I finished my first week at Mahasarakham University. All in all, things went well.

My first class was teaching English to pre med students and they were so droll. Couldn't get a smile out of them. Then they went and complained to the head of the department that my grading schedule was too severe - 95-100 to get an A, which is standard for the English Department. So I said I'll lower it to 90 for an A which I hope made them happy. And do I really care in the long run? I might be sitting naked in their examination room someday, best to keep on their good graces.

Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday classes were delightful with the 3rd year Tourism students being a real hoot. One boy walked out of class and said, "I have had so much fun today."   And in Thailand 'sanook' (fun) is what it's all about.

On Friday, only 3 students showed up for my Oral English 2 class as the rest were at 'English Camp.'  Nobody bothered to tell me, but hey, T.I.T. - This is Thailand, go with the flow.

Despite the fact that I have already prepared for 3 weeks and taught for one week, I still don't have a work permit (slightly illegal), a contract (won't get paid until I get one), and no class list or official schedule. I have no idea how many students will be in my class or who they are until I get there.
Can't get a roster until I get a password, can't get a password until I get a work permit, can't get a work permit until I get a contract, can't get a contract until the beginning of contracts which is the first of the month. This is typical Thai catch 22's. The bank won't even let you open an account without a work permit, but the Office of the president wants a bank account number when you sign the contract. See above.

P'Noon did convince one bank, Krung Thai, to set me up with an ATM account on the promise that she will show the work permit as soon as I get it.

Despite the fact that the branch bank office is located within a store that looks suspiciously like Walmart, the similarity ends there. You sit down and after much discussion in Thai, they haul out this big-ass ledger book that unfolds across the width of the desk and ask you to sign in. Another ledger book and countless 'sign here, print here' plus presentation of my passport and visa and they hand me a card on the spot. (This may be the one (and I emphasize ONE ) time where Thailand is faster than the US.) They must keep a drawer full of spare ATM cards hanging around. I have no idea what I signed, they may repossess my house for a stamp fee, but you have to take a leap of faith sometimes. The good news is you can open an account with a $3 deposit.
So at least now I won't have to pay the requisite $4.50 fee (yes!) to use the ATM. ( And by the way, that's a $4.50 charge in Thailand; I also pay a $6.00 fee to my bank in the US every time I withdraw money.)

Later on that night it occurs to me that they despite all the paperwork, they never once asked for my address. Odd.

So I taught all week and curiously, on Friday afternoon, Ajarn Seamus (another falang teacher) says that a secretary downstairs can run me my class lists without my having to log on. Her name is P'On (P' means elder, or respected, and I think her name is funny but nobody else seems to find any humor here) and she is a crackerjack - very unusual here. "Yes, no problem, here you go" and I'm out the door before I can muster up a reasonably articulate "Korp Kun Ka."  (thank you)

I immediately notice (Friday afternoon, mind you) that I have been scheduled to teach a night class on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Hope they weren't waiting too long, 'cause I sure wasn't there. P'Noon tells me don't worry about it, they'll give those classes to Kelly and Steve, the two new kids. Phew.

So that's my teaching week. No Halloween, no free cupcakes. Poo

I did go to the night market on Thursday. I bought a tshirt that says "Faculty of Humanities " (gotta brag a little) , a bolster pillow (they're big over here), a custard apple (ugly suckers, but they taste good usually), and som tam (papaya salad.) As I am struggling to order my som tam not spicy and no fish sauce, a lovely lady with excellent English comes to my rescue, orders for me and then takes me for a walk around the market, naming each indistinguishable food. Turns out she's an English teacher at the nearby Technical College. Lucky break for me.