New Teacher Orientation
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3:Leah and I woke up at the crack again this morning, we've been averaging around 4:30 am for our wake up times. We went down to the gym and checked our email in the hotel lobby. We're excited to be moving into our new apartment tomorrow! This hotel/living-out-of-a-bag routine is getting old.
The bus for the New Staff Orientation at TCIS picked us up at 8:00 am and we were off to school to open bank accounts and take a campus tour. After all of that excitement, we had a culture shock presentation, which was pretty interesting. The wildest thing we learned during the presentation was that our students would be "greng jai", which loosely translates into considerate. Apparently, they do not want to make people feel uncomfortable or hurt anybody's feelings, so they are very polite to their teachers. This is something I'll have to get used to after working with middle school US students last year! Other things we learned are to never write the Thai students names in red; I guess it's a sign of something blood/death and means something bad is going to happen to you.
In the late afternoon, we had an hour of Thai lessons. Now, that is going to be a difficult language to learn! It'll be much easier to get around if I can at least speak Thai a little bit. For example, in a cab it's nice to know how to say "turn right" and "turn left", which are "leaw kwa" and "leaw sai". Go is "pai", stop is "jod", and straight is "trong". I have down yes "chai", no "mai", thank you "khop khun ka", and hello "sawasdee ka" (also used for good morning/afternoon/evening). Here's a list, in case you'd like to practice:
How are you? kun sabai dee mai
I'm fine. chan sabai dee
Sorry. khor thod / sia jai (jai = heart)
Excuse me. khor thod
You're welcome. yin dee
See you again. leaw jer kan
Goodbye. leaw
What is your name? khun cheu a-rai
My name is... chan cheu...
Never mind. mai pen rai (aka "not at all" and recommended for use when a waiter asks you if you'd like your food spicy!)
THURSDAY, AUGUST 4:Leah and I woke up this morning and were sooo happy to pack up for the last time. We put our bags in the Avana Hotel storage and headed off to school for day 2 of New Teacher Orientation. We reviewed the faculty and parent/student handbooks (BORING!, but something you do at every new school) and received our computer logins and keys for our classrooms. It was nice to see where we'd be spending our days for the next two years.
After that was handled, it was time for lunch and time for Leah and I to head to the Avana Hotel, grab our bags, sign our new apartment lease, drop off our deposit, and move our things into our rooms. We were thrilled to do so and were able to get a little settled in the three hours we had to spare before heading back to TCIS. Our new administrators, Dr. John and Dr. Lalima, wanted us to return for a one-hour Thai lesson. It was a lot of running around for a one-hour lesson, but the lesson was funny and the 40 minute cab ride from our apartment to school was only $4 US (160 baht). Can't beat those taxi prices!
During our Thai lessons, they covered everything from getting abrasions and cuts to Dengue Fever. They warned us of "Chinese Restaurant Syndrome" and yes, it was in quotes, which dealt with MSG. We had a few laughs and really cracked up when Cream, the Thai instructor, told us that if we go out and mix wine and beer, "you die". Now, we all knew she meant that we'd get sick, but the dying part was a riot! She also said if we ate a certain type of fruit seen everywhere on the streets and in the market with beer, "you die". That's doubtful, but I guess they use "die" as a figure of speech for getting sick. Kinda humorous :)
Leah and I were happy to get home and get more settled. We went to their version of a WalMart, called Tesco, and bought a bunch of stuff, hauling it back in a cab and looking ridiculous to those waiting for the bus, as we squeezed by with huge bags and shower curtain rods! We made it back to the apartment and, as usual, the security guards were laughing at us. If only we could understand Thai! Maybe we don't want to know :) We were extremely exhausted and feel asleep early.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 5:
It was great to wake up in our new place and head off to school! I feel so much more settled. At school today we took care of things like the Provident Fund (retirement and savings plan) and heath care (BCBS or TIE Care). Basically the PF works similar to those in the US. We can put up to 7% in a low risk savings plan before taxes and TCIS will match it at 7%. We will get 50% of their match if we teach at TCIS for 3 years and 100% if we stay for 5 years. It's a good way for me not to spend everything I make and it would be nice to get the cash from TCIS if I stay long enough to earn it. We'll see.
As for the health care, BCBS is the included health plan and sufficient for those without pre-existing. If you have "conditions", the best route is TIE Care, which costs an additional $100/month. BCBS is sufficient to handle anything that would happen to you while here. Health care is excellent, most of the doctors are trained in the US and Canada, and many un-insured North Americans travel to Bangkok for services. Surgery here will only run you about $100 US. Apparently, 60 Minutes had a special on Bamrungrad International Hospital in Bangkok and were praising it for it's services and prices. I guess it's like a hotel and expats rave about the services. Dental work is the same. They have excellent docs and the prices are fabulous even without insurance.
We had a lot of time to work in our classrooms and get settled. I opened the top drawer of my desk and was surprised to find a GIANT cockroach! I had one of the male teachers kill it for me. Those ugly creatures freak me out! I don't know that I'll ever get used to them.
Afterward some work in our rooms, we took the bus home, shopping along the way for more stuff for the apartment, and returned exhausted again. We plan to do more shopping this weekend, but things are pretty much all set up. We need some dishes and odds and ends, but other than that, we're set!