From the Land of Smiles...

My Life at Bankhai School...

Hey everybody,

One of the teachers asked me to write a little article about what my life is like at Bankhai school to put in the newsletter. I agreed of course, I wasn't going to say no. I'll post the article at the end of this, but its really bad. I had to simplify my writing, and also alot of it is exagerations, or bending the truth...alot...But its what they wanted to hear. Either that or my autobiography...because when they talked to me yesterday thats what it sounded like they wanted. But there was no way I was putting all kinds of personal stuff in there, as well as my address. I have enough people staring at me at school, I don't want them all knowing where I live.

Sorry, I'm just in kind of a bitter mood, I really don't like school. I feel like i'm not getting anything out of it. Mostly its just stress and bordom. And its so hard to put on an act all the time. I'm generally a very happy person, so i've never really had to (and definetly have never wanted to) act fake before, but I have to hear. Its hard because I need to make everyone think that i'm happy every second of everyday, because if they see me not smiling they'll think i'm not happy and it will all get blown out of proportion. I feel like I have alot more fun and learn and experience much more when i'm with my host family, or with my host sister and her friends. And all the people staring, lol...I still don't think i'll ever get used to it...Oh well, I guess I just have to deal with it. I only have the rest of this month and then I get a month off, so I'll just try to look forward to that.

Have I mentioned that I suck at speaking Thai...I really do, I don't think that i'm doing very well with it at all. I wish people would just stop speaking so much english to me.

Ok, sorry, just one more thing, and then I'm done my rant...I just want to say that the question that I hate most in this world is "What can you say in Thai?" I don't want to stand there spouting off random words. If they would just speak to me in thai they would see what I could say. Ok, sorry, i'm finished. Don't start worrying or anything anybody...bad days happen...especially when i'm at school, lol.

Oh, one more thing, I'm going to post my "article" after this, but just keep in mind that the one that I write for the advance (yes, they want me to write one for the advance) will be much better....

-Lauren

My Life at Bankhai School
By Lauren Crickmore
Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada

I arrived in Thailand on August 5th, 2005. My experience since then has been amazing. Thailand is a very beautiful country filled with the friendliest people that I have ever met. It also has very delicious food. I’m really enjoying experiencing and learning about the Thai culture.

Coming to Thailand, and Bankhai School, has been a very big adjustment for me. I come from a very small town in Canada and a high school with only 400 students. At my school in Canada I knew everyone, and had grown up with most of them. Bankhai School very different, with over 2000 students, and I didn’t know any of them. Added to that was that I didn’t speak the language. It was not hard to see why I was very nervous on my first day coming here.

I learned quickly that I had no reason to be nervous. Even though I came to Bankhai School speaking no Thai (and I still speak very little) everyone has been extremely welcoming to me. The teachers and students have been so kind and helpful, whether it is helping to find my classes, buy lunch, trying to help me learn Thai, or just saying hello to me. I am incredibly grateful for this.

I have really enjoyed the school activities that I have had the opportunity to take part in. Being in the drama presentation of “Snow White and the Seven Dwarves” was wonderful. It was a little embarrassing to be jumping around as a monkey, but I had a lot of fun. I also liked meeting all the new people. The Sport Days were really wonderful. It was an honour to carry the school sign in the opening ceremony, and I enjoyed the chance to wear the traditional Thai dress. The two days were incredible. Bankhai School has so much school spirit, enthusiasm, and talent. I’ve never seen anything like Bankahi School’s Sport Days before. I’m sure that there are going to be many more wonderful activities to come.

Overall, I’m really enjoying my time here, and I’m looking forward to the coming months. I’ve already had many amazing experiences and I’m sure that my time in Thailand, and at Bankhai School, will only continue to get better.

posted by Lauren @ 9:06 AM