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