New Years Eve/ Thailand Update

Hi all,

So today is the very last day of 2014!! I hope everyone reading this will have a great night tonight and a very special New Years Eve.

Today I got some really good news about Thailand.

I found out that I'll be staying in an apartment with another girl going over with me. Our apartment is apparently walking distance from the school we will be teaching at. I have not yet been able to get a physical address and was told that may come during my first week in Bangkok.

I also found out that since I'm not with a host family (only one group was put with a host family, the other 10 people are in apartments) the school is going to organise some weekend activities.

The activities that I'll be experiencing, apart from my 15 hours a week work in the classroom, will be things like learning how to cook Thai food (this one I'm really excited for as I love cooking), learning how to do Thai dances, and learning about the Thai culture.

Since there are 8 of us in Rayong we will be able to use our free time to go and explore on our own, who cares if we get lost a little bit it's part of the fun and adventure.

I probably won't blog again until I leave so Happy New Year everyone and I hope you stay safe tonight :D

Anna xx

Pluakdaengpittayakom School, Rayong... Where is that?

Hello again,

I understand that I've already blogged once today but I got some amazing news and had to share it.

I have finally found out where I'll be staying for 4 weeks while I'm in Thailand.

The first week I'm in Bangkok with the 11 other students going too, but after that was a mystery. Needless to say my mum was getting very upset with me going to a country I've never been to before and not knowing where I'm staying, well now I can somewhat calm her nerves.

So now I know that as of the 12/1/2015 (wow 2015 looks weird as a date) I'm going to be in Rayong.

Rayong is a really nice village on the sea front. It looks beautiful and has so many different tourist attractions. I like how I'm not spending my entire time in Bangkok or Phuket which are the main tourist destinations, this way I'm able to experience the traditional Thailand filled with culture. There will be 8 of us (including myself) in Rayong and 4 in Chonburi which is the neighbouring province.

The school I'll be at is called Pluakdaeng Pittayakom School. I cannot find much information on it apart from a blog created back in march 2013 for what looks like a conference, due to this I'm not sure where in Rayong I'll exactly be staying so I'll have to keep you updated.

At least this way (hopefully) when someone searches this school in future they may get more information.

As for accommodation that is still sadly unknown. As I mentioned in a previous blog I leave on Friday 2nd January 2015 (again that looks weird). There are two accommodation types I could possibly be in.

The first is home stay with a family ,which I think will be the best option, as they can take me sightseeing to all the best places and I personally believe the best way to learn/experience and new language/culture is by surrounding yourself with it. The next accommodation option is in an apartment where me and one other student will be in an apartment just us two and we are to find our own experiences in the weekends and after school.

Which option do you think will be the best? They both have ups and downs as the apartment living will allow for more free time to go where I wish when I wish.

See you with more information later

Anna

Ready To Leave?

Hello again,

So It's a couple days before I leave and needless to say I am packed and ready to leave... well nearly!

To be honest my bag has been packed for about 1 month now and my boyfriend is getting very annoyed how I'm living out of a suitcase, but what else does he expect me to do? I want to make sure I take all the things I need and not forget anything like laptop charger or phone charger.

Every time I repack my clothes (about weekly after washing is done) I find something I could remove from the bag because Thailand has cheap clothes I can just buy over there. It is safe to safe that my big bag is officially finally packed weighing in at 15.2kg and my carry on bag is nearly done just need to put my laptop in, book I'm currently reading (Girl Online by Zoe Sugg) and some spear clothes just in case my bag does a little disappearing act on me.

Does anyone else pack ages in advance in case they forget something the first time or is it just a weird over packing thing I do?

I have a question though, do I take my good camera (a cannon dsl) or just take my iPhone and use that to take photos?

Countdown to leave 3 days. I leave on 2nd January 2015!


See you next time

Anna xx

What do I want to get out of this trip?

Hi all,

Before I begin this blog I'd like you all to know that this trip to Thailand isn't a vacation. I'm spending the first week out of five learning about the language and culture while staying on Mahidol University campus and then the next four weeks will be in a local high school teaching English to students.

Seeing as this Thailand trip is through the University I'm expected to do a few assignments and essays  while over there. That is going to be the worst part of this trip. One thing our lecturer wants us to think about at the end is 'What did we learn'. Well that questions is always so hard to answer, do you look at the education system, the culture, the language, personal things?

Well a few things I wish to get out of this trip is:

1) experience, understand and have greater respect for other cultures.

2) greater understanding of how to teach/learn a new language.

3) learn how to cook Thai food the traditional way. I love Thai food but only know how to cook it the 'eastern way'.


These are just a few things that I wish to experience and learn from going to Thailand. Once I'm over there I'm sure there will be a lot more differences that pop up and will get me thinking about how i live my own life, when that happens I'll keep you all updated.

Thank you for reading,

Anna xx

Where am I Going?

Hi to Whomever is reading this,

This is my first blog ever. I have always wanted to write a blog but I never seem to find anything that I think others will enjoy reading.

After months of trying to find something good to start me off I finally have something. Thailand.

I am leaving in 4 days to go to Thailand with my University. This is going to be an experience of a lifetime as we are riding elephants, going to the Thai Royal Palace and going to the worlds largest outdoor market (anyone say shopping?!?!).

There are many more exciting things that are going to happen while I'm over there because all the things listed above are only happening in the first week and I'm going to be over there for 5 weeks.

I am going to try (depending on the Internet reception I get of course) to write a blog whenever something interesting occurs, could be daily, could be every second day, I'm not sure yet. All I know is that currently I am very nervous and excited for whats about to happen and want memories that will last me a lifetime and this blog hopefully will help.

Thanks for reading

Anna