31.05.2014- The break from the Hiatus

Hello, all,
A quick apology for my break, I have been a busy bee buzzing around for the last (approximate) month. Quite literally, I have been working since the 21st of April, so I have not had much time for myself, or a lot of exploring.
That being said, here are my updates!

1) I have officially moved into an apartment, as of this month. Thus, I have been residing there for a week.There are a few minor problems, but nothing that cannot be amended

• The balcony door does not have a seal on the top or bottom, which can lead to some real problems, for both the lesser and the tenant. One of them being that that cost of using the air conditioning unit will go up.
• The windows need a movable screen so that I can keep the bugs out when I want to open the window. Ain't nobody got time to deal with bugs.
• I am currently living in a serviced apartment, which means that it will be cleaned twice a week. The building also acts as a hotel, therefore, what I would prefer to have is a "Do Not Disturb/Service Please" door handle sign.

2) I am finishing my first section of students, and am about to start my next section, in June, aka, this is the final evaluation time.

3) I just celebrated my birthday, woohoo! I can scratch off "celebrating birthday in another country" off my list!

4) I have found out when two weddings of my friends are going to be, aka in 2015, so now I must figure out how I will make that possible. And another girl I have known for a while recently became engaged.

5) I have made some friends on my own, and baked with them.

6) I am working a bunch of jobs, which have a lot of opportunity for growth, which I would like to delve into more.


Again, the key reason that I have not even made an attempt towards a new post is because I have been extremely busy. Sorry, but lately, I've had little time to commit to just sitting down and blabbing about a minute portion of the workings of my brain. Just to give you an idea of my time: I actually started writing this post on the 16th... so that should give my readers an idea of my actual amount of time to spare.

Now, I do have some goals in mind that I would like to keep up with, such as reading more frequently, and learning new languages. Both, I have already started, and have been trying to keep up with, using applications and PDF downloads. The nice thing is, once I have access to these, if my internet happened to go out, I will still be able to access entertainment (aka, I don't need to worry about having to reload a video, or waiting for the internet to return.

The languages that I am trying to learn, as I have mentioned before, are Russian and Swedish.
So far, Swedish is proving to be the much easier language to learn, as it has similar symbols, and words/word stems that I am familiar with. It still is difficult, though. One of the reasons is that I need to learn the different words that associate with "ett" and "en,"  not to mention nya, nytt, and ny. I am not sure if there is a rule, or if it is is learnt word-by-word. Oh, well. I must fight on and learn this. Some of my friends know that exact reason of why I want to learn the language, but I know that I want to learn to help with my workplace. That being said, I also know that I need to learn Russian to help the translation process. It is a difficult decision: having to choose between learning a language that I really want to learn for personal purposes or learning a language I would like to learn for work. *Sigh*

Until next time (which will hopefully be soon with pictures and updates!
K.

18-4-2014: If Thailand were a Person...

Hi, everybody!
So, because it's Friday, and I had somewhat of an extended holiday (due to the fabulosities of Songkran, which are still being celebrated, by the way), I thought, "Why not write up another post!" Thus, here I am, typing as I think.
*I apologize in advance if this all comes off as babble, it kind of is...

So, I love recognizing observations I make while in this beautiful country, especially when I am making them after six months of being here (imagine when I hit an 18-month mark, AND I still am making more discoveries!) Anyways, one of the first things a foreigner (especially from a westernized country) will notice is how a lot of food and drink, when served as something "to-go," will be served in a plastic bag. For those don't understand, this is what I mean:

Yes, they drink straight from the bag, and sometimes eat straight from the bag as well. Normally, they just take the food home, and pour or distribute the contents onto a plate or into a bowl, depending on what it is. The bagging doesn't only apply to food, it applies to everything. Not just shopping bags or "doggie boxes,"  but, literally, EVERYTHING. I mean, for my one cup o'joe, I was given a plastic bag. They EVEN have a specialized plastic ring with a strap, making your drink as "part" of the bag. WHAT

Now, don't get me wrong, I don't always mind it. I just find it rather humorous when I am having bags of things bagged in mo plastic bags. It can be a little bit unnecessary. There are times that I do appreciate the bags, though. See, because the people of Thailand use plastic bags so often and for everything, they have come to specializing some to increase convenience. For example, if you go to a coffee shop and are picking up a few drinks for other coworkers or friends, there is a bag to help you carry your drinks; they are more reliable than those dinky cartons that McDonalds may give, or the cardboard drink carriers or fast food restaurants may supply. 

(***This is only based on my experience of living in America, and I would love to learn more about the drink-carrying tools used in other cultures!) 

The way these "drink-carrier" bags work, there are two "dips" in the bag, , and part of the bag (the middle) is sealed together, creating two sockets in the bag in which the drinks can sit, and not jumble around wildly, spilling your purchase around messily. It can be quite convenient.

For the eco-friendly people, this can be a concern, because plastic is non-biodegradable and, overall, is not that great to the environment. If you have ventured to Thailand before, you already know how much a problem litter is in Thailand. Plastic bags, cups, broken glass, old food, and so on cover the ground in the less-touristy places. Recycling isn't a big concern here, but I am noticing that the trend is starting to catch on at companies. In all honesty, recycling would not only be beneficial to the environment of Thailand, but to the economy. People would be able to work in recycling plants, earn a living, and reduce the amount of litter around.

So, if Thailand were a person, she would be a crazy bag lady, having a lot of bags that she has no use for, but definitely full of surprises.

As for an update: this upcoming Saturday, I plan to celebrate the festivities of Songkran in Pattaya with friends. It may get wild, and I hope I have pictures!

Other updates: I am still not sure about what my next few months will be like, but, considering how many options I have now, I don't have a doubt that, with time and some effort, more opportunities will make themselves viable. 

I have been talking, of late, to some Thai people through a website called www.conversationexchange.com.

It is an excellent (free) resource for anybody who is interested on learning a language and, in return, will share their own. It can also be a really good way to make contacts for any time you would like to travel to a destination where English is not the first spoken language. In fact, with the connections I am making, I am also receiving insight, suggestions, and support from these friends, in regards to applying to jobs around Thailand. Never underestimate the value of any person, even if you are unsure of their initial value.

Anyways, if anybody has any questions about Thailand, feel free to ask. I love answering the questions I know, and researching the ones I don't. If you have questions about the food in the country, or even if you would like a really easy recipe for a delicious dish (whether it be a dinner course, or a baked good), I welcome that as well!

Until next time,

K.

UPDATE! After posting this (Same day!) I received some Kraw Paow Moo (Stir Fried Pork with basil) and rice (with an egg...that I popped by tripping up some stairs). Each had their own bag, and after receiving them, I also received an apology for not getting another bag to bag my bags of food!

15/4/2014- Walking, Water in Songkran, and Magic... Cake

Hello, fellow readers,

So, for an update, I would like to say that I had a four day holiday. Honestly, I didn’t really know what to do, so I did what I normally do when I approach these standstill points; I read and I walk. Walking is therapeutic for me, because it is one of the few times that I am dedicating time to myself. My thoughts can reorganized, my stresses can be worn down, and my ears can be enticed by the sounds of songs that I had forgotten were one my iPod.  It is one of those things I have found much appreciation for. I’m exercising, making discoveries of restaurants, boutiques, and other knick-knacks, and increasing my opportunities to meet new people. Should I also mention that I am practicing my Thai-speaking skills. Some people, I know, don’t seem to recognize any of this as beneficial. Others, on the other hand, probably do understand the significance. It is the life experience that is important, the people-skills, the adaptability skill-development, and the budgeting. Walking is therapeutic.  Staying inside all day isn’t. I don’t know how people can live a life like that. I think the key characteristic in the personalities of these people is that they have fear: fear of embarrassment, fear of making a mistake, fear of failing, especially a fear of new or experiences. This may be just my opinion, but those people won’t live very exciting or satisfying lives. They will constantly look back and have many regrets, but try to cover it up like the Fox and the Sour Grapes.

Now, let’s return to this four0day holiday. It is Songkran, which is the Thai New Year. In Thailand, I have seen three different New Years celebrated: the Gregorian (with BC/AD) calendar New Year, the Chinese New Year in February, and Songkran. Songkran is a major holiday in Thailand. It typically runs from April 13-April 15, but is celebrated around those days.  As part of the celebration, (I should warn you) many people come out in the streets with water guns, and buckets of water, and will spray or splash any passerby. The less-crazed people will pour water on your hands.  The warning I have: If you want to walk around during Songkran festivities, bag all of your electronics, and expect to get wet. You might even have a white clay wiped onto your face. If you do not like physical contact from anybody, I would suggest that you do not go out at all. I enjoyed the frivolity of the people. Some of them are a little bit more dangerous, because they will ride in the beds of trucks, and throw water at anybody. If you are wearing a Songkran shirt (which is a Hawaiian shirt to many of the Americans I know), you are a voluntary target. If you are a foreigner who wishes to experience a Thai celebration, this is the one to witness. It’s quite a relief, as well, to be splashed with water on a hot day. It’s quite honestly, a big water fight, and many people of all ages participate.

As for other updates: I experimented with a new recipe. It’s called “Magic Cake”  It gets its name from the fact that, with one batter, the cake will, in fact, produce three layers.  It was a collection of firsts for me with this recipe. First, I was making a cake for the first time in Thailand. Secondly, it was my first attempt at making this “magic cake.” Lastly, this was the first time I was whipping egg whites to the point of stiffness. I am not sure which was the most daunting idea.  My reasons: I was still experimenting  with this gas oven, which seems to have three options: Hot, Very Hot, or Off.  Because the recipe demanded for temperature in Fahrenheit, and with the settings of the oven, I would have to keep a watchful eye. One very helpful hint that a good friend gave to me about baking, and I have stuck to it ever since: If you can smell it’s aroma, it is either done, or you have five more minutes.  To be honest, this has held true in every baking experience I had ever since.

Now, about this magic cake; as I mentioned, it created three layers, and you only use one batter. The bottom layer is a dense layer, like hardened custard, I would say that it has the consistency of flan. The middle layer is similar to  Bavarian cream custard, and the top layer is reminiscent of sponge cake. The key part to ensuring the third layer lies in two Steps (1, and 3), accomplish these two, and you will have the three layers as advertised.

Anyways, so there are many flavor options for this cake: Vanilla, chocolate, fruit, lemon, (even pumpkin!) I decided to stick with the classic because this was a first attempt, and I never like to get too crazy with a recipe until I have the feel for it.  Vanilla, it was.

The recipe was fairly simple: it only had 4 steps:

Ingredients:

4 eggs, separated

½ cup and 2 Tbsp.  of sugar

2 tsp. Vanilla extract.

1 stick (8 Tbsp/ 125g) butter, melted.

2 cups () lukewarm milk*

½ cup of flour

*The milk should be room temperature or warm in order for the butter for not to solidify.

1. Beat egg whites until stiff.
2. In another bowl, mix egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla until light in color. Add in melted butter, mix until smooth.  Add milk, stir. Add in flour, stir.
3. Carefully fold in the egg whites into the batter. Pour batter into an 8x8in glass baking pan (I used a circular pan, and it worked fine). Bake at 375°F for 60 minutes, or until golden brown.
4. Let the cake cool for at least 3 hours.

Pretty simply, right? And look!

Now, for the close-up.... Watch it model it's hot self!

And for it to model some clothes...

Well, here is the reality of my experience: I started with Step 2 before I attempted Step 1, because I had never beat egg whites, and I had a fear that maybe the egg whites would lose their “stiffness” by the time I had completed Step 2. It worked out fine, because my milke was at room temperature, which did slightly affect the butter when I was mixing it, BUT because the stove top has a glass cover, which was above the oven (so it ended up getting warmed from the oven heat), I could set the better on it, keeping the butter at a liquid consistency.  For the egg whites, I’m not quite sure how long it took for me to beat the whites, but, I though that I would have to try the “bowl above the head ” test (a test to check the stiffness of the egg whites; if the whites drip onto your head, you didn’t whipe them long enough; if they stay in place, ‘you done good.’ My egg whites were sliding around in the bowl, but they were also staying together in one mass, and it turned out that I could scoop them like ice cream, and they maintained their shape. (Success!) Folinding the egg whites in was fun, because, in order to create the top layer, you need to keep that frothiness of the egg whites, aka don’t mix it extremely thoroughly.

My cake only took about 20-25 minutes to bake because of the extremity of the heat of the oven. In addition, because of the high-heat-producing oven, my cake turned out a little bit more brown that I would have liked, but considering that this was a first attempt, AND the cake wasn’t close to burning, it still is a major success. The only other slight qualm I had with the cake is that, when I first cut into the cake, the custard layer seemed a little too liquidy, and leaked, but the slice of cake I had still maintained its shape, and the custard didn’t actually leak out of the cake when it was served on a plate. Oh! And I would suggest, for a simple garnish, dust the cake slices (Not the cake) with confectioner’s sugar when you serve them. They will look angelic and dainty. I would also possibly suggest adding rum and vanilla bean into the cake (sans the vanilla extract) It would be aesthetically delightful to see the custard with the little specks of the vanilla.

Oh, and as I’m typing this, I just wanted to mention an odd encounter. I went to the main shopping center here in Rayong (Laemtong) to see if the local Apple distributer sold Macbook batteries (because mine unfortunately died) and to see if I could find a suitable belt for my oversized pants (I have already gone through two belts in the last three months). Unfortunately, the store I saw did not distribute the battery as I hoped, so I will need to visit Pattaya (a well-welcomed roadtrip!) and I didn’t find a belt vendor. Oh, well. Anyways, as I was leaving, I passed by a tall foreign woman, who I presumed was either from Sweden, or Russia (many of the foreigners are from these countries). She also was about 5’10-5’11”, which is what I say that she was tall. After I left Laemtong, I decided to go find an indoor coffeehouse so that I could be typing this lovely post for you all! One of them, called “Big M city Rayong Coffee,” had drawn my attention because of the cute westernized souvenirs outside and inside the glass window. Unfortunately due to the holiday, it was closed an extra day. I continued my trek and landed upon Dollars Café, which is a slightly more frilly place (a bit too doily for my taste, but it still serves coffee). About 20 minutes into my stay here, in walks the tall foreign woman with her male-friend. The funny thing is that this coffeehouse is quite a distance away from the shopping center, AND it is on another road. Definitely a coincidence, pleasant nonetheless.

In reference to my last post, speaking about future opportunities, there are at least two backup plans that I have in mind for if my current job status doesn’t work that way I hope it will, even with the strategic efforts to make sure I have it. One of the opportunities is to take up with an agency to work in another part of Thailand, and if I like it enough, stick with that, teaching English around Thailand or Asia. The other option is to look into being an au pair, which my friend is currently doing. Of course, because she already has some experience, I have asked her about her experience, what steps she would recommend I take if I decided to go forth with this. Being an au pair would open my access to Europe, for at least a year (and maybe other opportunities to stay there, if I find a way to increase my employment value, or learn business trades that I could utilize to really establish myself). As I mentioned before, I am not ready to stay in in the United States right now, because there is way too much out in the world that I need to experience, see, feel, learn, break, and fix before I “settle down.” Hah, settle down. That’s a term I’m unwilling to accept, even if that means backpacking around on minimal change. Even though it may be difficult, it is doable; there are people have accomplished it and survived to talk about it. Maybe I can be one of those, but we’ll see! I might be able to write a memoir about all my experiences. I think that, in addition to inserting my random dreams as short stories… oh, the possibilities that are available! If I end up as an au pair in the next year or so, I definitely think I would love to be in Spain, learning the trades of the Spanish life. One idea I had in mind for the future is to start a business involving pastries. (I don’t want to share the entire idea yet, as I’m not ready to share it until it’s developed and marketable.

Until next time,

K.

4.4.2014- The Unfinished Coffee

I would like to express a pet peeve. It is not something serious and it will not be a complete rant.
One thing that gets under my skin is drink that is left out unfinished, especially if it is a hot drink, like coffee or tea.
While I do believe in the concept of the glass being half full, I also follow the practice of finishing something I have started when it comes to food specifically. I was raised to eat all of the food on my plate. For those who are concerned about my dieting habits as a child, this "finish all your food" concept also taught me not to put too much food on my plate. A good example is when a child goes to the magical funland of a buffet restaurant (my childhood buffet dream world was Ryan's, in Virginia)

I couldn't help but load my plate with all sorts of food: broccoli, corn, cherry tomatoes, cheese, ranch, fried chicken, macaroni, green beans, anything. Of course I wouldn't be able to eat it all, but I still expected to eat ice cream afterwards. Thus, being given this requirement to finish all of my food, I learned to prioritize the foods that I wanted to eat, and how much of those foods I should add to my plate before sitting and beginning my meal. It was a tough, but extremely valuable lesson.
Now, the way I see it, how you drink your coffee can say a lot about you. You may drink that caramel mocha frappacino. Maybe you just want a coffee milkshake?
What about that caramel macchiato? Something sweet and creamy, and fun! A cup of black strong coffee; maybe you are a little bit on the serious side, but also don't take what you think may be extra nonsense.
For me, I love my coffee cold, even in the winter. I always like to change it up: hazelnut, caramel, white chocolate, no flavor shot, cream, milk, soymilk, whipped cream, plain, cortadito, latte, and so on. The point about my coffee, I don't keep to the same because I get bored of the same thing every time. While, of course I know I will like something, I know that there are too many options available for me to ignore.
Sometimes I take my coffee on the go, sometimes I have it and drink it at the coffee shop, reading a book, looking at tumblr posts, reading Buzzfeed or HuffingtonPost. Either way, I am drinking it. I intend to get my full money's worth of the coffee; at my university, I typically shelled out a good $2.39 for (if we're talking about Starbucks iced coffee) or $2.75 for the delectable Pascal's Shakerado (which pairs magnificently with their chocolate chip cookies or Brazilian cheese bread. If you were wandering around, I would also suggest bringing something from Burrito Brothers there, and drink up on the balcony)


A Shakerado with a Chocolate Chip Cookie at Pascal's. (OM NOM NOM)
The way I view coffee is like this: it is meant to perk you up, so enjoy it. What you shouldn't do is completely negate it's value that is has in your life. As a non-routine coffee drinker (I limit myself to 1-2 coffees a week), I try to savor each taste I have. I go to different coffee shops to try their versions of something, attempt more flavors and styles of coffee. It is something that I make sure I enjoy. In fact, coffee time is considered "me time," meaning that I do not focus on anybody but myself and what I need to do for the next hour or so, depending on my schedule. I enjoy that time and that coffee.

(SIDENOTE: My coffee frequency isn't that I have limited access to the cup of energy, I just decided that I didn't need it on a regular basis.)
Others, I have noticed, have a different approach to coffee. One particular subject, my uncle, brought my attention to coffee drinking habits because of the habits he has with his coffee. He regularly drinks about four cups a day, of instant coffee with an Equal sweetener tablet and no milk. It doesn't change. His drinking habit with the coffee, though, is that he doesn't finish it often. In fact, he will drink about half of it, decide to go to the store, and leave out the mug on the counter. Because it is such a foreign idea to not finish a cup of coffee, it sticks into my memory of how my uncle doesn't finish his coffee. This made me think about how he lives his life as well. Honestly, it is not anything I would want to take notes on for the future. The way he runs his life with people is by rushing them at all times; he talks at people, not conversing with them; he shoves his ideas at you, expecting you to completely agree with him and thank him for his genius, even if he didn't ask you your opinion or plans; when it comes to traveling, when he wants to go somewhere, he wants to go NOW, or as soon as possible; if he wants to go to a shopping center, he wants to get there as soon as the place opens so that he can avoid all the people. To me, the way he is living is not for the joy of it, but bustling forward. That is like being served a five star meal ,and not even taking the time to chew the food, tasting it, before gulping it down and cutting the next chunk of meat. While, yes, it does get the job done, there is no enjoyment and critical thinking, or just pondering, involved, and that takes so much of the pleasure out of it.
While it is a minor event in which not much may happen, the way you accept your coffee really does say a lot about not just the person you are, but how you perceive things, and probably what you consider important: time, your personal time, business, socialization, food, energy, etc.

So, the next time you realize that you have a coffee in your hand, please look at your mug and let it know "Hey, I appreciate you." It might just brighten you perspective of your day.

Until next time,
K.

21.2.2014(2557): Late, again, I see...

Hi all,
So, let's get down to it. In the American custom, we have a saying: "To be early is to be on time. To be on time is late and to be late is unacceptable." Basically, when we say this, we make implications that being late require punishment, or that the tardy person is inefficient in timekeeping.
Now, as people, we are erroneous. Sometimes, we are late. For many people, this is normal, and is considered okay, as long as there is a good excuse.
I myself, have had some of these moments. Some of my reasons were due to bad traffic, illness, a random obstacle that was unforeseen, lack of communication between scheduler and schedulee... and some of them were due to basic human error: I fell asleep for too long, I just took too long in getting ready, I contemplated whether I really wanted to go somewhere or not, and other silly dinks of human behavior.
Then there are those people who are habitually late, they have no concept of time or no respect for it and the people it involves, or maybe they just don't care enough to try. These people typically don't succeed in being financially well-off because they normally don't give enough effort to make "having a lot of money" possible for themselves.

Now, when it comes down to deadlines, though, there is no leniency, hence the name: deadline. After that set date, there is no excuse that can push for more time, especially for projects given well in advance. We also are familiar with deadlines for school applications, job projects, school projects, applications for projects and papers, and thesis papers for graduate school, and, and, and....

In the Thai culture, there is a sense of relaxation, if you are late, you will be late, but you also will still get your work done, and leave when you finish. I think this can be a great concept in going places, because there isn't as much stress that is involved, it isn't the "life-or-death" kind of situation. But There is one downside, I noticed. This specifically applies for my work. As part of my duties, I need to evaluate the level of English proficiency of the students I am working with so that I can place them into the appropriate class, where they will not be learning at too advanced a level. If they do not test, it makes it difficult for me to appropriately level them and therefore teach them. Now, I tested about 100 people in the span of five days, from February 5th to February 11th.  That number may not seem like a lot, but when the time of the evaluation ranges from five minutes to 30 per person, that's a lot of time dedicated to listening. Not to mention that I made audio recordings of each tester. I started at 70 hours of free time for audio recordings, and after I finished my sessions, I had 48 hours. As part of the evaluation, I also had to listen to these recording again in order to listen to grammar and pronunciation of each tester. There wasn't a major issue until this week, after I had already placed students into levels after a grueling 20 hours of audio-listening, and my schedule for classes had been built after three days of discussion and grouping. This week, people wanted to test to get into a class. The problem is that I have 100 students, and I only have 9 classes, about 10-12 people per class. As maximum capacity, I can only fit 2 people into my room. I just don't have room for more people to test.  

In addition to that, I had been informed that 5 people had not been leveled. Now, I was worried, because that means that I made an error of 5%. In reality, though, I checked the names of the people. One person on this list of 5 names had tested, and was already placed in a level, and her name was in the list. Now I'm down to four. One name, I was very familiar with because I am friends with the woman and I know her face; she did not test at all. I couldn't level her, but because we regularly talked, I put her in a level I felt would be most appropriate. Two down, now three more. One name, I saw, looked very familiar, so I checked my records, and I saw her name, but she wasn't recorded... so I went through all my evaluations and I found her test, which had two of the same name from the same department. I made an error! But I knew her level, and fixed that mistake. Three down, two to go. Now, the last two names here, were in a department in which there were only three people who tested. I knew this because my original roster didn't have their names, and anybody whose department wasn't in the original roster had to fill in their information. Therefore, only three people from this department came in. The two other names, if they came in, would have had to write in their information, so they did not test. Because I was not familiar with their department, I also was not familiar with their names, and therefore couldn't place them in any level. I informed my lovely (no sarcasm intended) HR Head, and we just placed them in the lower-leveled class. All five people taken care of. The funny thing is that three of these people didn't test, so how can the expect to be leveled if they don't try? One person had difficulty finding her name, which happens when there are a lot of names. And then one person was my error. So, out of 100 people, I had a 1% error due to a slight mix-up. Honestly, I don't think that is a problem, considering how easy of a fix it was. (Heads up, keep track of EVERYTHING you do! Trust me)

Now, after that lovely bulk of information, let's talk about one of the reasons I mentioned for being late: lack of communication, of everything. Lack of communication can ruin many relationships: familial, romantic, and business (academic, too!) The reason: because nobody knows what is going on. That is something I really have a problem with, not knowing, and it almost ruined a potential business opportunity for me. The example: there was a potential client, and I gave her my terms of the agreement, via my aunt. Now, after my aunt gave in the terms, she told me that she would let me know what the client said. And the terms weren't anythings serious, basically they said my expected schedule, how much I charge, cancellation for either side, and so forth. Now, this was two weeks before the intended start date that the terms were given to the client. After one week, I didn't hear anything, so I waited. By Friday evening of the second week, I still didn't hear anything, and I was worried, because in the American culture, we have an inclination for confirmations of agreement or appointments, at least a couple days before. This appointment was supposed to be for Saturday morning, but I had no knowledge of whether the client did or didn't want to continue the business agreement. I don't like the idea of preparing a course for a client who does not wish to continue in the agreement, because my time dedicated is then wasted. Also, I should mention that my aunt left with my uncle and cousin on Thursday of the second week for a three day vacation. It is no problem for me, but because I am not the normal recipient of company, I don't want to answer the door, for my own safety. Here's the kicker, at 9:30, the doorbell is buzzing. Why? I'm not sure, I am not expecting company. And the best part of it, this was the client. I called my aunt, wondering what was going on, and she said "This is your appointment! Oh. MY.GOD..... You should've known that it was on because she didn't say no."

Does anybody think that last part sounded a tad bit weird? Think about it... When is something okay because someone neglected to say no? Think...... thiiiiiiink..... Okay, you probably already have the idea by now.

Lesson I learned from last week? Always confirm at least a day ahead. The good news is that I do have the client and a second job, and I will always need to confirm with them the day ahead, if not earlier.

Until next time,
K.
P.S.- there will be some crazy action happening soon! Like moving, wahoo!

19-1-2014(2557) Sunday Blues

Welcome to the end of the weekend!
For some of you, it actually is just another work day, or maybe it's the beginning of your weekend. For most of us, it's back to the 9 to 5 job Monday through Friday.
For me, it is a busy week that I can't wait to get a good start on.
Let's update on what has happened in the past week.

First, I observed the department of Emergency services, meeting ER nurses, doctors, and practical nurses. It was so much fun. There was much energy and, although at first everybody was shy, by the end of each day, I was surrounded by nurses asking me questions. I practiced speaking some of my Thai, and they practiced speaking their English, trying to absorb as much as they could then and there.

Then Friday came, and it was time to celebrate. We were celebrating for four people: one girl recently was promoted, one girl recently became engaged, one girl has her birthday today, and then me and having a job...so far. I will have to admit, that I was not accustomed to the "going out" scene, since I had been removed from it after graduation. Well, that seemed obvious after I happened to forget the how I arrived home. BUT, we met some nice young Swedish men who came to Thailand on holiday. My friends noticed them at dinner, and could not stop talking about them, and by the time we entered the adjoining club, the boys were already inside. Again, my friend oggled them and giggled, chatting about how badly they wanted them to join. So, I used my charm to bring them over and join us. Just a note, in Sweden, English is a second-language taught very strongly in the country, so for the most part, everybody is fluent. So the end of the story, I woke up at 7:30 in the morning, hoarse and hurting. It's an adventure that I plan to not repeat soon.

Back to work, now; I was recently asked to explain what I do, and my method. In the stage, I am currently observing what is known as the "Front Line." This group of people are key to the interaction with patients and customers, with duties ranging from simple greetings and giving directions to a ward, to setting appointments on the phone, to talking to international health insurance representatives, to evaluating vital signs, to giving medication to a patient, to informing the patient of the costs of the services and treatments they received.
Now, the point of observing these different departments is to better understand exactly what each department needs to learn based on their interaction with a patient. In addition to observing and understanding what kind of communication is necessary for the staff with a customer, the observation also allows me to understand the proficiency of each person, via simple conversation, and so on.
After observing each week, with notes taken, I create planning boards which help me visualize the duties, needs, lessons, and incorporated activities to use for each lesson. I'm kin of like a ten year old with these kind of planning projects, where I really need to have something big and in my face, that I can touch, and sift through. They include table, pictures, drawing, questions, phrases, and so on. In a way, these act as part of a work portfolio, for the planning process.
I have been using different resources for each lesson idea: vocabulary (to be incorporated every lesson), games, activities, testing material, images, teaching methods, grammar, reading and writing. The need for different sources is that there is more than one way to skin a cat, and there is more than one way to teach effectively. In fact, if the current activity I have planned isn't working, then that means we change the approach.

So, that's really it for right now. I also document every individual meeting, as well as every class, so that I have proof, and can use for future adventures. As I progress more and more into it, I will also have more and more details, and tactics, methods, hints, experiences, and what I've been learning.

Until next time,
K.