Last Week of School!

This week is our last week of school before summer break. (Summer break here is March-May since it is 105-110 degrees with 80% humidity during that time). We have finished finals and now comes the hard part; GRADES and individual reports for each student!



My students graduate this year and head to mattyom, or high school. High school here begins at age 12, after P6. High school is VERY important in Thailand. Whether or not you attend a "good" high school largely helps to determine the rest of your life path. My students have been taking tests for weeks to get into good schools and subsequently to enter the English Program at these schools. Two of my students were gone for 2 weeks straight to attend tutoring facilities to better prepare themselves for these tests! Needless to say, they have a lot of pressure on their little 11 or 12 year old backs! So, we are spending our last few classes together having fun! We have been watching American movies, making Summer bucket lists, playing Uno, braiding hair, and just relaxing. I have loved having this time to decompress with my wonderful class.

5 minutes ago, I just finished my last class. I can not believe how quickly this term has gone, it has literally flown by. I have forged such wonderful relationships with my students, their parents, this school, and this community. Families will message me on Line (the app Thailand, and most of Asia, uses to communicate) just to check in. Students will send me "Happy Weekend Teacher Beckah." Parents also invite me over for meals, help to take me shopping, and have even given me rides to the bus station. I can not begin to tell you how welcome and accepted I feel here in my small community. However, it's not always like this in the larger community. Sometimes, it's hard to be a foreigner here. Sometimes people stare or take my picture without asking; but I have to often remind myself that I am a 5'10" tall blonde with white skin, in their 4'9" black hair and tan skin society. 

This warm welcome has made my decision much easier than anticipated. When I came here, I wasn't sure if I would want to stay longer than 1 term. However, the longer I stay here, the more evident it becomes to me that I have made the right choice, and it's not my time to go home just yet. This week, I signed a contract to teach here at Anuban Saraburi for another year, I will be here until April 2018 now! 
I am feeling more fulfilled, more energetic, and frankly more alive than I felt teaching and living in America. I know that after another year, it will be time for me to head back to America permanently, but for now, I know I am exactly where I am meant to be. 


I have attached pictures of my students so you can reminisce with me on our great term. My summer travels start this weekend, but for now, to my huge grading and reports pile I go!




















Location: Saraburi, Thailand

Comments

  1. UnknownMay 13, 2017 at 12:22 AM

    You are indeed a special soul. We miss you...Evan says Hi 😘

    ReplyDelete

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