Time flies

Hard to believe, but our first semester at Assumption is coming to a close.  We are currently in the midst of exam week, which of course unfortunately leads to grading/marking.  *sigh*  Next week is English Camp week, then October Course and holiday, then finally back to class for semester two.

From what we have heard semester two is much different.  Just like home there are practices and shortened classes.  Everyone has said time will fly by.  Hopefully we will have some good long weekends to escape Bangkok some more.

This weekend we are going to ride the Skytrain to Chidlom station and wander around in a different area of Bangkok.  We are hoping to visit some interesting shrines (pictures to follow) and get a different view of the city.  Most neighborhoods look the same...  streets filled with shops, carts to buy almost anything, and great food.

Well, that is all for now, I've got to go supervise a final exam.  More later,

Eduardo

Pictures from Singapore zoo

Well, I think I'm finally getting caught up with some photos.  As the title says, these are from our trip to Singapore (when was that again?!?)  You will see a lot of primates, including one with red hair... look carefully, she is trying not to be seen.

Amazing Thailand

Since we have not been doing a lot of really exciting traveling we thought we would share some of the interesting things that we have been seeing that you would not normally see back home. All of these these things really happened, but we were usually not ready with the camera or it was just not right to take the picture. Pictures would make this so much funnier!!

• A man riding a bike with a can of beer in the water bottle holder.
• People wearing plastic bags on their heads when it rains.
• A child pooping on newspaper outside.
• A sleeping cat in a food display case.
• People drinking soda from plastic bags.
• Signs that read "Don't Smoking"
• Ladyboys (lots of them!)
• People riding scooters while...holding an umbrella, talking on the cell phone, or forging the most resent downpour.
• There is a river that runs though the neighborhood. There are houses that back up to the river and a small (about 2 feet wide) side walk bride to get to them. After a huge rainstorm it was covered. We watched two women in the dark walk down the sidewalk without being able to see it. Talk about Faith!
• Scooters also drive down this side walk also- not usually while flooded but it happens!
• 25-30 people on the back of a small pick-up (it's only 5 baht you'd hop on too!)
• Whole pigs lined up on tables ready for sale

Well that's a little picture into out day to day life here in Thailand. I'm sure there will be more. Everyday is a sensory experience!

Marching Band

Whew!  The last few weeks have been rather long.  Late nights, early mornings, and lots of work to do.  Final exams have been submitted, and I had the opportunity to work with the ACT marching band.  What a wonderful group of students.  A few weeks ago I watched them rehearse and was asked if I could come help on the following Saturday.  Surprisingly enough I actually miss band (*gasp*), so I agreed.  The students work very diligently for me, and we had great fun.  The band is made up of students not just from Assumption, but the surrounding schools as well, grades 3 - 11.  I'm pretty sure they were the hardest working 3rd graders in all of Thailand.

We competed last weekend in the "1st Thailand Marching Band Competition."  In the preliminary round they placed 1st with a score of 85.25, and then we unfortunately made some costly errors in the finals and placed third.  What a great experience though!  They had such a great sound.  I will try to post the video, but I fear it is too large.  I tried to take some pictures, but working with students and being a photographer doesn't work too well.  Below are some of the pictures.



I tried to caption the pictures, but I'm not sure it will show up.  Feel free to look at them on the web album.

More adventures to come!

Eduardo