So pretty much my school's rule is, if you don't show up, you don't get paid. Which is completely fine!! They told me during the summer break I didn't have to do the summer school and could travel as much as I wanted but I would only get paid for the days I worked. I strategically planned my holidays so I would work 2 weeks and travel for 2 weeks so I would get half a paycheck. This made sense... but with only half a paycheck and travelling more than I usually do I went through that money fast and savings from back home... soo then I was broke. I get paid on the last day of each month so once I got back from Australia I really had no money!!! The rest of May I was struggling (which in Thailand isn;t really struggling because I can eat a meal for $1). Then when I got paid in May it was still only half a paycheck so then for June I had to live off half of what I was used too. So travelling was not a luxury I could splurge on during this time so I hung out in my lovely city of Bangkok. Which isn't so bad, except Bangkok is also very expensive. So here is a run down of what I did during those weekends I was broke.
Week 1 (May14-15)
This was the weekend after getting back from Aussie so I had lots of laundry to do and cleaned my apartment while I was at it. For a small space my apartment gets dirty quick! Dust collects on the daily and I truly did not know how much hair I shed until I am the one cleaning it up weekly (sorry mom for all the years of you doing it)! How am I not bald yet!!! I was also a little sad this weekend because after leaving a place that felt like home, made me miss home. Coming back to Thailand felt like home at first but I miss having conversations with people who speak English everyday. I also went to the movies this weekend and saw Bad Neighbours 2. It was really funny! I love seeing movies here! The theatres are huge and the seats so comfy! I also have found I really enjoying seeing movies by myself. At home I don't think I would have ever imagined going to a movie by myself... how embarrassing. But honestly I love it and think I will continue my little tradition when I get home... unless I mean someone wants to come with me, then I would also love that!
Week 2 (May 20-22)
This was a long weekend for Visakha Bucha Day so we got the Friday off school. I did not know this until the Thursday before so I couldn't plan a trip to do and oh yea I was broke.... My friend Jenna also had this day off so I went to her apartment and hung out with her for the weekend. She teaches at an international school so her school years runs at the same time as the Canadian school system so she had lots of marking to do and I offered to help. We marked ate junk food and watched Gossip Girl for most of the day. Then on Saturday we sat by her pool and read our books. It wasn't the nicest day as we were just at the beginning of the rainy season, but it is always hot as hell in Thailand so the pool was still refreshing but I couldn't work on my tan. The next day I went for lunch and got sushi and ended up getting food poisoning. I was throwing up and my stomach was in the worst knots. I called in sick for work on the Monday because I still wasn't feeling the best.
Week 3 (May28-29)
Did the normal laundry and cleaning of my apartment but other than that I watched Netflix. It's become a bad obsession... I am embarrassed to say how many different shows I have started from season 1 and completed the whole series. A weekend like this once in a while is nice though to just be lazy and watch tv and google the next places I want to visit in Thailand when I do have money. I also went to the movies again but this time with Jenna. We went and saw Money Monster. I had no idea that this movie even existed Jenna picked it, but it was pretty good. Not what I was expecting but I had a good time! We also went to a theatre that is closer to home that I've never been too before, so I think I will go here now when I see movies.
Week 4 (June 4-5)
So I finally got a paycheck! Even though it was small it was money!! This was the last weekend that my friend Jenna was in Bangkok before heading home for the summer. Her work was having drinks at W-District right by my place so I stopped by for some drinks and to say goodbye after work on Friday. Since Mary left Jenna is the only other person I see on a weekly basis so I was sad she was leaving for 6 weeks. I don't mind travelling solo, I get to meet so many new and exciting new people but it's nice to meet up for dinner with Jenna during the week just to talk. Her flight left early Saturday so I said my goodbye Friday night. The rest of the weekend was boring.... I went for a walk around my block and got groceries for the week. The closest market is about a 20 minute walk. I used to walk there and back but now that it has gotten hotter I will usually get a motortaxi back. Just imagine me on the back of a motorbike in shorts and a t-shirt, no helmet, not holding on because I have grocery bags in each hand, swerving in and out of traffic and around cars.... yes I still can't believe I do this too! Wow life is going to be so different when I get home!
Week 5 (June 11-12)
Every Friday now after school I have been teaching the teachers English. The principal makes the worksheets for me to do with them. It's simple classroom phrases or frequent questions that are asked to the students. Friday isn't the most ideal day because I'm stuck at school until 6pm and it makes it hard to catch buses after that to travel, but I get paid for it and it is hilarious! Now I know why the teachers laugh at me when I speak Thai. Listening to them try to say L's is the best thing of life. On Saturday I went and saw the movie Me Before You. I had just finished the book and it was the best thing of life, so I was very excited for the movie. They had some great actors in the movie as well! It wasn't as great as the book but man it still made me cry like a baby! I knew the ended so I feel like the whole movie was extra sad because I knew what was going to happen! I highly recommend everyone reads the book then sees the movie. On Sunday I did The Rainbow Run at Lumphini Park. This run was raising money for the special needs community in Bangkok. I had to call a taxi at 4:30 am to get me to the park for 5 am registration. Thousands of people came to support this awesome cause and were full of great energy! The race began at 6:00 am and it took me just under 1 hour to do 5km. I was happy with this because I don't run un Bangkok ever and it was hot as hell, even at 6am. We got a completion medal and swag bag with snacks inside. This event made me so happy and I was glad to give back and help the community raise money and awareness.
Week 6 (June18-19)
This was the worst and hardest weekend I have had in Thailand. I had to say goodbye to furry best friend Daisy. When I had left for Thailand I knew she wasn't in the best condition. She was 16 years old and starting to slow down. I was just praying that she would make it one more year until I returned to give her one last hug and lick. This unfortunately did not happen and on Friday June 17 my mom and Sean had to take her in after work to have her put to sleep. She wasn't eating and had lost a lot of weight. I am so thankful for my mom and Sean. They are so incredibly strong and I knew her leaving was extremely hard on both of them. I looked upset at school on Friday knowing what was going to happen and my teachers noticed and tried to cheer me up and were extra nice to me. I woke up at 4am my time on Saturday to saw a final goodbye to Daisy. It was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. I spent the day crying and thinking of poor Toto too who also lost his best friend. Saturday night I went to the Finding Dory movie solo to try and take my mind off things. Super cute movie and brought me back to my childhood days! Sunday morning was another early morning as I called home to my Dad to say hello to the family at Sarah and Greg's wedding! It was nice talking to the newlywed couple! Very sad I missed the wedding it looked beautiful!
Week 7 (June 25-26)
It is now really into rainy season and rains almost everyday, and when it rains it pours!!! You always need to bring an umbrella or you will most likely get caught in the rain. Was on my way into the city centre on Saturday for some drinks in the party area and yup I got caught in the rain on a motorbike. We were so close to the sky train and then it started to pour so he pulled out and we got stuck under a patio cover at some closed down business. He didn't speak English.... and we were stuck there for an hour! I was like a 5 minute walk from the train but it was pouring so hard we weren't going anywhere! If only I brought my umbrella I could have walked and only got a little wet, but nope I had to encounter one of the worst hours of my life! We still got soaked then I was cold and didn't want to go out now because I was wet and uncomfortable. I still went because I hated being cooped up in my apartment but the night didn't last long because I just wanted to get on dry clothes and go to bed! Other than that my weekend was uneventful. I use motorbikes to get everywhere so rainy season has also ruined my life for me because the taxi's suck around here and take forever!!!!
Week 8 (July 1-3)
Canada Day!!!!! I originally thought I was going away with the teachers on this weekend but when I arrived at school with my bag on Friday they all laughed at me and told me no next Friday..... they only told me Friday no date so how was I suppose to know!!!! I then got super excited though because now I could celebrate Canada Day!! This one bar I go to called Sway was doing a free poutine and cheap beers so what better way to celebrate the homeland then with my favourite food and drink! Free poutine was only going on until 6pm so I got ready after school and rushed over! The poutine was small and not the best but it was free and I loved every second of it! The beer was great too and cheap until 8pm for happy hour so I was chugging them back! I was by myself so figured get drunk early and leave early so I could have a good drunken sleep. Well nope... I ended up meeting this couple and the guy was from Vancouver! His Thai girlfriend was so nice and told him to come over and talk to me because I was by myself and then invited me over to have a drink with them! People are honestly so nice here! I travel solo a lot, but I never feel alone because people are always inviting me to sit and drink with them or go out with them so I am always surrounded by great people who then become my friends! Matthew and Kookai were so much fun and we all got way to drunk, which was fun at the moment but sucked the next morning... Thai beer gives me the worst hangovers ever!!!! Saturday was a write off because I could barely leave my bed. Thank god I had just gotten groceries because I was not leaving my room to get food!!! Sunday I thought one of the teachers was coming to pick me up for lunch party at her house but I guess I didn't hear that right because she never showed up to pick me up and I didn't have her number.... not that she would even be able to talk to me on the phone. I love my teachers but sometimes the communication between us is frustrating. So I just spent the Sunday in my neighbour hood and went for dinner at W-District!
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