If I had to pick one song...

to summarize Pattaya, it would be "My Humps," By the Black Eyed Peas.

School was slow today. It dragged on. I think I am still jet lagged. I am always tired! I consoled two crying children today (upset for no apparent reason) and yelled the loudest at my class today. My fuse was really short today. It's very important I get my sleep!!! They will fear an un-rested Teacher Misty!! Their little terrified faces looked so taken back that the farang teacher could be mean! Haha... Is it wrong that this made me smile :) Tutoring went better today. Pat likes me. We would have got alot of work accomplished if it wasn't for the other 4 children running wild in the classroom. One more day and then the weekend!

First Immigration Raid!

The day was winding down... only 30 minutes until the end of school!!! I was sitting at my desk helping some of my struggling students with their writing... I bribe them with stickers :)

Anyway, I saw one of the other Farang teachers zoom past my window. I saw her look in, but she was in a hurry. No sooner had I looked down at the student's papers did she come hurling into my room.

"Run. Immigration is here. "

I just looked blankly at her... "But...." My focus was half on her and half on keeping the children working on their studies. It's hard to get their mind to focus after nap time... I didn't want to spend another 15 minutes trying to get their attention!!!

"Never mind that. Leave it. Just leave. Now"

She turned to leave and knocked into the Thai office manager who was fastly approaching my room... *Smash* right into her cheek... it was definitely going to bruise. The farang teacher vanished.

The Thai office manager kept trying to get me to leave. I was a little bewildered considering I thought I was legal. I scrambled to grab the students papers and put away all the stuff on my desk.

"Just leave it. Go. Now"

I wasn't objecting now. I followed the Thai office manager out. I was halfway to Brian's building when Ooie stopped us. She said I didn't need to worry. I was okay.

Fabulous, I thought. I headed back to my room and re-started the tutoring process.

All I heard for the next 15 minutes was, "Teacher, Teacher why you leave?"

How do you explain illegal immigration to children?

Not five minutes later did another Thai woman come in my class. She asked if I was busy between 3-4pm after school. I knew where this was leading... I did have May's son to tutor at that time. She said, "Oh just one... I will give you NINE." Awesome.

Out of all the farang teachers it was just me, Brian, and Simon (Holland). All the other teachers do not qualify for Work Permits because they do not hold an actual Bachelors Degree. So technically, they are illegal workers. They do their Visa runs every 3-6 months, but that only qualifies them to live in Thailand, not work. We would have to cover all the extra classes from the other teachers who had to flee. The only bright side is getting paid more money. However, I'm not sure that fact wins we over.

I found Pat, May's son, and told him I couldn't tutor him today. I was busy. Surprisingly, he didn't run! He actually listened and shook his head okay having understood every word I said. He is a smart boy... just has some behavioral issues at first. The Chinese teacher was right though, just give Pat some time and he will warm up to you.

Simon gave me some worksheets to do for the 1 hour tutoring session. HA... that didn't really work out so well....

All the children ranged in age from 2-7 years old. It was chaotic. Thank God Brian decided to help me. They asked Brian to tutor from 2-3pm. He said, "No." Smart man that Brian.... granted his real class doesn't finish till 2:30 p.m. anyway.

Once that was done, We were all but too happy to leave the school. On our way home we saw a police man on every street corner. Luckily, we didn't get pulled over because we didn't have 200 Baht bribe money in our wallets.

Apparently raids happen every so often. I am not looking forward to it if it means tutoring that many children again. Ugh!

All I can say is the teachers better show up tomorrow. I don't want to have to teach three K2 classes for the entire day and tutor after school. Shoot me now if that happens!

Not to be envied.

So today was my first day of tutoring.

Usually, new teachers have to wait out a 3 month probational period before they can start tutoring. If you read prior posts, you know my day ends at 2 p.m. but I can't leave the school til 4 p.m. No idea why... but not that it matters because Brian doesn't finish teaching until 3:30 p.m. anyway.

Teachers generally fight over tutoring hours because you get paid around 50 Baht an hour per child. It can really add up! Their logic is, You have to stay til 4 anyway - might as well make some extra money. Not that I don't agree with that statement, but I really like those 2 hours to spend in my "coloring class," and preparing for the next day.

Last Friday, May approached me and asked me to tutor her son. He is 3 years old but is in K3 - that is one level above my regular students who are in K2. I am told they did this because they want him to be around older students and learning faster. All I know is his K3 teacher isn't very pleased with the situation.

Either way, I couldn't say no to May. She's the boss. Plus, I did feel a little honored that she asked me - the new teacher. I had totally forgotten about the 3 month probational period when I gladly accepted the position. She offered to pay me 100 Baht an hour to tutor her son between 3-4 p.m. everyday.

In conversation, I let it slip that I had to tutor today. Not thinking about it, I was immediately asked how that was possible. I hadn't been here 3 months yet! Only a week. Ooops.

To my defense, I really did forget about the 3 month probational period. Trust me, I would rather adhere to it because I am totally drained at the end of day! More teaching does not sound appealing to me.

But then again, May makes the rules so the other teachers can't really blame me.

It took me a minute to find Pat.  Luckily, he was in a nice air conditioned room finishing his Chinese lesson. There where 3 other girls from my class in there too learning both Chinese and piano.

Pat was hiding under a table. He wouldn't come out. His favorite phrase is, "No." I know children are shy, but my kids are not like this at all! Nor were they the first day of class. Dealing with this type of behavior is foreign to me. Oh well... more of a learning experience for me....

After following him around, he finally warmed up to me the last 15 minutes of the class. I spoke a lot of English at him, but he didn't really talk all that much. I did get him to identify a couple colors before his grandmother came in to take him home. Thank God!

Hopefully tomorrow will be better. I'm quiet tired to chasing him around on the dirty floor.

Why couldn't they have had a girl? :)