I still don't exactly know where we were. It was only supposed to be a 10km, 20min drive down the road; instead it became a huge hour plus journey into what seemed like a carnival/festival in the middle of absolute nowhere. At times Karim's English friend and I felt we were being duped by our friend and were being brought to an Al-Qaeda-esque execution in a jungle cave as we followed the other pickup filled with little Thai fighters around dark, country/jungle backroads with so many U-turns you'd think we were being tailed or something.
This meant that in typical Thai style we stroll into the "stadium" (a roof with a ring under it surrounded by a wall of corrugated tin) late to one of the boys' first fights (the reason we're there). No one seems to care, least of all Karim, the other trainer and the boy, and fight prep begins.
Now let me just say that this if my first live muay thai fight, and first live professional fight. I've seen some amateur kickboxing in NY but this is nothing like that. The ring (after it started raining, it became the only dry structure in the area) is surrounded by people standing in the mud or on chairs for a better view. Everyone is shouting at everything and cash starts to fly after the first round (when the real betting begins).
The fighters prep on mats they bring with them and must push through the crowd to get to their corner. It's all chaos and noise... that and all but one fight was between 8-14 year olds. And not just the pansy little kids fights you get so many PTA moms up in arms about in the States where they have big foam shinpads and headgear on and the gloves are the same size as their torso. No, these are professionals fighting for blood and money; they enter with their mongkan (ceremonial headband that is removed before the fight) 10-14 oz gloves and shorts. That's it.
The fights begin with a Wai Kru or dance to show respect to their trainer and to apologize to the audience for the violence they're about to see (yeah, that second one's kinda funny) and the entire fight is set to traditional Thai music that varies from the kru-dance, and each round (speeds up each round or something, I couldn't really tell). When they're good and they have a long wai kru it's an wonderful show in itself and adds tradition and elegance to a real ass-beating.
They go full force, kicks, punches, elbows and knees. No mercy, no stopping till the bell rings or the ref pulls you away. A 10ish year old kid was knocked out with a beautiful kick to the face and the crowd goes wild. Not a single one cried. Actually, it was their stony expressions left me a little shaken. Win or loose, like Karim, their faces never changed. You can't tell if the kick that just knocked them back across the ring hurt them at all, and when our fighter knocked the other flat with an amazing punch-kick combo (he fell like a board, straight back) I thought he was even a little depressed his face moved so little (didn't even crack a smile).
Still, even with all the kiddie-gore (almost no blood) at the end of each fight, no matter what the outcome the two kids hug (and if their faces have that expression, smile) and then meet and talk to the other's trainers who give them water and a pat on the head for a job well done. No animosity, these are true professionals.
The entire night (aside from getting lost twice, we got turned around on the way back too) was grand and a real eye opener into not only the world of professional fighters, but the Thai version of that world where you begin young, fight often and win or loose keep your composure and sincerely congratulate the other side (not that stupid "Who do we appreciate" shit from Little League Baseball).
Oh, and the final outcome of the night was one win one loss (we had two fighters there) and the loss was totally a result of the gambling and not the actual fight results (our kid smoked the other dude) and I ended up loosing 100 baht (I was lucky I couldn't find an ATM on the way or it would've ended up being more). Either way it's an experience I hope to repeat many times during my time here.
Friday, June 10, 2011
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Wai Kru Day
Today was fun. I woke up early, skipped my run and went to work a full hour and a half before I really needed to. Now, this must be sarcasm, you're thinking, but it's not. It was amazing. Tremendous. Totally hilarious.
Why?
Wai Kru Day.
What is that? It when all the students from all the classes line up and give highly arranged and decorated flower arrangement pieces to all their teachers. This, of course, is after they crawl on their knees to you (we had chairs) and bow face-to-ground-total-kowtow style. And even before that, they sang to us, chanted about being better students and how they appreciate us and all the kids did a kowtow to apologize for being bad students in the past (I want to stand up and cheer).
I was given so many flowers, incense and candles that I had to keep them on my lap, and then give them to someone with a bucket (this repeated itself three times). Sometimes we "blessed" our students on the head as the kowtowed telling them to "lead good lives" and "be a doctor" (I said "Have fun").
Totally made this entire month of Teaching Hell worth it.
Why?
Wai Kru Day.
What is that? It when all the students from all the classes line up and give highly arranged and decorated flower arrangement pieces to all their teachers. This, of course, is after they crawl on their knees to you (we had chairs) and bow face-to-ground-total-kowtow style. And even before that, they sang to us, chanted about being better students and how they appreciate us and all the kids did a kowtow to apologize for being bad students in the past (I want to stand up and cheer).
I was given so many flowers, incense and candles that I had to keep them on my lap, and then give them to someone with a bucket (this repeated itself three times). Sometimes we "blessed" our students on the head as the kowtowed telling them to "lead good lives" and "be a doctor" (I said "Have fun").
Totally made this entire month of Teaching Hell worth it.
Some quick notes
I've been pretty busy lately, a lot's been going down at work. We lost our Academic Manager so two of us (teachers) were made "Head Teachers" or something like that which meant many minor shifts in how things were done. I had my observation from my boss last week and while it was stressful it went well and I am now officially (non-probationary) a teacher at my schools, which is nice (and the pay gets a nice little raise from here on out).
I had to do some visa work, which meant photocopying my passport and getting a checkup... I don't have syphilis, which happens to be the only disease my work checkup checks. Aside from that I lost 10 kilos (22ish pounds) since coming to Thailand and gone down a belt size which is sweet (I had to buy a belt for my work pants tho'). I've felt great about that and added to my muay thai (which is now on the weekend) a morning run which I've done for the past couple weeks.
Finally, I got a new update for my Linux. If this interests you then read on, if not then you can stop here.
Natty Narwhal
The new Unity interface is excellent and I think the best one I've used on my netbook before. It's less clumsy and faster than the older Unity (I'd been using the regular Ubuntu Desktop) and was a real surprise. The full-screened windows are the best way to take up the space and the toolbar is less annoying than Snow Leopard's (I haven't seen Lion yet); the "Hidden" feature seems easier to manager, especially as a sidebar. I did have to allow 3rd party updates (not naturally on) or it was a bit glitchy, but Natty has so far been the smoothest upgrade I've had from Ubuntu. Nice job, guys ^_^
I had to do some visa work, which meant photocopying my passport and getting a checkup... I don't have syphilis, which happens to be the only disease my work checkup checks. Aside from that I lost 10 kilos (22ish pounds) since coming to Thailand and gone down a belt size which is sweet (I had to buy a belt for my work pants tho'). I've felt great about that and added to my muay thai (which is now on the weekend) a morning run which I've done for the past couple weeks.
Finally, I got a new update for my Linux. If this interests you then read on, if not then you can stop here.
Natty Narwhal
The new Unity interface is excellent and I think the best one I've used on my netbook before. It's less clumsy and faster than the older Unity (I'd been using the regular Ubuntu Desktop) and was a real surprise. The full-screened windows are the best way to take up the space and the toolbar is less annoying than Snow Leopard's (I haven't seen Lion yet); the "Hidden" feature seems easier to manager, especially as a sidebar. I did have to allow 3rd party updates (not naturally on) or it was a bit glitchy, but Natty has so far been the smoothest upgrade I've had from Ubuntu. Nice job, guys ^_^
Saturday, May 28, 2011
A needed break: Rajaprappa Dam
Again, I find I'm almost a week behind on my posts (as this all happened last weekend). Meh, I guess it's all the same to everyone anyways right? (If you're reading this post 5 years from now, and find that the time-delay of one week really screwed with your reading experience then... you're messed up, pal).
This/That/Whatever week has been tough, and combined with the past few I needed some time away (as far away as possible while still being in Thailand) and while we didn't have time to make it to one of the islands (I STILL haven't been yet, and that bugs me) we did get to go to Rajaprapa to see the local lake made when the dam was set up. Now, at first glance that doesn't seem to interesting, I mean sure a pristine lake of clear blue water is nice but I could find that thing in the US right? WRONG! For these reasons I will list........now:
1) It's surrounded by gigantic Asian Mountains, I mean those kinda mountains you see in the final scenes of Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon; jutting straight up and covered in jungle growth and 90degree angles to the ground
2) You get around on a motorized bamboo raft, which at first doesn't sound special but you haven't tried it yet.
3) Caves, really cool ones.
and if that hasn't impressed (honestly, as I write it sounds a little lame to even myself) then here's the kicker:
4) You stay, eat and drink on a bar/bungalo that is floating off on the middle of the lake. Nearly everything but the toilet (which you take a ramp to a steep hill which you climb to get to) is on a raft of some kind. The house, the bar, the dock, the whatever else you can think of is floating and lashed/nailed to something floating next to it.
Yeah, it was sweet. We got there after about an hour long boat ride around those crazy mountains (pics by someone else somewhere on FB if you really gotta see) and immediately after arriving about three people dump their things at the dock/bar and just fall over the edge into the water. This started hours of swimming, kayaking and overall lounging in, on and around the water and all things that float in what can easily be described as one of the most relaxing lakes I've ever found. "I'm cold now" find the next floating thing, be it bungalo, bar, kayak or person and get on it/them. "I'm hot now" fall off back into the water. I could really get used to that.
There were partially submerged trees we climbed and jumped off of, there was many, many kayak flippings (and one sinking, leaving the guy out in the middle of the river holding on to a tree for dear life as one of us went out to save his sorry ass), great food, $1-2 beers (pretty damn expensive here, but not bad if you're reading in the US) and a few monkey sightings which took place when a bunch of us took off on another raft to go take a hike through the jungle and look at some of the caves led by a kid with a desk-lamp attached to a car-battery in a backpack.
Towards the end of the day we were all very, very relaxed and rested; dozing on the side of whatever we were floating on now (mostly the bungalos) or lazily bobbing in the nearby water. After the boatride back we all napped on the busride back to Surat (about an hour), ate and felt like the whole week's been worth it.
This/That/Whatever week has been tough, and combined with the past few I needed some time away (as far away as possible while still being in Thailand) and while we didn't have time to make it to one of the islands (I STILL haven't been yet, and that bugs me) we did get to go to Rajaprapa to see the local lake made when the dam was set up. Now, at first glance that doesn't seem to interesting, I mean sure a pristine lake of clear blue water is nice but I could find that thing in the US right? WRONG! For these reasons I will list........now:
1) It's surrounded by gigantic Asian Mountains, I mean those kinda mountains you see in the final scenes of Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon; jutting straight up and covered in jungle growth and 90degree angles to the ground
2) You get around on a motorized bamboo raft, which at first doesn't sound special but you haven't tried it yet.
3) Caves, really cool ones.
and if that hasn't impressed (honestly, as I write it sounds a little lame to even myself) then here's the kicker:
4) You stay, eat and drink on a bar/bungalo that is floating off on the middle of the lake. Nearly everything but the toilet (which you take a ramp to a steep hill which you climb to get to) is on a raft of some kind. The house, the bar, the dock, the whatever else you can think of is floating and lashed/nailed to something floating next to it.
Yeah, it was sweet. We got there after about an hour long boat ride around those crazy mountains (pics by someone else somewhere on FB if you really gotta see) and immediately after arriving about three people dump their things at the dock/bar and just fall over the edge into the water. This started hours of swimming, kayaking and overall lounging in, on and around the water and all things that float in what can easily be described as one of the most relaxing lakes I've ever found. "I'm cold now" find the next floating thing, be it bungalo, bar, kayak or person and get on it/them. "I'm hot now" fall off back into the water. I could really get used to that.
There were partially submerged trees we climbed and jumped off of, there was many, many kayak flippings (and one sinking, leaving the guy out in the middle of the river holding on to a tree for dear life as one of us went out to save his sorry ass), great food, $1-2 beers (pretty damn expensive here, but not bad if you're reading in the US) and a few monkey sightings which took place when a bunch of us took off on another raft to go take a hike through the jungle and look at some of the caves led by a kid with a desk-lamp attached to a car-battery in a backpack.
Towards the end of the day we were all very, very relaxed and rested; dozing on the side of whatever we were floating on now (mostly the bungalos) or lazily bobbing in the nearby water. After the boatride back we all napped on the busride back to Surat (about an hour), ate and felt like the whole week's been worth it.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
The Food: Better than you thought (and you thought it was the best this side of Paris)
Okay, so let me start by saying two things:
1) Yes, of course I had diarrhoea. Massive, soul shattering shits that felt like I was loosing my spine and lasted days. If that's too graphic, that's too bad because you're reading what my anus and I experienced.
2)I only had pad/phad thai once; it was "meh"
Now that those two are out of the way: There's a lot of food in Thailand. More than in America, and that includes the adopted foreign dishes like pizza, spaghetti, the taco, etc. The dishes come by the hundreds and variations by the street corner as everyone makes it their own way (chain restaurants only found in the big malls). I've had pretty much everything from kao phad gai (rice with chicken, and main staple of quite a few expats here as it's easy to say, not spicey and easy on the stomach), to random curries to tom yum a wicked spicey and totally native soup of which only about 20% of the actual ingredients in the soup (aside from the broth) are actually edible.
The portions here are what is best described as "stomach size"; hard to get used to at first but becomes a blessing as the "stuffing yourself silly" and feeling like crap after going to a restaurant are now totally nonexistant. It should also be said that I have not made any food since arrival (not even a pot of hot water) since meals are (even by local standards) ridiculously cheap: $30 baht ($1) per meal is the norm and on my street there is a place about every 30 feet selling something different. Oh, yeah, and it's as fresh as your wildest dreams can think of, especially the seafood (which is Surat's claim to fame along with coconuts and rambutan <-- lookit up).
Now, eating out for breakfast lunch and dinner and with all this good food (that I eat whenever the Hell I feel like and as much as I want) you'd think "But Terry, what about your already dangerously high weight/cholesterol/blood pressure?". That's the best part! I can eat literally as much as I want and I am loosing pounds. This is in part due to: the heat, it's frakking hot here and I sweat in air-conditioned rooms; the previously mentioned portion sizes; and all the food here is just a bit healthier than a Five Guy's Burger with Spicey Fries and Shake ;)
Well, I bet you were hoping for more of a step-by-step replay of my favourite meals a la Food Channel with descriptions to make your mouth water and wish you were here. Ha! I don't need to do that to know you already want to be here so tough cookies (oh, the cookies here are exotic and amazing). 'Sides, I ain't no Bourdain and if you want that kinda stuff a picture (or video) is worth a thousand words so instead of reading my prose, go watch the Travel Channel a bit ;)
Next Post: More work, and a trip to monkey-lake-dam-place!
1) Yes, of course I had diarrhoea. Massive, soul shattering shits that felt like I was loosing my spine and lasted days. If that's too graphic, that's too bad because you're reading what my anus and I experienced.
2)I only had pad/phad thai once; it was "meh"
Now that those two are out of the way: There's a lot of food in Thailand. More than in America, and that includes the adopted foreign dishes like pizza, spaghetti, the taco, etc. The dishes come by the hundreds and variations by the street corner as everyone makes it their own way (chain restaurants only found in the big malls). I've had pretty much everything from kao phad gai (rice with chicken, and main staple of quite a few expats here as it's easy to say, not spicey and easy on the stomach), to random curries to tom yum a wicked spicey and totally native soup of which only about 20% of the actual ingredients in the soup (aside from the broth) are actually edible.
The portions here are what is best described as "stomach size"; hard to get used to at first but becomes a blessing as the "stuffing yourself silly" and feeling like crap after going to a restaurant are now totally nonexistant. It should also be said that I have not made any food since arrival (not even a pot of hot water) since meals are (even by local standards) ridiculously cheap: $30 baht ($1) per meal is the norm and on my street there is a place about every 30 feet selling something different. Oh, yeah, and it's as fresh as your wildest dreams can think of, especially the seafood (which is Surat's claim to fame along with coconuts and rambutan <-- lookit up).
Now, eating out for breakfast lunch and dinner and with all this good food (that I eat whenever the Hell I feel like and as much as I want) you'd think "But Terry, what about your already dangerously high weight/cholesterol/blood pressure?". That's the best part! I can eat literally as much as I want and I am loosing pounds. This is in part due to: the heat, it's frakking hot here and I sweat in air-conditioned rooms; the previously mentioned portion sizes; and all the food here is just a bit healthier than a Five Guy's Burger with Spicey Fries and Shake ;)
Well, I bet you were hoping for more of a step-by-step replay of my favourite meals a la Food Channel with descriptions to make your mouth water and wish you were here. Ha! I don't need to do that to know you already want to be here so tough cookies (oh, the cookies here are exotic and amazing). 'Sides, I ain't no Bourdain and if you want that kinda stuff a picture (or video) is worth a thousand words so instead of reading my prose, go watch the Travel Channel a bit ;)
Next Post: More work, and a trip to monkey-lake-dam-place!
Monday, May 23, 2011
Sorry about the absence...
But it's gunna continue for a bit. Work, training, eating delicious food and such has kept me a bit busy (and out of my favourite Internet cafe) but I promise some good stuff when I return. Look forward to:
Movies in Thailand
Big Food Recap: A little more than pad thai
Trip to a lake: I saw a monkey!
Movies in Thailand
Big Food Recap: A little more than pad thai
Trip to a lake: I saw a monkey!
Thursday, May 19, 2011
First Full Day
I didn't honestly believe that leaving America to teach abroad would be an extended vacation, easier still than the part time retail gig I was pushing back in the States; playing with kids, living in a tropical paradise and working maybe 20 hours a week (okay, so maybe I did kinda hope for a while there). However, today the ball dropped, a giant, lead ball dropped on my little, thatch tiki hut of a dream world. No longer will I be working at an afterschool program with small classes (even the largest is only fifteen students) that don't start 'till 16:30 with plenty of prep time beforehand. Oh no, I will be starting at 10:00 every day, with up to 3 classes, some over thirty students, and with no morning prep (unless I deign it necessary to wake up early on my own time).
That is the new life of this English Teacher: full time. Oh yeah, baby, it's begun.
My classes went exactly as I thought: loud, chaotic, soul crushing. The kids don't listen and I spent the entire time shouting just for kids to get out pencils. While I no long feel the lost emptiness and lack of hope that the first day at the After-School Program, even experienced teachers were feeling the hurt of these crazy kids. I will say that the added presence of a Thai Teacher in the room proved to be absolutely necessary (especially with my over-soft and under-developed style of teaching) as just a mere look would quiet a student and a rap on the desk the entire class. Without them I would be utterly useless as a teacher and I already owe one a stack of paper I had to steal (showing up completely unprepared...)
And tomorrow I do it all again (hopefully a little more prepared this time, though).
Oh, and the day had started so well too, I had my first morning run and felt like an absolute king by the end. >_<
That is the new life of this English Teacher: full time. Oh yeah, baby, it's begun.
My classes went exactly as I thought: loud, chaotic, soul crushing. The kids don't listen and I spent the entire time shouting just for kids to get out pencils. While I no long feel the lost emptiness and lack of hope that the first day at the After-School Program, even experienced teachers were feeling the hurt of these crazy kids. I will say that the added presence of a Thai Teacher in the room proved to be absolutely necessary (especially with my over-soft and under-developed style of teaching) as just a mere look would quiet a student and a rap on the desk the entire class. Without them I would be utterly useless as a teacher and I already owe one a stack of paper I had to steal (showing up completely unprepared...)
And tomorrow I do it all again (hopefully a little more prepared this time, though).
Oh, and the day had started so well too, I had my first morning run and felt like an absolute king by the end. >_<
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