Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas everyone! Hope everyone has a great Christmas and gets to spend time with the people they love. Quick update on my end, in Khao Lak for Christmas with Stu and Kait. Did a little Christmas exchange this morning, went swimming, 28-30 degrees here right now. Have 11 days off, meeting up with Jake and Emma at some point then going to Koh Phangan for an above average New Year's party. Skype my family this morning which was good and happy everyone is together and having fun. Went to Koh Mook the other weekend. Was such a beautiful place and would recommend anyone go there if they have the opportunity. Went on a long tail boat that took us to a few different places to eat and go snorkeling. Then took us to the emerald cave where you can either kayak or swim into but need a torch because it goes pitch black. Then you enter this:  http://www.virtualsweden.se/panorama/koh-mook-emerald-cave


Had our school Christmas Show on Friday. Went really well, everyone's shows were great and we did a Christmas exchange and I received gift certificates to get my long hair washed. Getting my hair washed by someone else might be my favorite thing in the world to do right now. Does anyone really not like that feeling?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqmwA7rd9EE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xxi6mq9S2U&feature=related

"This too shall pass"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XQIxr4gRQM

"Only my opinion teacher"

This post isn’t funny. If you are looking for a laugh watch this

.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avAVmfutod4&feature=related or this:      

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7_0SOTQLIQ

 If not, read away.

My first real person I don’t really mind hanging around with after school in Nakhon is leaving. We could go as far to say a friend/rival blogger. For basically everyone here, this is an extremely normal occurrence, one that happens monthly, sometimes weekly. I think people that have been here a few years are good at being able to maybe not get too close or always have in the back of their minds that the person they are becoming friends with will eventually move on. I suppose you can take it one of two ways. The way Bert is programmed to function and probably most people is to be sad and not enjoy the change. Even if this change makes someone else happy and will probably improve their life and future. The other side of the coin, the more experienced person would say, you got to meet this/these incredible people that made your life better, will have memories and can visit this person on their next travel destination. When I talk to people about how they deal with new people coming and going all the time and friends leaving them for a different life, a main theme that comes up is, it isn’t goodbye and you have a place to stay wherever they may end up. And vice versa. Imagining what it would be like spending time with a person I have made good friends with in this small Thai town while not in Thailand is very fascinating to me and interested to see who stays in touch with and who you really are saying goodbye to forever.

 Around Halloween there was a bit of an influx of people coming into Nakhon/the group. And honestly, didn’t like it at first. I felt and feel like we have a good, diverse group of people that fit relatively well together in this setting. Having new guys and to lesser extent girls into the group has the potential for unwanted change, conflict and just less fun. Change. I had to talk to like 5-6 different people to understand how they approach new people and how to maximize the results. The best advice I think I received was just cherry pick the people you think you will get along with the best because you can’t and don’t want to be great friends with everyone. So, my theory from then on to now and beyond is to get to know everyone a little, seek out those with potential and maximize their fun level.

            I know I say to embrace change, and I think I do. The change I like most is the change that is my decision. I don’t love change being forced upon me. So if you are faced with a choice, embrace it because fighting it probably won’t make it any better. 

37 minutes PASSED my bed time. wow.

Great weekend. My life and most other in Nakhon's lives are much improved and enhanced because of Berret and Maew. This is the second trip that they have organized that I have been to and they are just unreal and places that I would never, ever have gone to without their help so thank you to both of them. They are great. Before the weekend started, we had a Father's Day celebration and that is why we had Monday off/King's birthday. And in case you are curious, I taught my kids a song that has been stuck in my head for a decent amount of time: Thanks, Thanks, Thank you Dad, Thanks for loving me; Hugs and kisses, Hugs and kisses; come to you from me!!!. Very cute. Here are some pictures from that and a video that may or may not work.

Floating bungalows were about 5ish hours maybe from Nahkon, definitively worth the trip. Had a huge bus, bought a tube to float in (great purchase) but for some reason didn't take any action shots with it. If you are in the market for a camera, I recommend a water proof camera. They take the same pictures out of water but much higher quality pictures underwater than say an un-waterproof camera that would surely break underwater. 

Cave guide

Great food, good people, good books, excellent podcasts, fun cave, decent weather, no complaints. On the Bert scale of 1-12 it scored a 10.5/11. Those are the main points I wanted to make and pictures. Have more, might add tomorrow. Another even bigger weekend coming up, another Monday off. Started teaching my kids about winter and Christmas. Did you know that you can YouTube the entire original Rudolph Christmas story? Might have watched 12 minutes of it with my class while "working" today. MIGHT watch another 12 tomorrow...IF they are quiet, which is a real 50/50 chance.Enjoy your week, enjoy your weekend, enjoy the holiday season. 

Oh and remember how killing sharks is bad? Making some progress in the world. Don't kill sharks. 

http://www.smh.com.au/environment/conservation/hong-kongs-shark-fin-traders-feel-pressure-20111127-1o16m.html

Day 197 and I still have my passport!

Quality read: Top Five Regrets of the Dying: http://beyondtheopposites.com/?p=94


29 minutes until bedtime.

I don't feel like I have anything of great importance to post about (not sure I ever have) or breaking news in any way. Blows my mind that tomorrow is December; glad I can finally shave this Burt Reynolds style mustache off my face. Last weekend was great, had American Thanksgiving here so everyone brought food to the party and got to have some traditional Thanksgiving food along with some "British" food. Also got a massage, bought a waterproof bag even though I keep telling everyone rainy season is over, watched the Cowboys win and other things that make Teacher Bert happy. Oh, I was a judge at a English competition. Good thing I wasn't the judge of making the signs:

So me and Omar volunteered to help out on Saturday morning, just had to read some questions (very slowly I'm told, apparently my super fast speaking skills are frowned upon here) (which I'm almost told everyday that I talk too fast) (YA?? WELL MAYBE YOU READ TOO FAST!!!!) then mark them with 2 other people. I think they were around grade 4-6, here is one of the questions. And you can't gooooogle the answer:

Most kids wrote negative, one group answered minus, but one group answered this:

 Don't talk.

Is that really your answer? I'm taking it as a personal jab. A funny jab but answers hurt. 

Oh and Friday night I had my great helmet stolen. But it is 98% my fault, i didn't lock it up and it was fairly late at night at a place where people drink adult drinks so not surprised it went missing. We ended up getting paid for our 2 hours work and got paid enough to buy the same helmet again so it all worked out. 

Kendra, I'm assuming this is a daily occurrence?

Three day weekend coming up so going to some floating bungalow place with 50ish people from our town in a big double decker bus. Trying to have the upstairs only guys and girls downstairs but it isn't really catching on. Waited too long on the London job to book my flight to Bali now flights are more expensive so will wait until March to go, not sure what I'm doing for Christmas break but there is a pretty big New Year's party going on on one of the islands so will probably start the NEW YEAR strong there. That's about it, enjoy whatever day you read this on, embrace change and keep an eye our for those SharkTurtles.

I never thought I'd be on a boat. It's a big, blue watery road.

November 21st 2011 4:46pm.

I.......did not work today. I did however eat a chocolate bar, popcorn, drink sprite and watched the movie "In Time" at the movie theater they have here in town. The movie was in Thai and had no subtitles. I knew this going into it but I was just desperate to watch a movie (who can really pass up Justin Timberlake on the big screen? I mean come on) It was definitely interesting, before the previews start you have to stand up to show respect to the King while a video montage of the King doing King stuff is played. Debbie I said King montage, not wedding dancing montage. It was a simple enough movie to watch and still understand but I'm going to need to be filled in because there was a guy in that movie who I have no idea fits in really. And it was probably the first movie in a long time that I didn't laugh really loud at because..well.....it was in Thai.



Went to Railay on the weekend and went rock climbing for the first time. I liked it but it was way harder than I thought it was going to be. Probably didn't help that I went with Stu and Jake (Jake must have be part monkey) Weather was really good on the Saturday, beautiful beach that sold cheap cheap but good good Thai food. Did not rage on the Friday night, went to bed early but stayed out till 4 on the Saturday to make up for it. Someone in the group did something that night that one person deemed a "federal offence" and almost got caught. It was a good night, flew by that's for sure. Would go rock climbing again just need to go with worse people than me and a bit easier wall.


In other news, there are 9 days left in November/Movember and I'm only at 10% of my goal to raise money for prostate cancer research.  I only need one person to donate $10 until the end of November. I think this is manageable.
One last timbit of information. I really like sub-contracting my problems out such as shaving and doing laundry. Well I started getting my hair washed at a salon for 50 baht. Such a good deal and is basically a head massage. American Thanksgiving this week. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GI6CfKcMhjY&ob=av3e

Big C Station-Your shopping station.

These pictures were taken at Loy Kratong, a festival that takes over Thailand. Short definition:
"Apart from venerating the Buddha with light (the candle on the raft), the act of floating away the candle raft is symbolic of letting go of all one's grudges, anger and defilements, so that one can start life afresh on a better foot. People will also cut their fingernails and hair and add them to the raft as a symbol of letting go of the bad parts of oneself. Many Thai believe that floating a raft will bring good luck, and they do it to honor and thank the Goddess of Water, Phra Mae Khongkha".
We made Kratong's in my class on Thursday which was way more fun than I expected. Not a huge fan of doing art or being artistically creative but the one I made isn't half bad. My Thai teacher has some picture from class so I will post them when I get them.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBRCZ4y-hFg

No Bert Brandon post would be complete without some stolen pictures. These I think are from Chiang Mai where the festival is the biggest apparently. So if you decide to come to Thailand to check it out, head north.




 Other than fun Thai festivals going on, got my room clean, doing my best on the maintenance aspect of it all. Tried going to a waterfall yesterday but drove right into some rain. Turned out well because we ended up eating by the river, excellent Thai food and the drive was fun. Did some Skyping, makes me feel happy and not that far from home. My mom is looking at buying a house in Ottawa so it would appear I will be spending May till Novemberish in Ottawa at Chez Mom. After that, I'm thinking going here:


Or here:


Suggestions may be submitted.