Bangkok so far...

So I have now been in Bangkok for a couple of weeks and I can say it’s very different from what I have experienced in Chanthaburi...firstly I now live in a state of “luxury” (luxury for Thailand is a whole different ball game to back home...) with a double bed, aircon, hot shower and most of all a proper toilet! And I also live a few minutes away from macdonalds, kfc, starbucks, the cinema and shopping mall...I even have a private swimming pool to go tip my toes in whenever I fancy...its definitely more home from home and I am living more of a life as a tourist which brings with it pros and cons. Where I live does still maintain some qualities of a Thai lifestyle – we have a very nice old man who lives round the corner whose wife cooks us thai meals for a mere 50p in what can only be described as their living room...he likes to have a chat whilst his wife cooks a variety of traditional dishes in just one wok and it has become a daily ritual to go have our lunch there...almost everything has changed about my lifestyle – instead of having a steady routine I wait throughout the day to see if I am going to get a call from AYC regarding a job...generally you are told with short notice that you will be expected to work and it could be anywhere in Thailand – literally up to 10 hours away...so far I have been lucky and have only had to work in Bangkok...I teach as and when I am needed so I do get more free time which suits me down to the ground but not knowing what you are going to be doing next is unnerving.  Also having to navigate yourself to different schools in a country you do not know and a language you do not understand is a lot more difficult than you would think!  Bangkok taxi drivers are not friendly at all and I often find myself in a taxi with someone who has no idea where they are going, charging me twice as much to get there and taking advantage of the situation because it is obvious that I don’t know any better.  And I can’t imagine it being much more fun if you are stuck on a van not knowing where you are going, arriving in the middle of the night only to have to find yourself a cheap hotel in the middle of nowhere and then getting to work the next day...some people assume that life as a sub is easier than anything else – it definitely has its pros and mine has been not working 5 days a week as of yet and getting to live with other people from the internship.  However it could be argued that it is harder, having no idea what sort of school you are going to walk into or what level you are going to be teaching you have to be prepared for anything.  And getting a call late at night to work the next day isn’t much fun either.  Also getting to experience working in a variety of different environments can only make you a better teacher.  So far I have really enjoyed my time here but more for the social aspect than the teaching side.  The internship does allow you to explore your options and for some it has made them realise that they want to become a teacher or stay longer in Thailand. For me it has provided me with the opportunity to meet great people and travel around Thailand and experience something new and different.