Learning Thai

Last Monday Claire and Eliza started a new school year. During April their school was open for a summer term, but this was the beginning of the real school year. Claire was very excited to go back and had been looking forward to studying with her friends again. Eliza was not looking forward to it, but she had a good first day and went cheerfully for the rest of the week. Wearing the uniform and getting a school-issued backpack were the highlights for her. I've also started teaching at the school on Thursday mornings again - so now when I go to drop off or pick up the girls I'm usually greeted by groups of kids shouting "Teacher Tom!" "Good morning!" "I am fine!"

Candice and I are also starting some other teaching jobs in our neighborhood. In the space of a few days we had several new people ask us to teach them. Candice is teaching a young lady who will be moving to Australia to study soon, and this evening I'm going to start trading English lessons for Thai lessons with a man who lives nearby.

On Saturday our team and some Thai friends rented a boat and took a ride through some canals and out to the Gulf of Thailand where we had a delicious seafood lunch. Many people in Thailand live along canals and they remain an important means of transportation. We saw lots of fishing boats (and fishing birds) and enjoyed the quick escape from the city.

The low table at the restaurant was the perfect height for Silas.

-Tom