I finally moved in to my new place yesterday. It is only about three houses up the road from where I have been staying, so it was fairly easy to shift all my things from one house to the other, especially as I don't really have very much stuff. The house is furnished, and Chandanie had left some bits and pieces, so I don't need to get very much, and I have been able to get settled in there pretty quickly.
I have a new selection of noises to get used to. Across the road are two of the yappiest yappy dogs I have ever come across. My house is squeezed in between the two neighbouring houses, so on one side in particular I can hear everything going on. And I seem to have a resident Tokay Gecko right outside my bedroom window. I think it must be a young one, as it doesn't seem to have got the mating call quite worked out yet!
On Wednesday I went with my landlady to the Immigration Office to register my new address. As with any official process in Thailand, it required multiple signed copies of various documents. Saving paper does not seem to be high on the agenda here. Next week I am going to try to get my Thai driving licence. I have an international licence, which I obtained before I came here, so in theory I think it should be relatively straightforward, but you never know... Once again, I need copies of passport, visa, work permit, international licence and a medical certificate. I went on Thursday to get the medical certificate from one of the little street clinics in town. The procedure goes something like this:
"I need a medical certificate for a driving licence"
"Passport please"
Name is then copied from passport onto medical certificate, which is duly signed.
"30 baht, please"
Done. No examination, no questions, nothing that might in any way ascertain one's level of health and fitness. What one might call a "formality", I suppose!
On Friday, we went back to the school we have been working in, after a break of about two weeks when we were doing other things. I wasn't feeling very enthusiastic about it. I thought after such a break, things might have gone back to square one. When we went in, some of the children came running up to us and started hugging us and singing the songs we have taught them. The morning actually went very well. The teacher has been using some of the ideas we suggested for developing a routine and better class control, and she said that she feels that things are starting to go better. I think it will be a slow process of change, but I came away feeling much more positive than when I went.
Next time - new house photos!
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