 |
| Flag Assembly. Roughly 30-45 minutes every morning. All 3000 students stand for most of it. Sitting, you can get a feeling of how many there are. |
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Pictures at the end of the school year in March.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
A REAL Thai conflict
I don't know everything that is going on, but me and Sarah had asked to take a few of our "personal days" to on a trip to Laos with my Uncle Marty who lives in Bangladesh. This was the only time he could do it.
I understood personal days to be effectively vacation days. You let the boss know ahead of time, ask if it's okay. We did. And we got approval. But apparently that wasn't enough.
The people that cover us when we are out are our Thai teacher's assistants. But they are rebelling against us now in the way Thais do. I got out of there when I heard they were so upset (the correct Thai response). Sarah unfortunately got attacked Thai-style and I'm not sure what happened. I just know that they might make it their business to make the rest of the time at this school as difficult as possible.
Sorry to give such a cryptic blog entry. Don't worry, things will work out and be alright in the end. I'll try to give more specific details as I get on top of this.
I understood personal days to be effectively vacation days. You let the boss know ahead of time, ask if it's okay. We did. And we got approval. But apparently that wasn't enough.
The people that cover us when we are out are our Thai teacher's assistants. But they are rebelling against us now in the way Thais do. I got out of there when I heard they were so upset (the correct Thai response). Sarah unfortunately got attacked Thai-style and I'm not sure what happened. I just know that they might make it their business to make the rest of the time at this school as difficult as possible.
Sorry to give such a cryptic blog entry. Don't worry, things will work out and be alright in the end. I'll try to give more specific details as I get on top of this.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Conflict in the Office!
Introduction: Cultural Context
In Thailand conflict is looked down upon and losing your cool is looked down upon. All problems are solved through subtlety and going through other people. It's because a lot is based around the idea of losing face. When there is an office problem, you can't negotiate directly because that would be confronting the problem, and confronting the problem is conflict. In conflict someone has to lose face. Things are much better off and everyone will feel better in the end if they trust that social moors and the social system can fix things over time with patience and indirect communication. And a lot of gossip.
The Conflict
So there is something called English Camp. It is basically three days and two nights that are in a retreat area for the whole English Program grades 1-6, teachers included. We are responsible for students from sun up to sun down and for planning everything to a fine detail. In reality it isn't that bad, partially since we are promised a bonus (of an undetermined amount). Two years ago the bonus was 4000 baht ($133, or an extra 13% of our monthly salary). One year ago the bonus was 1500 baht ($50, or an extra 5% of our monthly salary). This year we have finished the English Camp and the rumor is that we will get no bonus for it this year.
This is generally considered a good school, but I have been hearing a lot of bitching. Me and Sarah are BY FAR the most inexperienced teachers here. The average number of years of experience teaching English here is about 6 or 7. People have been saying that though this place was a "10" in terms of how they treat the foreigners in past years, this year has been a "6." This is very interesting stuff.
The Facts:
The main problem that occurs at any Thai government school is a large amount of monetary skimming that occurs. The lowest teachers make around 8000 baht a month (A little more than $250). But the white foreign teachers often start around 30,000. Higher people on the administration ladder have unknown salaries, so they probably go pretty high. Foreign teachers, especially more experienced and loyal teachers, have been asking for a raise (for all of us). And consistently there is no answer or the answer is a comparison answer. For example, "But in SiSaket they pay 25000 baht/month." In reality in SiSaket they consistently run the same ads over and over again and never get someone at that pay rate.
Earlier this year the department planned a trip to Chiang Mai (a trip we all WANTED to go on). They canceled the trip, saying that they would use they money for a trip to Vietnam next year. Some people think that this is another skimming thing.
This semester we have had very little teaching time due to so many trips and events that foreign teachers have to participate in (in addition to their other duties). Some people say this is another skimming thing. (The idea is that you allot X amount of money for an excursion or event, pay less than the amount you allotted, and then pocket the remainder. The more excursions and events, the more chances to skim.)
The school year was lengthened by another week or two without much notice.
Some time we were told there was going to be no school (about 10 calender days) was canceled and we held school.
In the same week that exams are due (a very frustrating process) they added a lot of new duties that we had to do for the week.
Commentary and Analysis
There are other things, but this is the list. It's very interesting both as a study of Thai culture but also as a study of when two cultures collide. Some people say we should not stand for a lot of this because if we let it go then other schools in the city will pull some of this too (they say this for good reason). I personally am not all that mad over everything. It's a job, I get paid on time. Sure it's unfair, but I get away with a lot too, and I am expected to. The employee and the employer in Thailand have different rights and powers that are separate from each other and balance each other out more or less. The employer says to do this that and the other; the employee drags his or her feet or calls in sick or say "I didn't know" when they didn't do something they needed to do. And all employees--Thai and foreign do this. But because we are foreigners we have a hard time expressing what we want and need, but they also let us get away with a lot of things that bother them. Some foreigners just don't like playing the game, or don't recognize that it's there.
Anyway interesting stuff. I thought I would let you know.
In Thailand conflict is looked down upon and losing your cool is looked down upon. All problems are solved through subtlety and going through other people. It's because a lot is based around the idea of losing face. When there is an office problem, you can't negotiate directly because that would be confronting the problem, and confronting the problem is conflict. In conflict someone has to lose face. Things are much better off and everyone will feel better in the end if they trust that social moors and the social system can fix things over time with patience and indirect communication. And a lot of gossip.
The Conflict
So there is something called English Camp. It is basically three days and two nights that are in a retreat area for the whole English Program grades 1-6, teachers included. We are responsible for students from sun up to sun down and for planning everything to a fine detail. In reality it isn't that bad, partially since we are promised a bonus (of an undetermined amount). Two years ago the bonus was 4000 baht ($133, or an extra 13% of our monthly salary). One year ago the bonus was 1500 baht ($50, or an extra 5% of our monthly salary). This year we have finished the English Camp and the rumor is that we will get no bonus for it this year.
This is generally considered a good school, but I have been hearing a lot of bitching. Me and Sarah are BY FAR the most inexperienced teachers here. The average number of years of experience teaching English here is about 6 or 7. People have been saying that though this place was a "10" in terms of how they treat the foreigners in past years, this year has been a "6." This is very interesting stuff.
The Facts:
The main problem that occurs at any Thai government school is a large amount of monetary skimming that occurs. The lowest teachers make around 8000 baht a month (A little more than $250). But the white foreign teachers often start around 30,000. Higher people on the administration ladder have unknown salaries, so they probably go pretty high. Foreign teachers, especially more experienced and loyal teachers, have been asking for a raise (for all of us). And consistently there is no answer or the answer is a comparison answer. For example, "But in SiSaket they pay 25000 baht/month." In reality in SiSaket they consistently run the same ads over and over again and never get someone at that pay rate.
Earlier this year the department planned a trip to Chiang Mai (a trip we all WANTED to go on). They canceled the trip, saying that they would use they money for a trip to Vietnam next year. Some people think that this is another skimming thing.
This semester we have had very little teaching time due to so many trips and events that foreign teachers have to participate in (in addition to their other duties). Some people say this is another skimming thing. (The idea is that you allot X amount of money for an excursion or event, pay less than the amount you allotted, and then pocket the remainder. The more excursions and events, the more chances to skim.)
The school year was lengthened by another week or two without much notice.
Some time we were told there was going to be no school (about 10 calender days) was canceled and we held school.
In the same week that exams are due (a very frustrating process) they added a lot of new duties that we had to do for the week.
Commentary and Analysis
There are other things, but this is the list. It's very interesting both as a study of Thai culture but also as a study of when two cultures collide. Some people say we should not stand for a lot of this because if we let it go then other schools in the city will pull some of this too (they say this for good reason). I personally am not all that mad over everything. It's a job, I get paid on time. Sure it's unfair, but I get away with a lot too, and I am expected to. The employee and the employer in Thailand have different rights and powers that are separate from each other and balance each other out more or less. The employer says to do this that and the other; the employee drags his or her feet or calls in sick or say "I didn't know" when they didn't do something they needed to do. And all employees--Thai and foreign do this. But because we are foreigners we have a hard time expressing what we want and need, but they also let us get away with a lot of things that bother them. Some foreigners just don't like playing the game, or don't recognize that it's there.
Anyway interesting stuff. I thought I would let you know.
Friday, January 6, 2012
Trip to Bangkok for New Year's, and top 9 photos of Savannahket and Ban Pa Ao
So Sarah had never taken a sleeper car on the Thailand railway (it's awesome). We took one and she found it was awesome. We got to Bangkok and took some of the Chinatown "walking tour" in Lonely Planet. Drank fresh-squeezed pomegranate juice--very tasty. Then we took a commuter-boat up to near where our hotel is. Though the hotel was pretty awesome, the room was a little small (though stylish) and the roof/jacuzzi were closed--that was probably why the room was so cheap. We hoped to spend New Years Eve on the top of a skyscraper in one of Bangkok's famous sky-bars but it was very nice and needed tickets when we got there. We went to a nice little bar in Sukumvit where Sarah tried Amaretto for the first time and LOVED it.
On New Year's day we ate lunch at this beautiful seafood restaurant that is run by the Thai navy. It has a beautiful outdoor seating area where you can see the river, boats passing by and several Wats including Wat Arun along the other shore. It was quite beautiful, and the steamed mussels we got there were simply amazing! Later we decided to go see our first English movie in theaters in months. We decided on Mission Impossible which was awesome, and I believe we watched it in IMAX. I wish I had asked about the couples' love seats in the back of the theater because the don't usually cost much more money. The movie was at the "newist, glistiest" mall in Bangkok, Siam Paragon. It has the largest aquarium in Southeast Asia in the basement, a live band and fish tanks in the food court, as well as the largest English book store in Thailand.
The next day I got up really early and took the ferry to its northern-most stop Nonthaburi where the largest market in the area was, and got some awesome street dim sum. Then I took a nap back at the hotel before we checked out. We left to go to the longest-recommended restaurant in Bangkok by Lonely Planet, Royal India, but it was closed for New Year's so we went to the next one that we could find and it was quite good. Then we went to meet Kelly on Sukumvit Soi 11 to eat tapas (first time for me me and Sarah). The sangria was amazing. And then rushed to the subway (the only Bangkok mass transport system we had never used) to catch our train home.
Great vacation. Happy New Year!
Top 9 photos of Ban Pa Ao(village in Ubon Ratchathani province) and Savannahket (city in Laos where we went to get our working visas)
A wat at Ban Pa Oa.
Rice field is certainly beautiful. The ominous clouds are because this was taken during the rainy season.
A little road between villages.
Cow
The Mekong River, view from Savannahket, Laos.
The dusty, dirty street that goes along the Mekong.
Sarah, having fun in the dinosaur museum.
Sarah, as Vanna White.
On New Year's day we ate lunch at this beautiful seafood restaurant that is run by the Thai navy. It has a beautiful outdoor seating area where you can see the river, boats passing by and several Wats including Wat Arun along the other shore. It was quite beautiful, and the steamed mussels we got there were simply amazing! Later we decided to go see our first English movie in theaters in months. We decided on Mission Impossible which was awesome, and I believe we watched it in IMAX. I wish I had asked about the couples' love seats in the back of the theater because the don't usually cost much more money. The movie was at the "newist, glistiest" mall in Bangkok, Siam Paragon. It has the largest aquarium in Southeast Asia in the basement, a live band and fish tanks in the food court, as well as the largest English book store in Thailand.
The next day I got up really early and took the ferry to its northern-most stop Nonthaburi where the largest market in the area was, and got some awesome street dim sum. Then I took a nap back at the hotel before we checked out. We left to go to the longest-recommended restaurant in Bangkok by Lonely Planet, Royal India, but it was closed for New Year's so we went to the next one that we could find and it was quite good. Then we went to meet Kelly on Sukumvit Soi 11 to eat tapas (first time for me me and Sarah). The sangria was amazing. And then rushed to the subway (the only Bangkok mass transport system we had never used) to catch our train home.
Great vacation. Happy New Year!
Top 9 photos of Ban Pa Ao(village in Ubon Ratchathani province) and Savannahket (city in Laos where we went to get our working visas)
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Top 10 photos from looking for a city to live in, first two weeks in Thailand
The outside of a cool Chinese temple in Korat (formal name: Nakhon Ratchasima). This city is about 2 hours east of Bangkok or so.
A typical Manga (Japanese comicbook) store in Korat.
Sarah screwing around in the big mall in Korat. The name of the mall in Korat is "The Mall." It has an English-speaking movie theater, a convention hall, Annie Anne's, and a miniature water park.
Cute dog in Korat.
This is actually inside the house of a monk. This monk heard that a cave was going to be blown up or something so he collected all the stalagmites/stalactites and glued them all over his house and then put a lot of Buddha statues in. The outside just looks like a house. It's pretty neat.
Thung Si Meung, the park at the center of Ubon Ratchathani. This was probably one of the most compelling things that Ubon had going for it when we chose to live here.
The park in Ubon.
The park in Ubon. The statue in the background is supposed to be a boat with a large candle on top. There is actually something called the candle festival that they put on every year around September.
Stop petting the dogs, Sarah!
The lake at Khon Kaen. Huge, beautiful. We revisited Khon Kaen recently, and it is certainly a large, romantic city.
My Birthday in Thailand
Today is December 29, 2011. Yesterday was my birthday. Tomorrow me and Sarah will be hopping on an overnight train to Bangkok to be there for the huge New Year's festivities and to enjoy our 4-day weekend. Which reminds me...I have to pack my bathing suit.
Yesterday was a fairly normal day at the office, though me and Sarah were trying to make reservations for the train and the hotel room in Bangkok for two nights. We decided that we have enough extra money to splerg on a $30/night hotel room, and we happened to find a really good one. It is normally $60/night, air conditioning, a rooftop tanning area, and an outdoor Jacuzzi. The train will include beds with a nice curtain to make it private. Sleeping on a train with those fold out beds is one of my favorite things to do in Thailand, and it only costs around $20 each way for an 11 hour journey. We will probably be livin' it up more or less in Bangkok, though our hotel isn't really near anything special (except Khao San Rd.). It's Diamond Hotel for anyone nosy enough to look it up (I'm looking at you Dad). Yesterday was wrapped up with a lot of frustrations because making reservations for anything on the internet for Thai services can be a real hassle, but everything is fine now.
After work we went to celebrate my birthday by going across the river to the so-called best of the "floating restaurants"--restaurants that float on the river, just like they sound like. It was very good. The curry made with coconut milk was very good and sweet while the cashew chicken is probably unbeatable for my experience. It was nice to just look out on the water through the night...
Today we looked at a house for rent. $130/month. 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, pretty standard, though the price seems to be a little low. We had looked at a old-Thai-style wooden house near our school, but this one is cement so it deals with weather variations much better. When we were touring it I was kind of intimidated by the size and grandiosity of it. For a Westerner it isn't much to look at, a little dirty and a little messy, but for me it is a dream come true. No installed air conditioning yet, but the rest of the house is basically furnished. If I understand the Thai correctly, it comes with a Queen-size mattress, a twin size bed, several wardrobes, a full refrigerator, a butane stove, and a hot-water heater. The kitchen is separated from the rest of the house (as is customary Thai style) but it is fully enclosed, so we don't have to worry about the bugs (in theory) inside or outside the house. It is a duplex, but it is fenced all around (including barbed wire!) with enough placed to put locks to make me happy. It has a drivewayish thing, a full beautiful front porch area, a beautiful large living room (where the original air conditioner used to be), and a back room for storage. We could conceivably have a living room, two full bathrooms, a classroom for private teaching (if we so chose), a master bedroom, and a guestroom! The living room is certainly big enough to put in a table and chairs to have meals on. It's not too far from the school, and so unless I'm missing something, this is a damn good situation! Too bad we are leaving tomorrow or else we could probably put down the deposit and start buying things and start making plans and packing up to move in.
So, good day.
Sorry no second round of pictures, I'll put some in soon!
Yesterday was a fairly normal day at the office, though me and Sarah were trying to make reservations for the train and the hotel room in Bangkok for two nights. We decided that we have enough extra money to splerg on a $30/night hotel room, and we happened to find a really good one. It is normally $60/night, air conditioning, a rooftop tanning area, and an outdoor Jacuzzi. The train will include beds with a nice curtain to make it private. Sleeping on a train with those fold out beds is one of my favorite things to do in Thailand, and it only costs around $20 each way for an 11 hour journey. We will probably be livin' it up more or less in Bangkok, though our hotel isn't really near anything special (except Khao San Rd.). It's Diamond Hotel for anyone nosy enough to look it up (I'm looking at you Dad). Yesterday was wrapped up with a lot of frustrations because making reservations for anything on the internet for Thai services can be a real hassle, but everything is fine now.
After work we went to celebrate my birthday by going across the river to the so-called best of the "floating restaurants"--restaurants that float on the river, just like they sound like. It was very good. The curry made with coconut milk was very good and sweet while the cashew chicken is probably unbeatable for my experience. It was nice to just look out on the water through the night...
Today we looked at a house for rent. $130/month. 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, pretty standard, though the price seems to be a little low. We had looked at a old-Thai-style wooden house near our school, but this one is cement so it deals with weather variations much better. When we were touring it I was kind of intimidated by the size and grandiosity of it. For a Westerner it isn't much to look at, a little dirty and a little messy, but for me it is a dream come true. No installed air conditioning yet, but the rest of the house is basically furnished. If I understand the Thai correctly, it comes with a Queen-size mattress, a twin size bed, several wardrobes, a full refrigerator, a butane stove, and a hot-water heater. The kitchen is separated from the rest of the house (as is customary Thai style) but it is fully enclosed, so we don't have to worry about the bugs (in theory) inside or outside the house. It is a duplex, but it is fenced all around (including barbed wire!) with enough placed to put locks to make me happy. It has a drivewayish thing, a full beautiful front porch area, a beautiful large living room (where the original air conditioner used to be), and a back room for storage. We could conceivably have a living room, two full bathrooms, a classroom for private teaching (if we so chose), a master bedroom, and a guestroom! The living room is certainly big enough to put in a table and chairs to have meals on. It's not too far from the school, and so unless I'm missing something, this is a damn good situation! Too bad we are leaving tomorrow or else we could probably put down the deposit and start buying things and start making plans and packing up to move in.
So, good day.
Sorry no second round of pictures, I'll put some in soon!
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Day in the Life+Pictures!
DAY IN THE LIFE
Yesterday in the afternoon the kids had a model market where they brought things to school to sell to the other students. Except they were using real money. So it was not a model market, it was a real market. Would never work in America, but it's really cool that they do it here.
Believe it or not one of the most common things I do here is take a break to go to the 7-11 with a coworker or two and get coffee or tea (thai style, quite good, though not as good as the non 7-11 version as you would imagine). The 7-11's have a lot of good stuff. The ice cream they have there is especially good.
I am really starting to enjoy teaching my English classes, though not as much the other subjects. I really feel like they can learn and I can teach them; they are smart and driven kids. Their pronunciation isn't too bad, and they can read and write a heck of a lot better than 90% of Thais.
PICTURES Part 1: Top 10 pictures of first landing in Bangkok
 |
| Close up of little tiny ant sculptures. |
 |
| This is the most famous/popular sight in Thailand. (Grand Palace, and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha area.) |
 |
| Inside there. |
 |
| Sight of the river while climbing Temple Arun, famous temple. |
 |
| View of the stairs looking down (their quite tall, steep, and scary). |
 |
| Picture from the top of the temple (it's quite high). |
 |
| View of the stairs looking down (quite steep, quite strenuous). |
 |
| View from Wat Arun. |
 |
| View looking up the stairs of Wat Arun. |
 |
| Sarah! Stop picking up the feral cats! |
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)