Getting Down to Business

I've been in Thailand for two weeks now and I've been nothing but a traveling soul. It's time for me to get started with what I came to do. Yesterday and today I had my first meetings on campus for all the new Ajaans (teachers, pronounced AH-john). There are people here from all over the world. There are not only English teachers, but Ajaans for Chinese, Japanese, German and French, all from their respective countries. As for the English teachers, besides the native Thai teachers, there are many folks from the UK, a few from Austrailia, New Zealand, Switzerland, and a handful from the US. The English department staff is huge - there are nearly 200 sections of the freshman English class alone, 6000 students. I'm not sure how many teachers there are in the department, but I met the majority of them yesterday and today.

The Ajaans here are amazing people; some more charismatic, shall we say, than others. They come from all walks of life, and the Thai Ajaans are very welcoming. I fall into the category of "New Foreign Ajaan," along with four others. Basically, we all came from the states right out of college to teach for the year. I am the only one who held out for a year after graduation. The others, if you can believe it, just arrived in Chiang Mai days ago, basically catching a flight immediately after graduating college. I'm glad I waited, and I'm glad I got here early.

I am instantly intrigued by the Ajaans from the UK, and I admit, it's solely because of their accent. I'm sure they are interesting people as well, and I look forward to getting to know them. Is it bad that when I even think about the British Ajaans my thoughts mold into a British accent? I also start to think of words like bloody 'ell and knickers. I wonder what words British people associate with Americans. Probably "idiot." At least they sound good saying "idiot," and they would probably add "daft" before it, sounding even smarter.

In any case, I'm very excited to have these people to work with, and I'm excited to get started working altogether. I can tell the administration of the English Department and the University altogether is very laid back, and it seems like they've realized their downfall in being so laid back and are now trying to make up for it this year. For example, someone told me that if I have to miss a class, then I have to hold a make up class (day and time of my choosing) but I have to tell the students ahead of time. Well, yeah. Another example, we were given a handout and one of the bullet points was not to switch courses with another teacher without telling the department. Do they really think I would say to one of my coworkers, "Hey I'm supposed to teach this intro class on Mondays and Thursdays at 10, but I'd love to sleep in so do you want to just do it and I'll take your advanced class at 3? Deal?" Maybe someone has done it in the past and now they need to write it down? I don't know.

As relaxed as it all sounds, it's actually a really big deal to be doing what I'm doing. I realized this even more so in the past two days. Apparently the list of applications and resumes sent to CMU is 10 inches thick, and they only hired a dozen new Ajaans this year. Why me, you ask? I'm not sure yet.....and believe me, I've thought through it quite a bit and I am extremely fortunate and honored to be here. CMU is the top college in Northern Thailand; top three in the nation. Number one in the nation for research, and number 6 overall in Southeast Asia. Statistically, one student in each of my classes will become a leader of Thailand, whether it be a Senator, Prime Minister, etc. Being an Ajaan, you are extremely respected in the community. Ajaans are up there on the totem pole with the elderly and monks. I've already had students wai (bow) to me. I think my dream is finally coming true: I am kind of a big deal!