English Camp

Next on my adventure I headed to Bangkok to, volunteer at an English camp. I boarded a bus  on Friday morning en route to Bangkok, to meet with a lady from the agency who  I had only talk to twice on the phone. It was a little nerve racking to not know where I was staying or who I was meeting but it was a learning experience. When I arrived at the bus station, I called the lady, Indy and after a little bit of confusion and miscommunications we finally found each other. She brought me to the AYC offices and introduced me to some of the staff I would be working with, got me a T-shirt and a map to the offices. She informed me I would be staying in her apartment for the night because she was going to visit family. We walked to her apartment building, just down the road from the offices and she showed me her apartment and gave me a key. She told me to be at the office by 6am the next morning. She also informed me I had to be covered from my knees to my neck. Fun. Nothing in my wardrobe fits that description. So I headed to the only place I knew where I could find below t shorts that went to my knees in Foreigner friendly sizes and food, Khao San Road. I shopped around grabbed some food and headed back home. I finished my night by cuddling up in bed and watching Tangled.

The next morning I woke up at 5 am and had a lovely cold shower (<sarcasm) and walked to work. When I arrived there I found out I was the only exchange student and the only female foreigner… great. We got on the bus and headed to pick up the students. When we got the students we sang some camp songs on the bus and played some games like bingo. Next we stopped for breakfast and there was a Starbucks.(HALLELUJAH!!) Next we stopped at Oasis Sea World to eat lunch and watch a dolphin show and finally arrived at our resort in Chantaburi at around 4pm. We played some soccer and went swimming in the sea before dinner and played camp games and sang some songs before bed. I then did room check and also went and passed out in my room. Let me tell you the best investments to make in Thailand, sleep mask and earplugs. Without them I would have never fallen asleep. I had to share a room with two Thai ladies and a lady boy and they are soo loud.

The next morning woke up and had breakfast at seven. We played a bunch of games and I taught a lesson about broadcast journalism to a class of about 40. Then I had to work with the class to write a script and produce their own news show. I was given a camera and told to follow the students orders while guiding them in a productive manner. After a lunch break and a few more shots our news show was complete. We then had an Olympic walk relay where I had to lead a bowling game with a different group of kids every 5 minutes. After that we had free time so I went swimming again and then went and took some pictures before dinner. After dinner we had a dance party and talent show that was very … uhhh…. Interesting. The children and staff are morally allowed to be complete inappropriate and downright offensive when it’s in English.  The kids did dances and skits for their talent shows and there was swearing, murder, suicide, gang beatings, sex, if its offensive it was there. And to make it all better the theme was Christmas. I was shocked but everyone was super chill and didn’t even notice.

The next day we played a few games around camp and then got on the bus for the five hour drive back. Once again I had no idea where I was going. So I just decided I wanted to go home. So I grabbed a taxi outside the AYC offices and headed to the bus terminal. There I called my host mom who was trying to get me to take this company of bus no one could find, so I just went to Information and told them where I wanted to go and they help me buy a ticket and walked me to my bus. It was strange though because my ticket was half the regular price. I got on the bus and told my mom that I was on a bus that the Info people recommended. she started panicking, so I handed the phone to some very confused looking Thai guy and he told her what bus I was on, because honestly, I had no idea. Turns out it was the right bus company just second class. All  that means is that it would make more stops taking me longer to get home but it was already 8pm so, what difference did it make if I arrived home at 12 or 4. None to me. So I cuddled up and fell asleep courtesy of my sleep mask and earplugs. I woke up around four am just in time to get off at my stop.

When I got off in my little village there were a bunch of creepy men standing outside the temple who kept yelling at me. So I called my host mom to ask her to come pick me up but of course she didn’t answer so I walked home at 4 am through my village. This was fine and dandy until we got to the house beside mine with its nasty dogs that always try to attack me. The dog was trying to bite me so I ran to my gate and slammed it shut. For some reason the later at night the crazier the dogs are. I walked up to my front door to find it locked. LOVELY. So I sat outside for about forty minutes until one of the aunt’s woke up and came and woke my Grandmother up, who then opened the door for me. I slept that whole day.

On Wednesday, I went in town to see the Princess who was coming through. My host mom was so excited. She told me the princess was not a human but a  Goddess and that she helps everyone and is so very kind. She was in town to give out the degrees at the local university and would be coming through town to see the students. I went in to town around lunch and found my host mom standing along the streets with all the students. All the students sat in rows on the side of the road and the school soldiers lined the streets. I was expecting like a parade or something because they had cleared the streets but no. there were 8 ambulances that sped by then, a few cars then about five police cars. These cars sped by, going at least 60km/h. Then all the students stood up and started walking back to school. My host mom turned to me and said did you see her, she was sitting in the back of the car with the blue flag.  I said no, and honestly I doubt anyone actually saw her she was traveling so damn fast. But oh well at least we were graced by her presence, right?

Then today Friday, I spent cooking ALLL DAY!! Last night I made a late run to the grocery store after spending yesterday picking through online recipes. Then today I woke up early and using my families newly discovered mini convection cooker, I baked 2 apple pies and one sugar pie. Two dozen maple cookies and I made devilled eggs. Next week, I am going to cook my family a huge Christmas dinner, with tourtiere,  mashed potatoes, vegetables, pie, cookies, egg nog, and anything else Christmas-y I can think of. Today was just a trial but everything turned out so lovely, so I am bringing it to share with my friends tomorrow.


Well that’s it for now. TaTah!

Xoxo Chantel <3