sorry for the delay!!!

i should pick up where i left off telling about barb and my travels in the south. i believe i left off at the description of the filthy ferry ride. . .
once we arrived on koh phangan we were immediately bombarded by people who had cardboard with maps taped on them asking us "where you go madam?", as is the thai way. i did my best to evade them by walking away. it doesn't really matter, though, once they've said something to you, you're "theirs" and they follow you repeating their questions until you either give in or walk all the way out of the location.

on the ferry, we had made a friend named stephan, who is from munich, germany, who suggested that we try a place with bungalows and a private beach called coral bay. he said he had stayed there a month prior and really liked the owners. we decided to take his advice and the three of us shared a pickup truck taxi (where we hold on for dear life in the back) to a nearby city where we were dropped at a 7 (7 eleven, remember?). the owner of coral bay then picked us up from there and we, again, held on for dear life on the very rocky, bumpy, steep ride up and down the mountainside until we reached the resort. it was a SPECTACULAR view from the top of the driveway into their property. stunning mini-islands off the shore, sea-blue and sea-green water moving calmly as far as the eye could see... green, lush mountains all around. it was a big, deep sigh of relief to enter such a beautiful place.

upon arrival we were escorted to our cheap (300 baht!!) a night bungalow just ten steps from the beach. we were lucky enough to be given the bungalow closest to the beach, just what we had hoped for!! the bungalow was much more rustic (as can be expected for such a price!) than our prior stays. it was all wood, had a double bed raised from the floor. from the middle of the ceiling a mosquito net hung down over the bed. we were fortunate to have our own bathroom with toilet, sink, and shower but we noticed right away that the electricity didn't work. we later found out that it was only turned on between 6 pm and midnight.

since we were feeling a little scummy from the ferry ride we decided to take showers, barb went first and i unpacked my things a little. when she was done i opened the door and was very startled to see a large lizard had placed himself on our screen... luckily on the outdoor part. after calming myself down i just went on my business. this lizard was our pal for that first day and left after dark. barb thinks he probably liked the moisture from our showers... and an escape from the heat!

after showering we went back to the lodge which is a wonderful place to hang out, eat, make friends, and relax. we had some food and then beached it for a while. after showering, again, we decided to walk to the nearby town and check things out.
we surveyed the routes, we had two options. one, follow the shoreline (a little rocky!) or take the road. after walking to the bottom of the driveway and assessing the steep climb out and considering the heat, we decided to go along the shoreline. at least we could cool our feet that way... we could see the town the entire way, as well.

all went well along the shoreline (so beautiful!) until we reached a little river inlet that we could not cross without getting drenched, so we stopped in to a resort to ask how to go around. we ended up on the road, oh well! we spent more time on the shoreline and out of the beating sun... with sunburns ensuing, we made the right choice!

we finally made it to town, bought some soap, did email and tried to find a long boat to take us back. when we approached them i was prepared to haggle. we ended up meeting two fellows, both of whom took the boat with us to check out where we were staying. john is from england and bruno is from switzerland. we all made it safe and sound, right to the very beach 10 feet from our bungalow! it was fun! i took some pictures... you'll see them soon.

we were tired from the heat and walking, and lack of sleep on the ferry, so we ate some food and returned to the bungalow to "take a nap". unfortunately, we slept through to the next morning. our first night under the bug net went gloriously!!

the next morning we woke up early (again!!) and made it to the common area before they were even open for breakfast! we spent our time examining the menu. we ate some breakfast and were joined by our friend from the ferry and later the swiss fellow who had gotten himself a bungalow!

more to come....

i hope my two precious friends do not mind to see their email here. i want to answer all the questions so that everyone can see them!! thanks so much to Quinton, Omeed, Ivan, and Precious for giving me such big smiles in thailand! I miss you sooo much!!! HI miss nicole!! miss you tooooo!!!

Dear Miss Beth,
Did you try any new foods? Did you try the cockroaches yet? Did you buy any souvenirs? Can you bring any key chains back? We had a big blizzard here. The 7th and 8th graders were very excited from their trip! Do you like it over there? Do you think you will stay, or come back next year? Did you learn any new words? How do you say "better not talk?" Is it hot over there? Are the people nice to you? Is the grass greener there? Is your class behaving? Are they hyper active knuckle heads? Can you understand the other people when they talk to you and can you talk back to them? Do you miss us? We miss you! Did you make any new friends? Do you have a house or an apartment? Do they have as much technology as here? Hope to hear from you soon and we hope you are having fun!
Sincerely,
Quinton and Omeed

Here ya go:
Did you try any new foods? yes, some new vegetables and fruits, but i don't know what their names are. they are foods from thailand. sorry! i've been eating a lot of noodle and rice dishes including phad thai and fried rice and curries.

Did you try the cockroaches yet? NO! we saw the bug seller man last night on a walk in my neighborhood! i took some pictures that i will post for you soon. HAVE YOU EATEN A COCKROACH YET?! he was selling grasshoppers, too!! and worms!!! eeeew!

Did you buy any souvenirs? i have purchased some souveniors, yes.
Can you bring any key chains back? i will do my best to bring back keychains, okay!?

We had a big blizzard here. The 7th and 8th graders were very excited from their trip! i'm so glad they had fun! are you excited, too!? i heard about all the snow, was it fun to play in??! i wish i could have gone sledding with you!!

Do you like it over there? i like it here, yes. it is very hot... around 100 degrees every day. luckily, my new apartment has air conditioning! when we were on koh phangan (island) there wasn't any air conditioning in our room, only a fan and they only had electricity turned on between 6 pm and midnight. we kept cool by jumping in for a swim in the salty ocean every few hours. it was so relaxing.

Do you think you will stay, or come back next year? i don't know what i think yet! i haven't had to work here yet! i've been doing the traveling that i told you about... to the islands in southern thailand. miss nicole can show you on a map.

Did you learn any new words? i did! (but not very many yet. my thai language classes haven't started yet.) i learned how to say thank you... it sounds like this... girls say: korp kun kah... boys say: korp kun kup. (remember, boys say "kup" to be polite and girls say "kah" to be polite?) I learned how to say "i don't want anymore" it sounds like this: me'ow kah (for girls) and me'ow kup (for boys). that phrase comes in handy when the street venders and shop people are insisting that you "buy for you, madam. for you i give 200 baht. just for you, madam." i have actually been called "money" like it is my name. the man said, "hello money! hello! what you buy? discount for you, money?" everyone is trying to make some money here in thailand. it's the way it is. i am used to it now. "me'ow kah" really helps me.
i also know yes: chai. and no: mai.

How do you say "better not talk?" i don't know yet. ask me again in one month and i will know then.

Is it hot over there? YES! 100 degrees (at least), everyday!

Are the people nice to you? yes, very nice. thais are happy, kind people.

Is the grass greener there? literally?? yes, the grass is not brown and covered in snow. that is for sure! i don't see much grass in the city, but the islands and the land outside of the city is very, very green with grass and trees. it is the most beautiful thing i have ever seen. i love it! you will see in my pictures when i can get them on my blog.

Is your class behaving? Are they hyper active knuckle heads? ha ha ha! you make me laugh so hard! i miss you!!!!! i haven't started summer school yet, so i don't KNOW if they are hyperactive knuckle heads!! ha ha. the children i have seen and talked to so far are perfectly well behaved and follow all the rules. you can see that they really respect their culture and their parents. they do not cause any problems for their families. just like you, right!?!? :-)

Can you understand the other people when they talk to you and can you talk back to them? no, i cannot understand them unless they speak slow and say the things i know how to say (hello, thank you, yes, no) or unless they speak english. i have to speak what's called broken english when i talk to them. like this, "how much this?" or "you english?" to ask how much somethings costs or if someone speaks english. weird, huh?!

Do you miss us? We miss you! YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS! i need hugs!!!

Did you make any new friends? i did! i made some friends who come from germany, some friends from france, some friends from canada,some friends from australia, some friends from england, a friend from switzerland, and friends who live here in thailand. it is fun! we haven't met many americans yet... we'll have to see!

Do you have a house or an apartment? i have an apartment that is perfect for one person. i even have room for two or three friends to stay comfortably. get some money together and have a field trip to thailand!! i'm kidding, but it would be fun! you might not like how stinky it can be here in thailand. their garbages smell like the worst smelling throw up EVER. peeeeeyuuuu! i'm used to it, though. it's how it is, i can't be mean! i am their guest!! thais frown upon people who complain, so it is best to smile and move on with life, just like in america!! keep that smile on!

Do they have as much technology as here? they have the exact same technology as you do in america. their keyboards have extra letters that are thai letters, too... that is different. then they can type on their computer in their own language.

PHEW!! that was a lot, but i'm so glad you asked me those questions!! let me know if you have any more. i am so glad to hear from you!!! i miss you! it is late here (22:17, ask miss nicole what time that is... that is how they keep time here, it's called military time)

love you! miss you! write again soon!!!

miss beth

oh so much to tell

sawatdee kah from bangkok! i haven't written because we were without internet access during our four-day stay on koh phangan.

we have successfully made it to southern thailand and back, safe and sound. the trip down and back was extremely eventful. i will do my best to keep it brief, but give enough details to convey what it was really like. i am working on publishing my photos, there are many.

in ao nang, we had our first official thai massage (very nice), took long boats to and from railay bay (around a cliff from ao nang), relaxed on the beach, did some shopping, and ate our first thai curry (not that hot). we stayed two nights at the guesthouse in ao nang, then decided to travel to koh phangan (phangan island) by bus, then overnight ferry (boat). we rested up and were ready and waiting for the shuttle to a bus station, which ended up being a shambled rest stop run by a thai family... nothing at all official-looking. we were picked up by a LARGE bus that brought us to another official bus station in krabi where we waited without communication of what would happen next.

eventually, we boarded another large tour bus that took us on a very rocky (side to side) and thailand-fast ride to a random restaurant in the middle of what seemed like nowhere. no one told us what to do next, again. we just sat at an outdoor table in the dark and waited. we figured out, later, that it's a ploy to get you to buy things from a business. it's always a scam. we bought nothing and waited patiently.

maybe and hour later, a pickup truck loaded those of us going to the pier in surat thani. after a ten minute ride to the pier, the ferry was ready and waiting, and we boarded the ship and found our numbered "slot" of where we were to sleep. i cannot convey to you the filth and discust that was this boat. imagine the inside of a large boat, without anything except a long sheeted matress that spans both sides of the ship. there was a pillow under each number on the wall. there was no separation of space, just the number with the pillow, on the matress. i immediately noted that the sheets were either sandy or salty, or both, from repeated use and lack of cleansing. it was gross. luckily, though, barb and i both purchased a beach mat and laid those down to make a barrier between our skin and those sheets. ick!

we had made some friends on the short bus ride to the pier and played games and talked with them until they turned the lights out on the ferry and we were forced to sleep or sit in the dark. since it was night anyway, we slept. i woke up many times, though the ride was smooth and slow. it took between six and seven hours to get to koh phangan. barb and i were awake much earlier than the ferry arrived, so we just laid there and watched everyone sleep. i must mention the bathrooms on this ferry. they were the worst to date. we, the farang (tourists), were on the upper deck and the thai travelers and shiphands were on the lower deck, with smaller, but similar sleeping arrangements. the bathrooms were three steps lower than their deck. these bathrooms were our first experience with squatters... a toilet with no seat, just a hole that you have to squat over. a sprayer was also absent, as was toilet paper. next to the hole was a large bucket of water... that looked clean, and had a large cup to pour into the toilet... or something. when i entered the bathroom a man was coming out and had just bathed in the bathroom, with the bucket of water, so the floor was full of ... some sort of water and i didn't have shoes on. there were several thai men that were already laughing at me because i didn't know where to go and they didn't know what i was saying, so i just went in and did my best not to touch anything or fall in... or fall over. remember, i was squatting on a moving boat. i think i'll just leave it there. it was discusting.

i hate to leave you on a low note, but i will write more later. we're saying goodbye to a friend who has been staying with us in bangkok.

we are finally beaching it!

sawatdee kah(hello) from Ao Nang, a beach town near Krabi in southern thailand. we are using the internet at our guest house from last evening. it was quite an adventurous day yesterday, and with jet lag settling in, little sleep, and constant newness it was a night that ended early. we arrived very safe and sound on Feb. 26th after two wonderful first class flights (thanks Barb!). once at the airport we were swindled for the first time. a friend had advised that we hire a car... well, we were approached right away and showed a 'pre-paid' amount (900 baht... nearly $30!! in reality it should have cost us, with tolls, about 500 baht. grrrr. now we know!). the guy said, 'yes??' twice, we looked at each other, then around at all the other chaos, and didn't even get a chance to discuss it before we were wisked away, the man carrying barb's bags and walking fast to a car that was parked amongst many tour buses. he set us up with a driver that ended up not speaking any english. the drive to the hotel was much longer than necessary, we ended up passing it without seeing the sign and had to go back after a stop on the side of the road for our driver to ask another taxi and then a woman picking up garbage where our hotel was. the woman helped us translate and we waited while he paced having a cigarette before taking off in the opposite direction... and eventually finding the hotel. (i realize now that my phrase book would have helped tremendously.) it was very nice and we were quite cozy for the night. however, we slept so much on the plane that getting some sleep was very difficult.

the next morning, we called my new boss and arranged to meet him at the school (!!) at 12:30. so, we hung out, packed, rested, showered, took a trip to the grocery store (very cool!), then arranged a taxi to take us to the school. our taxi driver was very friendly (this time) and just happened to be our age. i entertained him by trying my best to speak thai from my phrase book. there was much laughter and eventually we made it to the school. they let us in the gate and we waited with the guards (and many many little thai boys in their uniforms running and playing in the yard) until my boss came down. he brought us to his office and we stayed a while and met many teachers, saw the school briefly (my classroom is so great!), then jumped in a taxi and headed to the airport. we took a cheap flight to krabi and then a SPEEEEEEDY ride in a shuttle bus to ao nang, which is where i sit typing this.

making sleeping arrangements was very much a learning experience. i am very leary of being taken advantage of because we are tourists... and because we don't speak thai, so i have a hard time trusting anyone. it's not a good thing, but we've had to learn from our many mistakes thus far. my students will know that i don't like to argue, but bargaining is necessary to be able to save any money. while it is quite cheap in thailand, this resort town is used to getting much more for their services than i want to pay. i think it's time to find a quiet, secluded beach where there are very few tourists. i'll update you further on our progress.

we are happy and well and learning many new things every minute. we are off to breakfast and finding a better, cheaper place to visit!

i miss you all! send me a message!

only five days left!

the apartment is quickly emptying of my belongings. there are boxes upon boxes of things to sort, categorize, and ship out! the poor cat is on to me. she understands what is going on and continues to try to communicate with me that she doesn't like it! each time i take something out of the apartment, she follows me to the door, tries to escape, and then is patiently waiting in her cat carrier when i come back in the door. she wants to ensure that she, too, is going wherever the rest of this stuff is going. she's no dummy. poor, little girl. i will sorely miss her great personality. at this time, she sits in the window "observing" the little birdies outside. the ears go back and forth with her excitement. what a character.

MY STUDENTS!! i'm excited to head in to learning for leadership today for their reward party. they've been working hard on their two goals: maintaining a positive attitude with posititve language and doing better with closing circle. they've worked hard, so it's time to celebrate! i can't wait to see them! however, some of them won't be there because there was a fight last week. i am extremely disappointed in those few. GET A LIFE. BE the bigger person and kill 'em with kindness. keep your power, don't give it away in your fists or anger. i hope those few have learned a valuable lesson: it's just not worth it. what have they really gained? they've gained days off of school to fall behind in work, lost participation points, potentially lower grades, a MAJOR slash on their school records, and a tarnished reputation.
to those few: let it go. forgive and move on. this, too, shall pass. make the best of your future. you have the power of choice. choose wisely. that's what we're trying to teach you.
i do look forward to seeing them all and can't wait to see all they've accomplished since i've been gone. what a special group of people i'm so glad i got to know!

travel plans are more secure. we, Barb and i, will take our first flight from minneapolis/st. paul to narita, japan this sunday, february 25. it is a twelve hour flight. we will rush to our next plane in narita that will take us to bangkok, thailand! the second leg is a little less than 8 hours. it will be a long time spent on planes, but well worth it to finally be there!! i have books, games, and snacks to keep me busy. oh, and i will surely spend a good amount of time sleeping. i hope to, at least. time passes much more quickly with your eyes closed.

if you have any suggestions for literature i might enjoy, please send them my way: extrabeth@gmail.com. after viewing the film Babel the other day, i would appreciate suggestions that are uplifting! it's a great, but depressing movie.

in bangkok, barb and i still have plans to drop some of our things at the school, then travel to the islands of koh phangan and koh phi phi. in the midst, we will most likely also see phuket and koh samui, both are bigger islands near the other two we plan to visit. we will get back to the school in time to gather our things and move into my temporary housing, which is an apartment near the school. we'll settle in and then explore bangkok for a few days before barb has to head back to the US. i will still have about a week and a half before orientation, so i'll wander the city and make some friends.

my friend, lucas, will be coming through thailand, from india, on his way home to the US. he will stay about a month in thailand, spending some time in bangkok and some time traveling to his favorite spots out of the city. i look forward to seeing him and hearing about his travels in india. he has been there since early january and is having a great time. he keeps repeating the same phrase, "there are a lot of people everywhere." he has a lot of great stories to tell. i keep telling him to write a book! anyhow, when lucas has departed thailand i'll be gaining momentum for the upcoming school year at Assumption. about that time, my friends Bob and Brandy should be visiting her grandmother who also lives in bangkok... so more friends from home to visit with! i feel so lucky to go across the world and still be able to see friends! (anyone is welcome to stay with me if you'd like to visit thailand. that, or i'd be perfectly willing to give advice for travel and stay in thailand.)

there is still plenty to accomplish today. i must get to it. i will update again in the coming days.

thanks for reading!

i'm getting closer!!

look who's taking ANOTHER nap next to me while i write this. but, she's always ready to pose for a photo opp.

yesterday was very productive. today i am tired and am moving quite slowly. i pack a little then read a little or, like now, go on the computer to look up guest houses and transportation in thailand. then i pack and organize some more.

the woman who is taking over my lease (who is an ANGEL!) has moved in and i'm having fun getting to know her better. we went down to Rudolph's to see my friends woodrow, steve and willie play some reggae music. they are there every monday night after ten pm. it's a lot of great music and good fun. check it out when you can!! Rudolph's BBQ, monday nights, franklin and lyndale in uptown. they are the sweetest dudes you'll ever meet!

i miss joking around with my students. i hope they are doing well and i'm still waiting for that PAAAARTY!!? i can't wait to see who comes out as leaders in the group.

a couple of things i have to learn about: thai bank accounts; how to call a foreign country; and what am i really really going to miss if i leave it behind here at home???

off to do more packing!!! i'm going to miss this cat and this apartment!

sorry it's been a while!

greetings again! it's been a while, i've been quite consumed with work at learning for leadership. i was so, so sad to leave! i will miss everyone so much! i have no worries; miss miranda will take very good care of my precious students. (did you catch that spelling word, anyone?? it starts with a p.)

i hope to hear from all of the wonderful people i got to know in all the classes in the whole school. i want to say a special thank you to miss nicole and mr. mike's classes for trying to make me CRY with those sweet, beautiful cards! i love them and will bring them out when i am sad and missing home in thailand. thank you so much!

my students: muad, santana, erica, najma, omer, mercedes, christian, ashley, diarra, jasmine, noura, jamie, desi, anescia, muna, connor, and ivan each made me wonderful cards and posters. i was so touched that they took the time to make some beautiful creations! thank you all for being so great! remember to take care of each other and EARN that party! it shouldn't take but one day and then we can celebrate your accomplishment! don't forget to keep REX happy. i think he likes school better when you're all there keeping him company. i had a wonderful last week of school, thank all of you for everything! thanks, miss miranda!

it's going to be hard to stay away in these next two weeks before i leave, but i have sooooo much work to do before i go. i still have to pack up the apartment and move things to storage. then there are arrangements to make in selling my car and paying the bills while i am gone. (those bills! they just don't stop coming!)

my parents (who are so awesome) put on a fantastic going-away party for me at True Thai restaurant yesterday. it was so much fun! i am So glad that we decided to do it because i was able to see my family and friends before i get too busy with packing and moving. thank you all for coming to send me off so well! i think that i am STILL full from all the wonderful food. be sure to check out True Thai if you haven't! the owner is a friend of my mother's and she's so sweet and considerate! it's an awesome coincidence that she attended the school that i will be teaching at in thailand (when they allowed girls)! cool, huh!?!? thanks, Mom, Dad, and Anna! it was a wonderful time! i want to thank Ryan and Amy (my cousin and his wife) for the promise of a cockroach on them. i'll let you know how that one goes... *shiver* (HI DELLA, JOSHUA, and Little RYAN!! thanks for coming to my party and giving me great hugs!)

it's official that i'll be teaching Grade One in thailand. i haven't learned yet if this means 1st grade or kindergarten... their system is a little different than here in the US. i will get the fabric for my teaching uniform (light green and dark green) when i arrive for orientation. i will then take the fabric to a seamstress and have my uniforms made! at least i won't have to wonder what to wear in the morning! the boys all wear a uniform as well. the pictures i have seen show a white button-up short-sleeved shirt, blue shorts, and a scarf tied around their neck that is red and yellow. we'll see if it has changed this year. during summer school (the first two months) i will be allowed to wear my own clothing to teach, however there is a dress code. i must wear a skirt (longer than my knee) and a shirt that covers my shoulders. it shouldn't be too difficult.

i have a special request for all who are reading these blogs... i don't have all of your email addresses and i'd like to get them. please send an email to extrabeth@gmail.com so that i can put your address in my address book. THANKS!! have a great day! it's getting a little warmer!