Taste Testing

The following week consisted of my continuing to get used to teaching and beginning to learn all 60 of my students name. It is easier for me that they all have nicknames but not English so it's still tough to learn them. The most popular name of my students in Pooh. I have four of them in total. I do not have any funny names as some of the other teachers do. Some names that I have heard are talkshow, lobster, salmon, so funny!

Luckily the teachers I have been working with are so great and supportive. I work immediately with two other teachers and we do all of our planning together so they made my teaching adjustment so much easier. I have such an appreciation for teachers now. There is more work behind the scenes then I ever imagined. Lertlah has their curriculum based on the Manitoba curriculum in Canada. Not exactly sure how the relationship began but it seems to be working very well.

Each teacher is required to work two Saturday classes a semester. Luckily they are paid and it's not too painful. Students who's parents want them to get extra practice have their children attend Saturday class from 9-12. It is quite unbelievable how much school these kids go to. They rarely have time to just play and relax. The new generation of children seem to be having the same problem as the Western world. The children are no longer getting outside during the little free time that they have. They are playing on computers and it is beginning to show. There are quite a few large children at Lertlah as well as the rest of Thailand. It's interesting because my perception of Asians has always been skinny and now that is changing especially for the upcoming generation.

Anyway, after Saturday class I went downtown with some people and ate my first bug! Eating bugs is a huge thing in Thailand. The bugs range from little larva, which I had to larger bugs like scorpions, crickets, water bugs and such. My larva was quite tasty. It was fluffy like a puff chip or something. But, I could not handle any of the other bugs that were being sold on the cart. Khaosan road is known as the home to all backpackers. It is a fun place to visit. Its the main road in one part of Bangkok that all foreign travelers go to. There are all kinds of things for sale and the street is lined with bars and restaurants as well as mines, sellers and other performers.

Definitely worth a visit when coming to Thailand!