Korp khun kub, laa la gorn.

Thank you for reading this blog. It has been a pleasure chronicling this eleven month journey. I am sad to end this, but there are other things to do now. Hopefully I will find something half as interesting as my experience in Thailand to write about and, consequently, bore you with. I encourage everyone to go abroad at some point. If you really want something different than the good ol USA, go to Asia.

Although things seem sharply familiar back at home, my outlook on all things cultural and social is forever changed.

Thank you, and goodbye.

Chok Dee, Suksanaree(No Tears...)*

As my time here in Thailand comes to an end, I am left with the feeling of already being gone, of looking back on the many experiences I have had in poignant reflection. Many of these experiences have taken place at my school. It has been interesting learning how to adjust and actually become a part of school life. In a way I feel like I have earned a certain amount of respect from the entire school, and that is very gratifying. This is important to me because I have taken this job, or at least my interactions with Thai students and teachers, very seriously. I wanted to be more than just some dancing bear, placed on display for everyones amusement(an exotic creature, if you will). I feel like I have surpassed that standard as a teacher and that maybe, just maybe, people take me somewhat seriously. It is kind of ridiculous, the whole thing. They throw 2 or 3 foreign native speakers in the mix at a school that is 100% Thai and expect some natural bonding of spirits and meeting of minds. I may be overstating the case a bit, but this expectation, or anything near it, is simply impossible to meet. In all honesty, it has been a struggle, a challenge, and, most optimistically, an opportunity for personal growth. I have had ups and downs, but overall I feel like my tenure at Suksanareewittaya School has taught me many invaluable lessons. Not only have I learned to work with people who are from a completely foreign place, but I have also learned to understand the social nuances of the culture which, in many ways, resemble any other society. Life for many Thai's is quite demanding. The good thing about Thai people is that they do not need much to be happy, so the students, for the most part, keep a positive attitude and light-hearted disposition. Many of the students come from lower socioeconomic standing, and I presume that their life at home is not ideal. It is obvious sometimes in the classroom when these students are acting out or just possibly escaping the woes of their domestic situation. But I am sure that this is an element in public schools all over the world. I have learned to take the good with the bad, to embrace the joy of teaching and let go of the more troubling aspects that are, at times, shoved in my face. This is the essence of what I have learned by teaching these students: to be driven by the positive aspects of the experience of teaching and not distracted by the perplexity of instructing a diverse body of people. There is no escaping certain difficulties when you're dealing with thousands of young students, but the rewarding aspects of being a part of their education certainly outweigh the more disturbing ones(student deaths, violence, alienation, indifference). I love this school, and I am sad to be finished here. Today I walked around the school, in and out of seemingly abandoned classrooms that, during school hours, are hardly able to contain the constant outflow of frenetic adolescent energy. I feel like I have already left because, in many ways, I am gone. Goodbye school.

*Chok dee= Good luck.

*Suksanaree= Suksanareewittaya School

Things Thai People Like (and Dislike)

As I have stated over and over again throughout this blog, Thailand is a very unique place. Of course, my only basis of comparison is the good ol' land of the brave, but the differences are so astounding and downright addling at times that it is crucial to sometimes sit back and objectively take a look at what I am and have been experiencing. I recently came across a great blog, Things White People Like, and was almost immediately inspired to do something similar with my limited experience in Thailand. Now first and foremost, this is in no way meant to be offensive. In fact, most of these characteristics are at the very worst eccentric and at the very best flattering. Thai people are so culturally centered and, while allowing a healthy amount of foreign influence, very proud and pleased with their distinct way of life. I am merely embracing this way of life by pointing the humorous observations of a few foreign admirers. What follows is a list of 50 things that, in my and several consultants' opinions, most Thai people seem to like. I wanted to present a lengthy list of things Thai people do not like, but I struggled to come up with more than 10. After all, as my friend Liz Jewett put it, "they are very agreeable people." This is intended to be a light-hearted look at the Thai people and is probably slightly geared toward the 13-25 year old age group seeing that I have had more direct contact with this bracket. Please keep in mind, this is intended to be an endearing look at a people who I consider to be, now and forever, my dear friends. I would also like to thanks a few collaborators for this entry, friends of mine who have been here and marvelled at the interesting and sometimes peculiar way of the Thai people. Thank you Caitlyn Scherer, Gerry McAndrew, and especially Liz Jewett. And one last thing. I apologize to those of you who have never lived in Thailand as you may not be able to appreciate this fully. So, without further ado, I present...

Things Thai People Like:

1) Online computer games

2) Ice cream sandwich, literally with bread

3) Taking photographs

4) Karaoke

5) Being in photographs preferably while suspended in mid-air

6) Colored contact lenses

7) Umbrellas

8) Pork

9) Umm, rice

10) Football

11) Cellular telephones

12) "Hello"

13) Online computer games

14) Meat on a stick

15) Prison Break

16) Foreigners attempting to speak Thai

17) Foreigners attempting to do anything Thai-ish

18) Ring tones

19) 6 hours of sleep, max

20) "I'm fine, thank you, and you?"

21) Motorcycles

22) Thailand

23) Impromptu dance parties

24) Foreigners dancing

25) Thai food

26) Light heartedness in dire situations

27) Beauty

28) Drinking soda out of a plastic bag

29) 555( 5=ha in Thai language...Thai equivalent to LOL)

30) Thai soap operas

31) Online computer games

32) The whiskey drinking ritual

33) Superstitious beliefs

34) Loudspeakers set to medium volumes to avoid shouting(vendors)

35) Chatting online while being in the same room with you

36) Japanese anime

37) "Hero"- Mariah Carey

38) Action/ Sci-Fi movies

39) Taking photos on the beach while simultaneously avoiding sunlight

40) Weird homemade candy

41) Wearing heals for women(and, well, for some men)

42) White people(literally, the whiter the better)

43) Drive-by dance parties

44) Extremely disturbing and violent horror movies

45) Online computer games

46) Khao San Road(you would think they wouldn't like this because it is very touristy, but many of my Thai friends love it)

47) Dancing, singing, every, any, and all competition(s)

48) Slapstick comedy, Thai style

49) Straws

50) Baby Powder

Things Thai People Don't Like:

1) Ghosts

2) The sun

3) Shorts

4) Loud people, places, or things

5) Stares from strangers

6) Cell phone etiquette

7) Being solitary

8) Laziness(mind and body, that is...computer games take a lot of energy actually)

9) Public displays of affection

10) Meals that are not shared

I LOVE YOU, THAILAND. SAWASDEE KRAP.