Claire’s thoughts
A bit of a different blog this week, I didn’t much like Bangkok and we didn’t really get up to much. We saw the Grand Palace with everyone else, it was very gold and pretty. I tried to wear the correct clothes but got pulled up on my leggings which were too tight so I purchased a skirt. It was very hot!
So it’s been a month on the road.
It’s been a month of excitement but also a month of getting used to Asia and being put out of our, ok ok, MY comfort zone.
A few things I’ve noticed….
A smile and trying to say a few words (even if they are totally mispronounced) go a long way.
Mums are the same everywhere whether on holiday or local, every mum is helping their kids, up stairs or escalators or crossing the road, and trying to stop siblings squabbling or tantys. They smile at me and I’ve started to smile at them, that knowing smile, ‘I feel yah Mummy, keep slogging!’
Traveling with a cute little 6 year old makes for interesting people watching….everybody loves her, she brings a smile to SO many faces as she skips along, they wave at her, they want to touch her, at first our shy girl was like 😧 but is better with it now and is more 🙄. C has settled in too and is not at all sad about not starting school this week.
The heat is actually reasonably bearable, Chiang Mai in particular was great and I felt cold twice in that week!
BK is finding plenty of opportunities to work, he’s had good experiences with co working spaces. The WiFi at these has been lightening fast, while the WiFi at our various Airbnbs have worked but frequently drop out. It has been very helpful to have a friend watching over our business at home when BK is MIA.
My fave thing so far was definitely the elephants, though I did enjoy the island trip out from Krabi. Singapore as a whole was quite a highlight for me too.
The kids will be a toss up between Kidzania and the elephants. BK’s was the elephants too. l’m glad we spent several days worth of budget on that excursion! Must remember that for the future, sometimes it’s worth splurging!
The budget has been quite easy to manage. I once read a blog where a family went on a trip like this and started off well but then got sick of talking about money so then didn’t, so they over spent and went into debt!!?? I can’t quite understand that. Yes I’m adding up money at the end of each day but it’s not a chore….
Which brings me to what IS a chore….
School work! God bless my kids school.
I’ve worked out very quickly I did not miss my calling to be a teacher!
We’ve been trying to do an hour about 3 times a week. The maths books are easy, getting them to write is a task and reading, well, wish I’d researched that a bit more. I’ve signed up to Getepic.com but choosing a book for them to read is 😩. We must try harder. BK has done some sketching with them, and soon I’ll add in some spelling.
So that’s Thailand done for us, country number 4 ✔️
Budget update :
Bangkok – $3 under
Total budget – $263 under
3 thoughts on “Claire’s thoughts”
Totally understand the teaching thing. In your mind it seems so simple and easy… but the reality of it can be very different with each child’s temperament towards learning via new ways, methods and you as their new teacher. If it becomes impossibly difficult I’d definitely recommend ditching the mentality that you should be doing the same sort of thing they’d be doing in school and instead replace it with a completely fresh approach to learning from your surroundings and environment. They will pick up more than you realise. Just by reading brochures & signs. Counting & calculating things – get them involved in your budget recordings etc. Writing will be more fun if they do it via emails to friends back home – awaiting a reply is good motivation to keep them communicating – not just telling what they’ve done but having them think of questions that they might want to know about life back home. That’s my 2 cents for ya! 🙂
That sounds like really fantastic advice, Meredith. Thank you! 🙂
Loved reading another update.
Feeling for you on the challenges of schooling. (Some great thoughts there btw Meredith). It is not easy! We had work books and readers for our boys when we were in SE Asia, but as we had only a few weeks it was easier to have that with us and I didn’t feel too bad if we weren’t as diligent as I had planned to be!!
So glad that you all enjoyed the Elephants – you guys have had some amazing experiences already.
Good on you for keeping on top of the money stuff too – knew you’d be awesome at that!
Go well!