September 7^th- I think this year will whiz by

School- I am into this semester and it is going by quickly.  As I said in the last blog, I have the most awesome schedule. First, I get to teach two speech classes.  The first speeches the kids do are just amazing.  I learn so much about their lives.  One thing I learn is that the Week Without Walls trip that each grade level takes in February is life changing. So many of these kids are not given the opportunity to socialize with their friends whenever they want, that a week long slumber party with leadership training where they have to step out of their comfort zone brings many ahha moments that become fond memories. As always, I am brought to tears a few times and feel like a proud mom. Next, I get to teach two classes of junior English- and that’s it. I get to concentrate on one level of English and am not overwhelmed by three levels as in last year. I am comfortable with this curriculum and have many tools in my toolbox so I will not have to spend weekends planning (although I will go in one day a weekend to grade). And lastly, I have the yearbook staff. I have recruited some talented young people to offset my deficiencies so I am confident it will be just fine.  As with anything with a deadline, the only thing I am worried about is the fact that seniors shut down about February. Hopefully, the seniors in yearbook will feel a sense of obligation and “get it done guilt gene” is still active from when I coached speech and debate.  My plan is to have an activity once a month so they have fun while doing all the work involved.

Mexican food- Since I have been back, I have had Mexican food four times. That is probably more than I have in the states in one month.  First, the most beautiful hotel I have even seen (The Governer’s Residence) has a Mexican buffet for $35.00 on Thursdays. This includes a ceviche bar, taco bar a salsa bar, a dessert bar and all the Coronas, margaritas and tequila shots a person wants. Picture a beautiful Myanmar girl walking around dressed in a Mexican outfit with a shot belt slung over her shoulder a you will have the scene in your head. It is an amazing meal with great friends. We have two Corona’s left in the bucket and since Myanmar beer is the only thing available to us, I am easily talked into putting the two extras in my purse.  The next day on my way to school I wonder why my bag is too heavy- and low and behold, I discover I forgot to remove them. Thank goodness no one inspects bags around here! 

My next Mexican fare is when I cook Taco Soup for the traveling happy hour and even though my rotel tomatoes and green chilis are in the hands of a Japanese security man, I manage to pull it off. 

On my weekend in Bangkok, I got my next taste of Tex-Mex. Needless to say, we ordered queso with chips), guacamole (with chips) and just plain chips- corn tortilla chips are like gold to us- but even so, three baskets of chips on the table is a little over-kill.

Yesterday, on a fabric hunt another teacher and I had Sai’s tacos. Not much to write home about, but in a pickle it will do.  So…  I am once again over Mexican food and back to a balance of the four food groups. 

Meeting New People- So on my quest to be more sociable this year (yes, I know I am already sociable but one can never tire of meeting new people) I have met some interesting folk. First, on a ladies night out, I was invited to sit at the table of a young couple (I have no idea why- they just told me to sit) and got to learn their blossoming love story; next, while in Bangkok, Jody, Courtney and I had a two hour conversation with a couple from Australia who are looking for investment opportunities in SEAsia (we will now become email pals as we are thinking of going to Australia in April). It is so fun to just strike up a conversation with strangers. I learn so much. I think, however, I might have taken it too far when I said hello to a Singali (sp- a man from Senegal). He took my friendliness as an opportunity to follow me around Bangkok asking for “favors”.   You live and learn.

Bangkok- I went to Bangkok for a series of tests at their famous Bummingrad Hospital. Thankfully everything turned up fine, but I am quite impressed with their facilities. There are stations throughout the hospital and it goes like this: First I check-in at station A. Then I go to the cashiers, station B. Next, station C is where I get blood drawn and vitals are checked.  Then I am escorted to the eye doctor (my eyes are perfect even though I cannot see anything out of my left eye) Next, a chest x-ray is taken and a consultation with a GP doctor. I have a pap smear (easiest EVER), a mammogram (worst EVER-remember Asian people are quite small-everywhere)  and an EKG. An ultrasound is taken and a urine and stool sample. Lastly, I am back to the GP and the results are discussed.  All this in just four hours and for $150.00 because of my insurance plan. The best news is the lump I found is nothing and I have no parasites in my system. So sad I just had to write the word parasite!!

Oh the innocence!  Student Council elections are in the works (no- I am not the sponsor) and several students ask me to help them with their speeches. I am reading one and his reason kids should vote for him is because of the extra “benefits” they will get. I chuckle. Then at the end, he says “Vote for me and all your wants and desires will be fulfilled.” I ask him if he really wants to use those words; he still looks at me like he does not know what I am talking about. He finally gets it and says, “No, Ms, Smith, I do not think they will take it that way. So sweet!  On the other hand, another student in his speech says, “… his pet anaconda does not discriminate; he will represent all.” Have I said how much I love these kids???

That’s all for now. Enjoy the pictures.

Reflections so far: 

1.     October break cannot come soon enough. I am so looking forward to hugging my family members that are visiting and seeing parts of Myanmar that I have not visited. As I get my list of things together that I am hoping they will bring to me, I keep deleting things. Most of the food I am going to ask for is stuff I need for potlucks with the staff- not for me.  My maid is an excellent cook and she is not one who smothers everything in a sauce. This will be a good year for me if I can avoid restaurants. Courtney says I am mean to myself.  I just read an article about confidence.  I think others see me differently than I see myself.  I am going to work on that this year even if I have to “fake it until I make it.”

2.     Looking back- The cleaners at our school are amazing. I think the one on our floor clean the two-stall restroom each hour. With that said, I have peed on the lid of the toilet and almost fallen into the toilet- all because I did not look back.  Sometimes it is important to look back to see how much one has learned. Where ever this journey takes me, it is my hope that I look back on it and see growth and progress; that I not only have a scrapbook of pictures to remind me of the places I have traveled, but also the wherewithal to figure out why certain people were brought into my life.

3.     Spoiled- In the last eight days I have had two foot massages (both in Bangkok in the matter of three days) and one body massage. I read an article on hugs and how the human touch releases endorphins so hugs are essential to that process. So when I am back in the states, I either need to get a job that pays enough for me to continue this process or find a man. J

4.     I miss my family and friends.  At the first of this journey I made lists of al the things I missed about America. Now as I reflect, it is only the people because when you get right down to it- it is the relationships we form in life that are the most important- all the rest is just stuff.

The ice bucket challenge hits Myanmar.  Courtney was challenged, accepted and took it to an extreme. This yellow water bucket had four bags of ice and was totally filled with local water (of which we have an abundance). 

 So funny.  I,  too, was challenged by my principal (what did I do wrong??) and think rather than donating money to this cause.  I will donate more money to the http://www.corymonzingofoundation.org.  I won a trip to Tahoe at their fundraiser with only the purchase of 5 - $10.00 raffle tickets.  Please click on the website and learn more about this underfunded form of cancer.

 Mexico comes to Myanmar.

 Lola is not longer in heat but now thinks she is a house dog.  I guess we will let her stay. At least there are no longer male dogs howling all night at our gate.

 I went material shopping on Saturday.  I am trying to fix up the guest room for Rebecca.  All this color and I choose black and white- go figure!

 I want this bad!  It is $20.00 a yard but hand made by the locals in the northern part of the country. It would make great throw pillows.

 So much local color seen when searching for places in a taxi. Every morning I see our guards sweeping the water, grass and street with these brooms trying to keep up with the falling leaves.

 thirty minutes of downpour and it is impossible to get through the streets.

 Thursday night at the local beer station. The new teachers are all so young!!

 Bangkok excursion to chatuchak market. We shopped for four hours (and did not even make it through one fourth of the place. Then we stopped for a foot massage.  So fun watching passerby's as we relaxed. Here is a link.  Click on images and you might get and idea of what it was like. Soooo much stuff all three of us had to hit the ATM.  chatuchak market bangkok

 A refreshing scoop of coconut ice cream. It is in its own shell and the lady scraped the sides of the shell so we would have fresh coconut slices with it. Yummo! here is Jody with here's.  My pictures was horrible so I am not sharing.

 Just a impromptu night out.