Expect the unexpected
I am so sorry I did not have my camera this morning to capture this event. So I'm going to have to use my writing skills instead to capture the moment.
Last night I got a text message asking me if I would do an English interview for one of the guys from Church friends. So I said what time preferably not to early maybe 11. So I hadn't heard anything this morning at 9 so I texted to see what was happening. I didn't hear anything back. So I started to do my washing not bothering to shower as it's a hot and sweaty task and wearing not indecent clothes but not really presentable ones either. 10 o'clock Marie my house mate "Claire you've got visitors" Huh who? Looked outside to see about 6-7 motorbikes pull up outside my house. How did they know where I live - no idea!!! So in a bit of a fluster let them in. Also wasn't expecting them to come to my house, I thought I would go to them. There were about ten of them all crammed into my living room, on the floor as we only have two chairs!!! They couldn't really speak English at all so had to try and understand the Thai. So I started to write the answers to the questions they asked me. Finnished ok. But they didn't go. Video! What have I misunderstood - no! So I had to go and make myself presentable as I sat on a seat and they sat around me on the floor and memorised a question each and asked me one by one - very funny!
Maybe you had to be there to fully appreciate this one - but it really was quite funny.
Also was woke up at 8 by another unexpected visitor. This time it was to do with my motor bike registration. Checking out that I really did live where I lived. So I think I convinced him coming down in my PJs same attire as above!! half asleep. Which wasn't good as he was asking me important questions to do with the registration, not exactly vocab that I practice every day.

Oh while I'm on the roll - thought of another expect the unexpected. On Thursday night I got a flat tyre and got chatting to a lady as I had to wait for the guy to fix it and he was? not quite sure but it took him a while to appear. Meanwhile the lady I was talking to decided I would be the perfect wife for her son!!!!

PRETTY FLOWERS
Each class makes a special arrangement and presents it to the director or assistant director. The best arrangement in each year wins a prize. They are then later taken to a Buddhist statue.

And I present some 'kanom' snacks to my form class to say thank you.

"Wai Khru Day"- "Respect Teachers Day"
Can you imagine this ever happening in the UK? The teachers sit at the front. Students come to the front class by class bow before their teacher and present them with flowers. Teachers in return give them a blessing - "I said may you study well" Thai teachers said much more but that was all I could manage in Thai!!! The flowers in the arrangenent have signifigance. A type of grass - that the teachers would have lots of patience!!!, a red flower for intelligence, and a type of flower (which I can't remember the name of) which looks as if it's about to fall over for humility. And all the teachers wore traditional Thai dress.

Fire works to celebrate the King's 60th year on the throne.

Lighting candles
Many people all over Thailand met last night to light a candle(of course yellow) for the King.
I went along to the town hall with some of the teachers and students from school. However I decided not to light a candle. The reason – The King is really seen as a God also. It goes beyond showing repect to him, they really also worship him and pray to him. In Buddhist cermonies they would light candles in a similar way. So for me I decided it was too much like showing I was worshipping the King of Thailand. I explained this to the teachers that I wanted to show respect to the King by being there and wearing the shirt - but that I did not want to light a candle because in my eyes this was an act of worship, and I did not want to worship any other God. It really made me think how difficult ceremonies like this are for Thai Christian teachers. Remaining Thai but only worshiping the King of Kings.

Me and my rabbits!!! - " I thought she was Thai!"
Why are we all wearing yellow shirts with rabbits? Is it the latest fashion? – no not quite. But for the last week and a half all the teachers at school have been wearing these shirts. We (all government officials which includes teachers and a large number of working people) will continue to wear them every Monday until December – the King’s Birthday.
In short to show respect to the King.
Why yellow? – well the King was born on the day of yellow I think this is a Monday. Every day of the week has a different colour, in the past Thai people would have woren a specific colour each day Monday yellow, Tuesday orange (for example I can’t remember what coulour Tuesday is!) It is considered to bring good luck.
Why rabbits? The King was born in the year of the rabbit.

Oh another point not everyone is wearing this particular rabbit design just the teachers from my school, other people have other designs but all yellow.

And a funny story - " I thought she was Thai!"
Last Monday I was wearing the shirt and I went into a shop. The person talked to me very rapidly in Thai and then I could hear her say – “I thought she was Thai”! But then I guess she had a closer look and realised that I was not hee-hee!! : )

Marie and Ajan Ratana
This is Marie (left) who very kindly allowed me to use her camera last night. Marie is from the Philipines, she teaches Science and English at school also.

The other lady is Ajan Rattana (means teacher – and you always put this before a teachers name – it is also acceptable just to say Ajan which is handy as I often forget Thai names!!)Ajan Rattana is the Thai teacher in charge of the English teachers. Her English is very good. Last night she took us to the Kings celebration. The King has been on the throne for 60 years. The people like him very very much.

The King will be on the throne 60 years as of Friday. There is great celebration. See the link to find out more. On Friday there will be a parade, I will walk with the teachers and students from the school. THe Christians will also walk for the first time all the Churches coming together : )
http://www.bangkokpost.com/60yrsthrone/jazzy/logo1.gif

Is it an animal? - NO - Is it a _ _ _ ?(i don't know) NO - It's a fruit. It's a rambutan if that means anything to you I can't actually remember the Thai name only the English which is a bit stupid b/c who back home has actually ever heard of a rambutan?! So yeah it's the fruit that's in season at the mo. It's kind of grape like inside it has a stone which you don't eat, and you don't eat the skin either!! I quite like them in a weird kind of way.

P.S. - I have very sad news :( I was very stupid today. I was riding along on my motorcycle taking pictures, and I didn't put my camera back in to my bag properly and it fell out. Very very stupid I have been repeating this ever since. Looked for it for I'm sure an hour and a half with a band of helpers, but we couldn't find it. On the plus side I managed to explain to these people in Thai what had happened. I have given them my phone number just in case but not too hopeful. Even if I were to find it I doubt that it would still work - stupid, stupid, stupid! So sorry about that.

FLIP FLOPS!!!!
A little story about the flip flops! Every Wednesday is the Church Bible study. The floods seemed to have cleared a lot so I decided to go along. On my way no sign of flooding, until very near the house were it was being held. Got to the house or the main road beside the house and could see that there was flooding from the main road into the house, but it wasn't far. So I parked my motorcycle at the side of the road. Crossed the road and put one testing foot into the water. Oh this isn't too deep I thought this is ok. SPLASH!!! On taking the next step it got somewhat deeper slipped on the mud and fell head first into the water, pretty much completely submerged!!!!! Taking my head out of the water, ah my flip flops were floating in the current away from me - ahh. I managed to grab one but the other was impossible. What am I going to do now, can I go back without shoes/flipflops? Dripping back to my motorbike I spotted a pair of discarded flip flops by the road side. One was broken but the side I needed was not. So off I went with my non matching flip flops, one left one right : ) Absolutely gutted to loose my black one with flowers I've had them for years, but have managed to buy another pair. Hope somebody finds it by the roadside someday and will help them out of their perdictament!!!