30.

Now, I'm not huge into superstitions and whatnot (with the exception of my lucky number being 19, so maybe I'm a little stitious),  but 30 is a number that I'm going to bed thinking about tonight for quite a few reasons in regards to both thinking back on my time in Thailand and looking forward to what's coming next. Here's why. 

1) I celebrated my 30th birthday here (that pic is from my 31st, but duplicate the face just a year younger and it's the same-same). I mean, that's a big deal! And what a time it was. My first birthday EVER away from family and familiarity, but boy, has it been worth it. And to say goodbye to 30 and hello to 31 is something I definitely never saw myself doing still livin' here, and my mom and dad would agree, but I can't imagine my life any other way. I'm legit #blessed.

2) 30 is the current number of days I have remaining with my P4 students. Ugh, these nighttime allergies are making my eyes water. Their last day of school is March 11. I've been fortunate enough to be co-teaching with the most amazing Thai mothers I could've asked for, and the 3 fourth grade classes I'm teaching continue to surprise me every day. I've definitely seen a change in them in the past nine months (especially when it comes to them being silly, surprisingly enough), and it's something l will always look back on with a smile on my face. The fact that I can have conversations with them that go beyond the basic name/age/favorite food and have them understand and joke with me are why I00% love it here. The classroom atmosphere is strange at times, yes, but I'm gonna randomly think of some of these kids in 6 years and tear up because these turkeys have wriggled their way into my heart (no, I'm not tearing up now, how dare you!). Here's my hooligans. I hear them saying something like,"Teachaaa, ORANGE you going to miss us?!?" or something equally cheesy. 

3) 30 is both the day I leave here and the day I'll land back in America (March 30- time zones are weird). I'll be staying in Portland with Kaley-baby and Dad for a little over a week before heading down south, y'all. I'm going to be at my moms for a bit, so def hit me up via Internet, hoptown/nashville/Louisville/Clarkville peoples. I'll be going to stay with Broseph in Lexington at some point in April as well. My old phone number retired a year ago, so don't blow that up cause I'm not sure who you'd get on the other end and I don't want some random person being woken up by calls or texts for me and/or Wilma and therefore hating me. 

And see, even HE appreciates my culture and hometown as he partakes of the traditional Kentucky meal of KFC. Agh, I need to go to bed. I'm going to dream of my future Instagram account called 'Package Eating' as to fend off anymore melancholy feelings. 💗

January 2016

crappy photo from a resort on Koh Chang (didn't even stay here for New Years) 

It's really weird typing 2016 as it relates to me still being in Thailand. Realistically I should've been home almost a year ago. Well, contractually. I honestly couldn't imagine that being my reality, though. And also, I clearly sucked at keeping up with this. Now that my time is ticking down, though, it has me thinking and really wanting to reflect on my time here and start mentally preparing myself for things I'm going to have to adjust to when I get back to the US of A. 

No motorbike taxis 

Yes, they can be hella dangerous, but they are SO convenient. The guys outside of our apartment complex basically know my schedule better than I do and get me there quickly, with me seeing my life flash before my eyes or being slammed into his back when he hits the brakes or me mumbling a minimum of 7 expletives under my breath every time I'm on one. Ugh, you mean I have to DRIVE to Kroger? Please just drive me there for less than a dollar, thanks. 

Driving 

Yeah. It's been two years since I've even sat behind a steering wheel. I'm gonna need a refresher, and I feel I might've subconsciously absorbed road rage. Turn signals, what're those? But it is going to feel amazing, driving through the country with the windows down by myself and NOT blaring techno music at 8:20am in a van full of sweaty people. 

Weather 

Honestly, experiencing anything other than rain and extreme heat and humidity is going to be a straight up blessing, and most likely be a ginormous blow to my immune system. It'll be nice to wear long sleeves and feel some sort of breeze, but I'll probably also have a bad cold and/or allergies this fall and winter. Don't judge me.

Routines 

Actually doing my hair is going to be such a change. Frizz is part of my life now, and I feel like I only have a good hair day after I get a trim from the hairdressers because they use some kind of magic potion that'll keep your hair straight for more than 2.6 seconds after walking outside. I'm ready for my hair to not be sweaty and it for it to do what I want it to. 

Foreigners

Not to be crazy rude, but when you see white people in our town, you always look at them and want to know who they are/you already know them because there aren't that many of us here. Our town is small, so being surrounded by English speakers is reserved for places where lots of foreigners visit, like Pattaya and Bangkok. Being around my fam and friends and having relaxed conversations is going to be so strange at first.

just a small part of the foreign teacher Lumpini/Arun's gang 

Hometown places/friends 

Being able to drive around and see the places where I've spent time growing up is going to bring back so many memories for the first month or so. Just like I've acclimated to living here, I'm going to have to assimilate and get used to being back home again. I honestly cannot wait to chill on my moms couch, stay at my dads, see my family and friends, and get used to being around things I already know. (Just FYI, I most likely WILL be couch surfing for a month or so, so don't be surprised when I blow up your fb asking for a spot.)

Food 

Right now, we eat a lot of amazing and inexpensive Thai food. I also can get a decent sized bag of fruit (crash pineapple, watermelon, mango, papaya) for less than a dollar basically any time I want. Spending money on things in general is probably going to take me time to get used to for a hot second, especially where the food is involved. I'm gonna miss real Thai food hardcore. 😭

one of my favorites- noodles and veggies and pork, oh my! 

My students/teachers 

Teacher Apinya's going away dinner (my Thai teacher, Monta, is the one with glasses striking a pose)

It's going to be so sad leaving this amazing place. I've come to know my past students, current students, and coworkers so well in the past two years. My last week at school is basically going to be me crying every day. I'm really hoping that my kids and teachers keep in touch. 

some of my old students that are P5 now (SpongeBob is on my back) 

Travel 

Ugh, this is gonna be so hard. I love being able to hop on a bus or in a van and visit some of the most beautiful places on Earth for a weekend. Not only that, but I got to enjoy it with some of the most amazing people that I've been blessed to know. Being apart from my second family is going to be crazy difficult, too. 

love these guys 

The countdown has started. Get ready, 'Merica. 

Recently

I have been really bad at keeping up with this, and I sincerely apologize! A lot has happened since my last post, but to sum it up- the school year is over and our holiday break is just beginning! I had an amazing time teaching P4 and

 I will never forget my students. 

As you probably may know, fb friends, I decided to extend my original ten month contract to teach here for another semester. I am looking forward to the next batch of kiddos! School officially ended March 13, but this part week we were responsible for teaching English camp for the Thai teachers. My break officially started today! Tomorrow morning, I am off to Krabi until the 30th, Cambodia April 1-11, and Chiang Mai the 11-15 for the Songkran festival. I am so excited to begin my travels! 

I've been here almost a year now, and just thinking about that fact is so strange. Some days I feel like I have been here for a year and some days it seems like it's only been 2-3 months. I'm still getting used to things here every day. I started tutoring a college student and she is also teaching me Thai. I love this culture and I am happy to immerse myself into it even more.

March Madness has been getting into full swing. It's slightly surreal keeping up with basketball games via my ESPN app as opposed to huge UK gatherings to watch the game/scream at the tv. 😸🏀 It won't be long until I'm there to scream and throw things with y'all! 

The new semester is going to be very exciting and challenging, but I am looking forward to making tons more memories before I head back to the States. To all of my friends stateside, I miss you so much! I will be seeing you soon! 

End of August/September

Holy crap. I honestly cannot believe that it is already October. The last month has been so hectic, which is perfect for this upcoming break! 

The beginning of September saw me saying goodbye to two great girls that I met since I started my time here. 5 of us met up in Bangkok and it was the perfect send-off for Casey and Hillary. I'm so happy I was able to meet you ladies! This isn't goodbye by a long shot. #noragrets

Ashley, Lauren, Casey, Hillary, and Coco running BKK 

My students began reviewing for their various finals. In lieu of a paper test for their Conversation class final, I decided to have them perform a Readers Theater presentation. The students got SO into it! I was so proud of them! 

mid-performance

a captive audience

This month also had me (and seven other foreign teachers) rehearsing a traditional Thai dance. At first, none of us knew what to expect. We performed this dance on the 29th at a retirement party for four Thai teachers. We had a blast, and the crowd loved it! It was an awesome experience that I don't think any of us are going to forget. 

The Blue Crew 

I was also lucky enough to participate in another OEG English Camp for Thai high school students that want to practice their English skills so that they can study abroad. My team brought home yet another team victory! They also kept in touch with me after the camp, and many of them were selected to study abroad! 

when in Rome...win the competition!

There was another EP competition this month for which my spelling bee student would represent our school. It was actually held at our school, which was great because we didn't have to get to school at 6am and travel to another school. I also had to judge the Multi-Skills portion of the competition. We were almost done when I see my student pop his head in the door to share the news with me that HE WON! It was his first time winning the entire competition and he was so excited that he couldn't wait to share his news with me! He has been studying every morning and every afternoon with me. He works so hard- he deserved every bit of it!

with Brija on the night of the retirement party 

On a sad note, Brija, one of the roommates, is traveling for a bit before heading back to America. Thailand won't be the same without ya! 

Of course, I still did some light traveling.  :) 







I am moving in two days to a new apartment along with one roommate, Sarah. We are letting the new OEG teachers move into this house so they can be together. October should be a blast, especially in a few weeks when school is out and I have a visitor!!!  

July/beginning of August

Time has been flying by! It is weird to think that I have been here for three months already. July was so hectic.  I went to Bangkok for an English camp for 9-11 grade students that want to go to America to study. It was so fun, and it really made me miss my guard kiddos. They were so receptive to practicing their English skills, and my team ended up winning (bonus!).

Team Finland!

My student did an awesome job at the spelling bee in Bangkok. He ended up getting second place! He was especially excited because he remembered the student that beat him when we did our first local qualifying spelling bee, and he ended up beating him this time. He's standing right in front of me in the picture. He's the smartest kid I know. I just found out today that he will compete again at a national contest in a few weeks! I will get more details tomorrow- I literally found out on my way out of the gate at school.

The EP students and coaches that competed in Bangkok

The EP Foreign Teachers/Staff 

SO much has been going on at school lately. We all stay so busy. Small moments like the picture day were fun to capture. I barely even see my roommates, much less 1/2 of the foreign teachers while at school. We're pretty cool kids. We wrapped up the police classes in July, too. They have pictures with me, but I don't have any of them. Sad! They were a blast.

We recently celebrated Mother's Day here in Thailand. Students did lots of activities to show their love and respect. We had a big ceremony this last Friday at school. The activities shown are some of what my students did for my assignments. The small hearts are reasons why they love their mothers/ways they describe their mothers. It was so sweet to read!

three of our students and my wonderful Thai teacher in our booth

 

My Thai teacher is so sweet. She always makes sure I am included in the celebrations and makes sure I know what is going on in the school during Thai announcements. She has truly made this experience so much more memorable for me, and I know I will never forget (or be able to repay her for) everything she has done.








I was able to ring in August and celebrate the past three months living here on the four-day weekend we just had for Mother's Day. I went with some amazing new friends that were also teaching at the English camp. We traveled to Koh Samet and had a blast.

Here's to more travels! :) 

June Happenings

It is really almost July? We celebrated our 1-month-living-in-Thailand this past week, as well as my birthday (and a roommate- we have the same birthday!). 

We went to dinner on our birthday night and to Hua Hin this past weekend. A bunch of OEG friends joined us there. It's where the King vacations. After quite the journey (lots of waiting and traffic and 3 1/2 hours on a bus), we finally made it there late Friday night to our hostel. The man that runs it was so nice! Saturday morning started off rainy, but it cleared up quickly. We were beach bums for most of Saturday, which was excellent after our hectic last couple of weeks at school. Between grading 100+ workbooks, English books, reading books, spelling tests, teaching the area police, and training for the spelling bee- I'm tired just writing that. 

 

On Thursday, my students in all three of y classes knew it was my birthday (thanks, Facebook). They all sang to me, and some even brought gifts! It was very unexpected. It helped with my homesickness. Birthdays are typically spent with family and close friends, y'know, but that's not really an option right now. My roommates made me feel right at home, as did my Thai teacher and all of my students. It was a very fun start to the weekend. Knowing that you're cared for means so much hen you're so far away from everything you know. 

We have our field trip this week. We are going to a sheep farm in Pattaya. I hope it cools off some for us, but I also hope it doesn't rain. It's rained almost every day here lately. Welcome to the rainy season! We got caught in it coming home today. Walking home in a downpour with backpacks wasn't how I envisioned ending the weekend, but it is what it is. 

  

We had our Wai Khru ceremony this month. It is a day spent honoring teachers. The students made small flower arrangements and presented them to all of their teachers. It was one of the most humbling experiences of my life. To be a teacher in Thailand holds a very high status. The students are so respectful. I can't even compare them to students I've had back home. I truly love what I'm going to be able to take away from this experience. 

Happy June! 💚

First of all...

Wow, where to start!

We were in a taxi coming home from a weekend trip to Ko Larn/Pattaya today and I talked myself into starting this blog. I've been keeping a journal, but I wanted to share more of my experiences with more than just myself. There's just so much that happens, and I want to pass that along (if anyone even ends up reading this- if not, oh well!).

Ko Larn, round 1 

Group 4, CIEE tour of the Grand Palace (with a Thai cowboy)

I have been in Thailand for 27 days now (both Bangkok for CIEE training and my current home, Chonburi). I can say that I am still not used to the heat for sure! There's no need to try to fix your hair because before the mile walk to school ends, it will be soaking wet. It's usually around 85 degrees at 7:00 in the morning. Their version of morning assembly is held outside of their classrooms. Lucky for us, they are currently building an arena in the normal (very sunny) field in front of the main offices, so we get to stand in the shade. It sometimes helps, but not really. I teach 18 hours of lessons a day. I move between the three grade 4 (pratom 4) classrooms to teach Reading and Writing, Grammar, and Conversation. I love all three of my Thai teachers, and I especially love my students. They are sometimes talkative, but since school started May 16, it has been less of an issue. Before each lesson, the students stand up and waii (bow) and say, "Good morning/afternoon, Teacher Whitney." I say it back, and then the lesson gets underway. They thank you when the lesson is over. It is one of the sweetest things I've ever seen. They have so much respect for the teachers here. School days are from 8-4 with lunch from 12-12:50. School lunch can be very interesting, but I know it is healthy! Lots of rice and veggies. The school atmosphere is really great. I'm so glad to be working here for the next ten months.

old picture of the main portion of school- construction is happening where the grass is now

We live about a mile from the school. I live with three other girls that are also my co-workers. Two of them I met through CIEE (Sara and Sarah), and the other we met when we arrived in Chonburi. Fun fact- our non-CIEE friend, Brija, has the same birthday I do. We're currently planning a big weekend trip to celebrate.But anyway- we live in a four story apartment in a back alley behind the Chonburi Blue Wave futsal arena. [We have yet to go to a game, but we will!] There are two bedrooms on each floor, and we share a bathroom with whoever is on the same floor as you. The bathroom is literally a tile room with a shower head and a toilet, but I'm just glad it is a Western-style toilet. The alternative is not so pleasant.  One thing I'm embracing while I'm here- it could always be worse. Our rooms are small, and we don't really have breathtaking views, but we have a/c and free wifi and that is more important at this stage in the game. We don't have a kitchen, but we have a refrigerator. We stock up on water as much as possible. There's a huge market right by the futsal arena, so we can eat there for less than 70 baht a night (that's about $2.25 American). We have a House Mom that owns the building. She's one of the sweetest things I've ever seen. As I type this, she is helping us figure out what is going on with our water in the building. That was fun to come home to- no running water. Her three pet squirrels are down in the living room, too. She captured them from the roof. To each his own. We hear some of the strangest sounds at night (roosters, dogs, people, some sort of giant ice machine?), but we are becoming more and more used to them. Sometimes I get a free alarm clock in the form of a gecko barking in my room- those mornings are not my favorites.

Ko Samet

We have traveled to a few different places at this stage- Pattaya/Ko Larn (twice for me) and Koh Samet. Travel here is easy. We are close to the bus stations, which usually run about 80 baht for a bus ride. They stop frequently through town to pick people up, so they tend to take a bit longer than chartering a van, which will take you straight to your destination. They are a bit pricier, and tend to overcharge when they see Americans. I'm getting better at haggling with them, and my roommates are as well. We have experienced some wonderful places, both through CIEE and on our own. I'm very thankful that I went through that organization as it has set us up with many friends spread out across Thailand. I can't wait to see what the next nine months have in store!

on the ferry from Pattaya to Ko Larn