What I wake up to...

Just thought I would let you see what I see when I wake up.  The first picture is my view through two doors directly ahead of me.  The second picture is my view through a window, over my balcony, to the left of me.

 

My first new update

Hello everybody.  I hope that you have not missed me as much as I have missed you, let me give you my first new update (and update my contact information):

Summer went well.  I had many wonderful highlights, such as:

1.  Seeing family.  Between the new Becky Siever's wonderful wedding and another classic Isebrand family reunion, I was able to see all of my grandparents, most of my aunts, uncles, and cousins, my sisters and my new niece Meridel.  All in all, some very wonderfun (yes, wonderfun) events.  I can only hope that next summer will be as good in this respect, maybe another Isebrand/Kearns wedding?  We shall see...

2.  See friends.  Almost as cool as seeing my family, was seeing my friends.  I was able to have several roommate and former staff reunions, as well as see many, many other people that I adore.

3.  Professional development.  A week in St. Johnsbury, Vermont made me AP certified and a whole lot smarter.  Also, I got to shoot some guns.

4.  A reintroduction to my xbox.  Yes xbox, I missed you too.  Pulling it out was possibly not my greatest moment, but there was some high quality gameplay.

My flight back went very well, almost horribly, but very well.  After reading my itenerary wrong, I thought that I had a 10 hour layover in Seattle and 16 hour layover in Seoul, South Korea.  In fact, both layovers ended up being less than an hour, and involved me running like a like a headless chicken to get a boarding pass while the rest of the plane boarded.  I was sad to not get the special individual touch tv screens on any of the flights, but was fortunate to have brought a book along.  As it turns out Steve, I can read (no pictures...).

I got in around midnight, got a taxi to my new place, and have started moving in.  Yes, I have a new place.  I really enjoy it, hopefully I will put up some pictures when I am fully moved in (right now: such a mess, such a large, large mess...).  With my new place comes some new contact information:

Both of the school addresses are the same, the second is good for packages:

Gary Kearns

QSI International School of Phuket

PO Box: 432

Phuket 83000

Thailand

 

Or:

Gary Kearns

QSI International School of Phuket

81/4 Moo 1 Chalermprakiat R. 9 Rd

T. Kathu, A Kathu

Phuket 83120

 

My phone number has also changed.  I still have the same cell phone number, but no longer have the landline.  Keep in mind, there is a 12 hour time difference and as much as I love you all, I do not like calls at ungodly hours of the night (or morning).

From America, dial: 011 66 857-833-426  (The first set of numbers is the country code, followed by the cell area code, followed by my actual cell phone number, calling from Thailand you want to add a "0" to the front of the cell phone number.)  I suggest using a calling card, possibly one bought online from: thaitel.com

Ok, the final update, not for the faint of heart or weak of stomach.  Seriously.

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Ok, for those of you still reading, I urge you to consider not reading.  I am merely putting this out there, it is your decision to read it, and you will probably regret it. 

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I am sitting here, leaking liquids, out of 5 bodily holes.  Yes, there are the classic three, and I have also managed to throw up out of both of my nostrils.  I am hoping to start crying later so that I can make the claim that 7 bodily holes are leaking, but we'll see.  Real men don't cry, and I am a real man.  Not sure how I got sick though.  Jet lag and a need to go to the bathroom every 10 minutes have complicated my sleep, but I think I am over the worst of it.  All in all, I am still happy to be back, in spite of future-inevitable-dehydration-by-overactive-leaking-bodily-holes.

There.  That was an honest update.  I hope that you are happy and enjoyed it.  Enjoy your meal and solid foods.  I wish I could...

Misconceptions

Grandpa: This is Gary, he's going to Thailand to meet a Chinese girl.

Grandpa's friend: They're not Chinese girls, they're Taiwanese.

Why I am a good person.

It's 6:43 am here and I have already done so many good things.  I really am an amazing person.  First, I woke up at 4 to take a friend to the bus station in Phuket town.  I hate driving in Phuket town, but I did it.  Why?  Because I am wonderful.  Then, after getting lost on the way home, I started talking to a Buddist monk.  He wanted to go to Rawai, the same place that I was trying to go to, so I gave him a ride.  Why?  Because I am amazing.  Even though I was scared that he was going to secretly be a killer and that I would die early in my summer break, I did it anyways.  (Yes, I know, I am incredible).  Now, I am going to sleep a little bit, only to wake up and help a friend move.  Why?  Because I am awesome.

On a slightly more humble note, this is probably my last blog from my first year in Thailand.  I ended the school year successfully (although partially absent).  I have recovered from my "highly contageous viral infection" (also known as "pink eye").  And I am tying up loose ends before finally leaving in 66 hours.  I will see many of my faithful followers soon.  I miss you mostly.

One week of school left...

...and the doctor told me not to work for a week. (I have pink eye.)
This is really unfortunate because I was actually done teaching and trying to help students make up missing units. That, and I will be missing prom, the end of year staff party and two field trips in the next week. (At least I should be better in time for graduation.) Oh well...I'm off to pick up my suit for prom, its custom tailored (and fully paid...). I'll be home in a few weeks. I look forward to seeing everybody.

Proof that I am a good teacher.

Beginning my earth science lesson today, I began with review from yesterday: Describe the big bang.

Me: Nat?

Nat: The thing in England with the clock.

Me: No, that is Big Ben.  Jeremy, what is the big bang?

Jeremy: Kolean singing gloup.

Me: What?

Jeremy: Kolean singing gloup, pop stars from Kolea (Korean singing group, popstars from Korea).

Me: No Jeremy, we are not talking about the same Big Bang.  Kevin?

Kevin: Bom bom.

Me: No.  That is the worst answer yet.  Jim?

Jim: Can I draw a picture?

Me: Ok.

Jim (comes up and draws two circles on the board): The big bang was a meteor hitting earth that caused all of the dinosaurs to die.

Me: No, not the right answer Jim.  Mino, want to give it a try?

Mino: The explosion that made everything.

Me: Ok, I'll take it.

I don't care Wai

Tonight, while playing pool at a bar, a girl wai'ed me.  Now before you think about this too much, let me explain what a wai is.  A wai is a polite way of greeting and ackowledging someone, which consists of putting your palms together, your thumbs at your chin and then bowing your head a little bit.  The correct response is to wai back.  So I did it, and I did it holding my pool stick between my palms (maybe not proper, but I usually don't set things down to wai).  The problem is that I was standing under a ceiling fan.  So faster than I could respond, I raised the pool stick into the fan which knocked it back into my face, which just about knocked me out.  Have I learned a lesson?  Probably not.