This post doesn’t require a lot of explanation, but there are two points I should make. The first is that in most schools Mattayom 3 students (call them… 9th graders) don’t graduate– they would simply move up to Mattayom 4 in their same school and be forced to wait three more long years until they complete Mattayom 6 to be rewarded with a graduation ceremony. But our school only goes up to Mattayom 3, meaning all those wide-eyed, eager 14-year-olds are about to take that next big step forward– to a new high school! I too changed high schools as a 14-year-old, and it wasn’t the easiest experience of my life, but these guys will be moving ahead with a bunch of their friends so I wish them all the best.
The second point is that, despite all my well-wishing and the fact that I was given the honor of tying white bands around the wrists of a few students (the ‘ceremony’ pretty much consisted only of teachers tying bands on the wrists of students), I don’t teach Mattayom 3 and don’t know any of these students, so it wasn’t a particularly emotional time for me. But there were pictures and it was a special day, all things considered, so I must postpone the Pak Meng post and keep you waiting for all those darling pictures of Ollie playing the river rat just a bit longer.
i'd left my bike at the school the night before because it was raining so hard. when we arrived the next morning it wasn't where i left it and i started to worry. then i saw it in this display and was happy to have found it but a bit worried someone thought it was a prize donation...
but it was just for fun, i guess. then p'dum had me pose with it haha. (recognize the dress, andrea?! i love it!)
this one's for you, jess.
for those who didn’t catch the reference.
leave him alone for 5 minutes and he's already running off with two thai ladies...
observing from above.
making conversation with the students i got to 'bless'. (also how stoked does the guy next to me look? that's pretty much his permanent expression, even when he seems to actually be happy.)
grace giving her blessing.
our director, chok dee (whose name means 'good luck' or 'lucky') participating.
shirt-signing party
with some of my m2s. still got another term with these ones!
And there you have it. We’ve just finished our first week of the “Summer School”-esque tomfoolery we’ve been roped into and I guess it wasn’t too bad. Can definitely handle two more weeks before shoving out to Bali. Started researching accommodation yesterday and it’s got me quite excited! Two more weeks… two more weeks…
[and] i'm [STILL] having the THAIme of my life! 