I think I need an umbrella

Silas is the 5th grade teacher from Camaroon and he has been at AMEC for about 5 years.  Being from Camaroon, he's black man.  When he first came to Thailand he was in Bangkok looking for work and he couldn't find any because he was black.  Employers would even tell him straight to his face, we won't hire you because you're black.  He would respond by laughing in their face.  Perfect.

Silas also told me that renting an apartment for black men is a challenge too; shit, getting a HOTEL room can be difficult.  So there's a problem of racism in Thailand.  But here's the kicker, it's not because he's 'black.'

Huh?

It's because his skin is so damn dark.

What?

Remember how I've said before that light skin is glorified?  Shit, the soap here has bleaching agents in it.

So those that are 'racist' just despise dark skin.  That means a very, very, dark skinned Thai would receive a tremendous amount of bullshit during their life.

After considering the situation I realized all those times Thais wanted to take pictures with me because I'm blond and white should have filled me with rage.  You wouldn't have wanted to take pictures with god damn Silas?  Would you??

The fuck Thailand?

Also I learned this week that in Japan there is a popular business where a van drives around and you can pay money to enter it and have a woman fart in your face.

**The More You Know**

In other news, Tuesdays are my 'speech' days.  I have to talk for a few minutes in front of the school.  It can be about anything.  I was stumped.  Rachel said if I couldn't amuse the students then to amuse myself.

So I told them all about guidos for a few minutes. 

Points made where that they tanned their skin with chemicals, glitterized their clothes, wore sunglasses indoors at night, and this was all due to their not being very bright because they don't read.

I don't think any of them understood.  But I did get them all to say "gweeeedoooss"  with me. 

lol

Dear Dad

Today a Thai guy living here, around my age, taught me how to drive the bad ass manual motorcycle they have here.  It's the same one I posted about a month ago. Bear in mind he doesn't speak English and I don't speak Thai, we shared about 3 common words.

In conclusion, your teaching skills as they relate to manuals need some polishing and I now have a spare set of wheels. 

=D

First week of school

Post on teaching blog - Le Teaching Blog

In other news I bought great prescription sunglasses that made me feel like I was being lifted off the ground so I walked around like Ray Charles for the first 10 minutes.

Later in the evening I was having some drinks with my neighbor M and his friend Ling, literally this time, the guy lives one unit over.  I whipped out my translator and we enjoyed some basic conversation.  Unfortunately they thought I asked them at one point if they were both gay, like with each other. 

"no no no no no no no, straight, straight, layyydeeee, layyydee we like the layydeee"

The question I put into my translator was "Are you a tutor?"

I then put the translator away for awhile.

I'm going to go out drinking and "dancing, dancing" with them tonight.  Should be a trip, lol.

Well....

Eating fried pig skins while smoking and drinking whiskey with your neighbors at 1 am.

Fuck it I'm an adult god dammit

First Day of School

I'm running on cortisol at the moment so I should probably wind down somehow.  I have morning duty tomorrow and need to prep things for class so right now I don't have time to write but here's a half-assed attempt at humor.
How I felt before class during the morning ceremonies:

 How I felt in front of my after 30 minutes:

 

How I felt in front of my class after 32 minutes:

 

 How I felt after the period ended.




How I felt when they wouldn't understand me:



How I felt when they seemed to not understand the work outwardly at all but when I went around the room to check their work they nailed things:

 

How I felt in hindsight:



How I felt when one of my students was fascinated by my arm hair and couldn't stop touching it/me like I was a dog and another asked me what was coming out of my face.


How I felt when I didn't know how to play a game with a student and she said "Jereme knew how to play it."



How I felt when I found out it was a students birthday and we were having cake and pizza:




How I felt after getting home at 5, going to the gym, eating dinner, and running errands:



My eating face:



Now:


What the end of the week will feel like:

**Massages Temples**

Trying to communicate to Thais in certain circumstances feels like what I imagine "conversations" at a party full of deaf people and you're the only one that doesn't know any sign language, would feel like.  Interesting at first but then you realize you made a huge mistake and you're the only one with a decent taste in music.

Le Teaching Blog

I've got another blog, the one just for all things related to teaching.  It's primary purpose is for reflection and to keep track of what I've been up to in the classroom.  The secondary purpose is to showcase what I offer as a teacher and to try to capture a bit of my character so that I can then use it as a resume builder of sorts, something to show a future employer should it prove relevant. 

Sometimes the stuff I write about is boring.  Other times it might be of interest to you folks back in the America.  I'll post a link here whenever I make a new post there in case you'd like to see what I'm up to vocationally, aha....

The entry I just wrote up I'd classify as non-boring so I'll link it.  How non-boring is to be determined.  It's short, don't worry.

Click --------->  Ta-daaaa