I realised the other day that it has been a month since i wrote on this blog, then i got caught up with christian grey (the book) and a week went by without noticing...I am sorry. I have done so much in a month, being in Thailand makes me do something different every weekend. No chill out days for me.

School is just school and is work at the end of the day, there is not much to say. Everyone is friendly, I am getting th hang of teaching and finding it easier as the weeks go past. The teachers generally want to look after me, feed me and learn English from me. To them it is strange that I am out here on my own. I know some people that have had enormous problems at their schools so for that I am very lucky. I teach anything from pratom (primary) 1-4. It can be hard work but when I turn my back and I hear them singing the words of the song I have taught them in English it does make me smile. They dont understand every word or even most of the words but there is a small victory in teaching them to play bingo and then seeing a whole class of 40 kids jump up and down screaming "bingo teacher bingo".

The weekends are what I live for and I have done so much. I am determined not to let any weekend go by without some recognition. It took me a lot of time, a few phone calls and a session of going through photos to work out exactly what I have been up to since my last blog. I will quickly overview all the weekends otherwise this blog could go on forever.
19th and 20th May - Jade and Lauren came to stay in Chaiyaphum, after arriving at 1am saturday morning we had achilled out day; A bike ride around the lake that I live on followed by lunch at a very Thai restaurant and a dip in the swimming pool at a local hotel in town. The evening involved a few spy's (Thai versions of smirnoff ice) and some good gossip. The girls had to leave early in the morning so they were not tierd for school the next day as it was only our second week and they both had 7 hour journeys to get back.

26th and 27th May - Another weekend in Chaiyaphum trying to get to know this town. I decided to visit Tad Tone waterfall which is about 20km out of the town. I took the scooter for its first spin. Before you all get worried, I went with Kit and Tyler: an American couple that i have met here.We spend the afternoon sunbathing in a river and then walked or rather got lost in the forest as a thunder storm came from nowhere so we retreated to a shop that sold beer and cake and sat the storm out. The next day we went to the farmers maket and brought some weird fruits to try. We were the novility and people wanted to talk to us at every turn.

2nd, 3rd and 4th June - A long weekend due to a buddest holiday. Lauren, Jade andI decided to take full advantage and head down to Koh Phi Phi. In theory probably a better idea than reality. I ended up leaving school early so that I could be on the bus to Bangkok in record time. Our flight was booked at 9.20pm. Jade had checked us in online but this still do not give us much time. I arrived as the last boarding call was announced, after running through bangkok traffic in the rain and catapulting myself over people and their luggage to get to security where Jade was waiting with my boarding card. We made it and ended up arriving in Phuket at 1am and headed straight out to see what the nightlife was like. We decided to call it an early night get some food and go back to the hotel to save ourselves for Koh Phi Phi at 4am! Not really early but for us it would appear that this really is an early night when we meet up. We made it to Koh Phi Phi at about 6pm after a facial and some confusion with ferries. As soon as we arrived we met an English dive instructor who told us where the good bars, restaurants and places to stay were. We went to a mexican restaurant that was recommeded as we were all in need of food that wasnt Thai. There we met some more people and the night went on from there. The next day we went on a snorkling trip which ended with me with a leg covered in blood as I kicked a rock whilst swimming, no major damage but mix the cuts with salt water and they looked worse than they were. The next day was all about the travel although I couldnt resist the urge to stop in Bangkok for pizza hut (yes they have it here, yes it is good and yes it is expensive).

7th and 8th June - In Chaiyaphum and visiting the stonge henge of Thailand, turns out the only resembalance is that it has rocks and it is free however you can climb it and you can camp there. The views are breathtaking and I do have pictures to put up. I went with Kit, Tyler and Bing a Philopino that I met here. She took all the pictures all day so they are actually good and quite artistic. The next day I went to Ban Kwao which is a village just outside Chaiyaphum that is famous for making silk. I met up with a french teacher that teaches at my school, he showed me around and took me to his girlfriends shop so that I could buy whatever I wanted. This was also the day i discovered my favourite coffee shop with amazing cake, i couldn't let this pass without a mention.

16th and 17th June - I decided it had been too long since I had seen the sea and decided to get on a 10 hour bus to Rayong to meet Jade and Lauren in Ban Phe before getting the ferry to Koh Samet (no i havent spelt it wrong). As soon as we got on the island we had pizza changed into our bikinis and dived into the sea. We then set about the task of finding somewhere to stay, we found it in Nago Bungalows; nice wooden shacks that were only 400 baht between 3 of us. Then it was party time Thai style. This island is the type of place that people from Bangkok go at the weekends so were very few westerners but made for one of the more interesting parties so far in Thailand. The next day again taken up by travelling and the 10 hour bus, arriving in Chaiyaphum at 2am but it was worth it.

23rd and 24th June - I had no plans for this weekend on Thursday and was starting to worry when my teacher offered to take me to Khon Kaen. She studies their and was going anyway so I jumped at the chance. I went out for dinner with her and her husband on friday evening and then had a tour with Phe King whilst Phe Rung was at university. He took me to a few attractions and then to a market, the best male shopping partner I have had in a while! He then left to go back to Chaiyaphum and I met with Phe Rung and her friends for dinner that evening. My Thai is still not up to scratch but these are all students of a masters in English so i did not need much of my Thai skills. The next day I took advantage of the fact that I was in a city and went to the cinema. On the way home Phe Rung took me to view the house that she is building and showed me my room for next semister. I have tried telling them I may not be staying but they wont take no for an answer.

So I think you are now up to scratch and this weekend is Bangkok to say goodbye to Lauren as she has to go back to England on Monday, a new part and new stories. I will try and remember to update more often next time.