I’m waiting to leave on the shuttle to go to my last day of this course! I’ve basically checked out already and my mind has started trying to figure out what I’ll do next. I still haven’t figured out where I will go tomorrow when I have to move out of this apartment. Leaving things until the very last minute is really something I should work on. I hoping this girl from my course will have a couple suggestions when I get there this morning. She said she’d take a look for me. Otherwise there is one place that was recommended that would work. The location isn’t great, but it’s not too far from the MRT (subway) so if I spend a little more time getting around on the public transport I’m ok with that. I won’t have to do much of anything next week so if that ends up being the case it’s fine. I just want something comfortable, clean and relatively inexpensive.

I also have been emailing plastic surgery places. In a perfect world I’d go in for a consultation next week and schedule surgery shortly thereafter. I could use the guy I already saw, but I’d like to meet face to face with more than one surgeon before making any decisions. I think he’d be able to do a good job, though, so it would be alright. I did research him online quite a bit and the reviews seem to be pretty positive, but it can be hard to determine what’s real and not real on the forums. The price was also within my budget which is good. I’ve been emailing with this other hospital and I like that they are much more thorough, but the process is also taking longer than I want because of the delays in getting them the correct information. If I don’t here back from them today or tomorrow I’ll give them a call and ask to just schedule and appointment for an in person consultation. I’d want one anyway if I was considering using their hospital. If they want to charge me $20 for the appointment that’s fine. I think in terms of price it’ll end up being comparable to the other guy I met with.

Gratitude List:
Final day of the course today!
A whole lot of nothing on the agenda next week!
Not having to take this stupid shuttle anymore!

I have today and tomorrow left for class. I’m on the shuttle now. I should make it on time, but we’ll see. It’s such a relief to be done with all the work for this course. Now I just have to show up the next two days, smile and collect my certificate.

I plan to stay in Bangkok for the next week. I want to check out plastic surgeons and hopefully get that to fall into place soon. It’ll take me some time to recover from any procedures so the sooner I go under the knife the better. I don’t want to get a job teaching until after this has been taken care of.

Gratitude List:
Basically done with the course
Being able to look forward to a relaxing weekend
Taking care of the things that have been holding me back

I just taught for my last time in this course! It feels great to be done! The teaching didn’t go that smoothly, but I made it through the final one which I’m really grateful for. I also got another assignment back and don’t need to resubmit it. Yay!

Gratitude List:
Having all the work for this course completed!
Not having to redo any assignments!
Getting to catch up with some friends back home. L and M

I taught for the 7th time today! It went about as well as they’ve all gone – not well, but I’ll find out tomorrow if I was to standard or not. I sure hope I was, but I have the tutor I had for the first week again so it’s possible he expected more. He’s a really nice guy so hopefully things will turn out alright.

After teaching I finished the final assignment for class and handed it in. It felt great to finish that up. Now all I have to do is teach one last time on Wednesday and then I’m basically done. I’ve not had time to think or process much about this Bangkok adventure so hopefully next week I can take some time and delve into some deeper thoughts. I’ve got some introspection that needs to bubble up to the surface at some point – when I have time to breath again.

Gratitude List:
A good night’s sleep
Making it through another teaching practice
Handing in the final assignment

I spent a fair amount of time yesterday immobilized in fear. I went to school with the intention of doing my lesson plan and ended up sitting there for about 4 hours doing anything but working on it. I just couldn’t get myself to focus and actually work on it. After a while I decided to come home and work on it there, which of course meant that I took a nap and further procrastinated for a while. I’m a little homesick for Minneapolis and the US which is hard. I’m also nearing the end of this course and I’ll have to figure out my next steps which is stressing me out a bit. At this point I’m really just trying to finish the course and figure out what’s next once it’s over. It’ll be sad to not see these people anymore on a regular basis. I get sick of them, but it’s been nice to be involved with something again and I’ll really miss that. I didn’t end up finishing my lesson plan, but I got it mostly figured out so today I’ll spend some time finishing it up before I teach. I feel like a pro throwing things together last minute now thanks to this course so I’m not very worried. And I am excited about getting a teaching job and settling down somewhere for a little longer. After today I will only have one more assignment and one more day teaching. After Wednesday I’m basically done! Woohoo!

Gratitude List:
Apples
Not having to take this damn shuttle anymore
5 more days of the course

I had weird dreams last night that I can’t remember. All I do remember is that in one of them I was trying to run away from something. It’s not often I dream and even less frequent I have bad dreams. I wish I could remember it.

I am eating on the street outside the school. It’s 90 degrees out and I’m eating hot soup, but it’s delicious. I really hope when I get to the school that someone from my group is there. I’m pretty lost on what I’m going to teach tomorrow so some help is certainly needed. I was at a BBQ with a bunch of them last night watching while they got drunk. It’s possible I won’t be seeing any of them today which would not be a good situation. I only have 2 more teaching practices so I’m just hoping to get through them. Every time I teach I feel it’s a total train wreck. I don’t expect tomorrow to be any different, but I still have to prepare something and get through it.

Gratitude List:
The end of this course being in sight
Delicious soup for lunch
The desire to love again

I have just one week left! I so close to having completed this course. And, by all accounts, it looks like I will pass it. All of my marks have been “to standard” and I’ve passed my assignments. I can’t wait for the next week to be over. 2 more teaching practices and one more assignment until it’s over. What a relief!

I forgot to update last night, so it’s now Saturday morning and I’m heading in on the shuttle. There is an art and cultural center I plan on checking out. It looks pretty interesting from the website. After I’m planning on going to a BBQ at a girl’s condo from class. Hopefully that will be pretty fun. I’m really looking forward to having a day that doesn’t involve doing any work for this course and getting out and doing something. It’s going to be so weird when it does end. I went from not being very busy to being extremely busy and soon I’ll be back being not busy again. I suppose I could always find a job, but that doesn’t sound like a good idea. I mean eventually I will, but not quite yet.

Gratitude List:
Being so close to the end of this class I can taste it!
A day off!
The ability and opportunities to further develop my spirituality

I pretty much finished my assignment that is due tomorrow. It’s pretty remarkable, actually, considering that whenever I have anything due for this course I leave so much of it to complete the day of that I have to scramble to finish things. It will be nice to get up tomorrow knowing that there are only a couple things to add and that it won’t be as stressful as normal. I’m really, really grateful I was able to get as much done as I did. After handing this assignment in I’ll only have 2 more teaching practices and one more assignment to complete before the end of the course! Yay!

Gratitude List:
Knowing I won’t have to rush tomorrow to finish the assignment and get it handed in
Another weekend!
Being nearly 3/4 completed for the course

Almost done with week 3. Today is going to be tremendously busy. I teach this afternoon so I’ve got to finish my teaching plan before then. Thankfully we don’t have out first class this morning so I’ve got some extra time to work on it. I’ve got a lot left to do, but I’ll work fast and get it done. At least that’s how it needs to go. I’ve also got an assignment due tomorrow that I haven’t started yet. I’m a bit more concerned about the assignment, but if I start trying to tackle it right after class today I should be ok. At least that’s what I’m hoping!

Gratitude List:
So close to the weekend
Delicious street food right outside my door
The desire to be good at something

I’ve been tired basically all day. Quite tired, in fact. Much more tired than I feel I deserve to be. I’m not sure if the course is just starting to wear me down or if there is something else going on, but I plan to go to bed early tonight and hopefully get nearly a full night’s sleep.

I taught my fifth lesson today. That means I have only 3 more left to teach. The whole time I was teaching it I couldn’t help but think “this can’t be nearly good enough to pass the course.” Half the time it seems like the students don’t understand me or what I’m trying to teach them. It also looks like they aren’t having any fun which makes me feel like I’m failing them. This was out first day with this new group of students so part of it was just getting used to teaching a different skill level. Hopefully the next lessons will go better.

Gratitude List:
Expecting to get a full night’s sleep
One more day down
A shorter commute than the first few days of the course