Pom pa-yah-yahm ow ngahn.

A company came to the school Friday and spoke with Erica, a couple of other girls in the training program and me about work in Bangkok.  They were very informative and I must admit that it was quite the pitch.  They find teachers for 32 public schools and operate 15 of their own private language schools.  All in all, it sounds like a really good offer.  The class sizes are large (about 45), and I would be teaching 20 classes a week.  But on the positive side, I would see my students more than once a week and they offer a lot of resources to grow and be a better teacher.  Also, I would be with more experienced teachers.  To grow and feel supported, I'm not sure that I can expect better.  I'm not certain how I feel about living in Bangkok, however.  The decision to leave Chicago and come here was partially motivated by a desire to take time away from a major city.  The hustle, the noise, and the dirt take their toll.  It would provide exposure to more varied food, and the opportunity to spend time in some of the world class hotel restaurants.  On the other hand, I was looking forward to being around more traditional Thai culture.  Compounding the stress is the uncertainty of what other offers will be extended to me.
I am finding the grammar and phonetics section of our training rather difficult.  Our Nepalese instructor can be hard to understand and he can't change his approach to accommodate what is obviously not working for many in the class.  It doesn't help that he has a tremendously dry disposition and does not engage us.  Flashcards and personal excersises should work for the phonetics, but I'm going to have to get help with grammar from my classmates.
We visited the island of Ko Sumet this weekend.  It was truly amazing.  The most beautiful place I've ever been.  When you see the white sand beaches with crystal clear water and a fishing boat moored offshore in pictures it doesn't do it justice at all.  We rented bungalows right by the beach for 300 baht, sharing them between us.  Having met some Thais at a bar, they invited me to come with them to a beachfront dance/party that went on until 4 a.m.  I had such an incredible time interacting with the young people at the party.  Dancing, drinking, and laughing is a great way to spend time in a beautiful country with beautiful people.  One of my new friends and I are going to have dinner on Tuesday night in Ban Phe.  My first true eating experience with a  Thai, and I anxiously anticipate it.
I was a little frustrated with some of my classmates and their lack of desire to interact beyond a cursory hello with the natives.  I would have liked to have shared the experience of 300 Thais dancing on the beach to a dj, but they couldn't be enticed to mingle.  It leaves me questioning the motives of people coming to teach.  Is it merely a way to go somewhere tropical without any actual desire to be teachers?  I think for many that is an afterthought, or at worst, an unpleasant obligation.  I will try to view it in a more positive light, but it upset me at the time.
The internet stand is closing, and I must sign off for the night.  More to come.