J ). We talked and Barry and Shelly asked several questions about the school and the area. Then we were given a tour of the school, and shown the new building they are going to dedicate on Wednesday. After the tour they got really excited/nervous because it was time to show me my house. They had nothing to worry about it. I fell in love the minute I saw it. They hadn’t done any work on the outside, other than paint the brick on the front at the bottom orange that was leftover from the inside. It is two story, wooden, and the wood hasn’t been painted for awhile, so it is kind of like a rustic barn look. The inside has been painted recently in preparation for me moving in. It still smells like paint. Downstairs, there is a big open living room/dining room area with a bathroom in the corner, and stairs in the other corner. There is a door out the back that opens to the kitchen. They got me a new rice cooker, water heater, and electric skillet, plus there is an old gas stove that works, but there isn’t a pan for it yet. I also have a refrigerator, a brand new sink, and a cupboard FULL of new dishes they got for me and old dishes from the girl who lived here previously and didn’t take them with her. That’s going to take some time to clean out and sort. Upstairs there is a big landing and then two bedrooms. In one bedroom is a brand new bed, with two brand new pillows and a brand new sheet and blanket set. I will try to take pictures and post them someday, but it might take a few weeks. I want to settle in before giving you the GRAND TOUR!!!!!! I feel a little guilty because I know some of the other volunteers have very little room and no kitchens and my living room is bigger than their entire living space. Plus, it’s a minute walk from school, if that. It’s one of 6 teachers houses, so I’ll be surrounded by teachers and so should be safe and well taken care of.

a sneak peak of my house, with the director of the program,
my school manager, and the English teacher.

After seeing my house, we walked and looked at the dorms that house students who live too far away to commute to school every day. They said there are about 80 students who live in the dorms. The dorms have changing rooms and bathrooms downstairs, then open rooms upstairs where the students lay out mats and blankets to sleep. They said the colder it is, the more students snuggle up together on one mat. I would not do well in that type of sleeping situation. I’m a spoiled girl who likes to sleep in a room by myself that’s quiet and has a bed. However, they said the students enjoy it. The students who live there only go home at the semester and summer breaks.

looking out the window in my landing upstairs for the first time.

The others left me with my school so they could go see the hospital next door, and so I could get to know my teachers and get my teaching schedule. I’ll be teaching about 15 hours (ok, they are 50 minute class periods but its easier to say hours J ), and then another 2-3 hours a week for the teachers. I have 2 classes of first grade, an hour each. Then 3 classes of fourth grade, 2 hours a week each, 2 classes of fifth grade, 2 hours a week each, and 2 classes of sixth grade, one for 1 hour a week, and one for 2 hours a week.

saying bye to Sharon and Shelly. My school was ready to
have me for themselves.

 

Sharon and her bosses came back, and we thought we were going to go out to eat lunch together, but my school kind of kicked them out and said that I was there schools now. So, we brought my bags to my house and they were off. Three teachers took me to Sangklaburi and we ate lunch, then went and bought some things they said I needed for my house. I also went to the 7-11 and bought some food things to get me through a few days until I have time to figure out where to get food in my village.

the dresser that wouldn't fit up the stairs

When we got back to the school, some students carried the stuff to my house, then four sixth grade girls were sent to help me clean my house. We swept, then mopped, then they helped me sort the dishes out in the kitchen, and washed the ones for me that I was going to keep. Two of them also thought of making my bed, so we did that as well. It was interesting having students over to clean, but it was fun to kind of get to know them a little bit and to not have to do all that by myself, I wouldn’t have known where to start and would have been overwhelmed. Some sixth grade boys were brought over to carry a dresser/clothes keeper type of thing, but they couldn’t get it around the corner of the stairs, so they promised to buy a smaller one and bring it later.

choosing which dishes to keep in the cupboard

The girls then took me on a tour of the school and after they finished, they decided I didn’t know how to make my own supper, so they walked me back to my house, picking some leaves off bushes along the way. They borrowed a pan from next door, then made me ramen noodles and added the leaves to the noodles. I ate at my new table as they looked on the first few bites, then they headed back to the school and I enjoyed a few minutes of peace. While I used the bathroom, a fan appeared in my doorway, but the person who brought it was gone. Around 4, teachers started coming over to introduce themselves and to see my house. So, I gave the tour several times and talked and tried to get to know them. The neighbor next door had to drive another teacher home, so they got on one motorcycle and I and another teacher got on the other one, and took the teacher home. On the way back to my house, the teacher I was with showed me where the church near my house was, and how to get there the backway/shortcut. I hope I can remember it.

mopping the floor in the living area

making my bed for the first time with my helpers

my bed made for the first time

the first creature in my house that we shooed out of the kitchen

making me ramen noodles for my first meal

me eating my ramen noodles with leaves off a bush

the cabinet that finally made it to my room

As she dropped me off, the teacher across the way’s husband got home, so he had me go and listen to Thai music at their house. I think he was drunk. I was trying to figure out how to get out of there, when I was saved by a truck arriving with my new dresser/clothes storage thing. Within minutes, there were 5 or 6 people in my house working on getting that thing up the stairs. One minute they were struggling, and I turned around to answer a question and then it was up the stairs and in my room. When the people left, I shut and locked the door, exhausted. I looked at my watch and it was only 6:30, but it felt like it was ten o’clock. It was a wonderful first day at my school, a little overwhelming, but very welcoming. I just have a feeling I’m going to like it here.