First Working Week

I've talked about wanting to come to Thailand for family, culture, food and many other things but I have yet to truly face what got me here and why I'm really in Suratthani (a city I did not know existed in a province I never heard of 6 months ago): A job. I am a certified English as Second/Foreign Language teacher and after this past Monday I now truly am one (if not a bit inexperienced and overwhelmed).
The job I have in Surat is split between two schools; while officially an employee of and paid by an after-school language institute, I am to teach both there and at a private elementary school (Elementary kids in the morning and the Institute ones in the evening). The Institute opened Monday, and the Elementary School starts classes this coming Thursday, which I am not looking forward to getting started.
As for my classes (And younger class of 15 kids followed by a smaller, more advanced group with 7). The younger class, ages 9 - 11, is a tornado of screaming, running kids who have a hard time focusing on anything for more than 30 seconds at a time and who have now demanded the game "7up" (a children's game from back in the U.S.A.) with a chant every day. An absolute handful who never listen to me. The first day had me wanting to quick and go back home with my tail between my legs, but I'm glad I didn't because they seem to slowly be accepting me as a "real" teacher and they're all pretty damn cute.
One student in particular (who goes by the name of "Big") is a complete menace and has gone trough, over the course of 5 days from absolute hyper screaming machine, to catatonic zombie who literally stared at the walls and was completely unresponsive the entire class, to maniac again who was chucking my flashcards out the door when my back was turned. I truly think he's either bipolar or has ADHD. Gotta say, though, if he wasn't my student I'd love him simply because of his crazy antics (he's clever enough to make each one make me want to pee myself laughing). 
My older class is the reason why I stayed. After the hectic first day and near heart attack of the younger kids' class I needed a break... and got a double shot of Tums-sized relief pills. Instead of charging past me up the stairs scream they are orderly, and while they like to talk in class (in Thai, which is a no-no) they listen to every word I say, work hard, stay focused and still have room to loosen up and goof around so I know they're still kids and not English-absorbing drones at the end of the day (that and they called me handsome ^_^). All seven are true joys to teach and give me hope for a future in the teaching world for me (I'll get the hang of the kids sooner or later... I hope).
More specific details on the classes, their students and the structure of each class are sure to follow as soon as I: start teaching all my classes, learn how to make a truly effective lesson plan and carry it out, and learn all my students' names... yeah right.

Next post: My First Muay Thai Class! (w00t!)