Now about playing traffic dodge ball here in Thailand. So you stand at the curb and look the opposite way than you are used to...except Ursula, David and Sarah and Anthony who grew up with same traffic direction in the UK. You wait for a break in the traffic. 3 Seconds is considered a break here, 2 seconds a acceptable risk and 1 second well a little chancy. You dive into the street full of cars, bikes and motor bikes and shoot for the middle of the street. You take a short rest, with exhaust blowing around, but no one blowing horns and you wait for a new break and go for it. I get to this traffic dodge ball twice a day...and we think Queens Blvd is dangerous...
So today we did our Thai role play. Our advisor told all of us that it is some of the worst Thai she has ever heard. However, she did say she recognized Doi Sutrep when I said it. Our team got 2nd place ..ours was 3 backpackers booking a white water rafting trip all in Thai.
We then learned about communicative activities when in an ESL environment. That means using games to reinforce grammar. I had to do charades with the word excited. Easy for me I just jumped up and down ...but view was a little more challenging...
Then pictionary and I got interrupted ....ugh I had to work on that one....Drew pictures of electric lines and then a lightning strike and lights going out...My team got it.
Now I am doing my usual evening homework and then will go off for my $1.00 dinner...Tomorrow we are getting another teaching model to work with and I am going downtown to the Tuesday market...
David
wow -- Charades -- being excited would be very easy for you to do....no suprise that they guessed it... So you don't speak Thai too well. I was hoping to have a fully literate travelling companion who speaks Thai on my next visit to Thailand.... oh well.... (then again -- you never did get much Italian other than Ciao and Puttanesca). Anyway -- glad that you passed your section/test today....even if it didn't sound too good to the instructor it must have been okay. Did you get your voice back FULLY? Do people know what you really sound like?
ReplyDeleteJust so you know......you have 14 more nieces and nephews here in TX. My history class comes in everyday and says, "We need to check on Uncle David." So, your blog starts our class! Ok, we have some more questions. First, the school. Do the students get to choose their classes (like electives?) Also, what other classes, besides language class, do they take? Second, the market area. Is the market area a safe place to walk around at all times (besides taking your life in your hands when crossing the street?) Third, the food. We have read about the tainted milk issue in China. Are you able to get fresh milk? Do the students bring their lunch or is it provided (for a fee) from the school? Thanks again. You've been describing everything beautifully!
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