Life in Bangkok

Well, so we’re back from the beach and turquoise water into the rain and the smog. The first three weeks back it seemed to do nothing but rain. Not the usual torrential downpour kind of rain, more like the constant grey drizzle that my home town is so famed for. At the time all I did was complain about it as I had been looking forward to spending all my free time before school started getting even browner. Now I realize how nice it was having weather about 10 degrees cooler. Bangkok currently has a heat index rating of about 47 degrees, and believe me that means it feels really stinking hot.
After all the worry about sorting out work, getting jobs was actually very simple. I wasn’t so worried about myself; female teachers with reasonable experience, TEFL certifications and real Degrees are like gold dust out here. Schools always prefer employing women as they figure they’re not just here for the sex life.... Anyway, as it turns out both Nick and I found work really easily. He nearly ended up getting a promotion in the first week when the main Grade 2 teacher didn’t turn up. Don’t think he liked the idea of so much responsibility straight off, so far he has managed to hang on to his Grade 2 teaching assistant position. 3 weeks in and our department alone is still 4 teachers short. People really weren’t kidding when they said there was a teacher shortage. Seems that all the new rules and regulations have scared everybody off. It’s a bit silly really, there are loads of really experienced and good teachers out here but they just can’t get the work as they haven’t got degrees. Instead the students just go without a teacher...round of applause to the Ministry of Education for that one.
By the time we had sorted out work and had been back in Bangkok for a couple of days, we realized that the apartments that we had gone back to (the same building Nicole and I had spent a couple of years in), really weren’t so nice anymore; dirty walls, dark corridors, dirty furnishings etc etc etc. Not only that but the traffic really has gotten worse. Take a city that’s roads are at a standstill half of the time anyway, throw in another 3 or 4 years of traffic increase and what do you get?? A desperate run for the Sky-train and Underground as everybody else queues an hour to get a mile or so down the road. Then again it takes a braver person that me to get on an Underground system in a city that’s foundations are constantly sinking and shifting. Anyway, we decided to look for an apartment within walking distance of the school. We got a little bit carried away and have now landed ourselves with a monthly rent far greater than we had budgeted for. As much as I hate spending unnecessary cash and generally take the budget option wherever I can, I’m really enjoying the treat of living somewhere a little bit more luxurious. We have a beautiful 2 bed apartment that has great views, loads of space, leather sofas, 2 balconies and a nice pool. It’s quite a step up from the £25 a month studio I started off in. It also has a kitchen which is both a blessing and a curse. It means that we can have people round for dinner, but it also means I’m having to cook more than I have in ages.
So now we’re all settled, all we need is for people to come out and visit us. Our first guest arrives on Monday and is coming with empty bags and a desire to do little other than shop. I’m really looking forward to doing yet another tour of the shopping areas I’ve already made myself very familiar with over the last few weeks. I’m hoping that we have somebody come out to see us once a month...sometime around payday so I can use it as another excuse to shop, go out, and generally spend money. Saving can start later!!