It is interesting to observe how students react differently when they happen to see their teachers outside school by chance. Since my one year plus of teaching in this school, I’ve experienced a variety of responses from students who bumped into me in public places.

Some would wave at me and say "hello mr.. !", some would appear surprised with the look that reads "Huh.. that’s mr lin! How unfortunate to see him while I’m out shopping!". Others would pretend they never see me and just walk past without batting an eye.

But yesterday, I encountered a really weird weird reaction from a student. She was happily walking and chatting with friend, but as soon as she saw me in the opposite direction, she went.. (well, just click on the youtube video). 

It’s the time of the year when all students are mugging for exams. Soon after, it would be hard work for the teachers, because there’ll be piles of exam papers to mark!

There are two ways students can make a teacher’s life easier when marking. One way is to get all the questions wrong, so that the teacher just has to keep drawing crosses. Second way is to score full marks for all questions, so all the teacher needs to do is keep ticking. Of course, I would hope for the latter.

So, 加油, people! Study well and you’ll laugh all the way to next year!

Just like this girl. Wonder why so many smileys.  

I’m finally here to post some pictures I’ve taken in Bangkok, before this blog collects too much dust. Well, what to do? It’s the most hectic term for both students and teachers during this period.. so..

Before entering the Grand Palace, one can already see the golden pagoda sitting behind the lush field.

I’ve finally visited this "must-go" tourist attraction after bypassing it during my previous 3 trips to Bangkok. Not many people (especially Singaporeans) want to visit the Grand Palace for some obvious reason. A typical Singaporean would think of Bangkok as a shopping haven rather than a place with historical attractions to visit. So anyway, I had the chance to visit the Grand Palace this time round, and I’m here to put up some pictures that I’ve taken.

Statues of mythological giants (known as yak)

The entrance to the Grand Palace is free for all Thais, but costs 200 baht for tourists. I visited on a Tuesday, and was pleasantly surprised to see many tour groups in the Grand Palace. Makes the place more crowded yeah. Haha.

I decided to travel light for this lone trip, so I dropped the idea of lugging my tripod and monster DSLR but instead brought along my smaller sized rangefinder.  

Also, I was too lazy to compose my shots properly, so whatever you’re looking at are just merely snapshots.

Colourful Buddha Gandhara

A worker restoring a painting on the wall

As it was crowded with people that day, I thought it was not a bad idea to include tourists in some of my shots, rather than just taking symmetrical  pictures of the buildings and roofs that might just bore people to death. 

A local kneeling down to pray as tourists walked past. 

Gold Buddha and wall pictures 

Upclose 

Praying 

The lady at the left was filming as her partner (guy in white) dipped a lotus flower into the holy water and sprinkled it onto the praying lady’s head. Using the lotus flower to sprinkle water onto the head is said to give good luck. 

One of the tour guides explaining some details to the tour group. 

Full of tourists who were enthusiastically taking photos.

One part of the long stretch of painting on the Wall Gallery. This whole stretch of painting along the long corridors depicts the Rhamakien Story. 

Out in the open space again, heading the Dusit Palace.

A tourist posing in front of the camera, while other waited on. 

Just another picture, I’ve run out of description. 

This is a guard, standing still in front of the reception hall. Apparently, he had a double duty. Apart from guarding the entrance of the hall, he also needs to look smart and photogenic.

Because tourists just love to take pictures with him!! 

An excerpt from an MSN conversation with a foreign friend below:

Can you decipher it? I can’t imagine any Singaporeans storing that emoticon under the shortcut "come". Heh.

In my past few trips to Bangkok, BTS (sky-trains equivalent to Singapore’s MRT) had always been my main mode of transport. Although the ticket is not exactly cheap, it certainly beats travelling by taxi or bus (as Bkk has the worst traffic in the world, or so I heard).

Travelling alone, I got to observe things that I was not aware of when I travelled with friends. When I was waiting for the train at one of the BTS stations, I saw this scene below, and immediately snapped a couple of shots.

At first look, it didn’t seem to have anything unusual, just commuters waiting for the train to open its doors. But, upon closer observation, they were actually in neat queues! How contrasting it is, when compared to Singaporeans taking the MRT. No one seemed keen to rush in first in hope to get an empty seat. There wasn’t any bright coloured lines on the ground indicating that commuters have to stand in rows, and I don’t think their government came up with some "Queue neatly Week" campaign either.

Such trivial displays may not mean anything to the Thais, but it certainly would leave a good impression on any tourists that visit their country.

Being a "world class" country is more than just having economical stability and possessing state-of-the-arts casinos. We would first have to get rid of our self-centeredness and be more mindful about our own social etiquettes.

Hi People!! For those who’re schooling… are you enjoying your holidays so far? I’m actually posting this entry in Bangkok. Travelling alone for the first time, it’s really a totally different experience. From sharing hostel room with total strangers, riding in public buses (that ressemble Singapore buses in the 1980s) to walking around aimlessly out of the tourist attractions to just get a feel of Bangkok living for the Thais are just some things that I may not get to do if I wasn’t alone.

The only unlucky thing that ruined my Sunday (yesterday) was that I’ve lost my handphone on Saturday night. That explains why I didn’t respond to some "Happy Teachers’ Day" wishes from you students, simply because I’ve lost all the numbers! But I’ve read all the messages nevertheless, and am very thankful and appreciative to get these well wishes. It made my day just by reading them.

I will be back on Wednesday midnight, so that means I’ll still have 1.5 days to idle around in Bangkok. It’s definitely a good break from all the markings, but when I return.. it’s when the marking nightmare begins! Lol. Take care peeps!