Who's Teaching Who?

                As I sit here once again, reflecting on the lesson that I was planning on teaching until finding out last minute that I will not, in fact, actually be teaching, I decided I would take the opportunity to contribute to the third Peace Corps goal by updating my blog. So, why has it been so difficult to teach these past few weeks? Well, there were several boy scouts days as well as practice boy scouts days for each. There was mother’s day as well as practice mother’s day days. There was teacher appreciation day as well as practice teacher appreciation days. Morning classes were cancelled yesterday because of traffic safety training (which is actually really good because I often see many students speeding by on their motorcyles, no helmets). We have daily “moral trainings” that last for an hour and sometimes go over, cutting into our first period somewhat regularly. A couple of teachers transferred schools this week, so we ended up having a half day so that we could celebrate their move with ceremonies and food. Between these events, additional holidays, reconnect (Peace Corps training) and all of the English camps and trainings that I have been helping with, I have literally only taught a handful of times in the past two months. “They” say that next term we will be able to teach even less…There must be a lesson for me in all of this…I am being encouraged to be a “learner” every single day and let go of my own personal agendas and schedules. It’s a good lesson, but a frustrating one when I get caught up in thinking that things should be different. And here I insert every PCVs favorite (or least favorite, maybe) Thai expression: jai yen-yen, which literally translates to “cool heart” but pretty much just means “chill out.”