Remembering Amazing Thailand

It’s always overwhelming when you get to meet new people in a new place and there are always hang-ups no matter what.

I lived with the other missionary teachers from the language school and good thing, I get to have a roommate who is super cool, Sonya from the beautiful state of Montana. Our apartment was five-story with two kitchen, two bathrooms and six bedrooms. One was used as a classroom on the first floor for British and second floor for Americans. I lived on the third floor and our kitchen was on the fifth floor. I didn’t have my own bed but I got a mattress laid on the floor like the Japanese do. It was all right as long as I have a soft bed on my back.

Everything was totally new. I practically knew no one and no one knew me before. It’s a bit overwhelming indeed. I felt like an outcast a little bit.

The next day I was going to meet my new students.

Eventually, Karoline and I got tired of looking for teaching vacancies so we decided to try telemarketing. Through my homies’ help, dictation, and influence, we called one of the telemarketing bosses who was based in Thonglor. We mentioned the name of our referrer and we were asked to go to their office with a copy of our passport. Take note, just a copy is what they asked.

Since I didn’t want to show my real name I made up a name, Anne Sales. I made a copy of my passport and in the copy I covered my real name and stick a small piece of paper, wrote down my new name and made a new copy. Bingo! I’m a new person.

The next day, I went to the office with my fake copy of passport. When my name was called, I was startled a bit but I felt simultaneously it was me. The recruiter just gave me instructions on how to do the simple job and then finally shook my hand and said, “See you on Monday.” That was Friday morning. Karoline were supposed to start that day but she didn’t go.

Before I went for the interview, there were already rumours of immigration police investigating the telemarketing industry. The workers were illegal, the office was not register, and so many hoax. With over 80 telemarketing offices, there was only a handful legit ones and you would never know which.

That day as I left the building, I was more nervous than excited. After lunch, friends who was working in that building where I had my interview, came home with the bad news. Immigration police came to raid the office half an hour after I left the building.

Whew! Was I lucky or not? I was going to have a job by Monday and now it’s over before I could even start!

Finally, it was the end of the summer classes and we were more than happy to be back to Bangkok at last even if it means no work no pay.

We labored with sweat and pain and now we’re free from the seemingly oppressive job. Looking back now I could see where I made mistakes and if given a second chance to turn back the time I’m sure things would have been so much better.

A couple of weeks before the class ended, a new teacher arrived from India. She’s going to be their teacher for the coming school year. So every day she came to observe the class and get to know her pupils to be.

The last day of the school was rather awkward and unpleasant except when we were partying. But I knew that each of us especially me was very anxious to leave the place at once.

Once we got back to Bangkok, another adventure has begun.

I only had like eight students but since it was my first time to handle a class that had a different culture and upbringing it was very difficult for me. I wanted to be their best friend but I think the way I delivered the message was something vague for them. There was this one girl who had a strong personality and she tried to convened with the rest of the class to deliberately defy my authority in the classroom. She made the last couple of weeks a hell for me.

One time I gave them an instruction to do a roleplay. I even handed them a script. But they pretended they couldn’t understand my instruction. I had the Thai teacher explain but to no avail. So I had to cancel that activity and gave them something undeniably very easy like reading out loud.

It was the last day of the school and it was the worst time I have ever had with them. Before I sent them out for lunch I told them that I was giving them a treat. But when it was time to come back to class to conclude they were nowhere to be found. I alerted the principal but I think it gave a negative impression on me. A couple of hours later they came back and I didn’t know where they had been because the Thai teacher who was supposed to be our interpreter couldn’t say anything.

Upset and disappointed, I knew right there and then that I was going to get busted. The only thing that went well was the party where we had to share food with each other.

While teaching in the ESL program, I got an email invitation for an interview in the college. Previously I applied to them as a secretary. Good thing it was in the same location I was teaching temporarily.

Anyway, it was my first ever interview in Thailand and I was very nervous. I tried to appear confident but I guess my countenance was showing it. Anyway, once again I came about the issue of accent. Someone from the panel asked me, “Are you from the northern Philippines?” I said yes and he said that my accent was very evident where in the world I came from. Sounds like Mr. Higgins from “My Fair Lady”. But in this case I didn’t become the “fair lady”.

Anyway, as it turned out I wasn’t qualified for the job because I didn’t speak Thai. Why in the world did they have to interview me in the first place? If one of the qualifications was the ability to speak the vernacular then they could have filtered the applicants already. But there were a couple of us who were not Thai speakers. Hmmm!!

Well, during the interview I made the most ridiculous answers. Until it makes me giggle whenever I remember what I said. But it was a learning experience for me. I learned what not to say in an interview.

One day, Karoline, Jane, and I just got back from Muaklek and we were going to take the sky train. We were in such a hurry or too excited to get home and I didn’t care who was I coming to bump into. We were going up the steps to the sky train and the footbridge was rather a little crowded. I noticed a man in orange robe was on his way down the steps. I knew were going to bump into each other so one must give way–and that was not me. I tried to ignore him and minded my steps instead as I continued on my way up.  And somewhere at the corner of my eyes I saw him stopped to give way so I could go up the steps. Well, I reasoned to myself, I am the one with the heavy load so those who are in my way should step aside.

But I got reprimanded by my good friend, Karoline. She told me that whenever we meet a monk we have to stop because they are the most highly respected people in the society. Oops! Sorry about that. My selfish motives overtook me and I didn’t listen to my good side when I thought of giving way. Sometimes, I act on the wrong impulse and it’s really causing me remorse.

Well, I never forgot that one and from then on everytime I see or meet a monk I always avoid their path.

A week after visiting Mission College in MuakLek I got a call from Karoline telling me that I have a work in the Kindergarten school. She had the principal talked to me to ask me if I was available and willing to teach for the summer. Of course I was!

Disregarding the fishy smell of dead earthworms after a rain, I was more than happy to be able to work at last. It was a good thing that I had been there a week ago–thanks to ate Mae–so it was not difficult for me to go back by myself. I just kept in mind the big Buddha sitting by the highway which means another 30 minutes more and I would be there.

When arrived in the school I didn’t know what to expect. But I was given a group of about seven adolescents where only one could speak and understand English fairly well. It was difficult. I had no idea how to approach them and I was so strict I guess. They didn’t like me much. But I didn’t care. I thought I was doing right.

Every Friday we went back to Bangkok spending at least 500 baht for bus fares and snack. But we were happy to go back every weekend. We couldn’t stay too long in the school.