As a child and as an adult I have always loved the film the King and I and I was fortunate enough to see Url Brymer play the King on stage in London. For those of you not familiar with the film, a teacher Mrs Anna goes to Thailand to teach the Kings numerous chikdren. He promises her in return, her own house not in the palace. But when she gets there he wants her to continue to live in the Royal Palace. She argues and says she is going to leave. Then she sees the children, the beautiful children and her heart melts. I am Mrs Anna. I see the children and my heart melts. Today I am going to school with Daniel. Just for the afternoon, three classes. I am so excited I can't tell you. So I'm going to get a tuk tuk to the Mall which I have avoided until now and in going to buy the children something, probably sweets something I never do at home, buy sweets for children. But this is different. I. So excited.
Well what an incredible day. Firstly, when Daniel told me the name of the school he is teaching in I said to him that I had seen it. But we decided that I must have though I had as there are so many similar sounding schools in town, so I shower and put long trousers on and head off for school. Daniel had told them that I am his auntie. His mother is white british and his father is I Indian. So thicko here says lets get the story straight am I your mums sister or you dads lol. I know, I know but you wouldn't have me any other way.
So in the morning I decided I would get the children something, so I head to the mall. Now this mall is so tiny and obviously only catering for the westerners. But nestling on he top floor I find a stationery shop, can you believe it. I go in and find to my delight ......... Stickers. Every child loves a sticker. Then I go to the supermarket and get some lollipops. On the way to the mall, I was walking, I see a school and the children are out playing and I'm looking and I'm looking. I get back to my room and text Daniel and it is his school. Of course it is. Out of all the hotels I could have chosen and all the schools Daniel could be working in, he only started last week, I am literally only two minutes walk away. Am I surprised ...... Not at all. Like we said, the universe keeps bringing us together.
We met at the mall and had a drink then off to school. I was so excited, I cannot you. Daniel introduced me to the manager of the school as his Aunty and they were so pleased to have me there. Then off to school.
The first class were so lovely. When a teacher walks in the room all the children stand up put their hands together and say good afternoon teacher then words to the effect we hope you are well and we are pleased to see you. Then when teacher says, they sit down. I mean really, can you imagine that in the UK? The chikdren raised their hands to speak then stand up to ask or answer the question then sit down. The first three classes we taught were or various sizes and ability. The girls wanted to learn, and on the whole took it all seriously. The boys, well they were just boys.
The first three classes had a lesson that lasted 50 minutes each class. The chikdren have been studying the ten ASEAN countries. Can you name them?
Brunei, Philippines, Loas, Myanmar, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Maylasia.
The children have learnt the capital cities of each country and now to say hello and today we were looking at Asean foods.i was introduced as Aunty Karen but a lot of children asked Daniel if I was his wife, lol which we thought was hysterical. So Aunty Karen stood at the front of class while the children asked me questions.
What is your name? Where do you come from? Where do you live? Now old are you? I loved that one lol I told them I was 21 by using my fingers and they laughed, I don't know why lol. One said I was 41 another 31 lol that will do for me thank you. I told them I was 29 in my head and every birthday I'm still 29, they laughed and laughed. Then I wrote my real age on the board but told them shhhhhhh their little faces. It was such a magical moment.
They asked me if I had any children. So I told them I have one girl aged 21 who is at university studying to be a scientist - Meg if you ever read this I hope you are as proud of me as I am of you.
Then they asked me how did I make money lol. I to,d them I worked with very bad boys aged 15/18 that the police had taken away ....... And I tried to help them have a good heart. They understood.
Then the class started. Daniel is a great teacher, so much energy. He has taught them the months of the year by dancing to the Macarena lol. I'm never going to be able to forget that. Then we were dancing to the okie cookie but the chikdren were learning. Education is expensive here in relation to income. These children in the first three classes are not from rich families at all. Daniel said the parents work by having their own businesses, but even then they are not wealthy.
I went around the class asking children questions, reading their work and giving them a sticker lol.
Then when class was over I gave them all a lollipop lol they went mad hugging and squeezing me. It is because I'm big they wanted to feel me lol.
After the three classes we went into a room to do some photocopying and was talking to an Australian teacher who thought I was a new member of staff then basically offered me a job. I explained that I have commitments in London but he was doing the hard sell. I asked him to leave the offer on the table for 12 months which he said he would do. I seriously think I could do this.
We went for a drink and Mrs Anna was giving out lollipops to the children I was like the child catcher in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang lol. Nthen back for 5:30 class which is for the really poor children. You will see I the photos that they have no uniform. There was so many of them and I felt bad as there was not enough stickers or lollipops. This was a very quiet class but some of the children had excellent English. A great deal of the Cambodian population are not educated, they are a very poor country so for these children to be in a class room is a huge thing. All the children's manners were impeccable they were very polite. When Daniel was saying about my age he was saying that as I was so old - I did tell him to watch it lol - we can learn from me and this is part of their culture. Older people are seen as knowledgeable.
I cannot tell you how much joyntodaybhas given me, I ready cannot. We have a gift the the rest of the world want ........ english. The children want to learn and that alone is priceless.
Daniel and I walked back to my hotel, two minutes, and ate at the restaurant opposite, really good food. Then it was time to go. We both don't do good byes why should we, we both know that if it is meant to be the universe will bring us back together again. So until next time Daniel my dear sweet friend x
Oh I forgot to mention as I walked into the hotel one of GG hench men lol says to me you know him? Meaning Daniel. I replied pardon he says again you know him? My respose .......... No!
.
No comments:
Post a Comment