-to be continued-

how on the first day we were supposed to observe but all the teachers were having health check and we were all cursing because we now had to face a class of students with no preparations and no medium of communication. our frustration at their tendency to repeat everything we say, hence making asking questions absolutely impossible. saying what's this to the class will only invite a resounding chorus of "what's this". from the first day, everything fell into a routine, and everything ran by clockwork. radio blares at 6.30. shut it out until 6.45. decide voice of thai deejay is too annoying to shut out. wake up. join queue for toilet. bathe. freeze. thaw. while around a bit. go to the library for breakfast. while around some more. lessons start at nine. do the whole a is for apple thing. by 11, everyone runs out of things to teach so students are let out to play games. lunch at 12. lessons resume at 1. slightly less torturous because now we are teaching older kids. also worry a lot because they speak a lot of thai to each other and wonder if they are swearing at us. lessons end at four. usually while around doing nothing,or attempting to buy up the entire provision shop until dinner at six. after dinner, wash dishes. debrief. return to room. sleep. and so this cycle continues with not much disruption. except on the weekends. first weekend was the english camp, which met with pretty much success, and heightened camaderie between teachers and students. the trek up to the campsite which left most of us dying, or at least gasping for breath. then life resumed after burning candles in celebration of the king's birthday on monday night. except they turned off the radio for some reason so most of us slept till 7 plus. actually, just me. another routine week went by, and it was constitutional day. the celebration place wasn't far from the school, so the day before, all these weird people started driving in to the school and pitching tents to stay the night. it was then that we actually communicated properly with thais because these people were thai-chinese!!! never in my life had i been filled with so much love and appreciation of the chinese language. yupp so constitutional day went by, ad half a routine week. then it was time to say goodbye. it was suprisingly painful. i never knew it'd be so hard for me to part with a bunch of kids i had known for only 15 days, with whom i couldn't even properly communicate. but it was harder for me to part with the older class, because some real ties had been forged. but all good things must come to an end, and we were on our way after a very tearful goodbye. it seemed like everything that had seemed so routine, played a part in sculpting this place called nan, and all the key phrases, "kao zai mai?"(do you understand) "rong dang dang!"(sing loud loud) and what not rang in my head as we sat on the pick up.

more than anything, what had made this trip such a beautiful memory were the people. not just the people there, but the team. nanofive. everyone gets along amiably, with no politics. it really is the best combination of people i could hope for. just enough jokers to keep the spirit pumping, and enough people good natured enough to pretend that we're actually funny. in everyone's idiosyncraccies, we came together like pieces of a lego. fitting together a bit strangely, but forming an otherwise stable structure, known as nanofive. i hope this structure keeps around. it's been long since i've felt comfortable enough in my skin.

scribbled
12:11 AM