carol from the philippines

8/9/2019 Carol From the Philippines

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In the next couple of days, I was told that I would be assigned to another

school in Det Udom District, but my new school was busy preparing

students for a National Exam so my host teacher will pick me up by

midweekso be it. The night before I left Ubon R. for Det Udom, I had

dinner with ECC members Aom, Ann, Nit, Aeh and a Belgian couple

volunteers Aurelie and Cedric who just arrived in the morning.

Ban Nakraseang School is a Primary School, 50Km from Ubon R. Ms. Toy

assisted me for two days during my class with Grade 1 and 2 students.

Technically, my day 1 started when the School Director, Mr. Prapas

welcomed and introduced me to the students gathered in the football field

followed by 2-hour classes in the morning and another 2-hour in the

afternoon. Basically, we had familiarization of English Alphabet (Alphabet

Chart pinned on the board, Alphabet writing games using the butt and each

student points the first letter of his/her name on the Alphabet Chart. They

were hilarious and had fun; they even went to the next room and watched the

next class do the same. During breaks, Ms. Toy and I would discuss theEnglish lesson that would suit each Grade Level; before the week ends, we

had mapped out lesson plan and schedule for the coming week. Classes end

at 3PM, walking distance from school is my host abode in the village. Some

teachers headed by the school director had an afternoon snack at my host-

Yens place. In the evening, Yen, her boss Dir. Prapas, teacher Khem Kan

enjoined to have dinner courtesy of teacher Sakdar and his family.


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The following day, my classes were with Grade 5 and 6. We tackled word

syllabication, spelling and wrapped-up with timed word puzzle played by

groups who got excited to finish first. At lunch, we either eat out in a

restaurant along the highway that serve kai yang (grilled chicken) and spicy


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green papaya salad locally known as papaya pokpok or som tam; or the

school will have someone cook us lunch and then we eat together in the

schools dining hall and chitchat in between palatable and spicy (errrr.too

spicy for my taste) Isaan dishes.


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Come weekend, I joined the English Crazy Camp in Nachaluay. High

School students from four different schools in Det Udom District attended

the two-day program. There were fun games and Rotations that helped

students practice English Communications and terminologies in Shopping,

Fashion, Fruits and Body Parts. Besides the students interest to learn

English, the Camp motivated them by way of fancy stickers stick-on to

nametags of those who could speak as many English words as possible andactively participate in all activities. The students with the most number of

stickers on their nametag were awarded a gift at the end of the Program.


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Back in Ubon R., Lek assistant of Vice Director of Nakraseang School

fetched me at the university to take me back to the village in Det Udom.

There and then she asked me to stay in her house for the rest of my stay.

Thus, we drop by at Yens place to get my stuff while Lek talk it out with


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Yen. For whatever reason, I could only suspect that my change of host

emanated from Leks serious intention to learn English. That night, I met the

rest of Leks family. While she (Lek) is preparing dinner, her 9 year old

niece, Aom and I had an English tutorial using a pocket dictionary. At night

and every chance we could have during the day, Lek and I would learn from

each other: I in Thai, she in English. She even bought Thai-English

dictionary which she carries everywhere together with Aoms English-Thaidictionary that eventually aid our conversations.


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a stone throw away from the school to witness the community gathered in

white robes as they pray and offer food to monks. Event like this not to

mention the Grade 3 National Test brought a flurry of activity in the school,

such left me to teach Grade 4 level for the rest of the week except on my free

day and during our field trip to temples in Mukdahan Province at the end of

the week (Friday).


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Though fleeting, living with Isaan community in a village in Det Udom was

an experience I did hope for. Fostering camaraderie with fellow Asian of

different language and culture seemed a challenge yet our shared excitement

to welcome one another and learn from each other served the very purpose

of this volunteerism.

carol from the philippines

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