Not Such a Human

I would like to meet the Thai man who decided that one room set-ups with beds and stools were appropriate "apartment" options.  My stool/bed situation is getting to me and the housing hunt is back on.  

What I have found is more stool/bed situations in different locations with varying degrees of cleanliness to boast of and a wide cast of landladies.  All in odd track suits.  All with names like Lom or Om. 

Recently my student Mac (changed mid semester from Mc when I told him Mc was awkward) described a rapist as "A man who did it, not such a human."  That is exactly how I feel about the man who determined the Chiang Mai housing options.  "Not such a human." 

My repoire with my students has evolved over the course of the semester from strange girl-woman standing at the front of the room to constant banter and teasing between me and my class.  This makes things interesting.  

In one class my students recently discovered my age.  This made things even more interesting. Foolishly I left my work-permit laying on the table, my birthdate temptingly printed inside.  Next thing I know the entire class was screaming "1987!" I had no idea what this number meant until one of the more proficient speakers pointed at herself with wide eyes and side "1985. You 1987."  There was a moment of horror as we started at eachother.  

Funny thing is I think they like me more now.  They bow even lower.  This could be mockery.  

In another class I had a meltdown when all of my students were 25 minutes late.  I screamed.  I scolded. I carried on.  The next day I was three minutes late to class.  They were all there on time.  Scrawled across the blackboard when I entered the room were the words, "Teacher you are late!!" Touchez English 215.  

Another moment from my bag of tricks.  On Friday I made a student laugh so hard I thought I was going to have to resuscitate him.  What did I do? I said, "hush, hush."  This was way too much for him. He was crying.  And not just mild tears, but huge teardrops rolling down his face as he buckled over the desk repeating "hush, hush!"  This in turn made the rest of us join his laughter.  We all said "hush, hush" for about 5 minutes and then class resumed as normal.  

I think to my students I'm finally becoming a little more of a human.