Category: Work

On the Mic

I’m writing this while taking turns recording dialog for textbooks with Kylie, a recent graduate from Indiana State University currently teaching at our Language Center. I’m still pretty wasted from the past couple of days, helping with our faculty’s annual International Fair.
I know I’m really behind posting new photos of the babies, but truth be told, I haven’t really been taking any, either… Sometimes raising babies feels like combat, with violent spurts of intense action and getting in small batches of sleep when you can in between.
Like I said, I was pretty tired and went to sleep earlier than usual next to Max, but he woke up and threw a fit at four in the morning and woke up his sister, too, so Nam and I had to hold one each, One or both of them always need to be carried at times like this, so we both ended up shuffling around like undead in clumsy figure eights, in separate rooms so that when one went to sleep, they wouldn’t be woken by the other again. Max’s tantrum was around an hour long, so we ended up waking up partially and from there it always feels like you have to climb a hill all day long; sometimes a quick nap in the afternoon is a necessity, be it in the parking lot or in the office when nobody’s around for a couple minutes.
On the brighter side of things, Max likes going to school now. Until ten or so days ago, parting at the nursery school gate was a big ordeal; crying baby and guilt-ridden parent. Now, however, his face lights up when he sees the school coming up, and last week he even slammed the gate shut on Nam – it’s nice picking him up now as well, since he smiles after not seeing you all day and doesn’t cry anymore. It’s kind of a highlight of the day, now. It’s easy to forget that we were contemplating pulling him from school altogether and waiting until he was older just a couple weeks ago… Your child’s tears make you act drastically at times.
Mina is almost 2 months old (born Dec. 6) drinking milk at an incredible rate, weighs over 5 kilos (born at 3.5), and has GROWN OUT OF HER ONESIES. She is now wearing the biggest size onesies that Max was wearing at 6-8 months. She punched me square in the eye this morning and it hurt.
OK, it’s my turn on the mic again, gotta go.

RMU English Skills Competition

This is what I’ve been working on the past couple of weeks in between teaching. It culminated in the actual competition yesterday, which went well except for the poor planning and execution of a couple events/aspects. The guilty parties won’t even admit there were problems, which is part of the problem, of course. At least, that’s the feedback from some of the school administrators who attended. Both from what I saw and the feedback survey, everyone else did really well; props all around.
Our next event is the annual International Day. Preparation begins next week.

Royalty Visiteth

The crown princess is coming to Rajabhat Mahasarakham University for some kind of contest to be held at our new indoor event hall. This means I saw the first helicopter since the last time a member of the royal family came (last year, when another princess landed on our track to be taken by motorcade to preside over the graduation festivities for the sports college next door, where I exercise every day). Our building’s parking lot has been declared the space for motorbikes, so there are probably a thousand parked out there so far.
In an hour or so when I leave for my workout, I hope I can get my car out. I parked it under some trees far away, but even those spaces might fill up.

Burning bloodsuckers at Khao Yai National Park, Thailand

These vids were taken at the teacher’s accommodations we rented (House 109) at Khao Yai National Park from November 9 to 11, 2009. It rained every day, which brings the leeches out in great numbers. I had a few actually on my feet during different times, but none were on long enough to feast on my ambrosial blood. Too bad.

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Part 1 is very blurry and hard to see, but contains brutal leech burning imagery as an added bonus:

Thai language note: These leeches, on land, are called “taak.” Ones in the water are “prin” (pronounced like pudding in Japanese without the hard “r”) The hand-sized ones in the water are called “prin quai” (buffalo leeches).

Surveying Khao Yai National Park, Thailand

Last week, while tripping balls on cold medicine and mourning the loss of our pink chicken, I mentioned going on a scouting trip for our upcoming International Camp. Here are some photos which are neither international nor even educational, but I like them anyway. If you’re lucky I may even throw in the odd caption.
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Khao Yai National Park. Entrance fees for Thais: 20 Baht. For foreigners: 200 Baht. Yet somehow, I got in for the Thai rate (because my coworkers told me to shut up so I could pass as Thai. Thanks, girls!)
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The dormitories we were supposed to stay at, but will no longer be able to because our financial dept. didn’t make the transfer on time…
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This totally reminds me of Full Metal Jacket.. PRIVATE PYLE WHERE R U!!
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Can we infer that there’s a 500 Baht penalty for leaving food outside the Room?
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Snail shoe rack? I forgot to ask what’s written in Thai.. but maybe it’s better kept as a mystery.