After my rambling narrative about my first day teaching, I felt pleased that several people asked me privately, "How did day two & three go?" If you read that blog, you might be wondering the same thing.
The rest of my first week went smoothly, or at least, as compared to the first day. I was still quite sick on the second day, but by the third, my digestive system wasn't causing me direct pain. As of now, I seemed to have recovered from whatever the bug was.
I still ran into locked doors and rowdy kids. In non-AC'd classrooms, I was still soaking wet with my own sweat at the end of a lesson, but I am getting used to all those things. It's only been three days, so I don't want to be overconfident, but I do definitely feel after the first week that not only can I do this job, but I think I can be pretty good at it.
See, one thing about being a new teacher that is different from any other new job is that all of us have years and years of experience with teachers... from the student side of the equation. We know the role. We've all been through it from the other side. Just by counting quickly in my head, I think I've watched over 100 teachers teach in my life just from being a student. I remember what the good ones did. I remember what the bad ones did. I am trying to emulate the former.
What this blog is really about tonight is my new place to live!
So far in my little over 5 weeks in this country, I've run into some interesting adversity. Some of it has been through my own negligence (losing my camera), some of it has been bad luck. In the case of my new residence, I had the good fortune of finding a great place to live. Perhaps I made that good fortune by being out there looking at places without waiting to be assisted by my placement agency. Not to boast, but I proactively found this place, and I love it.
If you watched the Apartment Hunting video a couple blogs back, you've seen this place already. It was the one I described as 'perfect', but was lamenting because it was so far away from my school. Well, after careful consideration and analyzing my finances, I decided to cash in an old 401K account and use that money to make my transition to Thailand a little easier. Specifically, I'm buying a motorcycle. This place that was too far away before (it's an hour commute by bus and subway), now, depending on traffic, is 20 to 30 minutes away. At least, it will be once I buy a motorbike.
Enjoy Part One of my video tour of my new apartment... errr... Tae Kwondo...errr... Thai Condo.
The rest of my first week went smoothly, or at least, as compared to the first day. I was still quite sick on the second day, but by the third, my digestive system wasn't causing me direct pain. As of now, I seemed to have recovered from whatever the bug was.
I still ran into locked doors and rowdy kids. In non-AC'd classrooms, I was still soaking wet with my own sweat at the end of a lesson, but I am getting used to all those things. It's only been three days, so I don't want to be overconfident, but I do definitely feel after the first week that not only can I do this job, but I think I can be pretty good at it.
See, one thing about being a new teacher that is different from any other new job is that all of us have years and years of experience with teachers... from the student side of the equation. We know the role. We've all been through it from the other side. Just by counting quickly in my head, I think I've watched over 100 teachers teach in my life just from being a student. I remember what the good ones did. I remember what the bad ones did. I am trying to emulate the former.
What this blog is really about tonight is my new place to live!
So far in my little over 5 weeks in this country, I've run into some interesting adversity. Some of it has been through my own negligence (losing my camera), some of it has been bad luck. In the case of my new residence, I had the good fortune of finding a great place to live. Perhaps I made that good fortune by being out there looking at places without waiting to be assisted by my placement agency. Not to boast, but I proactively found this place, and I love it.
If you watched the Apartment Hunting video a couple blogs back, you've seen this place already. It was the one I described as 'perfect', but was lamenting because it was so far away from my school. Well, after careful consideration and analyzing my finances, I decided to cash in an old 401K account and use that money to make my transition to Thailand a little easier. Specifically, I'm buying a motorcycle. This place that was too far away before (it's an hour commute by bus and subway), now, depending on traffic, is 20 to 30 minutes away. At least, it will be once I buy a motorbike.
Enjoy Part One of my video tour of my new apartment... errr... Tae Kwondo...errr... Thai Condo.
I like your little abode and am happy to hear teaching school there is going ok for you
ReplyDeleteI'm pleased to see that you have a real toilet in your place and not only a hole in the floor. (like the countries where the French once had their rule) Nice little place with a crappy view.
ReplyDeleteAt 430 square feet, it's bigger than my folks' Alpha!
DeleteYou are going to be so happy in your new place. And loving your job is one of the qualifications of being a great teacher.
ReplyDeleteThere is no way you can be a real English teacher in Thailand..... there is no beer in in your fridge!
ReplyDeleteYour place looks wonderful, full of everything you need to live comfortably. I lived in a 450sq ft. apartment in Lafayette, La while I was working there and the rent was $750 a month, you've got a bargain. So glad you job is fun, I'm sure you will do a good job because you are so enthusiastic.
ReplyDeleteYou've definitly come up in the world. So much better than your last place! Now, make every effort to keep it tidy and clean. You are still dealing with a lot of chaoatic elements in your world. You need a peaceful place to retreat to. Are there a lot of bugs there? Don't let dishes stay in the sink, flies carry lots of bad things. You don't know where they landed before landing on your dishes. Dry them and put them away.
ReplyDeleteThe view may not be great, but you will probably spend most of your home time inside anyway. You have the whole city as a view!
Thailand seems to be home to the world's tiniest ants. They are so small they're barely on the edge of one's vision. I see a stray one or two in the bathroom, but nowhere else. I have a very tiny gecko who hangs out in the bathroom too. He's cute and eats bugs. He's a welcome pest.
Deletelisten to your mother....
ReplyDeleteTwenty condoms, twenty dollars, twenty hookers.....You'll be fine.
ReplyDeleteDo you live in that condo all alone? That's very spacious. You're really lucky to get this awesome place. Your efforts in hunting for your condo was all worth it! I am so convinced that you loved your place as I watched your house tour. Well, I hope you can share some of the street food that you've tried in Thailand. :)
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Thanks for the condo tour, Joko! It's a great experience to be in a foreign country and stay in a spacious condo. You can still improve the design there so that you can feel a lot more homey. I'll be sneaking a peek your blog every now and then just to know more about your adventures in Thailand and how you can transform that condo into something a lot more interesting!
ReplyDeleteCityBlockTeam.com