Part Five: No end in sight…Loei Continued
We continue to drive and drive all day…seeing various sites along the way…the Thai music has not stopped and would be bearable if it were not vibrating the seats. I no longer have a smile on my face. Last night we arrived at Loei University…grateful that the “showers” or water buckets were inside this time and that there was a room to sleep in. bed frames on the floor but still a room. Three sides were opened windows but still a room. With nothing to do, I pulled out my computer and started showing the teachers my pictures and videos, which they absolutely loved. There it was a priceless moment sitting there in our pajamas talking about boys and hearts. The moment was broken by the cold and another sleepless night. I was woken an hour early to walk to the markets with the fellow teachers….I could see my breath and only had gouchas and a jean jacket to protect me from the cold. This was one instance where grandma definitely wouldn’t approve. I grabbed my blankets and wrapped in them on our walk at 5am. No markets were in site and neither was warmth. I was miserable…I think all of us were…until audame aupan (the thai teacher) started busting out her English directions I had taught her weeks prior. Turn left…go straight…it was something. Back at the bus and one of the students finally lent me a jacket and her blanket on the bus. I bared the cold for 5 more hours until we went down the mountain into the sun. Enough with my complaining…right now that’s all I want to do though. There was some comic relief, however, and a brief glimpse of happiness as we pulled into a winery…but no time to taste. More random stops…some at markets, temples, a river, another winery…finally time to head back. Another 8 hours of blasting Thai music and kids jumping and dancing in the back of the bus. Somehow I managed to sleep through part of it. One more stop before Uthai- Moo Ga Ta (translation: pig plate)- Thai Style bbq. Ok almost home 9:30pm…Thai music still in vibration. I either wince for the next hour and feel each pound on my temples increasing my week long headache…or I embrace it. That’s what life’s about right…embracing…so I jumped up out of my seat, stripped off my jacket and danced for the next hour at the back of the bus with all the students. They went absolutely nuts and loved every second I think. They even put in an English cd for my pleasure. So the trip ends in high spirits and on a good note…me jamming and dancing my heart out to “beautiful girl” and “umbrella” with 30 screaming Thai girls. I was even able to get an English lesson out of it and taught them the correct lyrics to “low”. The trip ended with a laugh and I realized this will probably be my last student fieldtrip. I think Ill manage the others on my own…
Tags: Travel
kimmiejean
back from our walk-gma even commented on imagining you in the back of that bus as the trip wound down, and chuckled. i wonder if it brought back memories of when she was your age and was gung-ho for the next experience, consequences be dam….!
guess you made it back to school in one piece,then..as long as your headache finally went away-that would be tough for me to cope with…
so. all in all. that week was different then your usual work week..!! way to go,as you survived it and had mostly a good time. now back to the J.O.B.-real life…
the students were no doubt impressed by your willingness and interest in joining the frenetic last hours of the bus trip-it was a period of fun for them, too,that took them from their ‘normal’ days.
welcome back-as always,glad you enjoyed yourself and took advantage of opportunities that may not present themselves again…! achoing jess’s comment earlier-i’m jealous!
u.p.
Hahahaha the most important english lesson ever, learning the lyrics to “low”. O how you’ve done America proud KimKim!! Hahaha