Teach and Be Taught

Good morning, world! It is currently 11am on Saturday the 18th here in Chiang Mai.

Since I last wrote, I have moved into my Chiang Mai home! My housemates Cara and Becky and I are renting a duplex in a muu baan (neighborhood) called World Club Land, which is right next to our school. I have a five minute walk to school every morning, which is a lovely commute!

This past Thursday night, Cara's friend Sera took us to a place called Documentary Arts Asia. It is a house in a neighborhood closer to the center of Chiang Mai (near the moat) that they have converted into a library/museum and a theater, with seating on the floor or balcony. It is a very eclectic and hipster-y place. We watched a neat documentary on human connection and emotions. It was in English, and there were a lot of farangs (foreigners) there. Before going to see the documentary, we went to an outdoor market and ordered dinner from the food vendors there. I had pork leg rice and a passionfruit smoothie, which were both really good! I got back a bit late, but I really enjoyed the experience. Documentary Arts Asia shows documentaries on Thursday nights and independent movies on Monday nights.

When I got to Chiang Mai, I thought that laundry would be difficult, but it is really simple. We have a washing machine on our back porch area, which is a screened-in room connected to the back of our house. No one has dryers here, but we have a large drying rack. (And the washer setttings are in English!) Speaking of laundry, I am currently waiting on my clothes to dry. In the cool season (December through March), temperatures are usually between 60 and 80 fahrenheit, and clothes take a while to dry. In the hot season (March through late summer), they dry faster. People are telling me that during the hot season, it gets up to and above 100 degrees. When I first got here, I thought that 80 was really hot, but now I'm used to wearing 3/4-sleeved shirts or little cardigans to school, because it is only going to get hotter!

Teaching has been going very well! This is my second week and I have been teaching half-periods, reviewing homework, leading group activities, and grading classwork and journals this week. Yesterday (Friday), my cooperating teacher was sick, so I subbed for all of his classes. Usually I only work with his ninth grade classes, but I subbed for the 12th grade Advanced Placement class and it went well. I have found that I really enjoy teaching. Perhaps it is because these students are easy to work with, but I have felt very successful this week. I think Monday was a tad bit rocky, but as the week went on, I began to feel more and more comfortable with the students.

The reason I titled this post "Teach and Be Taught" is because while I am teaching my ninth graders (and eventually my twelfth grade British Literature class), I am also learning. I am "being taught" by my cooperating teacher, who has many years of experience and works very well with the students. I am learning from his example, and I am compiling his comments and making adjustments based on what he says. I am also "being taught" everytime I explore the city or take a ride on a songtaew or visit someplace new. Student teaching, as I said in a previous post, is as much (or more) being a student as it is being a teacher. I am learning so much! I have been journaling quite a bit about that experience and I hope to share some "snippets from my Chiang Mai journal" sometime.

I have some pictures on Facebook of my latest adventures. Feel free to add me as a friend if you aren't already or click here to see my photo album if you do not have a Facebook account.

In terms of prayer requests, please pray for continued safety for all the teachers, families, and residents of Thailand as there are still protests and demonstrations in Bangkok. Please pray that my refund check from my college would come through in a timely manner. I also ask that you would pray for the school I'm at (Grace International School), as they continue with the court case I mentioned earlier. Finally, pray for one of my students whose parents have separated.

With Love,
--

"Seek Him. Be Here. Be His."