A Nesting Rabbit, Isaan Thailand.

The other day I blogged that I thought my newest rabbit was pregnant as she started building a nest. She was pulling her hair and Cola, my male rabbit’s out and gathering paper and piling it together behind the door.

I separated the two of them as I didn’t want her getting pregnant again, as she can become pregnant straight away after having her babies. This could mean more babies in 30 days and this would be two litters of kits fighting for milk, just too much for her.

The problem is, as the days have passed Cola has tried harder and harder to get into Panda’s area. So we had to place extra height to the enclosure to stop him trying to jump over the top. Here you can see down the bottom left of the picture Cola and Panda next to each other, separated by the cage wall.

I made her a nesting box; it is simply a cardboard box with a hole cut out for a door.

I was a little surprised at the amount of hair and paper she had managed to squeeze into the box. Definitely more than comfortable for a litter of kits.

And she did finally give birth, sometime after I left for work she gave birth to 6 healthy babies. I checked them all quickly, and there isn’t really a smaller baby or a runt. They all were of decent size.

So the next few weeks they will be feed once a day by mum. They develop quickly, so won’t be hairless and pink for long. She has really calmed down now, the last week she has been very agitated and tried to bite at times, she bit me once, more a small nip not drawing any blood when I was filling her food bowl.

Today she is relaxed and enjoyed a pet for a little while. In eight weeks from now the little rabbits will be just about ready to go to homes, if they can be found. I am sure that homes will be found as these will be hand reared and toilet trained, so very docile and hopefully adorable as well.

Brunty

Hot Thai Women in Ubon Ratchathani Thailand.

The other night I wandered down to N-Joy, a local expat bar here in Ubon Ratchathani. If you have never been there, but would like to drop in for a cold beer. Then you can click on this link for rough directions.

The other night they were having a topsy turvy night, or in simple terms. Men came as women and women came as men. I had to pop along to get a few pictures of the local lads.

Gracing the bar were two gorgeous single ladies, just waiting for some punters to arrive.

This elderly Thai man had also turned up for the night.

We had a Bobby in and he was feeling up this poor lady, maybe doing a frisk search.

A local schoolboy dropped in for a quick chat.

This local long haired fella dropped in for a few coldies.

Even a famous Russian Clairvoyant was their playing with her crystal ball.

Another famous Russian ballerina dropped in to pirouette around the bar.

And Daddy’s little Girl with her Sheepo undies was playing up at the bar.

This lady was just getting really scary as the night wore on. I pity the unlucky lad that ended up with her.

The night got funnier and funnier as it got later in the night.

Now guys! Which one would you pick? These are three of Ubon Ratchathani’s finest female specimens. So head to Ubon for some of Thailand’s best ladies.

Brunty

A Pregnant Rabbit, and Stomach Pains, Isaan Thailand.

Back on the 6th of June we saved a rabbit, well we accepted a rabbit from Noot’s village that wasn’t being looked after. It is called Panda as she is black and white.

And this is the old guy of the house, Cola. He is nearly four years old and had the run of the house until Panda came along.

At first Cola didn’t seem all that interested in Panda, but that changed with a little time. I had to start locking Panda in the cage that never gets used as she just wasn’t taking to the litter tray and it was driving me nuts. So she would be locked away overnight and parts of the day to try and help litter train her but it still hasn’t really worked.

Panda was skin and bones when she came to us. She was only feed the vegetable morning glory. She was never fed any pellets, hay or other vegetables. In the short time she has been with us she has really filled out.

I haven’t painted the rabbits’ room; I will do that hopefully many years down the track when they have lived long and happy lives. Panda is a little terror as she digs at the wall sometimes. And at the moment she is showing signs of nesting. It could be a phantom pregnancy but I doubt it. She has been piling up newspaper and old t-shirts I had on the floor behind the door. So she could be.

When a rabbit starts showing nesting activity she usually is very close to giving birth, some could be a few hours away or a couple of days. I never got to make a nesting box as I wasn’t planning on breeding rabbits but when you have a male and female rabbit it is bound to happen. Panda will be spayed after this litter for sure. Two rabbits are more than enough and raising litters and then finding families for them, good families would be too hard, I believe.

I have separated the rabbits now, too late I know. I have done this as if Panda does give birth; Cola could get her pregnant again straight away. I am not worried about Cola hurting her or the babies as he is the most placid rabbit. He lets nothing faze him at all. I actually think he doesn’t know he is a rabbit.

Panda was ripping Cola’s hair out for her nest, so I needed to separate them. She has plenty of t-shirts and paper for her nest and she can continue making her nest using them. We will know by the morning or next few days if it is a real pregnancy or a false one.

As I was taking the pictures, Nong Ja wandered in and insisted that I take her picture. Her she is striking a pose with a fish stick treat thing hanging out of her mouth.

Then she insisted on more pictures as she watched one of her favourite cartoons, Atomic Betty. And right now as I type she is watching the Addams Family, which she laughs and yells at. Uncle Fester just had a cake all over his head and the candles were still lit. Ja was saying in Thai, “blow out.”

And some needless information, while writing this blog I have been getting worse and worse pains in my stomach. A bit like when I had food poisoning back in December 2007, I ended up in hospital for 30hrs. Man I was crook. I had thought that I had food poisoning before but after experiencing the real thing I knew that the other times where just upset stomachs.

I have been stuck on the toilet in burst, last one a good 30 minutes and Miss Noot knocking every 10 minutes, checking I was okay. I have vomited everything I had in my stomach out, including the stuff that was meant to help settle my stomach down.

I have taken some more of that stuff and a few paracetamol and just hope I improve and it doesn’t get any worse. At the moment I feel cramps coming and going and on the edge of vomiting.

So, sorry to share that uninteresting information with you all and in the morning I hope to feel a lot better and maybe we will have some new family members.

Brunty

P.S Put orders in now if you would like a rabbit.....

Sunthorn Phu Day Thailand 2010.

I have written about Sunthorn Phu before, a renowned Thai poet and we celebrated Sunthorn Phu Day back on the 25th of June. You can see posts at the above link and here.

It is a chance for girls to dress up in fashions of days gone by. Elaborate and beautiful some of the outfits are.

The girls and guys get to dress up in costumes from Sunthorn Phu’s era, this is a competition of the best dressed.




And even the boys were in on the show.





On the day there were also a few shows put on by the older students. They were an adaption on his poems. I didn’t get to watch them as I was busy with work. But I heard plenty of laughter from the sport hall, so the students sounded like they were having fun.

Brunty

My Family, My Salvation, My Sanity from a World of Torture, Isaan Thailand.

Before going into my rant, this is what is keeping me sane of late, well not vegemite but it is sort of related here. And it does help sooth the odd pang of home pains.

At the moment one thing that is keeping me sane is my family, especially my niece Nong Ja.

Arriving home from a many a frustrating day of late, she really helps turn my day around. Usually she meets me at the door and we are off in minutes for a walk to look at the chickens, off to the park, market or just play in the front yard. It just helps me forget all the irritations of the day

And moments like this are gold. Ja loves vegemite. She eats it a lot with me. And her other favourite are jaffles or toasted sandwiches. She often turns her nose up at the Thai food and ends up eating with me. Here Ja has managed to smear more vegemite on her face than she seems to have eaten. This is known as the vegemite smile, or grin.

This is the vegemite song, and any real Australian would know it off by heart. Actually any person claiming to be an Australian but cannot sing this song should be deported out of the country. Sadly this brand is now owned by a Seppo company. This was a criminal offence letting this national icon be sold into such hands.

As I type this I have been bombarded with, watch cartoon, Jay (Jason) “Baby” referring to Justin Bieber (an internet sensation turned into superstar) and the song Baby, Baby (played at least 10 times tonight). Now if you are saying, “who” I was like this as well not so long ago. But now I know this song and others of his off by heart. Yes, this is sad but Ja loves bouncing around on the bed singing along. She drags Noot and Ben into the room and makes them hold onto the TV remote, air conditioner remote, mobile phone as a microphone and sing.

Update: In the last 5 minutes I was dragged out to make some toast as Ja had seen the vegemite picture on the computer screen and decided she wanted some. We then had to put Waka Waka the theme song of the just completed World Cup for Soccer/Football sung by Shakira as this was on the TV out in the lounge room. And now she is watching Bugs Bunny on TV. And I am as happy as a pig in shit. She lightens up my day.

Well, I have been quiet again of late. We have exams this week so it means a lot of revision sheets for the students and marking. I am still trying to catch up on work after making lesson plans for a terrible book that took 60 odd hours. It put me way behind the 8ball.

I am probably the most frustrated I have ever been at the school. For some reason the running of the department and the expectations of teachers have all gone to shit. The school seems to think they own you, the continued bit by bit of more and more responsibilities, that just keep eating up time that you don’t have has hit its peak.

I have had enough, and have stood firm the last few days. I have tried to be as Thai as can be, be polite as I can be while expressing my concerns and views but today I was so very close to going into a rant that would have mouths agape on the floor.

I seriously cannot see myself keeping a lid on it all. I am trying so hard but this week could finally see fireworks go off, and it will be known to the highest of the school’s hierarchy as I will go straight to them and express what I need to get off my chest.

I am so close to just walking out. I have at times thought about this before but at this present moment I could just grab my stuff and walk out on the spot, I am that sick of the school’s crap and demands. The sad thing is that many teachers are frustrated; I don’t know about wanting to walk out but are seriously thinking about their futures next year for sure.

It is disappointing, and I have gone along with all the steady work increases of late just being able to keep on top of it all, but doing this by giving around an extra 30hrs of unpaid work each month. Today I told the boss that this wasn’t going to happen anymore.

I informed that I will stop arriving 90 odd minutes early everyday, and would leave at 4pm on the dot (usually do this anyway) and whatever is completed is completed and what isn’t will wait. I won’t give my time for free anymore.

This was met with, ‘but you have to, it’s a teacher’s duty.’ But I quickly informed that may be so but if all this cannot be completed in the allotted time then it can wait and build up and build up as this little black duck isn’t working his ass off anymore.

Many of the teachers live for the school; it seems to be their life. They will do anything at the drop of a hat; do anything that is asked of them no matter what. Give up weekends, free time, and time with family or friends.

It seems hard for the Thais to comprehend that others actually have a life, and that work comes a distant number after family, loved ones and personal time. They look upon us outsiders (foreigners) in shock or disgust when we say, ‘no’ to a request (compulsory to them) to do something in our own time.

So this week is going to be long, very long. A am going to try my best to keep my head down and just fly under the radar, but if I have any stupid requests, or someone pushes my buttons the wrong way it could end in an explosion.

But we will see, see what the week brings, as in Thailand a day is a long time. I am sure having teeth pulled at the dentist without any sort of pain relief would seem a much shorter time, and probably much more pleasant.

Brunty

I Am Back, Time to Catch Up, Isaan Thailand.

It is hard to believe that the last time I updated was back on the 24th of June. I have been very busy as we were given a ridiculous deadline from our school to complete lesson plans for a new book the school had made.

The organisation decided last year they would have some senior people put their heads together in conjunction with a publisher from India. They compiled 3 books, English, science and maths. They are from entry level primary one, through to secondary 3 or year 9.

These books first arrived late, we were told we would need to do lesson plans for these books. This is no problem as I do lesson plans for all my lessons. I always try and be at least one week in advance for all my classes with a detailed lesson plan that virtually maps out my class for me.

But what the school wanted for these books was; the entire book completed, so lesson plans for 100 pages (my book has 100 pages, others have many more). There are some topics in the book where you need many hours just on a few pages to try and get the curriculum through to the students.

So on the 23rd of June I started the lesson plans, and 62 hours later I finished. I of course had no chance of completing these lesson plans at school; I have no time spare at school as it is. I teach 4 contact hours each day, leaving 3 hrs spare to mark, write lesson reports, create assessment materials (worksheets, tests), and complete the endless paperwork and so forth.

I already give an extra 6hrs plus a week that I am not paid for, or over 24hrs a month that is free to the school. I have to do this as I cannot get everything done in the normal working hours. I can just keep things under control with the extra hours.

So I spent an extra 62 hours from the 23rd of June to the 7th of July making lesson plans. I also had other websites that needed to be updated virtually daily, one can be done in no time but another takes many hours and I only updated this site on Wednesdays and Saturdays, these are the main days for this site as it pertains to horse racing in Australia.

So in between trying to live a normal life with my niece Nong Ja by going for walks and playing, sitting with Noot and Ja and having dinner, watching the World Cup in South Africa I tapped away at the computer making 1 years worth of lesson plans.

At times, there was furious anger, not directed at anyone in my family but the organisation and the creators of the books. The books, and I am being as polite as possible are terrible. They really are a shambles and need to be scrapped and totally redone.

Don’t think that it is just me venting, but all teachers of all subjects have complained and not just our school in the North-East of Thailand, but many are voicing their concerns from others as well.

The books just seem to have been compiled by people who have never done this before; this has to be the case. There are so many worrying aspects to the book that I am meant to use; it isn’t possible the people who created this book have taught young learners of this age.

The first thing I noticed after opening the books was the font was wrong. Correct handwriting of the letters of the alphabet is important at this stage of education. You want students to learn to form each letter correctly. This will help them with writing much later and also help with fluency.

The books have been printed using this very font, “Times New Roman”, in the book students have to copy text at times. So letters such as: a, f, g, h, i, k, l, s, t, y. I don’t want students writing “a” or trying to attempt a “g” in this font.

A font such as “Comic Sans” which uses a plain and simple font with no tails, or bases.

But this is just a start. We raised problems personally with a senior school representative who came to Ubon for teaching training. At the seminar we found out he was involved in making these books so he had some concerns directed towards him.

I have also emailed the Brother in charge of the organisation in Thailand, with a detailed list of problems and concerns pertaining to the book I am meant to use. I am awaiting a reply.

The more I got into my book, the more frustrated I become. Exercises and tasks that were just too hard for such young learners, vocabulary that secondary students would have a lot of trouble understanding and on it went.

I, by no means claim to know how to compose a learning material for a young learner, but I am sure I could have made a book of equal or better quality that had continuity and could engage the learner a lot easier.

We use excellent books now from Oxford, Get Set Go, these books are a very good learning material, and you supplement these with extra materials from websites or work that you compose. The books aren’t intimidating with pages of just text, but plenty of pictures so you can elicit information from students as it is mostly before their eyes.

I understand that all books must have teething problems and need to be edited and reprinted with new information and correction of mistakes. I hope that this happens with these books. They are completely pulled apart, they get professionals in to compose the books or take more time and a lot more care in the composing of the revised editions.

There are so many learning materials out there already, from excellent institutions that have a wealth of knowledge in this field.
So I am now free from the lesson planning, some teachers have not started these lesson plans. They are meant to be due tomorrow. Some are mystified with the books themselves, others are completely lost at the “approved” Lesson Plan template from the school. It is something like 7 pages long. Most of it is complete and utter nonsense. It looks amazing and I am sure this is the reason it is used.

When someone looks at this “lesson plan” it must look so professional, with a cover page that impresses, and a mind map of your lesson that grabs attention, but in all truthfulness. It is ridiculously over the top, bearing on stupidity.

A lesson plan should be a simple as possible, so a teacher can pick it up and see in a glance.

The objectives of the lesson: What the students are going to be able to do at the end of the lesson.

The introduction: How will you introduce your lesson, how will you give the students a teaser of the lesson ahead or use this to review the last lesson.

The main content: The main part of you lesson. I try and break this into 3 parts, of 10 minutes each. In younger classes maybe more activities, up to 5 around 6 minutes in length to try and keep their attention.

The Conclusion: How you wrap what you have just been teaching up, how you review the lesson.

Assessment: How will the students be assessed for what they have learnt? A worksheet, workbook task, oral assessment and so forth.

Vocabulary: A list of the main or important vocabulary. This is important as you need to present this to students before the lesson begins, usually in the “introduction” so students have an understanding of the lesson.

Materials: A list of all materials you needed to teach that class.

Resources: A list of where you maybe sourced resources from. I always place links if I downloaded flashcards, or used audio from the internet for classes.

My lesson plans are broken into time allotments. I know how long I have for each task (of course this can change, and usually does but you need to know exactly where you are in each lesson)

I used my lesson plan format for the school lesson plans. I don’t care if they don’t approve of it. It is practical and simple to use. It states all that their amazing lesson plan does, and more. But it isn’t 7 pages long full of needless information that no teacher reading would need to know.

I also am submitting a letter asking to be reimbursed for my time, or have time in lieu given to me. I am already sure that they will not be forthcoming with any money, so extra time off in holiday periods. If this is refused I will regain the time when they expect me to attend functions, other days outside my normal working hours.

If they want me to go to an English camp on a weekend, I will decline and deduct 14hrs off my 62 hours owing to me. Am I afraid of being sacked? Not in anyway. If they terminated me tomorrow I would walk away. I make more than enough from other ventures to live comfortably so work wouldn’t be a problem.

The only problem would be the visa, but then sourcing a yearly visa isn’t that hard as there are many options available and also the immigration office is only a 30 minute drive to report in. A few years ago I would have been worried about this, but not anymore.

I have actually thought of stopping work, more so of late. I do enjoy teaching; it is incredibly frustrating at times, but also incredibly rewarding as well. I still teach each day with 100% effort, I will never be one of the teachers that you may have read about, “teaching for a visa and to stay in Thailand with their girlfriend”

These teachers never last as their heart isn’t in the job. They are doing it for the visa and cash, as they are usually brinkering on being broke each month. I have seen and read about many teachers like this and hate it as many people associate all who teach in Thailand to be in this boat.

If this day does come where I don’t want to get out of bed at 5.45am and arrive 1hr and 30minutes early each day to make sure my day is completely planned, I will get out. If I cannot be professional as I can then it isn’t fair on the most important part of the school, that being the students.

I have always said, I place the students first. The family comes second (hasn’t last few weeks), the school third.

So it is good to be back blogging, I have missed it, I am sure some people haven’t missed me. I enjoy writing about my ordinary every day life living in Thailand. I blog what I feel, what is in my head. I am not for political correctness and if a few readers get their noses out of joint, so be it.

You cannot teach an old dog, new tricks, they say.

Brunty