First week at school

Sandra of course takes me everywhere so i joined her this week for her first week at school. It was a preparatory week so no kids yet. Year plans, week plans and all that. We learned that she'll be teaching 30 kids in 2 classes. Together with her assistent teachers she divided these kids into Grade 3A (16 kids) and 3B (14 kids). Her assistent teachers are Sandy who's already been at the school for one year but who had the worst class that year and had teachers who didn't help her at all. So everybody has warned Sandra she was pretty useless though when she asked further it seemed she basically never got a chance. And a new teacher with a burmese name that i can't remember at the moment (luckily Sandra wrote it down somewhere). It was quite chaotic this week. Many things weren't arranged yet. Not all books had come in, the classrooms for the lower grades were being repainted, they were still hiring assistent teachers (that is why we only learned on friday morning who was going to help us) and a maths teacher for the lower grades. And this is what we know about. The timetable we'll hopefully get on monday since we have no clue except that Sandra will be teaching one or the other 3 grade classes for the first 2 periodes (each period is 45 minutes). We'll see how it goes on monday.

For the rest we've all been busy trying to find an appartment. Not difficult if you'd be willing to shovel out $400 or more per month. But that is not what we want (and can afford). Kyaw Kyaw saw quite a few places but most of them were so run down that he didn't even take us there. We did see one place not far from the school. Run-down but not too bad. A bit of paint would do wonders. 2 bedrooms, small 'entrance room' cum living room, big kitchen and a tiny bathroom. All topped by a baclony that Sandra felt would fall appart if she looked at it for too long. The bathroom had a western style toilet but no shower. Just a big water container with a small bucket to use. And a big tap above it to refill the thing. And she even realised later that she should have tried to see if the toilet flushed or wether to pour water into it with a bucket. I must admit i hadn't thought of it either. The kitchen was big but very sparsely furnished. A refrigerator (and hopefully enough electricity through the day to power it but that is up to the government), a small earthen cooker, a sink and of course cups, plates and the like. No stove. Nothing in the 2 bedrooms except one matress and mosquito net(the owner's mother was living there temporarily). In the 'living room' a huge tv set (with satelite TV) and 4 plastic chairs. No tables, no couch, no nothing. Linolium on the floor everywhere that seemed to have been bought as left over pieces at a discount store. Mismatched, to small, laying loose... well you get the picture. No (super) market and teashop anywhere near the place (at least not a teashop where we'd feel we could actually eat or drink something. But it was quite close to the school. So we met the owner. He wanted $200 per month!!!! Sandra thought she had to reattach her jaw after it had dropped towards the ground with terrible force. And later she heard from Kyaw Kyaw that the man had actually said $250 in Burmese before that. No way that was ever going to happen. Not furnsihed it would be $100. That was what Sandra thought it was worth furnished an all. So we're still looking. We've reached a deal with the hotel that we can stay for 1 month including breakfast for $300. The room is clean, nice, light and big and they have a garden of sorts. And it is close to the school so we walk most of the time unless it rains buckets (it is rainy season after all). Though it is bloody hot but otherwise we would get little excercise, besides it gives a good excuse for being seen sweating the equivalent of a small river. Being here for a month will give us some more time to look around.

Ok, we're off shopping. Sandra needs some nice longyis and tops since she can't really be representative with her worn travel clothes. Besides we need to buy a world map for one of the classrooms. And some stickers and stuff like that for the weeks ahead. So Bogyoke market it is. Touristy but they have some awesome stuff. And longyis in the right size for western women...

A job....

Well, it turned out is was a lot less easy for Kyaw Kyaw to get a new Thai visa since he had had 2 extensions in Chiang Mai. Then we encountered Christy while in Mandalay and again in Bagan. She was teaching at an international school in Yangon for the summer. Sandra had seen the job ad already online but the start of that summer school was too early for them to return to Burma. But here the opportunity presented itself again. Christy wasn't staying since she had plans to go back to Canada and study again. So, Sandra met the principal. They wanted her to do a demo class. She did a demo class. They wanted her to do a second demo class but now a little longer and with the books that were used during the year. She did. And had loads of fun. So had the kids. The principal took his time after that. At least 3 days! But eventually she got the news she got the job. So we'll all be staying in Yangon for the next many months... It'll be a new experience for sure. teaching 3rd graders. I'm sure i'll be posting loads of great stories about that soon. That is, if i can access my blog. It hasn't been easy lately in Burma...

Anyway, Sandra & i went to Bangkok., Kyaw Kyaw and Frans stayed in Yangon. We now have a business visa (valid for the whole of 10 weeks!!! so frequent flights back to BKK just to get a new one). The we went to Chiang Mai. Sandra finished her Foundation Thai massage training. We picked up the stuff we had left there as well. Today we spent most of our time trying to repack and redistribute. We even invested in some new carrying gear.

I was thinking about writing a long update but i'm in Khao San Rd and everywhere there is music blaring and just behind me the tv is showing a movie on the loudest volume possible. I'll take my chances back in Yangon.....

Days out on the lake

About 12 km outisde of Chiang Mai there is this lake where you can bathe (although we all thought the water didn't look very inviting) and relax in one of the bamboo huts that are dotted along the waterline. Order your food & drinks and lean back....

Being out of Chiang Mai would have been nice at any given time but now it was even better due to the oppressive & irritating air-pollution that was hanging over Chiang Mai. Not that the air here was anything like clean but it was a bit fresher then in CHiang Mai proper.

The first time we went on the back of 2 motorbikes. The 2nd time we were with too many people and had arranged a Songthaw (red car).


Me, hanging out... literally


Kyaw Kyaw & his friend Si Thu


A bit of the food. There was much more. 'Auntie' (Si Thu's aunt) had prepared a whole lot of vegetarian food. Since that is one of the few things you can't get there..


David & Kuatarina

Auntie, Si Thu & Kyaw Kyaw

An evening in Chiang Mai

Kyaw Kyaw posing as tuc-tuc driver.... Frans & me weren't allowed anywhere near the driver's seat. I think they don't trust us...




A group picture (without me of course. Someone had to take the picture)

Doi Suthep

Kyaw Kyaw decided to take Sandra up to Doi Suthep for her birthday. Doi Suthep is THE most important temple in Chiang Mai. Or should i say around Chiang Mai sinc eit is up on a hill overlooking Chiang Mai. She hadn't been there yet and somehow there was always something else to do. But this time we all went. And it was really really nice. Like most temples it has that great tranquil atmosphere which we all enjoy. Even though there were quite a few tourists around.



As usual Kyaw Kyaw has no problem posing for a picture.



And one of the few times, Sandra didn't object to hard either...

World flora expo Chiang Mai

After such a long time in Chiang Mai we finally managed to make it to this huge event that was held till the end of januari. It was a great day trip. I've never seen so many flowers together. And neither had the others. Frans of course hasn't seen much to begin with. Kyaw Kyaw has never been to such an event and didn't even know they existed. Sandra had to admit she'd never even been to the Keukenhof. Whatever that is...

Frans & me and some great lotus flowers
Here we're posing on the nicely sized plane that was drifting in the pond at the Kenia-entrance for the flower expo.
More kenia samples to pose with.....
Part of the dutch entrance (no beer in sight though). And it was obviously way to hot for the poor tulips.
A little bit of Indonesia
Belgium's project

Want some?

That was the question Kyaw Kyaw got when he passed this place. He kindly refused and came back to the appartment to ask if we wanted to see this. Of course i was up for it. Sandra, who's stomach already revolted at the sight of the pictures, didn'teven want to hear more about it...

Thai boxing (Muay Thai)

Of course while we were in Chiang Mai we were invited to come along and see the 'real' Thai boxing. Sandra wasn't too impressed at the end of the evening. The guys had a general 
good evening. Me, i concerned myself mostly with the whisky. After all, you need 
something to get you through an evening like that....