Jing, Jing?!

A bit of news to start:

I have decided that one year of squat toilets, pit stains, and a highly limited selection of male companions who aren't named "Gookgai" or "Golf" just isn't going to suffice... so I've officially renewed my contract with Princeton-in-Asia for a second year of teaching in Nan! While a second year was a possibility I considered from the very start, choosing to stay was anything but an easy decision. I'll be the first PiA fellow ever to stay a second year at this post, and I'll unfortunately have to say goodbye to a lot of friends I've made this year as they move on to other endeavors. But when it came time to make the call, I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to stay... to learn the language, to have more adventures, and to enjoy this city - and this whole part of the world - I've come to love so much.

Getting to teach the world's cutest kids another school year doesn't hurt, either. And luckily, teaching is a job with a sweeeet break schedule. After a bit of traveling at the end of the semester, I will be back in the US of A for two months in April-May. After sufficiently indulging in blocks of authentic cheese, water supply that works 24/7, and of course, Princeton Reunion-age, I'll return to Thailand in early June. Everyone who couldn't make it this time around can think of this as a WHOLE other year of opportunity to visit a friend/relative in Asia, riiiiiiiight?

So far, the reaction from Thai friends and coworkers when I tell them I'll be hanging tight here in Nan has been positive. Arm exclaimed "I'm so happy!" when I told her and Cho. Their daughter, Cake, will go to Bandon Sriserm next year, and it's likely I'll end up teaching her in Kindergarten. Aj. Prakop is already subtly making plans with me for whipping next year's 6th graders into English shape (I'll admit, any class will have a tough time filling this year's 6/1 shoes... Khim1 just won 6th place in the country at a national English competition). And Aj. Wandee, the 5th grade English co-teacher and our Thai equivalent to the "Cool Aunt" who spoils us silly, smiled when she heard, saying "Jing-jing?!" (really?!). Jing-jing, Aj. Wandee.

English Camp: where tuxedos and polo shirts coexist 

But back to the here and now. The past few weekends have been jam packed with a Nan Country Music Festival, complete with mistranslated renditions of "My Sherona" and pony-riding Thai cowboys; a Princess of Thailand sighting (she came to Nan for the opening ceremony of a new hotel in town); field trips to the Nan Museum, and, last weekend, a sleep away English Camp during which we led Bandon Sriserm's young and bro-tastic 5th graders in Spoons, the Cha-Cha Slide, and the art of "cooking" American delicacies like smoothies and paninis (made out of 7-11 bread and a-poor-excuse-for Kraft Singles cheese). Technically, we've been working 6- and 7- day work weeks this entire month - but as usual, I really can't complain.

Meanwhile this week, every class has been busily preparing skits and songs for the school-wide English Exhibition in February. Third grade has demonstrated a particularly strong commitment to their number ("Down" by Jay Sean ft Lil Wayne) by coming into the English Office every day at lunch to rehearse, as well as play with the ajaans' iTunes and in Neeno's case, help push buttons on the NEW (!) copy machine. 3rd grader Folk, who reportedly has very little interest in school and once infamously poured an entire bottle of baby powder all over a classmate during English class, has found his true calling in break-dancing while everyone else sings the chorus. A true crowd pleaser.

Lunch hour entertainment

This weekend we'll celebrate the 23rd bpee mai of Emily "Bpee Mai" Hebner, complete with out-of-town visitors to join our Nan Farang Bicycle Club, drinks at the purple slushie-and-jelly shot bar, a last hoorah with our singer friends at the Fifth Night Club (who, in their nocturnal and nomadic style, will be moving on to other places next month), and a CrAsia -themed Birthday Power Hour. There's no real telling how things will go, but all signs point to "(Weird But) Good." They usually do here in Nan... Jing-jing.