Alrighty, so it's been a week since I've hugged my mom goodbye. Since then, I've completed most of my TESOL certification, and will be done by TOMORROW. Things are really picking up now! With my almost being finished with TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages), I will be able to increase my pay rate, as per my aunt. She has been the biggest help in this whole process, and I don't want to let her down.
Now, as for the class, I'm (understandably) nervous, since this will be my first experience teaching a class. Although I'm nervous, I'm excited, because with this arises many new opportunities. I'm already starting to make friends here, with some of my future students, this brings me delight because I love increasing my social circle. Plus, we will teach each other; I will teach English, and will be taught Thai in return. This, in addition to networking, makes me feel a little more comfortable, because my uncertainty, though very strong, is diminishing, little by little.
On the topic of cooking, I've yet to figure out how to operate the oven. My uncle says not to use it, my aunt says that it is in working order. For all who know me, we know that I can bake up a storm when the urge overtakes me; here poses a little bit of a challenge. I have been introduced to new foods, as well as the lack of common luxuries I'm used to in the States. What does that mean? Time to get creative! The options are extremely colorful with all the fruit here. As I mentioned before, I am all about that Salak fruit. It is just so succulent and tart and sweet and mmMmm! I think that if I can figure out a good pairing with that fruit, it would make a delicious fruit tart. Or a filling to cake! The rambutan have the texture and taste a little bit like an apple... Rambutan-ginger-lime hand pies? How about Longon... hmmm very many options! Then there is dragonfruit. It took me such a long time to relate it to a fruit, there was a certain squish to it, and a crunchiness with the seeds; and then it hit me, KIWI! Similar texture, even the crunch with the seeds. And the flavor is light and sweet, I think I could have some fun experimenting with that.
Now, restaurants, I've been to quite a few, and the ones I enjoy visiting most are the Thai-cuisine restaurants. It's not that I don't appreciate the other cuisine restaurants, but if I'me visiting another country, I would like to eat the food it provides, and enjoy the culture that joins it. Soup, seafood, noodles, and fruit are all just a small portion of the wide variety there is in Thai food! I may go to a KFC or Italian restaurant at some point, but I'd like to acclimate first. The other thing, if I haven't mentioned, is the coffee. Seriously, here, it's like: coffee CoffEE! COFFEE!!!! There is practically a coffee shop every bloc here. I will never have to worry about being left to dry and frazzled without coffee. I'm not saying I have a caffeine addiction, far from it, but I do love the taste of coffee, even if it's decaf.
On to the social and personal life stuff. I've kept in touch with anybody who has informed me that they would like to keep in touch: friends and family. It is also nice to see who would like to stay in touch, in addition to having an anchor to something that brings comfort. By that, I mean, support and interest, not necessarily the location of which I've left for the time being. While I enjoy being reminded of "home," and what's going on there, life moves forward, and so shall I. Time for reminiscence is to be limited so that the time to learn is given ample opportunity. Therefore, living in the present is actually happening. That is one of the major problems of society today; so many young adults attach themselves to their electronics, and to their "glory days" or the "easy days" that they don't notice what is happening right in front of them.
And finally, a philosophical thought.
That is one thing being a theater major has taught me: to live in the present. If one were to look at this, they'd probably say, "Yeah, well I am," but think, what does that command even mean? Yes, we are living in the present, but, are we living in the present, really experiencing, smelling, seeing, hearing, feeling, tasting this moment. I think that the phrase is rich with the subtext that one must find the quality in each moment they are living, rather than reading into it and giving what they think is the appropriate response. The only appropriate response is your honest response.
Good night, and live in the present, live in YOUR presence.
-K
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