The Hungarian Padthai

  This story started more than a year ago. I hardly mentioned it to anyone (only nowadays start to open up about it), first, because I don't like to be in the spotlight, second, because I rarely think that I'm good at something (which basically has to do with the first one: that's the reason I don't like to be in the spotlight).  Anyway, one day as I was aimlessly walking up and down the streets in Saraburi, I discovered the music school. I learnt piano for about ten years. I decided that it was enough for me and I needed a different challenge. I knew that I needed to do something, mostly for my mental health, and anyway, all the time we learn something new, it's good for us, isn't it? As I entered the KPN Saraburi building, I saw a saxophone. I wanted to try out. Not because I had always wanted to try it, just, you know, for something, for some fun. To test me, and my limits.  I never forget the first moment, as I sat down. I got a free class to start with beca...

 There is a Finnish poem which says the Christmas is only in the hearts of people and it is when we want it. This is how I feel tonight.  It's Christmas Eve. I miss my family, mostly my dear sister and my dear cousins but in general, Christmas in 2020 would be different anyway. It's not about the festivities - and maybe, hopefully, this year it will change it for us forever, that it should be in our hearts. Even if it disappeared from it at some point.  Christmas is when we want it - says the poem and sadly I don't remember who wrote it. Christmas is when our beloved ones run towards us. Christmas is in the heart when you see someone that you love smile at you - or see someone think of you but s/he doesn't realize it that you're watching him / her yet. It's the feeling, and the warmth of the love.  I am grateful to have so many friends to think of and talk to during this night. I don't feel myself lonely even if "I should be": my family are far awa...

  Last week before the 3-week holiday and I prepared a project with Grade 9. Of course, it was all about Harry Potter as they wished it. I divided the class into the real Harry Potter houses and the first task was to draw their house's coat of arms. Then I asked the other teachers, my colleagues to vote for the best one - which one they liked the best. You can see, here is the end product. (9A and 9B - therefore the 2 sets of drawings).  They of course had other tasks, as well: they had to plan their magical beast and draw it, then present it, bring a passport picture and then draw themselves as a Hogwarts-students and I managed to find some wordsearch for them, as well.  I'm not a genius or anything to have found out these many activities for them, I got them  from here  . Please use them in your class, too - they are really cool! :-) In 9A, Ravenclaw got the first place, whereas in the other class Gryffindor came to the first place! Congratulations, guys! :-)...

  This entry is later than a month: but I only had time to write about it now. On the 6th of November, right after coming back from the holiday, we celebrated the day of Ajarn Samai who founded our school. His dream and vision was to establish an English-speaking school where non-Thai kids can also learn (and those who wish to learn in English but their mother tongue is Thai, as well). The whole school gathered in the main building's aula, and after singing a couple of songs, or listening to my student who is the President of the Student Council, both teachers and students were required to staple up their thoughts on the school. The result became this, as you can see: a board, full of hearts, full of good thoughts and memories. It was really a good way to show gratefulness. Some students wrote that they are grateful because they met their good friends here or that they learnt really good English here, and so on. :-) It was really touching to see all the students move up to the boar...

 1) Wildlife:  The other day, I went to the market place and this water monitor was just casually swimming in the channel near the river (or should I say brook?) located close to the market place. I'm already good friends with water monitors so I did not care - also this one was a smaller example of them, look:  This message however, on School's chat was more terrifying:  2) Public transportation Public transportation as such is non-existent nor in Saraburi, but I tend to believe that it goes for the entire country as well. Also, take that into account or consideration that I count as illiterate here, since I do not know the signs and letters, so even if I wanted to, couldn't figure out the train timetable. Add to that the ton of misinformation and misdirection that is usual in Thailand (but honestly in any other countries in Asia). So mostly, I rely on my friends when it comes to travel. However, the Ministry of Traffic is trying to implement new rules and regulatio...

 Yesterday I went out to celebrate the real Loy Krathong which is basically the celebration of the river. All the people are floating different ornaments on it, wishing good luck and thanking the river at the same time for bringing them water and thus food. The little ornament - as you can see - consists of natural materials: banana leaves and flowers. Then incent sticks are put into it with a candle to light it up. It's really beautiful.  As you can see from the picture, the whole riverside was closed down so that no cars could enter, the streets there were made into pedestrian streets. There were huge ornaments, too - made by the municipiality I guess - which were probably flown down later on that evening. It truly had a spiritual mood! :-) It was really a pleasure to check that out.  I went there with a new friend around 6-ish and left around 7, but later on at night, I got back to the place and it was - by that time - stuffed with people already! Anyway. Here are some...

Needless to say that it was very difficult to get used to waking up at 6 am again and going to school. Luckily, on the first day, (26th of October), we only had teacher training day, and on Thursday and Friday this week, we had Thai Days - because of the Loy Kratong (coming up this weekend). We had an active 2 days! :-)  (On another note, on the teacher's day we had a lot of meetings, plus, two fun games periods, where we played touchball and then volleyball. About the volleyball: well, the others played it, I didn't. I really don't like to play volleyball..... :PPPPP as it's very hurtful.) Okay, so anyway, on the thai days, there were no teaching hours, only the Thai teachers organized different programs! :-) We were assigned to different groups of students and the leaders of the group were from my homeroom.  On Thursday, we had two stations: first, we learnt how to make traditional Thai desserts: the first one was Chup Luk:  which is basically beanpaste with some obvi...

  I've had a pain in my armpits since Sunday so I had to see a doctor. I decided to check out the hospital to which I live close. It was quite an experience!  First of all, we have the King's Memorial Day today in Thailand (and believe me, it was only me who was not wearing a yellow T-shirt which is the official colour of the king)! I woke up early in the morning and went straight to the hospital. It's nice, because there is a highway next to my apartment and there is a bridge above it only for passengers, which takes me directly to the entrance of Kasemrad hospital. I packed my life insurance (purchased from home),the insurance card (which the school gave to me last week) and also some money with me.  At the entrance, after the usual screening and temperature check, an elegant lady escorted me to the third floor where they copied all my documents and luckily, I had a copy of my passport in my e-mail as well which I could send directly to the hospital. They printed it imm...

 As I expected, a lot of impulses and stimuli have come to my life after I had finally broken free from the hotel. I must admit, I miss the predictable schedule of that. I feel that I'm surrounded now with so many more things here in my real life, that I can't take all of them at once.  In the second morning what I spent in the dorm, I woke up to this beautiful sunrise.  But let's start from the beginning. The school van - as promised - came and picked me up on time, and from the first moment, I felt so much humbleness and gratefulness both from the school's part and from the hotel's part as well. Like I got flooded with presents (which if you already carry two full bags) is not the best idea, but I was really really grateful for that, as well! :-) I got folk purse, and also an apron that I can (and should) wear when I visit a Buddhist temple (to which I'm looking forward to!).  When we arrived to the dorm, everything was very strange for me at once, I felt so o...