Park I found on a morning jog

Jet Lag is Real

Day 2: my body decided it was time to wake up at 5am (this continued for the next several days as well), so I got up and did some writing and then decided to go out for a morning run. I headed up toward a park I’d seen on the map, which ended up being about a mile away. In the park I noticed a small detail that got me thinking. All the joggers and walkers on the park’s main path were running on the left side. In Thailand, it’s opposite of the US in that they drive on the left. So I wonder if subconsciously we tend to run closer to the side on which we drive. Not sure if it’s true yet, but I’ll keep looking to confirm. In addition to runners, there were also people spread out in giant circles doing what looked like yoga to the sounds of serene music. It was really cool to stop and watch. I also found weights and odd objects for lifting as I went along so I’ll surely go back tomorrow.

Teachers Wai-ing at orientation

Learning How to Teach and Such

Opening ceremonies at orientation taught us possibly the most important gesture in Thailand: the Wai. In the US, we shake hands. In South Texas, muchos abrazos. In CrossFit, high fives and fist pumps galore. In Thailand, they wai. So what’s a wai? Clasp your hands with palms touching in a praying gesture. Place your hands in front of your face and tuck your elbows to your sides. Now slightly bow. You just wai’d. Do it to greet someone–particularly to elders and in formal occasions–and you’re pretty much set. Once we learned this very important aspect of Thai culture we commenced a three-day program of lectures and activities that covered topics ranging from the Thai language to tax reporting to planning and giving mock lessons. In fact, I was specifically involved in an activity related to another part of Thai culture. Every morning at each school across Thailand, a morning assembly is held where the national anthem is played and then followed by a morning talk. As a part of our contract, we’re required to give one of these 5-10 minute talks to the students and teachers each week. So, I was one of four randomly chosen teachers that were asked to give this talk on day 3. Ask me a few years ago and I’d have been terrified because the thought of public speaking used to deploy a fair amount of anxiety in me. However, coaching CrossFit plus a public speaking class I took at Vandy really helped remedy that irrational fear, so I was pretty excited by this opportunity. Between the four of us chosen teachers, we decided to give a talk on different English greetings. My specific part was to greet a fellow teacher with the How you doin? line that Joey Tribbiani frequently delivers in the show Friends. Got quite a few laughs out of the crowd, so it was the best I could’ve asked for.

Chonburi Teachers receiving their MK Orientation certificates

Overall, the MediaKids orientation was fun although there were definitely some time inefficiencies (personal pet peeve) that they could improve on in future orientations. Don’t worry, I made detailed suggestions on their feedback form about how they might go about doing so.

Sai Sin Bracelets given to us by staff meant to ward off evil spirits

On a more personal note, I think the weekend built my confidence up for the job ahead while also pointing out some obstacles and challenges I should expect to face: I’ll need to make sure and let the curtain down a bit and be more silly because apparently that helps a lot at schools here. Patience will be key because structurally there are a lot of letter combinations that are tough for native Thai speakers to pronounce. In their defense, I’m still struggling to learn and correctly pronounce basic words and phrases from their language. And lastly, I’ll need to keep an open mind about the different school system and culture I’m about to face. We were told about some surface level expectations that might be shocking or a bit internally disturbing, but I intend to physically experience them and then write about it in a future post.

Stir fried chicken with cashew nuts

Real Life Mario Kart and Other Adventures

Three days of orientation meant there were three nights begging for adventures and exploration. And explore, we did. Day 1 took us from the button up shirts and slacks in the Suda Palace Hotel conference room to the shorts and t-shirts we wore out to eat, drink, and party. Following a delicious dinner of stir fried chicken with cashew nuts, I went out with a big group and took what might’ve been the most fun yet most chaotic transportation ride I’ve ever been on.

Tuk Tuks in Bangkok

Enter the Tuk Tuk: a three-wheeled, open-aired cart that’s required for a “true” Thai experience. In what normally seats two or max three adults comfortably, we squeezed five fully grown adults for a wild ride. Like a sequence out of Mario Kart, we spun around corners and weaved in and out of traffic all while jamming to uptempo beats en route to our next stop: Khaosan Road. Lined by trendy clubs and bars and filled with pushy street vendors, Khaosan Road is a former rice market turned into a backpacker’s dream. Need clothes? Khaosan Road has you covered. Care for some sexual entertainment? You can get that too. Or maybe you’d like to taste some barbecued insects? Then get on over to Khaosan Road. Our experience, however, took us to a very cool bar and then ended in a fun, neon-lighted club where we danced into the depths of the night.

Flooded Bangkok streets

Friday night’s fun was paid for in full for the duration of Saturday’s orientation. I ate breakfast but skipped lunch to take a nap and again went straight to bed once orientation concluded. The plan was to sleep about ninety minutes but sleeping Anthony is very good at disabling iPhone alarm clocks before fully waking so I woke up quite dazed about 5 hours later. Starving, I met up with some friends at a nearby bar and just before we were going to head out to one of Bangkok’s famed rooftop bars, an intense storm passed through and flooded the streets. The flooding was so bad that in order to get home we had to roll-up our pants and strip off our shoes and socks to trek home barefoot in water that was almost to our knees. My inner hygiene meter was having a fit but I survived and it does make an interesting/weird story.

Escaping the Hustle and Bustle

With orientation’s conclusion, we were faced with an interesting opportunity. The semester at most schools doesn’t start until November 1st so that meant we had 9 open days ahead to enjoy however we pleased. So instead of staying in Bangkok (which I fully intend to go back explore later), a group of about 12 or so of us packed up and set off to the island of Koh Samet.

The Wrap Up

Thanks for reading this post and as always feel free to comment below and/or share this with anyone you think might enjoy it! I’d like to end by asking you: If you had an open, worry-free week to travel around whatever country you’re currently in, where would you go and why?