I have been in my assigned placement for full week now, and it has been full of ups and downs. Mostly downs. It started with an 8 and 1/2 hour bus ride from Lampang to Chaiyaphum. I was car sick most of the ride because Thai people are freaking crazy. They don't obey speed limits, they pass cars with other cars coming in the other lane, and driving within the lines doesn't seem to be a thing. Now to be fair, I think I would fit in driving here, but still. It's rough. Once we got to where we are to be staying for the next 10 months, I'm not going to lie, my stomach dropped. I for some reason was under the impression that we would be living in a little dorm style house, which was fine with me since the group I'm here with is awesome. We're not. We do live in a dorm, it's just in a mining camp, and we have to share the dorm with the miners. I live across the hall from one. It was a shock to say the least. This is coming from someone who has been able to live extremely comfortably in brand new lofts for the past year, so I have to constantly remind myself where I am and why i'm here. I think that everything with this job has it's trade-offs. We have to live in a mining camp, but we don't pay rent or utilities (including the all important AC). We are in the middle of nowhere but we've been told the relationships built here last a lifetime. We have no consistent access to dinner but...well I guess I'll come back skinny. The rooms are decent, with everything we need, and some things we don't (geckos, roaches, the ever present mosquitoes). Home away from home...right? Teaching has also been hard for me. I've never been very good with kids. I just don't have the patience, or enough hand sanitizer in the world to hold their hand after I watched them wipe their nose with it. I told myself that this job would be good for me. I could learn patience, how to deal with children, and I truly think that English is a skill that will carry these kids a long way (western globalization is real). I tell myself those things, but it has been a constant struggle all week not to cry in the middle class. Thai children do not have the discipline that American children do because their classrooms are not structured in the same way. If they want to get up and leave class, they do. If they want to show up late, they do. If they want to talk and ignore the teacher, they most certainly do. And we're not allowed to fail them. At all. Ever. I think that finding ways to get through to them will be harder than finding a way to get dinner. Transportation has also been a huge issue for me. I am so used to having my car and being able to go where I want, when I want, that getting here and having no means of transportation is frustrating. We live miles from the nearest restaurant, and even farther from the nearest "grocery store". It got to the point where I was completely out of Baht and needed to exchange money, and we were so done with being stuck in the camp that we rode a couple bikes into town. After biking 5 miles just to get there, we found out the bank is closed on the weekends. So we had to bike back, and I still had no money. Hell Week was ended well, however. We finally caught a bus, after it had zoomed by us the first time. We took this bus into the a neighboring city, where we caught another bus into Chaiyaphum city. There we ran into a little trouble when we thought we would be able to walk to the National Park, which was our intended destination, but found out it was definitely not within walking distance. Luckily we ran into another American and his Thai wife, who helped us catch a song tow. The song tow took us to the entrance of the national park, where we finally made it to the place we had been looking for: The Tad Ton waterfall. It was beautiful, and it felt so good to be able to swim and be outside and lounge. This trip to the waterfalls was the first time I had been able to relax and be happy since I arrived in Chaiyaphum. Even if we did have to get a park ranger to drive us back to the bus station when we couldn't catch another song tow.
Honestly, this week had me looking up the price of plane tickets back home. I am beyond homesick. And I hate to sound ungrateful for everything that TTC and the people of Chaiyaphum have done for me, but this initial period of adjustment has been hard and I want to document every moment, not just the good ones. I can only hope that the adjustment period will be short, and that I will learn to love teaching in Thailand.
15 Comments
Aunt Kim
6/5/2016 02:11:43 pm
Hang in there baby!!!! You will cherish this experience one day xoxo
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Carley
6/10/2016 12:14:19 am
Thank you Aunt Kim! I hope so!
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Gary Layman
6/5/2016 02:17:46 pm
I wish you well....
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Carley
6/10/2016 12:14:36 am
Thank you!
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JoAnne Sowell
6/5/2016 02:38:16 pm
Carley, you have the strength and courage to take this leap of faith! It will not be easy, but the experience will be something that will last for a lifetime. We will be praying for you everyday. I hope your adjustment period begins to get better and better. Will keep up with your blog when you post it. Wishing you the very best!
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Carley
6/10/2016 12:13:46 am
Thank you JoAnne! I appreciate it!
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Mary
6/5/2016 03:22:15 pm
As I read your blog, my heart swells with pride. You have chosen to give a piece of yourself so that others will have a better life and I am so proud of you. We don't always see the fruits of our labor, but know that you are making a difference. Stay strong and know that God is with you.
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Carley
6/10/2016 12:11:16 am
Thank you Mary! Hopefully I'll see the results in the end!
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Stephenie Hunter
6/5/2016 03:40:10 pm
You don't know me but I know your mom. I'm very touched by your courage. I will be praying for you.
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Carley
6/10/2016 12:10:34 am
Thank you Stephenie! I appreciate it!
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Renee Syvain
6/5/2016 07:41:04 pm
Carly, sorry you've had such a rough start but hopefully, things will look up from here. It's a very brave and honorable thing you are doing. You and your friends are giving these children an opportunity they would have never had. Even if some leave the classroom or come late, those that are there will be learning from you and that is something you should be very proud of. You've touched their lives forever. I pray you have a safe trip and stay healthy.
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Carley
6/10/2016 12:09:59 am
Thank you Renee!
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Tabetha Hammond
6/6/2016 01:43:01 am
Wow... Sounds like you had a rough time. I'm sorry and know we're thinking of you!
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Nick Jackson
6/8/2016 02:47:52 pm
I told you it was a different world. We didn't have AC, all we had was fans on the ceiling that blew around the hot air. You should see if you can find a mobile ATM, we had two that would show up to our camp every week. its literally a car that has a atm placed in the back. When you do get the chance to pull out baht get as much as you can because you never know when youll get back there. If you can stock up at a 711 which I know are everywhere will help as well. I know I spent like 3000 baht on snacks :P don't judge me. You'll get through it Carley I know it a huge culture shock but it'll make it that much better when you finally come home and things get back to normal. You'll have a new appreciation for the little things that you don't really pay attention too :). I'm always around if you need someone to talk too! hang in there Carley Fries.
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Carley
6/10/2016 12:08:49 am
Thank you Nick! I finally was able to exchange some money. It is definitely an adjustment. I'm already thinking about the things I just kind of took for granted. Let me know when you get to Germany!
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