Excited For the Trip

Happy Fall everyone.

September was a busy month. There was a huge festival in the park for about two weeks. Music, dancing, fireworks, nearly every night of the festival. The festival was huge with all kinds of colors. It was so packed it took you nearly an hour or two to walk through the whole thing.

We also had sports week in the city. That is when all the schools compete in track and field challenges for a week. We had a parade and had to dress as cowboys during it.

We also took the 4th graders on a field trip down to songla which is about 3 hours to the south next to the Malaysian border. We went to the zoo and aquarium the 4th graders really enjoyed. I thought the aquarium was very nice.

Speaking of the 4th graders, my sister's 4th graders and mine are going to be pen pals. We will start this in November when I get back from break. The Thai students will enjoy it because they have great respect for America. Hopefully the students in my sisters class will enjoy it because so they can try to have an understanding of another place.

We are having test this week. They really pressure these students. It is nice to see that the students that I tutor after school are doing really good on the test though. But I still don't understand making such a big deal out of 6 and 7 year olds taking test. I really enjoy my 1st graders. They kind of remind me of a dog when you come home from work. Always happy to see you. When I walk into class, they are always very happy....."teacher Martin" teacher Martin". The 4th graders aren't so happy all the time!

On one of my days off my neighbor has a 67 volstwagon bug. He took me for a good cruise up to one of the mountain. These mountains around here are really beautiful. We are at sea level in the city. But once you get out of the city the elevation really starts to soar. The range is about 2300 meters. Which is alot when you consider we are at sea level in the city.

I also spent another weekend up in Kanom. I really like this stretch of paradise. Its very quiet up there with a beautiful beach and mountains in the back ground. There is a guy from Chicago the lives up there and he owns some Kayaks. When I get back from break we are going to take them up to the Mountain and cruise them all the way down to the ocean and back to his place.

Hard to believe that it is already fall. We have a break starting in two days. I am taking the train up to Bangkok for a couple days. I've decided that I am going to spend a day just walking throughout the city. Not knowing where I am going or what I am going to do. Just EXPLORE! It should be quite interesting. I plan on visiting China Town and little India on the way. Other then that just walk walk walk. And take many pictures. Then I am taking the bus to Cambodia. I am going to stop at a National park on the way there. Plan on going to see Angkor Watt in Cambodia. Then taking a boat up to Loas where I plan on white water rafting. I will tell you all about and publish pictures when I am finished.

The picture above is getting ready for the parade and the historic temple at night in the town.

Hope everybody has a good October! Talk to you soon

Martin