The time feels right to head home to America

Sunday June 26, 2016

It was educational while I was here, but I do love America and I am excited about going home!!!!

Thailand is a country of peace, smiles and is very inviting to all nationalities.  It went from a third world country to nearly to an international exporting country becoming nearly 100% self-sufficient in food production.  There is a distinct upper, middle and lower class, but the difference in the classes is directly related to the amount of education you are able to attain.  Education is free in Thailand, but as in America, it is difficult to break that cycle of what your family has been, from generation to generation.  Why don't we all want to better ourselves? We only know what we have been taught and many families are not educated enough to push their children to better themselves.  I attained a vast amount of information from other teachers during this trip to Thailand.

From what I have seen, heard and experienced, Thailand is now facing a crisis in education. Thai students are not taught to think for themselves so have no critical thinking skills. At government schools, more than 50 students in a class is the norm. Half the kids just sleep through class, as the teacher doesn't notice if they're listening or not.  As in America, the ones that sleep are not interested in learning and are usually forced to be there.  Books are limited, science equipment doesn't exist in a lot of schools, and Western teachers in government schools struggle with pay decent salaries.   The government can't afford to pay more than $750 a month and they get what they pay for.   

I am sure that was boring for some but interesting to others who work with kids.

I awoke at 8AM today and went golfing.   I went back to Panya Indra Country Club, PICC.  It rivals any American course and many say it is the Augusta of Southeast Asia.  It was beautiful today until the afternoon rains came and washed out the last three holes I was supposed to play.  Amazing how your golf game can change from being bad one day to great the next (or vise versa).  It was a shame that we were rained out.  There are three courses at PICC.  On Thursday, I played "C" course and shot an 89.  Today, after 15 holes, I was two over par.  All my puts were dropping and my golfing "buddies" were in awe.  I told them I was an 18 handicap when we began the round.  I looked like a liar, but some days are good and some are bad, but some are awesome!

Above:  Jon is is a very good golfer (but not as good as me, TODAY) and is a member at Panya Indra for a mere 17,000 dollars USD.

Below is our threesome.  You can tell from Terry's face that he was not happy after 12 holes, since we played 40 Baht per hole.  It almost paid for my taxi ride home from the golf course.  

My caddie was a sweetheart and very cute.  That was the only thing that she had going for her.  It was her first week and she did not have a clue how to read greens or select clubs.  The golf courses usually spends weeks training their caddies, but Pong Pin was not very well trained.  Our first 100 meters, she ran into a 4 foot cement wall at 10 mph.  Luckily she hit the front right tire as she turned but if we had airbags, they would have deployed.   This was before I learned that she was new to driving golf carts.  She told me she had a scooter and it made me glad I was taking a taxi cab.  

                                             

Caddy Pong Pin in front of the Panya Indra entrance.

Abover and Below:

 These Noks feed on the shell fish that are in the fresh water ponds throughout the golf course.

Below:  The golf course had an extensive menu and after the deluge of rain, it was nice to sit and eat. I had shrimp fried rice and spicy sweet and sour shrimp.  Again, delicious!!!!!!!!!!

Below:  This is a Durian at a grocery store.  They are banned in hotels, taxi cabs and the airport in Bangkok.  Google Durian .

Below:  After three straight birdies, who would not be smiling?  Thailand, "the land of smiles"

Thailand Facts:  "Just say NO"

  Thailand has one of the strictest punishments for drug trafficking….a death sentence. Many tourists and foreign nationals are currently serving long terms for minor offenses related to drug use. 

It is illegal to be shirtless in public in Thailand, and driving a car without a shirt on can land you in jail. This means you should always carry spare shirts if you’re renting a car, in case you find yourself with a sick baby or too much sweat from exposure to the scorching Bangkok sun.

FYI...There was an American walking on the sidewalk yesterday without a shirt on.  It created an amazing commotion from the Thais that saw him.  My curiosity was intrigued and I looked up this fact today.