Scout Camp

The Thai government makes every kid from 7th-9th grade go to scout camp to learn various good qualities. Although I can say that from what I saw neither the students nor the teachers were complaining about the "forced" three day vacation from school.

We rode on a school bus for a couple hours to get to the camp. It was super pretty and actually very cool. A retired school deputy (person high up in the school system) bought the land and turned it into a scout camp for kids.

It was real pretty

There was all you can eat (if you can make it) tom yum as well as all you can drink instant coffee. I learned how to make instant coffee taste good so naturally I had at least 3 cups a day. Recipe: one scoop instant coffee powder, two scoops powdered creamer, two cubes of sugar (using the same size spoon for each scoop).
I roomed with my coordinator, PMoo, and the head of the english department, PNoy. There was a queen bed and a matress pad to lay on the floor. Pmoo and I shared the bed (each with our own comforter... that could have been a little awkward) and Pnoy slept on the ground. We had a couple "friends" and "animals" as the P's put it. In other words there were 2 geckos, 1 big lizard, 4 snails, termites, 2 worms, and tons of bugs in our room throughout the stay. Not sure how I managed to sleep since I was real scared they were going to crawl on me all night. The P's just kept saying its okay they are our friends and I had to act like I agreed. The rough part was that we all stayed up pretty late, but they woke up no later than 6:30 and turned on our light and started getting ready. The roosters cock-a-doodle-doed at 7:15 every morning (as well as periodically throughout the day). As you guessed I wasn't able to sleep through all that and breakfast wasn't served until 8. Sooo yeah all you can drink instant coffee was nice as well as a nap anywhere and everywhere.

A blurry photo of my girl PNoy

Pmoo told us before we left, "Bring your computer or a big book because theres nothing to do there." She couldn't have been more right. Thank goodness I brought two books. It was a pretty nice, relaxing, and fun trip to get paid to attend. Bonding and all that right? Most of the time I just sat there watching all the thai people laugh and talk thinking to myself, "Well I bet that conversation is just as funny as the last, if only I could understand."

Just another classic toilet

Cruise on my homie, thanks for the smile

We totally knew what the sign said (Jonathan and Parker)

The story of my life

Reading on the ropes course in the back

Best pup ever, Dang

I could have eaten all that fruit

Just kidding thats like 100 pounds of fruit

Bean lady nice bucket hat

Eak and I found the cutest baby pup ever!

Did I mention there was a bonfire and fire twirlers?!

I was so scared they would burn themselves

Dinner is readyyyy!

"Now when you sleep the fish will come to you and say why you eat me!"

My favorite thing that happened during the trip though was on the first night. Eak, Pmoo, Jonathan, Parker and I were just chatting after dinner and we get to asking about the other teachers in the department, how long they've been there, hold old they are, blah blah blah. Then I ask how old the Chinese teacher is and Pmoo responds with, "The fat one?" I tried so hard to keep a casual straight face, but I couldn't help it. I burst out laughing and then so does Jonathan and Parker and after a few seconds Eak and Pmoo. Then Pmoo says, "Is that impolite to say?" and we try to explain that it is, but can't stop laughing.

Later the next day, Pmoo starts telling me about the old teachers who were here before we came. She begins telling me about some guy named Mica and she says, "He was very difficult. He got sick the first two days of school because he had diarrhea so I announced that he had diarrhea and thats why he wasn't there, but he got mad at me and said that having diarrhea is a private thing, but I didn't know." Classic.