Pictures.

Thank you all for the comments you have posted, each one makes me smile! I am trying to be much more careful with my grammar and I apologise if any mistake of mine offends you.....

I am just posting a few pictures of what I have been up too to show ow much fun I am having.

First time in a tuk-tuk with my partner, David.

This is where we have been staying for the last week. It is lovely and wet at the moment.

A fish dish that is apparently 'not too spicy'. Couldn't taste a thing after 1 bite.

Eating deep fried insects. There are actually delicious, as long as you don't think about the fact that you are eating an insect.

This is the bag of insects we ate, and shared with our hosts, they were a bit shocked that we were eating them, but were very pleased to know that we enjoyed them!

And my sunglasses broke after 2 days.



Keep posted.

Amphawan School

We have been coming to the school for three days now and today was going to be my first day of teaching, until I found out that both of my classes had gone on a trip to Ubon with a different teacher. This was kind of a relief as it allowed me to observe how the students behaved and how much english they knew, so that I can prepare more thoroughly for tomorrows lessons.

We are also preparing to move into our new house, which is actually quite nice, it has a 2 up 2 down set up and is being refurbished with new furniture. David and I bought some industrial strength insect killer and got to work spraying it in all the nooks and crannies that might be hiding any ants, cockroaches or termites.
We returned to the house a few hours later to find hundreds, if not thousands of ants littering the floor in our bathroom. There were also plenty of cockroaches to be swept up and disposed of.


The children at the school are all very interested in us and are very respectful. In Davids second class, a number of them were taking photographs. I feel like a celebrity already.

The teachers are all very kind as well. Mrs Brayung took us for lunch and then to Tesco to buy us some essential supplies, such as coffee, chocolate and oreos.
David got some shaving foam, and asked if I would like some aswell, I just laughed as I shaved a week before I left and wont have any noticable facial hair till next month.


I am not too nervous for my lessons tomorrow as David has shown me that you can fill 20 minutes explaining simple phrases as the level of English here is quite poor. I am a little anxious about teaching student who are my age, or older.

I am missing home more and more, but still loving it in Thailand. If anyone wants to go somewhere different and exciting, it is most certainly the best place to go!


TTFN (Ta Ta For Now - Winnie The Pooh)

Ubon and MUANG SAMSIP!

I have to say, Thai transport is the best, the coach from Bangkok to Ubon was the most luxurious I have seen. We had reclining chairs and even I had room to stretch my legs. The Tuk Tuks are hilarious and there are buses, which are basically pick up trucks with a cage attached to the back.

My head is so full of things I want to talk about, so much has happened in such a small amount of time.

Thank you for the comments, they make me feel like this blogging business is getting through to people, I got so excited when I saw that I had comments!

Joe, I thought travelling half way around the world would allow me to escape your pedantic ways, I guess not. I love you bro.

We have not moved into our new home yet, and we have been living with a host family, who are very nice, and serve delicious food!

FOOD, literally the best food ever, apart from my mums cooking of corse. I have learnt a few phrases in Thai, but due to the multi tonal language, it is very difficult. 'ฉันไม่ชอบอาหารรสเผ็ด', or 'Mi Shon Kin Pet' (phonetically), means 'I don't like spicy food'. This is because a lot of the food is spicy, and spicy by Thai standards would be eating something equivalent to fire.

We have arrived at Muang Samsip today and am currently sat in the school, loving how we have easy access to wifi all year.

Our house is a lovely little building, and is all in all well kept, apart from that it is full of ants and we share our toilet with a snake.

We are not moving in yet, because it is the wet season, the fields outside are flooded, which makes access rather difficult.


One thing has upset me today, and it is my incompetence at rock, paper, scissors. First was in South Africa when I lost out on a double bed to Barghy, and now, David beat me to win the bigger bedroom with a balcony. However, all is not lost as he agreed to clean the bathroom.

Sa waa de kap.

Hello Thailand!

The last two days have been so busy and exciting, I began my journey to Thailand with my family on the way to London. We went to watch the Lion King in the Lyceum theatre, which was amazing, a definite must for anyone. 

Then on wednesday morning, we boarded the train to take us to Heathrow. I arrived at Heathrow, preparing myself to meet a group of strange new people, hoping that they would be lovely, which they were, and still are.

After initial introductions, we went to the bar for a drink, however I had yet to met my partner to be, David. It turns out that he had gone through security without us and had been wondering around on his own for an hour. 

David is such a nice guy and we are getting on great already! The plane journey was tiring and uncomfortable, but my excitement for reaching our final destination could not be dampened.

We arrived at Bangkok last afternoon, at around 7pm Thai time, which is about midday in England, we had been booked into a gay hotel, which is quite funny as David was propositioned at the breakfast table this morning. 

This country is outstanding already, and I have only been here less than a day. I am really looking forward to getting to my placement in Muang Samsip and to meet my hosts.

Thank you for reading and ill keep you posted.

Last Day in England

This is it.

8 hours left on this island I call my home. I can't think straight due to the masses of conflicting emotions coursing through me. 

It has been so difficult saying goodbye to everyone. I was welling up whilst saying goodbye to my dog.

I guess this is a farewell to everyone whom I am leaving in the clouds ad rain of Great Britain, whilst I will be jetting off to the tropical heat and humidity of Thailand, teaching for a year, half-way around the world.

Goodbye for now.

New Video

I have just posted a new video on my Youtube page. It is basically a recap of what has happened so far, but now you get to see my wonderful new haircut.

Please check it out.

Would you be nervous?

There are 16 days between now and when my plane departs from Heathrow. After this short time, I will leave home and not return for 12 months.

I havent really thought about it in great detail, therefore I have never really been worried, but it is so close that it is impossible to avoid.

The process of buying clothes and equipment is painful as it reminds me when I am leaving and that I will have to leave all my loved ones behind.
I know I will love it, as many people have told me, but at times I know I will just want to come home.

How would you feel if you were in my position? Or my parents position?

New Youtube Page

I have created a new youtube page so that there is no confusion with me no longer going to Malaysia, you will find my new channel at:

http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjAvuWfPajWOcR0IHCgJwlA?feature=mhee

Videos

I posted a video of the early stages of my fundraising on my old youtube account.
To view this video, please go to:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUfPpb_yXaA&feature=plcp

The year gone by.

This last year has been crazy! Starting with my selection course for project trust, this time last year.
I was originally selected to go to Malaysia on an outward bound project which I was really excited for. Then I began my mammoth journey of raising £5100.
I had a lot of support from friends and my main event was a 24 hour spinning marathon. This was very successful and an enduring and unforgettable experience which managed to raise around £3500 towards my cause.

I also had a lot of help from different charitable trusts, and generous donation from some individuals which has allowed me to reach my target before the end of June this year.

There have been some problems with my project which has caused my destination to change several times. I was originally going to Malaysia, however I could not go to the training due to my rugby tour to South Africa. I was transferred to Rwanda, which was a new project this year, this fell through as Project Trust were not able to gain INGO status in Rwanda.

Me and my new partner, Adam were then placed in Ghana, this was all happening whilst I was in South Africa, and I thought that everything had been sorted and we were set to go. All of a sudden, Adam decided that he wanted to only do 8 months instead of 12. This left me with 3 choices.
1. Join Adam on an 8 month project.
2. Stay in Rwanda for 12 months on my own.
3. Go to a project in Thailand with somebody who I have never met.

I chose option 3, which put me with David, who I have never met, but can't wait to meet him on the 22nd.
I am now really excited, but also terribly nervous about leaving and am now doing research on the culture and customs in Thailand. I know the next 18 days will fly by, and I still have a lot to do.