Just go, C!
I'm Charity, a proud auntie, wine lover, semi-nerd, and dreamer who can't stay in one place for too long.
The weather here has been unpredictable lately, alternating between hot, muggy sunshine and torrential downpours. I'm thankful that I'm nowhere near a hurricane right now, though, and it's been difficult to watch coverage of all the natural disasters happening in the States at the moment. I'm sincerely hopeful that your friends and families will come out of all this safe and sound, and that these events will inspire more stories of generosity, hope, and perseverance. Life has been about as unpredictable as the weather for me, lately. There was some uncertainty as to whether I could continue working here as a teacher or if I'd need to work somewhere else, or if I'd even be able to stay in Thailand, period. I'd been told that as long as the school was willing to work with me, there would be no issue with me staying, but that changed to not being able to stay even though the school definitely wanted me to. It's a longer story than that but the details are irrelevant at this point. I'm very disappointed, as I definitely would have preferred to stay at the same school and teach another semester before going back home to visit. But, as we all know by now, things are always subject to change here in Thailand! When I learned that I wouldn't be able to stay here, I got to work immediately on finding another position in Thailand. I just wasn't ready to throw in the towel and leave the country just yet. I put feelers out to a few places and posted a couple inquiries on Facebook. About 2 weeks and 2 interviews later, I have signed a contract with a school in the Phayao province. Phayao is further north of Tak, and it's about halfway between Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai - cha-ching! Two cities that I have absolutely loved to visit and plan to return again once I'm settled in my new home. The town is nestled along Kwan Phayao (Lake Phayao) which is absolutely beautiful especially with the mountains as a backdrop. I visited the school and was impressed with the friendliness of the staff and their approach to education. The students will mainly be younger, like preschool/kindergarten age up to about 2nd or 3rd grade, with a few adult classes sprinkled in. I'll be starting toward the end of October, because in mid-October, I have a trip planned to (drumroll please...) SINGAPORE! And Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur and Penang to be more specific. So the next month is going to be pretty crazy. My students have their finals next week, then the following week I have to do all the grading. I plan to go to Phayao the last weekend of September to find an apartment and move in my things, then I have to return to Tak to judge again in an English competition the first weekend in October, then head back to Phayao for a few short days before my trip. Whew! I have to admit that my inner nomad is excited to live in a new place for a while, but I will deeply miss the friends I've made here, as well as my students, of course. I had a hunch that I would enjoy teaching before I started, but I didn't realize how much fun I would have with my students and how much I would bond with them. It's going to be very difficult and emotional for me to leave them behind. I can only hope I can make it back for a visit when my M6 students graduate next spring. The other possible drawback is that my return to the U.S. could be delayed another couple of months or possibly another six months if I decide to stay longer. Football season has brought on a fresh dose of homesickness so I'm definitely missing some of the comforts of home right now. Absence will certainly make the heart grow even fonder, rest assured! So, that's the latest and greatest with me. Thanks for keeping me in your thoughts and I can't wait to show you more of Thailand and Southeast Asia!
2 Comments
Hi Charity,
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9/24/2017 08:49:08 pm
Paula,
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AuthorHi! I'm Charity. I'm from Omaha, Nebraska, USA. I quit my job in October 2016 to travel the world. Archives
June 2022
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