1Jan-4Feb2004
The New Year started off with a bang. Fireworks and parties. Nee and I
brought the New Year in at the Complex Beer Garden (I keep looking for the
simple beer garden). Just a couple of weeks later the Chinese New Year was
celebrated. Classes go on and the end of the term is in sight.
Every year the Rajabhats in Isan meet for a teacher's sports day. This
year the event was in Surin. The Rajabhat provides buses and a
hotel. I invited Nee along. We stopped to look at the Khmer ruins at
Phi Mai and a pottery shop.
We arrived with four minutes to spare for the opening ceremony.
Everyone changed into their official shirts and we paraded around the
field. The torch was lit and fireworks celebrated the opening. After
the ceremony we were treated to a multi-course Thai dinner and a really
impressive historical pageant. The history of Isan was presented by 300
actors with elephants, horses, battles, dancers, a light show, music and a PowerPoint
presentation. The show lasted over an hour.
The next day I participated in the ping pong tournament. My superb
physical conditioning was tested by constant bending over to pick up mis-hit
balls. Aki, one of the Japanese teachers and I were washed out in the
first round.
The Language Center put on a luncheon to say farewell to me and the other
teachers who are leaving at the end of the term. Aki, Noriko and I are
leaving. Several Thai teachers are going to Australia to continue their
education. I received a nice memento and Ajarn Samarn gave me a tie
clasp. Tim gave me a tie for my birthday. Could this be a subtle
Thai hint? Should I wear a tie? Well, maybe once.
This is the final week of regular classes. Next week I give the
speaking portion of the final exam and then proctor exams for two weeks and then
I'm done.
5Feb-7Mar2004 Exams
are finished. Grades are in. Goodbyes are said and I'm ready to head
for Bangkok to catch my flight. Nee is going with me to the airport.
She wants to say goodbye. I'm going to miss her. We'll communicate
by the occasional very expensive phone call and through email translations
courtesy of the Language Center.
Clem is moving to a new place and
he's spent the last two weeks fixing it up. So, we're all saying goodbye
to 411/30 Ploy Villa. It was a good place to stay. Comfortable,
convenient to Rajabhat. Clems's cooking and an easygoing atmosphere made
it a great place to stay.
We took my extra stuff to Nee's house in Thak Khan
Tho. Now I'm down to 25kg of stuff including the clothes on my back.
Pretty good when you consider that I'm taking a tent and a sleeping
bag.
Nee is planning to open beauty shop in her house.
There's no beauty shop in her village and the competition is 5km away so she
should do well.
I'm going to shop for a Lonely Planet for China and Japan when
I get to Khao San Road in Bangkok. I'll have a go at Burger King and then
we'll find a place near the airport. I have to check-in at 8am, two hours
ahead of flight time.
It feels strange to be "on the road
again". I've led a settled life for a year and four months. Now
I've got to gear up mentally for the challenges of budget travel. Food,
lodging, and transport take lots of work in a strange city in a strange
country. I expect that Hong Kong won't be too tricky but mainland China
will give me a good work out.
When I get to Hong Kong, I've got to find the
agency that handles the Trans-Siberian and make my arrangements. I hope
they'll handle my China visa in Hong Kong and my Russian visa in
Beijing.
