itsmedave Posted December 6, 2001 Report Share Posted December 6, 2001 To catch those of you up who haven't been around for the last year and a half... The saga began in September of 2000 when I made my first trip to Thailand, a 10 day vacation I immortilized with my first trip report, "The Ugly American Does Bangkok." Following this trip, I caught such a case of the Bangkok Blues that it was only the following March that brought my second trip...and trip report, "More Adventures of the Ugly American" Well, my following was really growing now, as was my impatience with all things involving life in the West. So, in June of this year, I packed my bags and headed to the TEFL Int'l training school in Ban Phe to start life anew. This experience can be found on these pages as, "TEFL Int'l EXPOSED!" Since that time I've been living not-so-quietly here in Bangkok, making friends, having fun, and enjoying this new life. What I haven't done is fully relate on these pages just what the heck I've been up to. (Beyond the occasional Dance Contest report) I wasn't planning on it, either. I mean, this was real life now, not just an exciting "trip", a short vacation where anything is possible. Who cares where I do my laundry besides the guy who's trying to scrub the skidmarks off my drawrs? Strangely enough...people do. And, come to think of it, life in Bangkok IS an adventure, it certainly is a trip! And so...god forgive me...here it is, The Ugly American MOVES to Bangkok!!! Part 1 "Toto...we're not in Kansas anymore" The TEFL class, located 3 hours from the big city in an oasis of sand and sea, is over. Along with it, goes my self-imposed vacation. After 2 months I am ready, eager even, to re-join the workforce and once again become a contributor...albeit a somewhat depraved one...to society. I arrived in Bangkok on Saturday afternoon, July 28 (I think...where the heck is my calendar?!?!?) at around 3pm. Suman, the manager of the AUA Thonburi office greets me and sends me out with 2 teachers to find an apartment. I fall for the first place I see, and 45 minutes later, I'm standing alone in the living room of my empty apartment. I'd watch tv...except there is no tv. NO TV!!! I go into panic mode, and head out immediately to Makro to purchase the neccessities...toilet paper, a towel for-to shower...and a tv. And even though there's no cable and therefore no actual reception of actual programming of any kind, the mere prescence of my new Sanyo calms me. It will be a VERY boring night with nothing for me to do but re-read a book I'd finished just a week before. Suman and the other teacher's had said I really shouldn't rush into a tv, and especially into getting UBC (damn hippies) but Sunday I was off to Central Pinklao bribing my way to get the installer out the following day. While this may seem extreme to you (if you're a damn hippie!) there was, I believe, some sound logic involved. I was now on a teacher's budget, and, with nothing to entertain me at home, I wouldn't be at home. And, as cheap as Thailand is, going out every night would leave me penniless (make that satang-less) in no time. Plus, I am not the type to go to some Thai bar with NO NUDITY (perish the thought) and nurse four cheap Chang beers til I'm loopy enough to stagger home and fall to sleep. No, if I'm going out, then I'm going OUT. Boredom wouldn't last long, though, because my first class was that Monday. Now, AUA has a 2 week training program, but, partly because of my shining qualifications, and, mostly, because of their desperation, my AUA training would consist of watching 30 minutes of another's class before mine began. If nothing else, though, the Ban Phe school gave me the confidence to stand in front of that first class and pretend I was in control. The first class. 12 students, in level 6 out of 15. They spoke English well enough to inform me that I should slow down, way down, because, as one of them put it, "We are not in a hurry." I did slow down (a little) and it actually went fairly well. I would be teaching 2 classes (2 hours each) a day, with 2 Saturday classes at 3 hours apiece. My levels were 6 and 1, which enabled me to re-use lesson plans with the redundant levels. By the end of the first week, I realized that I LOVED TEACHING THAI STUDENTS!!! They couldn't be more fun, and, best of all, they seemed to like me too. By the end of the second week, they began to bring me gifts. In fact, if it wasn't for Clay, the resident teacher cum sex symbol (not his fault, he's a great guy) I would have easily been the most rewarded teacher at the school. How, you ask? No really, please, ask. I mean...cause if you don't, then I can't go on. The next sentence really depends on your having asked. Thanks. Well, as with any major life situation, when all the chips are down, you go with what you do best. Me, I'm an entertainer. You may remember that I have a theatre company in California and that I've been acting sice I was 15. Well, I quickly put that experience to good use, treating every class as a performance. A one man show with liberal amounts of audience participation. Every break an intermission, every move choreographed. I even got an occasional round of applause. And while I may not have been the best teacher at the school, I was easily the most fun. Other teachers began asking what I was doing to make my classes laugh so loudly it was disturbing their students. But, teaching is performing, and a big part of keeping Thai students interested is keeping them entertained. So, whether you agree with my methods or not, at the end of the first term, the average re-registration of the school was around 40% due to upcoming final exams at the universities. My classes re-registration rate was over 70%. Outside of class, life was taking shape. The teachers at the school, even with the occasional damn hippie, were great fun to hang with. A group of six of us would go to this little market for dinner each night after class (if it wasn't Ally McBeal night...I know, I'm half gay) and shoot the crap for a couple of hours over some food and beers. Well, for me, coke, and my famous "yesterday." The first night I ordered chicken with rice. It was really good, so the next might I ordered what I'd had "yesterday." Well, sad to say, in the 3 plus months I went there nightly, I never changed my order, so I would walk up, they'd shout "Yesterday!" I'd nod eagerly, and that would be that. Did I mention I was finicky about food? I don't like spicy food, don't like vegetables (too healthy), and don't like sauces of any kind (that includes ketchup, mustard, mayonaise, chili-anything, etc) So, what do I like? Chicken...and rice. And I'm perfectly happy with it, so leave me the heck alone already!!! Next, Bangkok nighlife as a resident...and, just where do I do my laundry anyway?!?!?! As always, I'll appreciate your comments and questions...if you do, let me know you want more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 6, 2001 Report Share Posted December 6, 2001 Dave, that was excellent as always, thanks. I really appreciate you taking the time to put this together; yours is exactly the situation I will find myself in next year so it's extremely relevant! I didn't know you had extensive acting experience, that must certainly have helped with the classes. How do you reckon someone naturally less outgoing would find it? I'm not exactly introverted, and I have some experience of training others in my current field, but I do sometimes feel a certain amount of nervousness when contemplating my first class of Thai students. I know, how long's a piece of string, lol, I guess what I'm really after is a bit of reassurance that a guy like me who isn't a natural "performer" in front of a class could still make a go of it. Thanks again for this piece, seeing how someone making the move is finding life in Thailand six months later is absolutely fascinating for me and I'm sure all the other prospective teachers out there either committed to or else considering taking the plunge! On an altogether less interesting note, do the rooms at TEFLIntl have towels provided or is it bring your own? Cheers, DJ1999J. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 6, 2001 Report Share Posted December 6, 2001 Itmedave......One question for ya... Are you living of your teacher's salary alone or do you have other income? I'm seriously contemplating living in Thailand but not sure if my $1800 per month retirement pay will cut it. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 6, 2001 Report Share Posted December 6, 2001 Hallelujah Dave...we finally got you back reporting... I read all your TEFL Exposed pieces...and was so sad when you entered the work force... because that's when you stopped writing. Sure...I got a lot out of your training down in BanPhe but the transition to your first teaching job is just as important! So...I'm glad to see you are back...and continue to tell us about your adventures...and when I visit LOS for the first time, I'll bring you some cans of Chicken and Rice.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gummigut Posted December 6, 2001 Report Share Posted December 6, 2001 "not sure if my $1800 per month retirement pay will cut it" 5555555555555555555555555555 55555555555555555555555555555 555555555555555555555555555555 5555555555555555555555555555555 Oh my, excuse me I have to breath 5555555555555555555555555555 55555555555555555555555555555 555555555555555555555555555555 5555555555555555555555555555555 <<burp>> [ December 06, 2001: Message edited by: gummigut ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BelgianBoy Posted December 6, 2001 Report Share Posted December 6, 2001 quote: Originally posted by itsmedave: As always, I'll appreciate your comments and questions...if you do, let me know you want more. Dave, Pleeeeeeeeeeease, give us more !!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khunsanuk Posted December 6, 2001 Report Share Posted December 6, 2001 Hi, Sorry Dave for hi-jacking your thread Ajarnski, if I would receive a steady $1800 a month I would quit my job today. Let me do a little calculation for you. Assuming 40 Baht to the dollar (yes, I know it's 43+ now) you will have 72,000 Baht a month. A nice one bedroom apartment a little out of the main tourist areas (say Sukhumvit soi 55 and up) will cost you about 15K, add another 5K for electricity, phone, etc. and you are looking at 20K a month. Food and groceries will likely not run you more than 10K a month. This still leaves you with 42,000 Baht. Deduct another say 10-15K for incidentals (visa runs, repairs, clothing, insurance, etc) and you have 27-32K left to blow on woman and booze. In short, $1800 is more than enough to live here. Sanuk! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spirit_of_town_hall Posted December 7, 2001 Report Share Posted December 7, 2001 quote: Originally posted by Khun Sanuk: Hi, Sorry Dave for hi-jacking your thread Ajarnski, if I would receive a steady $1800 a month I would quit my job today. Let me do a little calculation for you. Assuming 40 Baht to the dollar (yes, I know it's 43+ now) you will have 72,000 Baht a month. A nice one bedroom apartment a little out of the main tourist areas (say Sukhumvit soi 55 and up) will cost you about 15K, add another 5K for electricity, phone, etc. and you are looking at 20K a month. Food and groceries will likely not run you more than 10K a month. This still leaves you with 42,000 Baht. Deduct another say 10-15K for incidentals (visa runs, repairs, clothing, insurance, etc) and you have 27-32K left to blow on woman and booze. In short, $1800 is more than enough to live here. Sanuk! Hi I was working out the expenditure as well He would have approximately 1300 baht per day on fun, no one goes out everynight consistently, that means every second night he could go out with approximately 2600 baht in is pocket! With say 3 hours of English teaching a week to give his life some balance he could blow 3600 baht every second night if he desired, what a life!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 7, 2001 Report Share Posted December 7, 2001 Hi Dave, Thanks for the update at long last!!! Love your style man, but can't believe what you eat-some of the best food in the world IMHO and you are eating chicken and rice every day!!! up to you.....btw, anxiously waiting to hear how a poor teacher affords sanuk-give us details man, you know like how often you can manage it (no not that!! just how often you can go out and play and bf etc....) thanks again btw, as a 10 year vet of teaching college I couldn't agree more that a theatre background has "saved" more of my lectures/presentations than all my years of formal schooling.....happy students are listening and engaged Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CosmicSurfer Posted December 7, 2001 Report Share Posted December 7, 2001 Another great report... Puhleeeaassee keep them coming. I'm in the same situation as DJ1999J... Moving to LOS in 4 months and plan on taking the TEFL Int'l course... But I'm also lacking in any theater background... I do have experience in making speaches, and running political meetings, so talking in front of an audience of strangers is not foreign to me... But there is just something about standing up there ... alone... in front of a group of young kids... all expecting you to TEACH them something... That scares the crap out of me. Any pointers for us introverted greenhorns with no acting experience (and an overabundance of shyness) would be most appreciated. Keep it up... CS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.