I had my first night in bed since Sunday last night, and it was great. The bed was a little hard, but very welcomed. Today was my first full day here, and it was great. We're doing workshop/orientation stuff for the rest of this week and into next week, but I am learning a bunch.
Fortunately my knowledge on torts or contracts has not been required yet, but we've been learning how to write lesson plans and then putting plans together that will be used by interns staying in Thailand. We've also had a few Thai language classes and classes on how to teach English as a second language. Not what I saw myself doing, but very interesting.
After admitting to another intern that I was still a bit foggy on what it was we would be doing, I was reassured when she wasn't exactly sure either. But, from what we've gathered, we will be teaching some english as well as teaching classes on substantive law in and around the towns we'll be living in. I never saw myself teaching anything, partially because my attempts at teaching a friend to ski resulted in tears, but I'm excited to teach and empower my future students.
I know that there are many weeks ahead, but I have already been reminded of how much we take for granted in the States about what people know about the law and their rights. Not that there aren't many shortcomings and examples of gross lack of knowledge in some places of the States, but many of these people literally have no idea that they have any rights. The countries in Southeast Asia are ruled with security as priority number one. This very often means that the actions taken by police are never questioned. As a result, the populace is left doing what they are told, regardless of whether rights are being trampled on. For example, several years ago the Thai government waged a war on drugs which consisted of police finding suspected drug dealers/users and killing them. Effective policy, but in complete disregard to any form of due process or human rights.
Anyways, all that is to say that I am really excited about the work we will be doing throughout Southeast Asia. Human, political or legal rights should not be reserved for only the well-off or the well-connected, and I'm really honored to have the chance to play a part in ensuring that the poor and marginalized know the rights they have.
I'm writing this from the roof of my hotel, looking out over the mountains that are the backdrop to Chiang Mai, enjoying a Chang and looking forward to a night out. I hope this finds you in good spirits as well.
Cheers!
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Lost one in a fryer…
3 days ago
So, the young man was at it once more. This morning was as any other - oatmeal, check the news, play "three-dog-shuffle" with the four-legged house mates. At this point in the moring it was Phil and Dottie's turn to head upstairs while Charlie marked every square inch of the back yard. I swear, if dog urine is like swine flu to plants it's going to look like post-apocolypse Mad Max in the back before Phil and Charlie are done with it. So I get Phil and Dottie situated upstairs and head down to see Charlie. I have made it a habit now to peak through the window to the garage to make sure Charlie isn't waiting at the back door like a diver on the starting block - too many times the second that door cracks open he's off like a shot terrorizing the downstairs. This time, however, he was not. Instead he was dancing around with his new bone . . . and a black head. This was a most curious site to me of course, and as he approached I could smell exactly why. After spending hours and hours working on the Model A, I know what 40 weight oil smells like, and at this point, it smelled like Charlie's head. It appeared that Charlie had come up with the reatest new hiding place for his bone . . . in the oil drip pan under the Model A. And let's just say, 78 year old cars drip oil. Chalrie bought himself a one-way ticket to the shower. So once again, "three-dog-shuffle", make sure everyone's happy, assault on the bushes once more (if Phil's got anything left), and then off to the shower. It's no small feat getting a dog whose head is covered in oil up a flight of stairs without him getting any of it on you or the house. But alas, success. Fortunately bathing Charlie has never really been all that difficult, so that prat went fairly smoothly. As we were finsihsing up you could see that he had that look in his eye - it was about to be berserker time. I shut him into a bedroom and let him loose where there was plenty of carpet to drive his head aorund. I went back to the adjoining bathroom to clean the tub out. with the shower on and the shower doors open, I sprayed the tub down while Chalrie bounded around the room. The next thing that happened took me completely by surprise. Charlie, the consumate overachiever, lept back into the tub and started shaking all the water I was now spraying on him back onto me. If this had been a sequel to "Bring It On", the other team would have quit before the opening bars of "Let's Get Ready to Rumble". Needless to say this energy could not contained in a tiny bedroom. We finished the job in the back yard after yet a not three-dog-shuffle. Needless to say, assuming pond water is dirty, the bath was pointless. All in all a very happy dog.
ReplyDeleteAnd now the update which occurred while writing this Charlie novella. The back yard seemed way to quiet and when a stiff wind blew shut the door from the back yard to the garage I immediately knew what had happened. The yard men were working, and as soon as I could get through explaining what a retrievadore is, the guy pointed me in the right direction, so I hoped. I started out the driveway and before I could get on the street, there was Charlie making friends with the two neighbor boys and their dogs. Flashbacks of Charlie's boxer experience foreshadowed a bloody ending with kids in the hospital and Charlie getting hauled off in a paddy-wagon. Fortunately though he was just trying to play. And play he did. As I came for him he took off down the street as fast as he could. And as it turns out, he is seriously fast. I did the only thing I knew to do with such a brilliant dog - I ran the other way. When he saw this he turned and came after me like an electric ball of hair and slobber. Finally, I would have him back...wait...no, he just keeps on going. One of the neighborhood boys bribes Charlie back over to us with his svelte lady-dog and with ease the kid hooks Charlie's collar. Part of me believes that he was ready to be caught because I knew full well that at that point if Charlie wanted to he could have drug that kid half way to Macon. No matter how hard I want to dislike what this dog does, there is just something about him that still compels me to chase after him. Good dog.
ReplyDeleteI'm with the thai gov't. Up with hope, DOWN with dope.
ReplyDeleteWait...you're going to be teaching people? Good lord.
ReplyDelete