The (Fourth) First Week of School: A Long-Awaited Visit

Well, I'm back in Thailand now. The first week of school has gone by like any other. It's nice to be back! This year doesn't seem as hot, although I'm told the two weeks before I returned have been awful. I don't know if the weather is cooler, or if I'm just finally starting to adjust to it. It's like my predecessor, Grant me when I asked if you ever get used to the heat. "No", he replied, "you just get used to being miserable."

This year I'm a full-time teacher with a regular faculty position like any of the Thai teachers. That comes with a bit of extra work and duties, such as managing more directly the new American teachers and staying late after school one night a week to make sure all the students get home. I'll also be a club sponsor this year. The benefits are great though. In addition to a higher salary, I also get to move away from the apartment I had shared with the other American teachers to a new condo just 15-minutes walk from my school and with a great 23rd floor view of Siam area downtown! All in all, it's pretty nice!

my new view from the 23rd floor!

This year did start with a long-awaited visit from the woman who sent me to Thailand in the first place, Professor Kay Mueller! After four years away, she finally had the chance to come to Bangkok and see her Americans at work. After three springs of working closely with her arranging the school orientation, handling visas, and helping out, it was great to see her so happy in Thailand!



Professor Kay took all of us out for a seafood dinner at Asiatique, the riverside night market, on the weekend before our first days of class. All of the new teachers seem to be handling the jetlag quite well, and are happily (I hope!) adjusting to life in Thailand. It can be challenging, but it's certainly full of rewards as well. I hope their time here is as wonderful as mine has been. And it's all directly thanks to Professor Kay. Without her, I never would be where I am today!

The class week went fairly smoothly, considering how hectic the first week of school generally can be. This year I'm teaching more of the older classes. My youngest group now are M3, the Freshmen. I taught them last year, so they already know me, which makes teaching them a bit easier. I'm also teaching M5 Main, who I taught in M2 my first year. Now I have the small core group of the top students, which is going to be a lot of fun. I'm also teaching a reading class and my senior writing course as well. It's looking like it's going to be a great schedule!

So here's to Year Four! Let's hope it's the best one yet!