I am on Thai Time now....

Teaching the monks!
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Well hello again everyone out there in cyberspace!I have not written on here for FOREVER because the internet servers in Kenya suddenly decided they did not want to open this webpage. But Thailand is a whole new world!

Lets see...well, when I left Kenya, I took all the kids to Nairobi (the capital) for two days to see me off at the airport. They had NEVER in their life been there or seen anything like it. Watching their little eyes stare up at the skyscrapers was so incredible. I took them to a zoo, to pet giraffes, out to real restaraunts, watched the Lion King!, on a boat ride, and on a ferris wheel and other rides. They were absolutly amazed by everything. It was quite expensive, but worth every single penny. In the end though, I think it was a very bad idea for me to take them to the airport though because everyone was crying so much, mostly me! I gave them all a leather bracelette to say goodbye, and told them to feel it when they felt sad about anything. I am afraid for how things will go at the orphanage now that I am gone, since I was there for the longest time of anyone else. I am still in contact with them though, so hopefully they are all well. I miss them so very much.

Koh Chang island, this photo taken from my hammock
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So for the last few weeks I have been in a small fishermans town called Ban Phe, where the organization I am getting my TEFL certification (Teaching English as Foreign Language). There are 63 of us, mostly all in my age range, who lived in a hotel right on the beach. During the day we would travel by bus to a local Monistary where orphan Buddist Monks live. This place was SO amazing! First of all, women are not allowed to touch the monks, so we had to place things at their feet, and then they would pick them up. It was so neat talking to them, because they all are so excited for the time they go to University, because then they can have girlfriends. They all have these journals they carry around with them filled with drawings and phrases like "I dream of your hair at night", because they are practicing! It is so cute. And also, they cannot eat food after 12:00 noon, which is alright, but the way they get their food is crazy- every morning at 430am, they walk the 3 miles into town to beg for food! Thats how all Monks eat in Thailand!! That blew my mind when they told me.

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We spent our last 6 days there with the Monks teaching them directly to practice for when we are placed. So getting the certification was a really fun process, meeting so many new people was fun. We all went one weekend to a local Island called Koh Samet, where I and most others were robbed. Not so fun. But last weekend I went to another island called Koh Chang (where The Beach was filmed, if you have ever seen it- AMAZINGLY beautiful). I tell ya, life is rough here-hehe.

But all in all, it was great. I feel so much more ready to teach. I am currently in Bangkok doing orientation and training with everyone. I am going to be living in a villiage about 2 hours north of Bangkok called Angthong. I am placed with 4 others teachers that I really like, so thats good (one is even from Philly- a Temple boy)! I am teaching high school, ages 12-15. We have classes of 55 kids whos english language levels are all over the board, so I am going to have to figure alot of it out as I go! We only have each class one time per week, so in total I am teaching something like 600 kiddos a week! I am going to do my best to learn as many of their names as possible, because the other Thai teachers just call them by their number, which I refuse to do. I am so excited though, and am having the best time. On Monday I am taking a trip to Cambodia to extend my Visa which should be cool, then I am going down south to some more Islands before I start teaching on November 1st.

Don't worry Mom, it's only a henna tattoo!
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So very very busy! I did buy a mobile phone though, so email me all your phone numbers because I stupidly did not bring them all with me, and it is pretty cheap for me to call some of you for a few minutes! Also, check out my Makuyu, Kenya blog I put on here before, because I posted a bunch more photos from there just a few minutes ago-they're great!

I promise I will be on here again soon, with more updates on my trip!

Much love (and a small bow),

Kat(e)