Monday, February 16, 2009

Bats, Bats, Bats----no, not for lunch!

Chaimongkol Pittaya School is a small grade 7-12 school in a little village called Ban Mai. When I was here before I was also at this school as it is across the street from Mr. Tawin's house (where I lived). Since I had lived in this village, I would socialize with some of the teachers in the evening (that means having a few beers after dinner on the school grounds). The teachers here are very friendly and even though their English is limited and my Thai VERY limited, they became good friends of mine so I am very happy to see them all again. I would guess there are about 300 students in this school.

This morning at morning roll call, I was introduced by Ceasar and addressed the students in Thai. I told them that my Thai was limited, but I knew that they all spoke good English, so I expected them to speak with me in English...that brought some laughter, as Thai students who have studied English since grade 1, have almost no skills or confidence to speak English. Later in the morning I had a chance to work with students in grade 10 English and I desparately tried to engage them in English conversation. The limits were their name, how old they are and what sport they like to play.....The interesting thing is that they are able to write complete sentences---but cannot speak the sentences!!! That is the reason for this project---to find ways to have Thai students speak English with American students.

Later in the morning I was picked up by Mr. Chusak, Ms. Ratree, Russ and Judy------oh, and we forgot to mention yet that we have a photographer who follows us everywhere (He is an Art teacher from the school) and take many, many photos at every site.... We visited a School of the Arts today. It is one of one 6 or 7 in the country that teach Thai music, dance and the other arts. Students in this school can begin here in high school and can stay until receiving their bachelor's degree. In Thailand there are specialty schools like this one, often boarding schools, that teach specialties such as the arts, agriculture, or the vocational trades.

We then visited Sukhothai Historical Park ---part of the first capitol of Thailand. Like Si Satchanalai, these two cities were considered the first capitol city and shared the title even though they were about 40 miles apart. These cities date from the 1300s....think of that....its before Columbus arrived in the new world. The site is fantastic to see with the remains of the ancient capitol.

In the evening we visited a National Park in the Mountains west of Thung Silium. There is a rugged mountop here with caves in which millions and millions of fruit bats live. Every night exactly at 6 pm they all leave the caves in search of food and return at 6 am. It is an unbelievable site to see and lasts for only about 12 minute with waves and waves of millions of bats flying overhead. The sound from these bats was like many mosquitos circling your head. I have never witnessed such a site.....and no, Mr. Garay, we did not have any too eat, however, I was told that many people in the hill tribes do eat bats.

Fred

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