Remembering Amazing Thailand

One of my favourite days when I started teaching my EFL students was Tuesday because we go a-swimming. Although I couldn’t and still can’t swim myself but at least I get a break. Sometimes classroom can be boring and how time slows down if you want it to run fast.

One time, there was no van to send us to the pool and we walked all the way. It was not very far but it was hot and the road was a bit dangerous. On both sides were like a virgin forest and snakes slithered across the roads sometimes.

During the swimming day one day, I tried to dip in the pool. It was a bit deep for me. But I had what you call a kick-board and I thought it would be easy to float. But I was wrong. I tried to kick the floor to go up but I couldn’t reach it. I started to panic and shouted for help. Thanks God, I managed to float and go to the swallow water. I never went back into the pool again even if we had to do it every week for the next three months.

Well, I still found ways to enjoy myself like snacking and picking wild fruits. Sometimes, I asked my pupils to teach me Thai words and it was very difficult for me to learn it. We were eating a Thai snack and one girl told me that it is called kha khai with the first syllable in a mid rising tone and the second in a falling tone. But I pronounced it with a rising intonation just like when we are asking a question. They had to correct me several times. I thought I had right for them it’s wrong. I didn’t realize that tone is very important in Thai.

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