Just Before Christmas

Thailand, at least in Phuket, is all dressed up for Christmas. All the stores are fully decorated, the flyers are being left in the gate, the music is the same as one finds in all the stores at home at Christmas. And this is a Buddhist country. I don't know what it might be like in Bangkok but so many farang live in Phuket, Thais make them feel right at home. Although many Thais will tell me that if it is a holiday from anywhere, they like to celebrate. Amazing. On Christmas Eve, the entire school is turned over to Christmas activities, parties, and gift giving. I will already be in Africa so will miss that, but not a problem since I sure am familiar with the festivities.

What is it like living in Thailand. Well, it is all pretty normal in many respects. My house is very suburban. I get up every morning at 5:30 so I can watch the Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer and catch up on some of the TV commentators I like best. I am sure it is because they almost all agree with me. I walk get to school about 7:30 every morning and like everyone else swipe my finger on the print identification device. Usually I have to do it two or three times before it says Karp Khoun Ca 0 thank you. Don't know why I have this problem; everyone else seems to swipe once and it is a go. We all have to stay until 4:30 to swipe out again. Sometimes that is a drag as one has to hang around even if all the classes are finished. I am fortunate not to have a homeroom as every homeroom teacher has to stay for extra lessons which begin at 4 and end at 5. There is extra pay, but it is a long day. Currently, I am teaching my "need help" students and have about 12 hours a week of very small classes. Just the way it turned out and I get paid the same as everyone else.

I have hot water in the bathrooms, but none in the kitchen so I have to heat a lot of water. This is usual for a Thai household. We do not flush paper down toilets anywhere so that is kind of problem, especially in many public bathrooms. Most public toilets do not have toilet paper unless they have a large farang clientele. But the Thais have something else. It is really a bidet shower. Every place has them and that, of course, is for use every time you need. Actually it is pretty good to have around (with tp as well). Pretty sensible and refreshing.

I do eat out a lot as food is really cheap as long as you are not looking for very foreign food. Cheese and hamburgers will almost always cost $6.00 or $7.00 for example and just about all decent Thai food will cost anywhere from 35 baht to 120 baht for a meal. The 35 is rice and maybe some small amount of chicken and pork, a stir fry, and the price goes up as you add vegetables, whole fish, pieces of fish. There is some very good beer in Thailand which runs from $1.00 to $1.50 for a liter. All wine is very expensive as there is a high import duty on it; strange as there is none made here. Whiskey made in Thailand is very cheap but potent. Imported whiskeys like Scotch, Bourbon, etc. are pretty reasonable as is Vodka, Gin and Rum. Johnny Walker is very popular here. If I have anything, it is usually beer. Everything else is too much on a farang salary

Speaking of salaries, in my school, almost all teachers begin at 30,000 baht or about $1,000 a month and get after school lessons pay. Phillipino and Thai teachers make under 10,000 baht.Quite a difference. There is a raise every year of about 1500 baht. If you are here long enough you have three weeks off in October and one month in April. I got one week in October and can have two in April as things stand now. We also have quite a few holidays and for Christmas we have 10 days.

I am learning more about Thai culture and mores and just wanted to let you know that in normal families, girls are very protected and a great deal of emphasis is placed on not bringing disgrace to the family. They are expected to abstain until marriage. Like many countries that are becoming westernized and have great influence from Western movies and music, there are the beginnings of the breaking of these traditions. They really are not allowed boyfriends and girlfriends till quite late, although many of the kids talk about a girlfriend or boyfriend. Lots of text messaging, etc. but no dating. If a girl does not marry, she generally stays with her parents and very often strict rules still apply. We have one teacher who is about 25 who loves to hang out with a group of teachers her age who are farang. This is not allowed so she literally has to be very secretive about her joining them.

One of the big advantages in living in Phuket are the beaches for me. Last weekend we had 4 days off and a friend spent three of them island hopping, swimming, snorkeling and eating some great lunches that were provided by the tour boats. It really is so much fun to swim among so many beautiful tropical fish and the water is always warm enough to just jump or wade in.

It is always hot. We just finished the rainy season which is hot with very high humidity. Now we are getting into the dry season which is hot but not so humid. I am delighted to report that a pool just opened a block away from my house, so now I can just go and jump in after work. Membership is 150 baht a year, a little less than $5.00, and each pool visit is 30 baht, a little under $1.00. I had been coming home and jumping in the cold shower every day. Now I have an option.

My holiday begins the night of the 23rd when I fly off to Tanzania. I am really looking forward to this new adventure. Look here for my tales from Africa.

Geraldine