During the week I struggled to push my students and shouted until my voice became hoarse, then graded unit tests until my eyes blurred. However, I also did what I always do to perk myself up: I goofed around with my kids. They may be flakey, chatty and unwilling to learn, but Thai children are also bubbly, animated and so full of life... it's strangely inspiring. "Don't worry teecha," they say. I'm not.
I also made some time to hang out with my adult students and co-workers during the week. We went out to eat, and went to a local music club called B2. The kindness of my Thai friends is astounding... they make gifts, covertly pay the dinner bill, insist on giving rides home, and all for the pleasure of our company. I have never encountered generosity as genuine as I have found in some Thai people.
And this weekend, I went the one place I've been more than any other location in Thailand: Ko Samet. It's not far from where I live, and Samet has developed a sort of history and for me. I realized that because I had less than a month before my travel began, this would definitely be my last weekend on this lazy, beachy paradise. As I explained on an entry last year, there's something about Samet that emanates island serenity while maintaining a perpetually festive atmosphere amidst the glowing rainbow lanterns. There's nothing to do during the day except play with Sunshine the puppy, eat food, and read on the beach... and that's just perfect. As for the nighttime, yes, I jumped through that fire hoop.
What feels different about all these familiar activities? The lingering sensation of "this could be the last time I do this." It's unsettling and I'm not quite sure how to handle it besides keep on keepin' on.
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