A Bit of a Confession

That is, if certain luxuries- such as a full time membership to a four star gym- should be deemed a confessable sin considering my meager salary and education bills. Oh well, the way I see it, everyone needs something to help them remain sane and somewhat detached from the daily chaos of the workplace. For some, this amounts to savoring weekly sitcoms that give them something to look forward to; an escape of sorts. Maybe that’s why shows like “The Office” are so addictive. I think of it as a show people sometimes watch in order to mentally disengage from their current reality, (yes, this is surely not the case for the other 45% of you who love everything about your lives) and all the while its plot always weaves around characters who seem to be desperate to do just the same thing- escape from their mundane existence.

Anyhow, such things are truly a necessity. The gym, that is.

I will tell you about my gym (it’s called Fitness First, by the way), shall I? This is so something my sister would do. Describe in vivid details her gym to someone ( like me, for example), or the subtleties of her yoga class. No Maria, I’m not saying its not interesting. Anyway, its a really fantastic spot with top-class equipment, a sauna, yoga classes, self-defense classes (I practiced Muay Thai kicks with a personal trainer today) and ofcourse a free cafe and movie rental. Pretty nice for under 60 bucks a month. Its also an ideal place for me to make Thai friends (I’ve already made two, and this was only my second trip there!) and also to practice my Thai which is only “Neet noi” (a little). So in a sense, it really does have a dual purpose.

Ah, the joys of self-rationalization…

On to other things, it has become my rather ostentatious goal to add some nice appliance or furnishing to my room every month. I even have an account for it in my budget; I think I will call it the “sweet room, man!” account. This month, I bought a sleek, jet-black standing lamp for my reading corner. Ever since I was a pre-adolescent, I had wanted one of these sleek jet-black standing lamps. I have one now, and I feel happier for it. I don’t know why I am telling you this, really.

Beyond the superficial, I am wrapping up the last week of the poetry unit I have been teaching junior high. I am sad to see it go. We’ve have such a great time with it, I really wish I could just teaching poetry section all year-long. Although, then they would have to change the curriculum name to “Poetry Class” and I just don’t want to rock the boat at this point in the game.

I’m also tutoring a 7th grader named Jazz (nickname, of course- which is just as official as one’s name in Thailand!) and at around 15$ an hour, its well-worth the time. Also, I am teaching English classes to Kindergarteners every Saturday from 9-12pm and I really enjoy it; although, I don’t feel this way at 8:30 in the morning.

I have begun a study that peers through scripture and experience to develop a deeper understanding of what it means to hear and follow the voice of God. This is something that has always bewildered me about Christian spirituality- the idea that God somehow conveys some type of personal message and truth to our listening ears. I have heard many conflicting explanations as to how this process transpires, but have never been satisfied with the answers. Maybe this will soon change, or maybe I will simply develop a more specific understanding of what exactly I don’t understand so that I can more adequately verbalize it when the opportunity arises.

Why do Thai drivers park their car in neutral at the mall?

Good question- Paul, the youth pastor I’m now working with, explained it to me. There are parking spaces behind the rows of parked cars at the mall. When anyone takes those spots, they are obligated to put their car in neutral so that if the driver of the blocked car needs to leave before Neutral Driver does, he simply pushes that car to the side so he can get out. Or she. It seems to be quite a trust-based society.

Life has been going at its usual break-neck, and yet slow, pace. I can’t really explain it. Other teachers who feel the same way I do can’t explain it either. By the time I am done teaching, amble over for supper, and check the news, it is already well into the evening and I am scrambling to get all my tasks accomplished. It is as though everything just takes longer here- although that could just be an excuse to cover my lack of time management!

Things are well and I am involved in quite a bit more these days. I was recently asked to come on as a youth pastor for the middle school group in our church and I am leading worship for our school every other week with a band compiled of my 9th grade students. Speaking of them, I recently was able to have the whole ninth grade class to my house for food and games; I am hoping to be able to build deeper relationships with them outside of usual class time. Awesome story, I bemoaned the fact to my 9th graders the other week how impossible it was to find whole coffee beans for sale in Thailand. A week later, three students had raided their parents own stash (they actually said that their parents had given it to them, so I’m not asking any questions!:) given me bags of premium Thai coffee beans- I know certain students who will be getting A’s in my class this semester!

Things are going well, and I am definitely feeling more in a consistent pattern here at GES. For those of you who pray for me, please pray that I learn to show more love to my 7th and 8th grade classes; I’m not going to lie, it is a difficult thing for me to show them warm tenderness when I am contemplating whether I could get away with binding some of them in duct tape during my teaching time! Lord give me the strength..