This American (Thai) Life

Bob Slydell: You see, what we’re actually trying to do here is, we’re trying to get a feel for how people spend their day at work…so, if you would, would you walk use through a typical day, for you?

Peter Gibbons: Yeah.

Bob Slydell: Great.

Peter Gibbons: Well, I generally come in at least fifteen minutes late, ah, I use the side door – that way Lumbergh can’t see me, heh heh – and, uh, after that I just sorta space out for about an hour.

Bob Slydell: Huh? Space out?

Peter Gibbons: Yeah, I just stare at my desk; but it looks like I’m working. I do that for probably another hour after lunch, too. I’d say in a given week I probably only do about fifteen minutes of real, actual, work.

-        - Office Space

Right now I’ve been in Thailand for just over six weeks. I’ve kind of got a groove down for how daily life goes. Here’s a few things that’s been happening with me around the ‘Nakhon.

Started Listening to Jazz

I think I was watching a movie that has jazz and it really clicked with me recently. Josh Phillips called jazz “Mathematical Music.” Cool. I already feel myself becoming more sophisticated.

Learning Thai

I’ve been trying to learn a little bit day by day. It’s a little tricky since Thai is such a tonal language. Nearly every day I have to take a cab home because the bus can take hours to come. As it happens, I have to tell the taxi driver how to get to my apartment on a street called Bang Toey. I had problems getting home initially because I’d say BANG TOE-EE. They’d look at me like I was crazy. I had to call a teacher once and tell the driver where to go.

I can now say it correctly – BANG TUH-EE. It makes getting home a lot easier.

Crushing it at Work

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=no6uSdvBlCI

Weight Watchers

I was putting a shirt on Saturday night before going out and looked in the mirror. I looked stupid in it. I put on another shirt. Still looked stupid. I cycled through a few shirts before I realized- they were big on me. I think I’ve probably dropped at least five pounds since I’ve been here. This sort of makes sense though.

Thais serve smaller portions for meals, so I’ve just been eating less at meals and snacking more. Cosmo Men’s Health tells me that’s good for you. Also with teaching I’m just walking around all the time, burnin' those cals'. Some of my guy friends here said that they’ve had the same thing happen. The girls seem to be gaining weight though. 555.

Watching TV

I love a good show. Wi-Fi works in my room. It was match made in heaven.

End of the Mourning Period

The mourning period for the death of the Supreme Patriarch ended as of Saturday. For the last month, everyone has had to wear black, white, or grey in recognition of his passing. Since I packed approximately zero white or black shirts, I went out a couple weeks ago and bought a white and a black shirt. Since then I’ve been alternating between the two every other day. Luckily my students see me once a week so I don’t think they’ve caught on.

Today I found out that I shouldn’t wear red or yellow shirts, as they align with two combating political parties right now. I just can’t win with colors here.

Becoming a Thai Pop Star

At each morning assembly with the entire school, there is a short segment called “English on Stage.” Two English teachers will read a brief conversation to the rest of the school. A Thai teacher will then translate the phrase to the students. At the end of the month, they hold a short competition during the assembly. They ask questions about those conversations and reward correct answers with prizes.

Before that happens, the students need to be gripped with fun of the English language. Last Wednesday I was told that I needed to help sing a pop song on stage. I would need to memorize it and sing it with a few other young Thai teachers on stage. It was an Australian pop song from 2008, “The Show” by Lenka. I still don’t know how certain songs get popular here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elsh3J5lJ6g

So I memorized the song and was ready to nail it the next day. As we’re about to head on stage, I’m handed bunny ears to wear. All the other teachers are wearing bunny ears too. I put them on. I’ve given up asking questions at this point.

My defining moment as a teacher

We start singing and the other Thai teachers begin doing this choreographed dance. Again, missed the memo on the dance. I tried to copy what they were doing but I looked pretty terrible. Then we stood on stage for ten minutes while the students answered questions. The bunny ears were surprisingly comfy. 

I seem to have made a lasting impression though. Later that day three students asked me to take individual photos with them. I’ve got skillz.

Well, that’s Thailand for now. Happy thanksgiving to everyone back in the States!

Mark