Grace International School

Little did I know that after two years, when visiting Chiang Mai for the first time, I would be back working at one of their international schools in the school counseling department. I arrived at Grace International School in early February and have already been asked to work on developing a Career Center for them along with performing so many other school counselor duties such as working with the Special Needs department, testing, teaching, facilitating workshops and, of course, counseling students both informally and during sessions.

Briefly, the hours I continue to put in at Grace International School not only are intended to help the school but also contribute to the practicum hours I need to complete my Masters of Education with School Counselor specialization. Since the cost of living is so incredibly low in Thailand and I had points needed for air travel, I figured why not help out a mission school that supports missionaries and their kids in Asia? If you're interested in more details about the school itself, check out their school link: http://www.gisthailand.org/.

Living in the tropics doesn't have much of a down side for those of us who enjoy the heat. Well, there's no doubt that it's hot and I'm told it's only going to get hotter by April, the hottest month of the year. Even the dogs don't run to greet you cause they don't want to get up and exert the energy =)

So then, how great to be able to sit by the pool after my day at work, enjoying a Thai dinner for $1 from the outdoor kitchen and sipping a Thai drink that has a picture of 'happy fruit' on the label. During my first week here, I asked a student what drink to buy from the snack bar and I'm glad I listened to him cause it goes down real nice!

When interested in cuisine that is more western in flavor, there's a restaurant right across the street called SoJo's Cafe. Actually, it can be quite a dangerous place for those who enjoy Starbucks-style frappuccinos... like how about what's called a Blackforest Shake that contains a blend of chocolate, coffee, ice and milk for a little over $1. Dangerous.

In addition to the work duties I find here at GIS, I could share all that I'm learning about the school community but that would take a lot of blog space! Let's just say there so many incredible staff and students at this school who exhibit such a faith and maturity that I find humbling.

Seems as though I can talk to most students, some for lengthy periods of time, and I feel as though I've known them for years. For instance, one senior last week told me to email his parents who live in central Asia and stay with them if I should ever travel that way. Definitely, this is a community of international residents who enjoy each others' company.

Resorting to Wantana

After the first week of getting settled into life in Chiang Mai, it became apparent to me I needed to be within walking distance of Grace International. Unfortunately there was nothing available in the neighborhood of the school itself, but fortunately there is a new complex of guesthouses called the Wantana Resort open in a neighboring village about a 25 minute walk away.

In so many ways, it's been a perfect place to live these few months while I'm in Thailand. Like so many Thai guesthouses, their accommodations are family run and they definitely make you feel like part of the family. Imagine the owner offering rides around town and stopping by on occasion with fruit called ma-prang (mango plums) from their orchard. They also offer any service you need including laundry (at 15 cents per article of clothing... 10 cents for underwear =) and even a personal order of a Thai meal that you can eat on your veranda for not much more.

As you can see, accommodations are made up of individual cottages with veranda and needed amenities, including boys on motorcycles (the primary mode of transportation) willing to take you around the neighborhood if you don't have time to walk. While I'm already used to hanging off motorized vehicles such as the the songtaews (open pickup trucks that take you around the city), I appreciate friends who loaned me their bicycle so I can ride to school on my own and get exercise at the same time! I just have to remember to ride on the other side of the road =)

My Place in The Hood

One of the great reasons to walk or ride a bicycle to work is the opportunity it presents to closely witness life in the surrounding neighborhood. Imagine me riding through the countryside past cows, rice fields, venturing through a small village, and avoiding open fires as farmers prepare their fields for planting. It's Thai life at its best.

The neighborhood 7-11 and eatery...

Unique to my neighborhood is a Buddhist temple right across the street from the Wantana Resort. In addition to the calls to worship I hear on occasion at 6 in the morning, I get to observe life in the temple as I pass by and also some of the celebrations on designated holidays.

For instance, yesterday was a national holiday called Makha Bucha Day set aside to celebrate the coming together of 1,250 monks to be ordained by the Buddha and the day when Buddha delivered his teachings shortly before his death. It's quite the event where vendors set up their booths, budding musicians get a chance to demonstrate their singing ability to the community while monks and other celebrants walk the perimeter of the temple numerous times a day. It's a real time of celebration for the community!

I must say the villagers are so incredibly friendly as I pass by, often greeting me with a "sa-wat dee ka" accompanied by a slight bow, with the palms pressed together in a prayer-like fashion. Overall I feel very safe traveling the streets here, much like how I felt when living in Korea. The only thing I need to avoid are the geckos and snakes when walking the streets at night. Other than that I don't have any concerns about my 'hood'.