As writing my Princeton in Asia 3-month report forced me to accept, I have now been in Thailand for almost 4 months! That means that I have been teaching for almost 4 months, which means the first term is winding down and entering exam period. And THAT means one thing - VACATION. In Thailand, students, and therefore teachers, get a break between the 1st and 2nd term. According to the schedule I was given in June, students would take their exams October 1st - 5th, we would grade them and go over the answers October 8th - 10th, and the 10th would be my last day. We didn't really understand why students would come to school after they had finished exams, but because I only have to make an exam for 5/1, I wasn't about to complain. However, I should have realized that, like most everything here, that was merely a first draft. Here's how my week has shaped up and how my October will really be.
Monday: found out I have to give 5/1 their exam this week, not next week, despite the fact that I also started a new topic with them that day. also found out that I'm finished with the first term as soon as I'm finished grading the exam and writing their report cards
Tuesday - Today: scramble to put together a final exam
Tomorrow: give 5/1 their exam
Friday: party in 5/1
Weekend: grade 5/1's exam, watch the opening weekend of Nan's infamous boat races on the river (Each village has a boat that they built - the big boats can carry up to 60 people! it's like a crew race except with way more people and dragon heads on the front of the boats. and hopefully less spandex. I promise I'll take lots of pictures)
Monday - Tuesday: finish grading, write report cards, help clean up the English Resource Center (where my desk is) while Steph and Katie finish giving/grading their exams
Wedneday, October 3: probably head to Chiang Mai to drink Starbucks and watch movies in English
Friday, October 5: my birthday! celebrate in Chiang Mai with my roommates
Sunday, October 7: MADRE ARRIVES!!!!!!!!!!!!! jakfdjlfkadlfjdafkjdk
Monday, October 8 - Sunday, October 21st: tour Thailand with madre. places to visit - Nan, Chiang Mai, Pai, Mae Hong Son, Phuket (!), Bangkok, etc.
Monday, October 22nd - Tuesday, October 23rd: hang out in BKK. repeat Starbucks and movies in English.
Wednesday, October 24th - Tuesday, October 30: HANG OUT IN SINGAPORE WITH KIRAN!! and kendall will be there at the same time too! A200 reunion, international style.
Wednesday, October 31st - travel back to Nan
Thursday, November 1st - Back to school to begin term 2.
So, all in all, that involves at most 2 days of work in the entire month of October, neither of which I will spend in the classroom.
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4 comments:
that sounds like an amazing fantastical adventure of a month, but can we talk about the idea that made me basically fall out of my body: that in a week you will actually be GIVING final exams instead of TAKING them?! You will be the one giving the grades! YOU!
I think my brain just exploded...
oh ajarn. I miss you and starbucks and movies. maybe I can meet you in nan for one soon. please take lots of pics of everything and kiran and madre and everything so it will be like I am there. I want to have an african family reunion except I am the only one here.
Look, I signed up for this thing. I felt like commenting. I should be doing copious amounts of school work at the moment, but I can't focus.
Oh yeah, I got an Xbox 360 and Halo 3. It's awesome. Mom's excited that she is heading over there. I'm excited for her. She needs a break. But time to go train VWC soccer and then my guys. Oh yeah, we play Lynchburg tomorrow night. Should be a great game. I want to beat them badly.
p00pf00t
Looks like your having way too much fun in the classroom. Your students are lucky they've got you and they seem to know it! Good blog page with lots of pictures of you and the students...
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