Oh my Gosh, I have become a morning person

Yes it's true, I am now a morning person. I get up at 6 am and go through my morning routine. Walk to the corner (.5 kilometer) and catch a taxi. It takes me to the Hoya Plant near Future park(they make prescription classes for SE Asia) in about 15 or 20 minutes. From there I catch a van from this plant to the Ayuthuia plant which is about a half hour ride.

I usually arrive between 8 and 8:30. The plant is located in an industrial park just south of Ayuthuia. There are over 30 companies in this park. Development Solutions (the company I work for as a contract teacher) is trying to get into more of these companies in the park, so after this project ends at the end of December I should have something to do with this group (they have told I may have a Tuesday night, Thursday night gig starting in December). They pay fairly well.

Once I have arrived I set up the classroom and one of the ladies in the building brings me a nice cold bottle of water. A little later she brings me a cup of green tea and a cup of coffee. On some days I see Noi, the company training director. The first class arrives at 9 and we go until 11 with a 10 minute break. The students are all foreman or supervisors. The three groups I meet with in the morning are elementary English whereas the afternoon class are beginners.

At 11 I have a three hour break and have an early lunch (rice dish and sausage or fried egg, coke an maybe a piece of fruit, all for 40 Bhat or 1 dollar). I spend the afternoon preparing lesson plans for the afternoon class and the next mornings class. The lady also brings me a cup of green tea and a cup of coffee and another half liter of water in the afternoon if I need it. If I have time after doing my lesson plans I read (Dean Koontz and the classics are what I read mostly). From 2 to 4 I teach the beginners. At 4:05 the van leaves for the other plant from which I catch a taxi and I am usually home before 5 pm.

About 5:30 or six I grab dinner or make it myself (I bought a frig and electric wok). I spend a couple of hours on the internet (20 bhat an hour - 50 cents). I watch a little TV or study Thai or Buddhism. To bed about 10, read awhile and then off to sleep where I dream about a five way juicy. This is pretty much it for Tuesday through Friday. I also go in on Saturday but only teach the morning class. Back home by noon. As you can tell it's a rough life. No car payments, no credit card payments. Just rent, utilities, food, books ( I found several used book stores that have English novels and the like for as little as 100 Bhat ($2.50)), and one night out a week.

Reflections on the past year.

This last year has been one stressful year, some good, mostly bad, but here goes.

November starts off bad with the reelection of Bushit (I love the Manchester Guardians headline "How could 56 million people be so dumb"). Three days after the election my best friend is killed in a car crash. The next three months are agonizing because of a decision I need to make which I announced to the world on my birthday February 15. I decided to quit my job of 23 years and teach in Thailand. So I cashed in my 401 K. Nine days after this on February 24th my father dies from a massive heart attack.

After burying my father I arranged to the sell the condo and the car, plus pay off all of my debt. On April 15th (about three weeks before I was scheduled to leave I discovered I had artial defibulation. I went to the hospital to have my heart looked at and test run. During the procedure they found I may have an aneurysm is my leg. They sent me to emergency surgery and did not find it. I spent five days in the hospital when I was suppose to get out over night. 10 days later I went back into the hospital to have two stints put in my heart. During this time the surgical cut in my leg did not heal correctly and that was causing me some problems.

Finally I was allowed to go and after all the visits and goodbyes I left about he 24th of May. I started my six week course at Text and Talk on Memorial day and finished week of the Fourth of July. I found a job rather quickly and took a nice long weekend with my girlfriend at the time to Puket.

The job was fun. I was teaching P2, P3 and P4 students (2nd, 4rd and 4th grades). Things changed every week and the school's owner kept requiring new requirements. Myself and the other teacher (plus the agency) kept getting in hot water with the school's owner. So I guess you can guess who was released. And no it wasn't the agency. My last day on the job was September 30th. After six weeks (they allowed us to stay to finish the term) I got a job teaching English to factory workers and office workers at a major plant in the area (4 hours Tuesday thru Friday and two hours on Saturday with more hours down the road at 500 Bhat per hout). No benefits per say but the pay is good and I should be able to save a little money.

I need to make a Visa run by the 21st of November (every three months) so I am planning a long weekend to Cambodia and hopefully will get to see Angor Wat.

Odds and Ends

Note: 1 dollar equals 40 baht. You do the math.

Eating: Walking down the soi I live on are more eateries then in the Dayton Mall area (slight exaggeration). But a nice meal can be had for 30 baht. A plate of fried rice (which I have taken a liking to) with fried pork, vegetables, rice cucumber and a coke. There are some things over here that are hard to find (no 5 ways - Hey Mark how about a franchise over here?); peanut butter, cheese, beef (pork, chicken and seafood rate higher). Yogurt drinks are popular as are pizza, pork burgers and of course chili peppers.

American franchises: The most popular American store over here is 7 - 11, then McDonald (pork burgers), Pizza Hut, KFC, Western Sizzler, Outback and Burger King.

Hair cuts: Hey Pat I got you beat on this one. I had one last week and it cost me 60 Baht. And that was with a shave (yes the beard and mustache are gone).

Drinking: Found a nice little bar (called The Cathouse) were I can drink forom 4 until 8 as much beer as I want for 100 baht (provided you stick to the local brand of Arca). I have tried Singha (which I think is the best Thai beer), Chang, Leo and Tiger. The Thai whiskey over here is not bad but there's something in it that causes the biggest hangovers (so I've been told).

TV: Not much. Get four English Channels - ESPN, Star Movies, Star world (American, British and Australian hit shows) and Discovery channel (my favorite).

Health Care: Went to the doctor back in July. His bill, prescriptions, tests (to include sonogram of my heart) for only 6000 Baht. It would have costs more then $800 back in the states. I get drugs in he drugstores for a tenth of what I pay in the states. Also want to say that I have lost 35 pounds in my first four months over here. I have been walking every day and eating Thai food.

Lost job: I lost my first job over here after two and half months. It seems the women that owns the school wanted two Brad Pitt look alikes and not two old fat guys. Looking for work but October is a one month break. Hopefully I will find something in the next couple of weeks. Got some good leads. Let you know what I find in my next Blog. So Long