News of the floods in Bangkok had been publicised worldwide and even until the day I arrived I was unsure whether or not the training and internship would be taking place. It was a relief then to find the Lawoe staff waiting at the airport when I got off the plane. The airport in Bangkok is quite a drive from the main city centre and throughout the journey I could see some evidence of flooding although for the most part everything seemed to be getting on as per usual.
I got dropped at the hotel and found some fellow english teachers and made our way to the Big C. A huge department store similar to Walmart in the USA it was the first of many visits to the shopping mall and I have a feeling I will be spending quite a bit of time and money in Big C stores. I shared a room in the hotel with Tim an Aussie from Western Australia. Tim and I are two of the three Australians amongst the 96 interns which is dominated by British with a handful of Irish and some Americans.
The shops surrounding the hotel where preparing for the floods, throughout the week the piles of sandbags got higher and higher. Some shops including the 7/11 had built concrete walls at the entrance to protect from the floods. In the week it rained lightly one night for the rest of the time the sun was shining. The threat of rising floodwaters stopped us from exploring to far for the first couple of nights. I began to get a little couped up and wanted to see Bangkok so one night I caught the sky train with a few girls to the Patpong night market. I refused the invites to the 'Pingpong' shows and instead wandered through the streets and stalls. The ride back to the hostel was probably the highlight of the night as it was my first experience in a Bangkok style Tuk tuk. The driver put his foot down and we were away, weaving in and out of traffic and dodging anything. Hands inside the tuk tuk at all times was a good idea.
Having already completed the training course I was not required to stay to take part in the sessions. I chose to stay though and it was benificial to learn some new skills. Hopefully now I will be ready to teach, hopefully. The last couple of days training where more related to Thailand and giving us an overview of what we are likely to experience. We were reminded though that 'This is Thailand,' anything can happen.
The big question of the week was where would we be placed. While some of the interns were told of their placements on the first day the rest of had to wait till the end of the week to be told where we will be living for the next four months. I found out I will be teaching at a Catholic school in Chachoengsao in South East Thailand roughly one hour drive from Bangkok. There are five of us who will be teaching and living at the same school.
The Grand Palace
Saturday 22nd October
The Grand Palace is one of 4700 temples in Thailand and the first I visited in Thailand when the internship crew went for a day tour on Saturday, our final day in Bangkok. Having been in air conditioned rooms all week training it was quite a shock to the body standing in the extreme Thai heat for the day. The heat was also not helped by the fact I was hungover and I had to wear long pants to cover my knees as a form of respect. The Grand Palace is home of the emerald buddha and is the biggest tourist attraction in the city. Our walking tour guide weaved in and out of the tourists and it was an effort to keep up. The palace is under renovation and probably always will be, some parts were also closed due to the death of the Princess earlier this year.
The reclining Buddha in Wat Pho was quiet compared to the Grand Palace. The large reclining Buddha just fits inside the temple and a quick walk through was all it took to appreciate it. The rest of the grounds are home to many Buddha statues and also home to the national headquarters for teaching and preservation of traditional Thai massage. I have not yet had a Thai massage although I am tempted and may have one in the coming weeks.
Following the cultural fix for the day it was time to head back to Khao San Road to the hustle and bustle of the street. The street had a different feel to it in daylight and I am glad I got to experience it again. All the small side alleys where open and selling bootleg DVDs, rip off T-shirts and suits. The men would follow me half way up the street trying to convince me to come into their suit shop. We spent a couple of hours exploring the road and then went to chill and have dinner on a balcony reserved completly for the internship crew just off the road. It was a good way to end the week.
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