More to Life ✔

Chapter 18 First Day

After Kru Jan said a few words in Thai to the girl, she nodded and stood.

"I help," Ploy said weakly.

Maria smiled at the girl, pulled out her smartphone, and opened a video, hoping the Wi-Fi worked in class. After thirty seconds, the song was buffering.

"You have a very important job, Ploy. Play video." Maria showed her the red button. "And stop video."

With a grin and nod, Ploy took the phone. That was smoother than expected. Kru Jan guided her to an area with a cord to connect to the speakers and TV monitor. While it made Maria's life easier, she wondered if some tech money could have been spent paying the helpful Thai teachers better.

Maria clapped her hands together. "Okay, class."

No one stopped jumping and singing.

"Boys and girls, your attention please!" Maria said firmly and half of them listened. What else did she need to do, flash the lights?

The younger Thai teacher rounded up three boys who'd wandered off to play with toys in the basket and reprimanded them.

With the class quiet, Maria started. "Now, we will sing with music."

When the animated penguins appeared, the students cheered and paid attention. If only her words were as effective. Using the actions they'd practiced, the kids danced and belted out the lyrics with an impressive volume.

What Maria had expected would take five minutes doubled in duration. The children were adamant they repeat the song and dance, especially the part which asked 'What's your name', and the kids shouted theirs. At least they understood the question's meaning.

After they practised counting to thirty, she started the 'how long' game. Ploy was the first eager volunteer who jumped on one foot while the other children counted aloud. By the time they reached twenty-two, both her feet hit the floor, and a proud smile lit up her face. Maria gave her a high five, and Ploy sat beside her. The change in her demeanour was encouraging.

Next, an adorable boy with black shaggy hair named Champ had to walk to the bookshelf, pick a book and bring it to Maria without running. She read the story about curious cats to her captivated class.

Before long, the period ended, and she visited her second class of charming rascals. She fumbled less through her introduction, and one girl in pigtails jumped up and down, saying her big sister went to Canada this month, the Thai teachers translating for her. This class loved playing 'walk like an animal' as Maria taught them different ones they'd see on a safari to suit this week's travel theme. As the group was rowdier, she had to learn the names of the troublemakers: Boss, Sĭng-toe, and Porsche.

As Emma and Sunshine had explained, most Thai people had a nickname since their names could be lengthy like Pariwat Suwannatrai. Their parents picked a nickname like a nice Thai word like a colour, animal, or quality; a borrowed word from English; or a brand or product.

Maria and the Thai teachers prepared the kids for an early lunch at the cafeteria, so the students could eat before the older students. To avoid getting mixed up with the other kindergarteners, they wore orange smocks. The children lined up by height and gender, a demanding feat for young children, guided by the Thai staff.

The students followed her in near silence down the broad, covered path to the outdoor cafeteria. It resembled a curling rink without walls in its rectangular shape and with a domed ceiling. When they reached the buffet, Maria's eyes raked over the curries, noodles, and seafood behind the glass. Why had her coworkers snubbed the food? The curries were creamy, mussels plentiful, and the fried noodles scented the air with spice and fish sauce. If she was with grade four students, they could help describe each dish so she could better document the experience in her contest posts. But the kindergartens knew few English phrases. She was unsure if they'd even recognize the ingredients they were eating.

Maria pointed to dishes as the cafeteria worker filled her tray with plain rice, red curry, fried rice, mussels, and a clear broth soup with a tentacled leg floating inside. How neat would it have been for her classmates to share real cooked food available in Edmonton growing up instead of meals her peers grimaced at when they smelled fish? Not knowing the protocol for staff lunches, she sat with the Thai teachers at the table with the students.

As Maria ate, the kids beamed, and a few asked simple questions like 'how are you' and 'what is your name'. A taller girl with a round face, Mana, moved close to Maria and played with her hair with sticky hands, calling it 'pretty' and 'same like me'. Even with minimal personal space, Maria laughed and continued interacting with the little sweethearts.

Emma set her tray next to Maria's. "Enjoying the first day?"

"The kids loved the animal games." Maria turned to Mana, still more preoccupied with her teacher's hair than her food. "Show Miss Emma your lion."

Scrunching up her face, Mana made claws with her hands and roared. Maria's heart just about melted. Sunshine was right that she'd enjoy this teaching gig.

"Wow, you're fierce." After a bite of pad Thai, Emma looked around the near-empty cafeteria."I keep forgetting we're not on the same schedule as everyone else."

"They're going out for lunch, anyway."

With a furrowed brow, Emma rearranged the fried rice on her plate. "Figures."

"Something wrong?"

"Nah, things haven't changed."

"What do you mean?"

Emma's gaze moved to their coworkers, engaged in other discussions. "You'll see soon enough."