Another reflection

Riding to school today I saw a helicopter.  It was so surprising, I haven’t seen anything in the air besides birds and butterflies for 9 months.  It’s my day off, but we needed to plan a lesson for Monday and I already had 3 days off this week (another story). 

I worked with a 5^th grader who is in a story telling competition in English, had lunch with the teachers, helped with the 5^th grade class after lunch and rode home.  My ride home is past lots of rice fields and they still take my breath away they are so beautiful. 

As I was leaving for lunch, there were several, maybe 5, 5^th graders who came up and said “Thank you teacher, see you again next time.”  At lunch time they drew a hop scotch on the sidewalk (I showed them how with sidewalk chalk in a gift box from friends at home) and slowly kids started to try it until there was a line and they were just going one after the other, laughing, hopping, falling, laughing. 

I didn’t want to leave to get my camera because I was enjoying them so much.  They weren’t doing it “right” and in typical Thai fashion could have cared less about rules, or taking turns, or anything but enjoying themselves. 

As I was leaving school 2 4^th graders and I had an actual conversation.  They started with “Where you go?” which is how I’m asked in English all the time.  I corrected them and taught “Where are you going?”  I answered.  I realized that these 2 at least really want to speak English and they hang out around me.  I asked if they knew where I lived and they didn’t.  I think some extra tutoring would be fun with them.  They love singing in English.  But, the point is we had an exchange in English which they were not having 4 months ago.

On the way home my thought was – I don’t want to leave here, but I want to be home.

So, the process has been:

I want to be at home, but don’t want to go home.

I don’t want to be here, but I am not sure I want to go home.

I don’t want to leave here, but I want to be home.

It probably sounds like the same thing, but it’s not.  I am still torn about another 18 months in Thailand, but for today, I am happy and fulfilled.