Raeleigh's Ramblings: Mae Hong Son!

The Wat Jong Klong where I teach (viewed over the lovely lake)

Me helping teach the monks "where do you come from?" (the towel over the head is not de rigeur monk attire - Sombhut had a cold)

The school I teach at in MHS

So what's been happening in MHS? Plenty of monsoony weather - like the build up season in Darwin at home. It's steamy pretty much all the time but the rain eventually provides some relief. Last week the other volunteer was sick, so I rocked up to the school on my own expecting the co-ordinator/translator to be there - he was a no show twice last week, and the Thai teachers make a run for it as soon as they see you. It was probably quite funny to see me calling (gently at first) "nang long kha" (sit down please) which eventually morphed into commandant type yelling to "NANG LOONNGG!" (I also confiscated a yo-yo, plastic container of >>>>>> who knows, and motioned to at least 3 children to stop banging on the freaking desk while I was singing the ABC frickin song!!! (They refused to join in even though I especially sang the Thai version "happy happy we will be...." instead of what I wanted to sing - ungrateful or what! - pretty cute though). The most memorable part of Friday's lessons was when the kids saw my model of our activity blu-tacked to the blackboard, and while I was sitting marking/stickering their work, many delighted in their new-found glue-stick using skills to actually glue their work next to mine on the board, and since their Thai teacher was in the room and pretty near them, I think she has ended up with a board full of glued on worksheets. (They are nice worksheets though!!)

Have been teaching the young monks at the Wat near the lake each night - alternating beginners and intermediates. It's been pretty fun, just being around the Wat, hearing their chanting and helping them learn some basic stuff - I've made very very little difference since I've only taught them a couple of times each, but they are lovely young men and most are very studious and intelligent.

Lots of great food to be had here and am greatly enjoying the fact that there is no grocery shopping, cooking and cleaning up to do. Here's some pics of the 'pineapple shake' (my fave) and the northern specialty dish 'khao soy' with chicken mmm..mmmm.

So not a great deal happening other than eating, deciding which restaurant to eat at, and lying down after eating. There is some teaching of children and monks and planning for that. Other time spent shopping, riding bikes around the town and sitting in airconditioned internet cafes. I can highly recommend a visit to Mae Hong Son if you get to northern Thailand. So beautiful, but a very slow leisurely pace of life here. Wonderful really!