Today was a good day.

This whole week, the principal’s been out because he had to make a visa run to Penang. What I expected to be chaos turned out to be smooth sailing for the week. I took over some of his duties, found one new teacher, interviewed three more, had a meeting with a parent, and led the staff meeting on Wednesday.

I also noticed this week that my students are really starting to get into writing. Their quickwrites have expanded tremendously. What used to be a few contrived sentences has turned into a good, solid page of words and thoughts and opinions. When I tell them to finish up their last sentence so we can begin the next activity, I actually hear groans. They have things to say, and they’re getting good at saying them. And apparently, now they don’t want to stop. I love this.

This afternoon, loud, cracking thunder and lightning brought with it a torrential storm just as school was letting out. Not wanting to drive our bikes in the rain, we teachers decided to have a movie afternoon in the auditorium. At around 5:00 PM, after the students ate dinner, we invited them up with us and Teacher Bert from another school in Nakhon to watch an old favorite- Zoolander. We had a pretty good turnout- about 35 students- and had popcorn and ice cream and oreos and gummies- a real, proper movie feast! Unexpected, but well-accepted and enjoyed.  The students actually asked us for English subtitles. We laughed a lot and it was a well-spent afternoon. It’s really great that we can just do something like that at our school, and that the students want to spend their free time there, with us.

This evening marked my first (and hopefully only) mishap on my motorbike. Yesterday, I went to the mechanic to get the air in my tires filled and my oil changed. What I really think I need, as rainy season is coming up- or maybe it’s already started- are new tires. For hot, dry season, my tires are okay, but for wet roads, as I think I may have experienced tonight, I need a bit more tread.

Don’t worry (Mom!), I am not hurt. Basically what happened is I was turning into a friend’s driveway and my bike lost its… footing?... and I fell over. Going less than 5 miles perhour. Really, I just fell over on my bike. I imagine it looked like when one of those mytonic goats that they reported  about on the National Geographic Channel falls over. Or maybe a myotonic cow, because they’re bigger. Either way, no real problem. My elbow is scraped and I have a bruise on my thigh. I blame it not on my driving, but on my lack of knowledge about  motorbikes during the rainy season. Next week, I’ll get new tires. I also think my tires have a bit too much air in them.

And just when I thought no one saw, a car and a motorbike pulled over. Then Teacher Clare, who was already at our friend’s house called out, “Are you okay?” Sigh. Yes. I’m fine.