On my way to class now. One thing I will certainly not miss is this shuttle bus ride. I’m too tall to really fit in the seats which makes it uncomfortable to say the least.

I’m sick of this course. I can’t wait to be done. I don’t have that many new days left at this point. I just have to last a few more. I teach today and will need to spend some time preparing for my lesson. I have a pretty good idea of what I’m going to do, but need to finish up filling out the lesson plan and preparing all of my visual aids.

Gratitude List:
The end being in sight
After today only 3 more teaching plans
Getting a better night’s sleep last night

I’ve had a pretty relaxing day. I feel guilty that I didn’t accomplish any homework for the course, but I also realize I needed some time to relax and recover from the stressful week. I should be able to get everything else done throughout the week like usual. Hopefully, anyway. I’ll have to do 2 teaching plans this week and there is an assignment due on Friday. Thankfully the teaching plans will be due on Tuesday and Thursday so at least things are a little staggered. I’m glad that tomorrow will be the start of the 3rd week! The end is in sight. I will be so happy when this course is over. I’m not really sure what I’ll do with myself when it’s done and it will be sad that I won’t be seeing these people I’ve become friends with anymore, but life will move on. Plus, I’ll be certified to get a job teaching. I’m not too worried that things are going to fall apart with the course, but it is still a possibility so I’ll have to keep that in mind and be sure to continue to work hard. 4 more teaching practices and 2 more assignments – 10 more days of class and I’m done. Yay!

Gratitude List:
Having a much needed relaxing weekend
Feeling ready to jump back into things tomorrow
A great nap earlier this afternoon

I keep forgetting to update before heading to bed, so this is once again a morning update. Yesterday was a lot of fun. I met this guy from a meeting and we went to the weekend market in Bangkok. It was hot and busy. They sell all sorts of different things at the market – a lot of housewares, clothes and even pets. I saw some of the cutest dogs ever. It’s not just dogs they sell, though. There was one guy selling squirrels. A few of them had little dresses on and they were either stuck in small cages or sitting on top of their cage with a rope tied around their neck. They were the saddest, most hopeless looking squirrels I’ve ever seen. It was very unfortunate.

After the market we found our way to an art museum. The museum was located too far from the skytrain to be able to get to it with public transportation. It was difficult getting a cab driver to take us there with the language barrier. I don’t think it’s a place a lot of tourists want to go, but we finally did make it. The museum itself was very impressive and I thoroughly enjoyed the artwork on display. It was mostly Thai contemporary art which I wasn’t too familiar with. There were many beautiful paintings. It feels like an eternity since I was in an art museum. And really, it kind of has been. I take a lot of inspiration from art. I’m going to try to make it to a museum again maybe next weekend. Hopefully there is one that is a little easier to access.

After the museum we went to an electronics mall and I bought a sim card for my phone. I now have a Thai phone number and can use the internet on my phone without wifi. I still have to buy more prepaid data and talk time because the sim card I bought didn’t come with any, but it’s nice to know in an emergency I will be able to use my phone.

Our final stop of the day was a restaurant called “Cabbages and Condoms.” It had lights made out of condoms and mannequins dressed in condoms which was pretty interesting. Instead of after dinner mints they handed out condoms. I ordered fried soft shell crab which was incredibly delicious. We ended up spending quite a bit of money on dinner, but that’s alright since I don’t do it very often. It was fun to spend the day with someone more familiar with the city and I’m really grateful that I was able to just take a day off and not think about this course or what I should be working on to complete it. Today I’ll have to do some more work on homework and getting myself prepared for the week, but that’s alright. I only have 10 more days I have to show up for class so that’s a wonderful feeling. I’m hoping after class to head up to Chiang Mai and stay at a temple for a spell and practice meditation. I think it would be a great experience!

Gratitude List:
A day off from studying
A guided tour of some of Bkk’s sights
A delicious dinner

Halfway done with the course! The last two weeks have flown by. I’m not looking forward to the final two weeks of the course, but I pretty much know what to expect so I should be able to get through it. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not going to be a lot of fun, but I’ll get through it. Somehow.

Gratitude List:
A new meeting with a bunch of people
A day off from studying
Being able to explore Bangkok

I had the afternoon off yesterday! Well, not exactly off because I mostly had to spend it studying, but it was still nice not to have to be in class. I’ve been trying to just coast through today because it’s Friday and I’m in desperate need of a couple days off from class.

I went a meeting last night. I’ve actually made it to that meeting 3 times now. I’m glad that I found it the first week and have been able to go every week. It’s nice to get to know people and see them somewhat regularly. There was a guy at the meeting from NJ (actually just like a town over from where I was living) who seemed pretty interesting. I’m hoping to hang out with him at some point when I have some more time on my hands. I guess we’ll see about that.

Gratitude List:
Familiar faces outside of the course
The weekend and some relaxation time.
1/2 done with the course!

I’m really grateful that I’m going to get a pretty good night’s sleep tonight. Like we’re looking at a solid 7 – 7.5 hours. Yay! I’m also glad that tomorrow is a lighter day in terms of the schedule for school. I’m going to have to spend a long time working through an assignment we have due on Friday, but I don’t have to go to the afternoon classes so I’ll get a few extra hours I wasn’t planning on to start working through it. I’m really hoping that I can complete it before I leave school for the day and then I can relax in the evening. I also got to swim laps in the pool for an hour tonight. It’s time I take some positive steps in regards to my food and exercise right now. It’s changes so significantly. I’m eating way more carbs – rice and noodles than I have for years. I’m also getting next to know exercise right now and I’ve been allowing myself to eat a lot more than usual – especially in regards to sugar. I need to dial that back for a while. I’ve been feeling extra gross about how I look right now so ditching the sugar and trying to get some exercise a little more often (and eating less in general) is going to be the game plan going forward. I mean really, I’m planning on having a tummy tuck in a few weeks and at this point it’s unlikely I’ll be able to get into shape before then, but I certainly want to have things under control and not be in the process of gaining weight when that happens. I know I can do it, it’s just a matter of deciding I want to do it. I do want to do it (change my eating that is), so now I will.

Gratitude List:
The expectation of a good night’s sleep
The opportunity to swim laps for an hour
A shorter school day tomorrow

I’m sitting in class now. I just taught and it didn’t go very well. I felt I had a good idea of how to do it when I left yesterday, but once I got home and tried working on it I totally stalled out. After basically staring at my computer screen and not getting anywhere for 2 hours, I decided to go to bed and finish in the morning. I only got 5 hours of sleep last night and have spent the entire day rushing to finish everything before I taught. It makes for a stressful and long day, for sure. I’m glad it’s over now though. I’ll relax a little tonight and tomorrow we have a short day so I’ll be able to spend a little more time working on the assignment we have due on Friday. I’ll definitely work to be more prepared next time so I can do a better job.

This course is making me think that not only will I be a bad teacher, but that I’ll also hate teaching.

Gratitude list:
Done with 4 out of 8 of my teaching practices
Being able to look forward to a more relaxing evening and hopefully weekend
Knowing my weaknesses and working to overcome them

I had a super busy day at school. All of the days are busy, but today was especially bad because I had to finish up my first assignment in the morning and prepare for my teaching practice at lunch and during breaks. I’m so glad the day is over! My assignment didn’t turn out very well so I assume I’ll get it back and have to make a bunch of corrections which isn’t going to be much fun. My teaching practice also didn’t go very well, but I did learn quite a bit – like be more prepared with ways to engage the students and make sure to think up all of the questions I’ll ask them before I start teaching. Being more prepared will definitely benefit. I think I’ll get to a point with it where I won’t have to have everything figured out before hand, but for now while I’m still new at this it’s definitely going to be beneficial to be more prepared.

Gratitude list:
Actually going to bed early and getting a good night’s sleep!
Putting a very busy day behind me
Swimming laps in the pool and getting some exercise

Study, study, study. I didn’t even leave the studio apartment I’m renting today, although a lot of time was spent procrastinating. I’m tired now and really glad that I’m going to bed. I’ve still got some work to do before handing in my assignment tomorrow and I’ve also got to finish my TP. It’s certainly not going to be much fun to figure out during the day tomorrow, but I’ve simply got to sleep now.

Gratitude List:
The knowledge that eventually this course will end.
Everyone in the class willing to help each other.
Finally bed time.

I didn’t get as much done today as I’d hoped, but I do feel I had a very productive day. I went into school and worked on an assignment for most of the day. I think I was there from 1-7 pm about. I got a rough draft of the assignment completed, but I’m afraid that unless I revise it quite a bit I’ll get it back with a significant number of changes they expect me to make on it. I have to do my Teaching Practice 3 tomorrow which is going to take a significant amount of time so I’m not sure how much time I’ll actually be able to devote to finishing the assignment I did today. If nothing else, though, at least I have something I can turn in without having to change around too much stuff. They’ll tell me what I need to do when I get it back with the instructions for revisions anyway. I’d definitely avoid having to do any major revisions on the assignment, but at least I have something done. The lesson plan very well might take me an extremely long period of time tomorrow. I plan to head into the school again and work on it there, although I may decide to just save myself the hassle of going in and work on it here.

I got some delicious street food today. I bought lunch once I got into Bangkok and then bought dinner after leaving the school. I do really like the street food. It’s cheap and as long as I’m careful usually quite delicious. I’m exhausted now and can’t wait to go to bed. I hope I have some great dreams tonight!

Gratitude List:
Getting assignment 1 completed, if only in a very rough form
Knowledgeable people to help me through the assignments
A bit more relaxed day than normal