Sorry it’s taken so long to post. The past few weeks have been a bit of a bumpy ride, in terms of schools, placements, accommodation, well everything to be honest. The elements of Koh Chang are still on the drawing board and will be up soon (I hope), so I’ll leave you with what’s been going on lately.
I’m currently based in Hat Yai for now; all the way down south next to the Malaysian border; and have done for the past week or so. It’s not the best place in the world; in fact it’s one of the worst, and should be renamed ‘Hat Nay’. There is literally nothing to do here!
Since leaving the wonderful island of Koh Chang on the 15th October; it’s been the first chance I’ve really had to sit down and relax. For 5 days I was in limbo, travelling from one place to another, and being herded like a sheep. I didn’t know whether I was coming or going. From Koh Chang it was about 6/7 hours of travelling on a minibus and ferry to go to Bangkok; where everyone was feeling slightly sorry for themselves because of the final night on the island previously. Having put up with Pippa feeling a bit iffy for the whole journey did make us feel slightly better about ourselves, however I’m sure the feeling wasn’t mutual. Saturday night included a trip to the famous Khao San Road; a place where it is custom for all backpackers to visit. It was a very lively place, full of bars, market stalls, food stalls, and everything else that tourists would want. The plan was to take it easy, as the next morning I would be departing on a 17 hour train journey down south, but like most things in Thailand; plans change.
The night started off fairly slowly, but as the poisonous cocktails started flowing; so did everything else. At one point Jodi and Katie thought it would be a great idea to eat some deep-fried insects; and 2 minutes later Jodi, Katie, Sophie and myself were enjoying a deep-fried grasshopper; head, wings, legs and everything else. I say enjoying very mildly, as I was retching throughout. This thing, tasted like a very salty pork scratching, and even thinking about it now is making my stomach turn, I really do not know how the others did not even wretch!
A little while after in a bar, this little boy named Nine, who was in fact 10 years old came round with a bunch or roses and challenged me to a thumb war competition,but wanted a 100 Baht for the privilege, after some
negotiation, 20 Baht was agreed; I didn’t want to rob him; or so I thought. The little bugger had obviously been practicing for a while, and didn’t completely follow the rules, but fair play to him; he did well so I paid up, and was given a rose for my humble efforts. After fleecing most of the group, we moved on across the road, and found a place with a really good dancer; but the one thing on all our minds, was whether this person was male or female. We still do not know, even after getting up and dancing with her, Nigel was the first to do so, rather he got dragged into dancing with her; the crowd went wild. 
Present were the Koh Chang crew, and these very feminine Thai men, so they also enjoyed this dance off. From there on the whole night was spent dancing with this other group, feeling welcomed, but slightly uncomfortable, with many a rose being exchanged. The other highlight of the night was the abundance of random hats which were worn. Ciara, Katie and Jodi, had found these hats with bells, mirrors, trinkets and all sorts on them; Sophie had found a rainbow wizard hat, and myself a Rastafarian hat. The night ended on a high for all, and was another night of farewells and arivedercis.
Sunday morning was a bit of a rush to get everything prepared for the long train journey ahead, and was really the first time in which the group would be separated for good. (You will soon come to see that there are many goodbyes in this post, especially in my case. Nobody can seem to get rid of me, as I keep coming back). After saying our goodbyes, we were off to the station; next stop Hat Yai.
Hat Yai arrived after 17 hours later; feeling exhausted from the long journey, and not knowing what was going to happen next, all we wanted was a proper sleep and a shower. The train journey had been miserable; God knows what 3rd class would have been like! Kristen and I had been informed that we would be going to our placements that day. We had no idea whether we would be teaching that day, or even how we would get to our schools. After a while the group were picked up and taken to the Teacha (Teaching Agency) offices. Everyone was given information about the schools and told they would be going in the next few days. I was given the news ‘I’ll tell you separately, but there’s nothing to worry about’. After worrying for ages, (what do you expect, if you tell someone not to worry that’s the first thing they’re going to do) I was told that I would have an interview at a boarding school in a few hours, against someone who had taught before, was smartly dressed and had had a little bit of time to settle; what chance did I have. I was given a quick chance to say goodbye to my friends, and was carted off with all my belongings, in case I got the position. (I must also add that I was given the opportunity to change because of my persistent nagging, but this only included putting some smart trousers on at the roadside, and a quick spray, so I still looked like crap). After reaching the school, I found out that the position would be to start the following day, and that I could live on site, in a rather run down hut. Despite not wanting the job, and not standing a chance; God knows why I still tried my best at the interview. (I suppose my competitive nature got in the way). Pictures were taken and given to the director for the final outcome, but we would have to stupidly find out after getting back to the Teacha offices, an hour away. As soon as we arrived I found out the good news, I had not been offered the job! (Inside I was happy but also slightly disheartened; I can’t win!) I was once again reunited with some of the Koh Chang crew, and told that I instead had a place in Surat Thani and would be going the next morning at 8 o’ clock on the dot, to find my new home for the coming term.
After probably the 3rd or 4th best shower that I’d ever had, we again went out for the last supper. The place in which we ate, had a live singer who turned out to be the owner. He had a nice voice, but was not in any way as good as our own Billy Dee’s; who sang ‘No Woman No Cry’, and had the whole place cheering! For the 3 of us leaving the following morning, it would probably have been sensible to get an early night with the others, but instead we went for a very long wander in Hat Yai, 5km in fact! After unsuccessful attempts to find anything open, a taxi, or our way home, we came across this small food place which was pretty empty. Trying to get directions back seemed quite intense, but after buying one beer between 3 people we were offered a much appreciated lift home. Despite waiting for what seemed like forever, we were scooted off back to our hostel for no charge, other than a beer; so happy days!The next morning at 8 o’clock Thai time (08:40 to everyone else) Kristen, Becky and myself were off in hope of finding our new homes, unaware that we would be picking up others on the way and squeezing into the minibus. It was such a weird occurrence when we picked up the others. They were the Koh Lipe crew; and had also come through ETA, but had trained on a different island. Finding out that they had done some training in a school left us feeling very unprepared; however I still think we had the better end of the deal. We had a nicer island, huts on the beach, lots to do and explore, Thai lessons and our own little Jonnie the dog! We would then spend the next 2 days finding places to live for everyone on board, visiting schools, and saying many more goodbyes.
It took an age to get to the towns, but accommodation seemed fairly straight forward at first. The first place was Thung Song, and would be home to Kristen and also some from Koh Lipe. We drove straight to a townhouse, with 2 bedrooms, 2 balconies, 2 bathrooms, a living room and kitchen all for 5,000 Baht a month (That’s only £100 a month for a whole house to those back in the UK). After being given the tour, they were told they must decide whether they want it there and then, with no option to view other accommodation first. It all worked out well, and random pieces of furniture kept arriving from nowhere throughout the day. Becky and myself stayed here the night and got picked up in the morning rather than looking at other people’s houses. I’m slightly jealous of this place; a park 5 minutes up the road, a huge night market, and plenty to do in town a further 5 minutes up the road. The night concluded with a rather toned down housewarming party; but nonetheless a nice one…..and then there were two.
Next morning at the usual precise Thai time, we were picked up and on our way to Wiang Sa to find a home for Becky. There was a nice little block with townhouses that we came across where fellow teachers at her school lived, but no means of finding out who the owners were. After much waiting around and questions being asked Becky found a huge place that was unfurnished and across the road from the others, but wanted a 20,000 Baht deposit, which is huge money out here, even split two ways. There was no choice but to keep ringing the other teachers who were currently on holiday in the hope of maybe securing something there for the meantime. It was agreed that Becky would stay there until the weekend, and on their return she would stay with them. After another emotional goodbye and realising that I was no by myself, we tried to find a place for the other person on the bus. This lady (60 years old!) was not having any of it and wanted the same deal as Becky, so we were briefly acquainted and then I was off again.
Arriving at Surat Thani at about 4 in the evening on Wednesday, I was hungry, tired and wanted a place I could call home. Being a large town, it was likely that I would not have such nice places to live as the others, and would be an apartment somewhere. The agency had a lead with an apartment, so we drove there. It turned out that the owner was away, so that was a dead end. The next few hours entailed in driving around to any apartment block we could find and asking. 6 apartment blocks and many rejections later, we were getting desperate. Being turned away for being a farang (foreigner) is the norm out here, but slightly disheartening when all you want to do is settle down. But not as disheartening as calling 12 more apartment blocks and finding out that they're all full!! It was then decided that I could travel back to Hat Nay and do some part time work in schools, as money was running low. Just as we were leaving we found a place with a room, and that’s pretty much all it was. 2,500 Baht (£50) a month for a bed, fridge, TV and no window. Although I was desperate, I ‘m glad that I held out.
At least I can say I found a positive in all this though. I got to see my school (Muang Surat), which has 3000 students, and that I had some sort of idea about what was to come in terms of accommodation.
So I’m back in Hat Nay, got to see the crowd AGAIN! And have only been given 1 day’s work. If I’d have known that I wouldn’t get anymore work, I probably would have gone to Bangkok to volunteer with the flood and help out, or gone to Koh Phi Phi and most likely have spent money I didn’t have, but would have had a way better time than here. It’s just been the waiting around, not knowing what the state of play is till the night before. It inhibits what you can plan and do, and has started to drive me a little bit insane. But it has also in a small way been a godsend. I’ve finally been able to let my mind and body catch up with each other!
I should be off again (for the final time) on Friday to Surat Thani; where I hope this time round there will be somewhere to live. If not I’ll probably be back in Hat Nay, and crying myself to sleep for the foreseeable future!
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