6:30am- wake up, throw open one set of shutters, cringe as the cacaphony of roosters becomes many, many decibels louder.
6:45- "Shower". This consists of going to the bathroom on the balcony (walled off), dipping a large plastic bowl into a cisern, and splashing it on myself. I have this down to an art, because the cold water makes my body ache if I just go at it. Return to room, towel off, and get dressed.
7:00- head downstairs, say good morning to Thai-Mum and her sister who comes around every morning with fruit. Have breakfast, usually consisting of scrambled eggs, fish sauce (they don't use salt, and fish sauce only tastes salty) and some kind of meat like 'bacon' (read: bologne) or fish (I had fried tilapia yesterday, ohmygod good). Eat breakfast, chat with Thai-Dad, and read a little.
8:00- Walk to school.
8:04- Arrive at school.
8:04 to 8:50- Greet teachers entering the office. Watch the kids raise the flags, sings various national anthems, and relax.
9:00 to 10:00- Grab a coffee and head over to whatever Mattayum class I am teaching (grades 7-9). Usually with the older kids I start with playing a game of hangman, then a real vocab lesson of either them listenining to a song I have typed up with missing words they have to fill in, or trying to describe pictures, or learning the words to simple kids' songs. End class with another game of hangman.
10:00 to 11:00 Free time usually. I go sit under the fan in the teacher's office and chat with the Director or any teachers off duty.
11:00 to 12:00- Teach Battom kids (grades 4-6). I love teaching them! Right now everyday they've been learning "Mr. Sun", which has the added fun of ensuring I hear it sang on the playground every morning, noon, and after school. I also taught them hangman, and boy are the kids sharp as a tack. A few times they guessed the word after one letter!
12:00 to 1:00- To to the large open-air gymnasium to eat lunch with the teachers. Usually I sit quietly, eat, and smile or laugh when it feels appropriate.
1:00 to 2:00- free time, same as 10:00
2:00 to 3:00- teach another Mattayum class
3:00 to 4:00- Grab another coffee before going to teach another Mattayum class
4:00- School is done! I usually walk up to the market (about 15 minutes up the road) to chat with my favorite merchant, and to buy something to nibble on. I have been jogging there and back just to get my heartrate up at least once a day.
4:00 to 7:00- varied. Sometimes I play computer games with Sun, sometimes I go for walks with First (though she doesn't like to walk, and Tanapat doesn't want me walking alone, so I keep these to a minimum), or I lay on the mattress in the living room and read. We also go to chaiyaphum sometimes to go shopping and for dinner.
7:00pm- Dinner time! Ususally around 5 dishes of curries, soup, and vegetables, plus rice and fruit.
7:30 to 9:00- I usually read or chat with Tanapat
9:00pm- Take another dip-shower, close the shutters, and then fall asleep.
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