05:45 - wake up (broken sleep due to village dogs, frogs, crickets and heat - no AC)
06:30 - eat breakfast with host family (including one of my students, Ghao), usually pork mine and rice or a variety of soup
07:45 - cycle down a dusty road along the Chaopraya river about 2k to school (already 30 degrees at this point)
08:00 - watch all school morning prayer and students perform schools alma mata then national anthem (very catchy and triumphant)
08:30 - 16:00 - teach overly excited kindergarten kids for first hour with a varying lesson plan of our choosing (usually resulting in a multitude of kids hugging and climbing all over me). Then 6 other English-based lessons of mixed ages and content (art, music, housework ie dt - today we made pretty leaf decoration things which I was crap at). Just a reminder that its 37+ degrees and 80% humidity with no AC = sweating my bollocks off. When we have spare time we are to go next door to the monastery and teach English to the monks which is pretty damn cool).
16:30 - after cycling back, Bhao loves basketball and volleyball so I play with him and many other students from the village which is cool yet weird as they still refer to me as 'Teacher'. This dusty and heat worn basketball/volleyball court lies on the grounds of the village's temple where monks are usually praying, reciting hour long mantras and bells/chimes are ringing. As I'm 'shooting hoops' or 'bumping/setting', I'm enveloped in my surroundings as the sun sets and can't help but think I'm dreaming. Surreally amazing.
18:00 - cooking and learning all there is to know about Thai cooking with the hosts elder Leung Chai, a once professional chef. This probably look forward to this part the most. At least 5 dishes are cooked up every evening. The picture below is what I helped prepare tonight. Curried pumpkin with parsley, palm sugar and fried garlic; sticky sweet and sour chicken wings; fried boiled eggs with a sweet/salty/sour tamarin sauce; fried fish in lemongrass with a soybean and oyster sauce, and a veg resembling broccoli stalks with an oyster sauce and fried garlic. Boom. Don't ask me what they are in thai, ain't got a clue.
19:30 - shower, cover in bug spray then finally lay down to plan for the next days lessons and update blog (obvs)
21:30 - bed
So yeah there you have it, a day in the life of a Meaningful Thailand Experience Teacher! Oh yeah, one thing I forgot to mention about yesterday is that we visited the temple in Ang Thong at which sits the worlds largest Buddha. With the sun setting behind his body, and being surrounded by the smell of incense and all colours and breeds of flowers, it was an awe inspiring and humbling moment for sure. I mean really, that is one big ass Buddha! A must see if you ever find yourself in this part of Thailand.
Righty ho, as indicated in my blog, tis time to retire (albeit 30 mins late). Much love to you all, wherever you are, wherever you're reading this. Missing you all big time.
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