Because I'm kinda flabbergasted.
I taught a lesson yesterday, and just got the feedback. Gareth, the one Brit in our department, talked things over with me. My content was good, my homework was awesome, but he didn't like my in-class activities.
Now, I was doing a basic outline of the subject, the history, on the board before we went into depth on the actual music. I told them to take notes on what was on the board, for about 15 minutes of class. And he said I can't do that. I have to give them a worksheet or tell them exactly what to write.
Because students aren't taught to take notes. At least, not until they get into A-level material. When they're 16 or 17!
I remember learning how to take basic notes when I was ten, and then going on from there. You read the text, you take notes. They teach you how to do it. By the time you hit high school, you should know how to take notes in class, and take notes from reading. These kids can't do that at all. They won't even copy down the bullet points from the board unless you specifically tell them, write this like this.
I need to stop assuming things. Assuming they have the same basic skills. Assuming they have any basic knowledge about anything. Because assume makes an ass out of you and me.
EDIT: I caught the deputy heads, curriculum and pastoral, at lunch. They confimed what Gareth said- it's not taught, unless the teacher decides to take it on themselves. And teachers don't. They go, you can teach a lesson on note-taking if you want! No, I do not want! I want to be teaching them the content I want them to take notes on!
I guess I'm making worksheets. Fun.
I had the MOST AWESOME lesson with Richard's year 8s today. SO AWESOME. And then Martyn sees me at lunch, says that he was going to come observe me at 11:30 but something came up. Nooooo!!! It was such a good lesson!! He has to observe me before Cooper gets here, and now he's going to come to see a class that won't be nearly that awesome. Arg.
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Friday, November 16, 2007
Long, with lots of pictures.
The year 11s are taking a test right now, and they're listening to this HORRID piece of 20th century music that sounds like sound effects from a bad sci-fi movie.
I am so utterly exhausted; after wednesday, then I stayed at school fairly late last night, and slept badly, and now I want a new neck. Mine is completely stiff on one side. And even if I'm not moving it, stretching it, it just has this dull ache. I forsee a bath with painkillers tonight, if it doesn't improve.
So, Wednesday was the World Consular Fair Gala Dinner. This is the first conference they've had in Southeast Asia, for all the honorary consuls. Dimplomats, basically. There were 70-odd diplomats there, from 60+ countries. We were there because the Chairman of the school, Dr. Virachai, is a member of the group, is hosting parts of it, etc etc. I'm not entirely sure all, but that's the gist. So, naturally, he brings his students in. It's also been a thing that's been weighing on our minds for awhile, simply because it is high-profile.
We left school at 1- I had to leave the test and work for the last hour class on Wednesday, which annoyed me as they're the group that will act up. Consequently, I think some of them cheated on the test. I can't confirm, and they didn't do so well anyways. I'm not pleased with them. I'm not pleased with the test results in general, but that's another story. We got there around 1:30, and Kraig got the music students on stage first to rehearse. The boarding girls were there to do some Thai Dancing, and they didn't have to do much of anything for about an hour, so I stayed with them, as they ate desserts from the fancy luncheon that had just gotten out. I made an observation that a Thai sweet tasted like an air freshener. It did! Flowery tasting, almost artificial.
The first section was playing during the cocktail hour, where people were arriving. The students and Kraig played wonderfully, and I did my part well. I had to look pretty and take pictures, and play the guiro on 'Girl from Impanema'. Not difficult. I was wearing my new black dress from Singapore, and a salmon-pink shawl my mom bought me when she was here. Kraig was playing with them on his Bari Sax, because there's not a single cello in the entire school. We can't fill out a string quartet with just students.
Best thing- I'm there taking pictures, for myself and for the bulletin board in the music department. Khun Miki and Khun Ice are whispering to each other, and then Miki asks me if I have a lot of memory on my camera. Umm . . . enough. Not a whole lot, but a decent amount. (256 mb, not a lot!). Apparently Josh, the guy who normally takes photos for Regent's, couldn't make it, and could I take pictures of everything, and Dr. Virachai and Khun Tip? So I was abruptly turned into the official Regent's photographer for the night. That was interesting. The lighting was HORRID in the lobby, and the quartet was playing in front of windows. I had to use the flash, and when it did it would reflect off everything. There were a lot of video cameras, and fancy cameras with gigantic lenses and flashes- and here I am, trying to but in with my little Nikon P2, which is not at all advanced anymore.
After playing an hour's worth of cocktail music (and I have to protest the definetion of cocktail. There were no cocktails at this cocktail hour. Lynn Smith expressed her observation of it being the driest cocktail hour she'd ever seen), it was dinnertime. Everyone went in the ballroom, and started on dinner. Kraig and I had tickets- it was a fundraiser, tickets from 3,000 baht to 20,000 baht. (from $95 to $645), but we didn't pay for them. First, the boarding girls did their Thai dance, and did very well. They were dolled up A LOT. Kaia was not happy with her makeup- rather thick, she looked like blonde Madonna from the 80's. They don't realize that once you get on stage, the lights bleach everything out, and especially from a distance you need a lot of makeup to even look like you have features. I was proud of them!
Martin Kneath, the headmaster here, was somehow appointed to be master of ceremonies for the evening. They handed out awards at the beginning, and the poor man had to pronounce all sorts of bad things. He speaks in very proper gentlemanly British English, and he had African, Thai, Indian names . . . it was horrid. He did a very good job, but it was still rather mangled. Each person had about 5 diffrent titles as well . . . Our students performed about an hour into the dinner, and they did so well. They got a lot of applause, and the board & Dr. Virachai were impressed. A couple students had never performed in front of a large group like that, and I think it will be easier for them from now on. Once you cross that hurdle, go into the fire and come out on the other side, it doesn't seem as bad.
Dinner was utterly divine. I felt decadent sitting there eating this lovely food, when my dinner normally consists of a tv dinner, or fruit and popcorn, or something else simple. The rolls at the beginning were SO GOOD. I will never take good bread for granted again. Then we had a seafood salad- shrimp and scallops in some sort of creamy sauce with lettuce on top, with pesto around the edge. I even ate the dill garnish because it was DILL and FRESH and so good!! And the pesto! Real basil!! Then there was a soup that was fairly mediocre- only thing that night that was. The main course was a salmon fillet and two dory fillets, on top of some ratatouille, with herbed little potatoes that looked like seashells, and a ring of mustard around the edge. The potatoes were meh, but oh the salmon was divine. I really haven't eaten any salmon here yet- which is strange because it's SO cheap. I'll have to get some at the grocery store this weekend.
Dessert was a bit of vanilla ice cream, a shot glass with pureed strawberry stuff, and Tiramisu. TIRAMISU. It was real tiramisu and SO GOOD. Martyn Smith was like, I'll bet this isn't what you were planning on doing your teaching practice. :D Really, it wasn't- but on the other hand, I was prepared. That's one thing in music that you learn, how to present yourself, how to dress up for things and be prepared. I know kids in college who didn't have any dressy clothes with them freshman or sophmore year! I'm generally always prepared to dress up for something, it's a fact of life as a performer. It's no mistake I brought a set of flashy jewelry. And I can get beautified quicky, too!!
At our table, it was myself and Kraig, Martyn & Lynn Smith, Mrs. Kneath (Martin was up at from emceeing the entire time), Miki and Ice, and Dr. Virachai's daughter. I got to speak with her a bit, and she's a nice girl. Either my age or a year older, she went to school in London and is now working for the Regent's campus in Pattaya. She's going to Chicago soon, so I told her all the neat Christmas things in Chicago to go see, like the market in Daly Plaza, and the windows in Field's. She'd never seen twisty jewels for hair like mine, but they do apparently have Claire's shops in London! I think she was glad I talked to her- she's the boss' daughter, people don't talk to the boss' daughter!!
I got home around ten, and just about collapsed.
Now, for some pictures!!
Rehearsing in the afternoon.
Dessert!
Boon & Ruaychai- the boys never stop playing.
The quartet in front of those stupid windows. Ruaychai, Bay, Boon, Kraig, with Carlie, Kiara, Poon, and Boat in the back.
Martin Kneath, Headmaster, refining his remarks backstage before the gala.
PINK!!
Mrs. Kneath & Mrs. Smith, dressed for the occasion.
Khun Miki, Knun Ice, and Martyn Smith, secondary Head.
Here's my efforts as official photographer . . . Dr. Virachai is the man third from the left, looking at the camera. His wife is two over, in the striking blue dress.
This is the ballroom we were in . . . fancy!!
The boarding girls after their performance, with their teachers- members of the Thai staff.
This is Bay, on violin, accompanied by her brother, Boat, on piano. She was playing Meditation from Thais.
This is Kiara on flute; she was playing Handel, I believe. They had TV cameras filming and putting the images on big screens on either side of the stage. There were some really neat pans and zooms . . .
Great minds think alike . . . at least in terms of dress!!
Now, to give an exam to the last class of the week. Sigh. It's just not sinking in. Kraig left it up to me to assess their progress and make up the test. He thought it was too easy. I thought it was easy, but challenging enough to get a good grasp of where they were. I've had two students out of about 100 get As, maybe three Bs, and the rest are in the area around 50%. Nothing on the test was brand new, nothing we didn't go over ad nauseum in class . . . . I've got to come up with new strategies to teach note names & rhythms. And what makes a brass instrument not a woodwind instrument. The one class seemed convinced a tuba is a woodwind instrument. *facepalm*
I've FINALLY got a good resource on the IGCSE curriculum- including a rubric. Thank God for rubrics . . . .
I am so utterly exhausted; after wednesday, then I stayed at school fairly late last night, and slept badly, and now I want a new neck. Mine is completely stiff on one side. And even if I'm not moving it, stretching it, it just has this dull ache. I forsee a bath with painkillers tonight, if it doesn't improve.
So, Wednesday was the World Consular Fair Gala Dinner. This is the first conference they've had in Southeast Asia, for all the honorary consuls. Dimplomats, basically. There were 70-odd diplomats there, from 60+ countries. We were there because the Chairman of the school, Dr. Virachai, is a member of the group, is hosting parts of it, etc etc. I'm not entirely sure all, but that's the gist. So, naturally, he brings his students in. It's also been a thing that's been weighing on our minds for awhile, simply because it is high-profile.
We left school at 1- I had to leave the test and work for the last hour class on Wednesday, which annoyed me as they're the group that will act up. Consequently, I think some of them cheated on the test. I can't confirm, and they didn't do so well anyways. I'm not pleased with them. I'm not pleased with the test results in general, but that's another story. We got there around 1:30, and Kraig got the music students on stage first to rehearse. The boarding girls were there to do some Thai Dancing, and they didn't have to do much of anything for about an hour, so I stayed with them, as they ate desserts from the fancy luncheon that had just gotten out. I made an observation that a Thai sweet tasted like an air freshener. It did! Flowery tasting, almost artificial.
The first section was playing during the cocktail hour, where people were arriving. The students and Kraig played wonderfully, and I did my part well. I had to look pretty and take pictures, and play the guiro on 'Girl from Impanema'. Not difficult. I was wearing my new black dress from Singapore, and a salmon-pink shawl my mom bought me when she was here. Kraig was playing with them on his Bari Sax, because there's not a single cello in the entire school. We can't fill out a string quartet with just students.
Best thing- I'm there taking pictures, for myself and for the bulletin board in the music department. Khun Miki and Khun Ice are whispering to each other, and then Miki asks me if I have a lot of memory on my camera. Umm . . . enough. Not a whole lot, but a decent amount. (256 mb, not a lot!). Apparently Josh, the guy who normally takes photos for Regent's, couldn't make it, and could I take pictures of everything, and Dr. Virachai and Khun Tip? So I was abruptly turned into the official Regent's photographer for the night. That was interesting. The lighting was HORRID in the lobby, and the quartet was playing in front of windows. I had to use the flash, and when it did it would reflect off everything. There were a lot of video cameras, and fancy cameras with gigantic lenses and flashes- and here I am, trying to but in with my little Nikon P2, which is not at all advanced anymore.
After playing an hour's worth of cocktail music (and I have to protest the definetion of cocktail. There were no cocktails at this cocktail hour. Lynn Smith expressed her observation of it being the driest cocktail hour she'd ever seen), it was dinnertime. Everyone went in the ballroom, and started on dinner. Kraig and I had tickets- it was a fundraiser, tickets from 3,000 baht to 20,000 baht. (from $95 to $645), but we didn't pay for them. First, the boarding girls did their Thai dance, and did very well. They were dolled up A LOT. Kaia was not happy with her makeup- rather thick, she looked like blonde Madonna from the 80's. They don't realize that once you get on stage, the lights bleach everything out, and especially from a distance you need a lot of makeup to even look like you have features. I was proud of them!
Martin Kneath, the headmaster here, was somehow appointed to be master of ceremonies for the evening. They handed out awards at the beginning, and the poor man had to pronounce all sorts of bad things. He speaks in very proper gentlemanly British English, and he had African, Thai, Indian names . . . it was horrid. He did a very good job, but it was still rather mangled. Each person had about 5 diffrent titles as well . . . Our students performed about an hour into the dinner, and they did so well. They got a lot of applause, and the board & Dr. Virachai were impressed. A couple students had never performed in front of a large group like that, and I think it will be easier for them from now on. Once you cross that hurdle, go into the fire and come out on the other side, it doesn't seem as bad.
Dinner was utterly divine. I felt decadent sitting there eating this lovely food, when my dinner normally consists of a tv dinner, or fruit and popcorn, or something else simple. The rolls at the beginning were SO GOOD. I will never take good bread for granted again. Then we had a seafood salad- shrimp and scallops in some sort of creamy sauce with lettuce on top, with pesto around the edge. I even ate the dill garnish because it was DILL and FRESH and so good!! And the pesto! Real basil!! Then there was a soup that was fairly mediocre- only thing that night that was. The main course was a salmon fillet and two dory fillets, on top of some ratatouille, with herbed little potatoes that looked like seashells, and a ring of mustard around the edge. The potatoes were meh, but oh the salmon was divine. I really haven't eaten any salmon here yet- which is strange because it's SO cheap. I'll have to get some at the grocery store this weekend.
Dessert was a bit of vanilla ice cream, a shot glass with pureed strawberry stuff, and Tiramisu. TIRAMISU. It was real tiramisu and SO GOOD. Martyn Smith was like, I'll bet this isn't what you were planning on doing your teaching practice. :D Really, it wasn't- but on the other hand, I was prepared. That's one thing in music that you learn, how to present yourself, how to dress up for things and be prepared. I know kids in college who didn't have any dressy clothes with them freshman or sophmore year! I'm generally always prepared to dress up for something, it's a fact of life as a performer. It's no mistake I brought a set of flashy jewelry. And I can get beautified quicky, too!!
At our table, it was myself and Kraig, Martyn & Lynn Smith, Mrs. Kneath (Martin was up at from emceeing the entire time), Miki and Ice, and Dr. Virachai's daughter. I got to speak with her a bit, and she's a nice girl. Either my age or a year older, she went to school in London and is now working for the Regent's campus in Pattaya. She's going to Chicago soon, so I told her all the neat Christmas things in Chicago to go see, like the market in Daly Plaza, and the windows in Field's. She'd never seen twisty jewels for hair like mine, but they do apparently have Claire's shops in London! I think she was glad I talked to her- she's the boss' daughter, people don't talk to the boss' daughter!!
I got home around ten, and just about collapsed.
Now, for some pictures!!
Rehearsing in the afternoon.
Dessert!
Boon & Ruaychai- the boys never stop playing.
The quartet in front of those stupid windows. Ruaychai, Bay, Boon, Kraig, with Carlie, Kiara, Poon, and Boat in the back.
Martin Kneath, Headmaster, refining his remarks backstage before the gala.
PINK!!
Mrs. Kneath & Mrs. Smith, dressed for the occasion.
Khun Miki, Knun Ice, and Martyn Smith, secondary Head.
Here's my efforts as official photographer . . . Dr. Virachai is the man third from the left, looking at the camera. His wife is two over, in the striking blue dress.
This is the ballroom we were in . . . fancy!!
The boarding girls after their performance, with their teachers- members of the Thai staff.
This is Bay, on violin, accompanied by her brother, Boat, on piano. She was playing Meditation from Thais.
This is Kiara on flute; she was playing Handel, I believe. They had TV cameras filming and putting the images on big screens on either side of the stage. There were some really neat pans and zooms . . .
Great minds think alike . . . at least in terms of dress!!
Now, to give an exam to the last class of the week. Sigh. It's just not sinking in. Kraig left it up to me to assess their progress and make up the test. He thought it was too easy. I thought it was easy, but challenging enough to get a good grasp of where they were. I've had two students out of about 100 get As, maybe three Bs, and the rest are in the area around 50%. Nothing on the test was brand new, nothing we didn't go over ad nauseum in class . . . . I've got to come up with new strategies to teach note names & rhythms. And what makes a brass instrument not a woodwind instrument. The one class seemed convinced a tuba is a woodwind instrument. *facepalm*
I've FINALLY got a good resource on the IGCSE curriculum- including a rubric. Thank God for rubrics . . . .
Monday, November 12, 2007
This is intended as a response to Josh's
Top Ten Things You Never Think You Would Need to Translate (or shouldn't attempt).
Shall we attempt a Thai equivalent?
Mai dat kluay pom le hai phet prawat pom mai chai jow choo!!
Don't cut my penis off and give it to the ducks, I'm not a playboy!!
(When men cheat, the Thai women cut it off and give it to the ducks. Kinda like a whole country full of Lorena Bobbits.)
Ok, that's the best one. But here's some others that just sound bad.
Tuk long, khrap = Okay!
Mai mai mai mai mai = New wood doesn't burn well, does it?
Cow cow leaw cow cow cow = He entered the mountain with white rice.
Moo = pig
Gai = chicken
Kai = egg
Fuktong = pumpkin
Child:"Mea doo falang!"
Falang: "Mai chai pon la mai! Pom phen khon! (pom phen ma kuatet)"
Falang = guava and a foreigner.
Child: Ma, look, a foreigner!
Foreigner: I'm not a fruit! I'm a human!! (I'm a tomato)
Heeee!!
My birthday was lovely, I had a couple people over for dinner and ice cream cake. And there's still leftover ice cream cake in the freezer . . .mmmm . . . so worth the 350 baht.
I also got all my hairs cut, and was a bum. I'm going to slowly rewatch Heroes season 1, because I can't get the new eps fast enough. Then I'm going to lend them to Heike, so we can be nerds together. :D She apparently watches Atlantis, or did back in Germany, so I've got to get her caught up on that. If I come back, I'm bringing a lot of my DVDs, or rather ripping them to an external hard drive. :D
Wednesday is the thing at the ballroom, where we have to play dinner music for two hours. Or rather, Kraig and the students have to provide two hours worth of music. I just have to look pretty, turn pages for Boat, and play the guiro on Girl from Ipanema. :D I suppose I'm a pinch hitter if something happens, but eh. :D I have a pretty new black dress to wear, with a pretty pink pashmina. And I even bought a curling iron. *sings* I feel pretty, oh so pretty, I feel pretty and witty and bright! . . .
Yes, I'm in a silly mood.
I miss home a lot. And it's nice to know I'm missed, judging from the 60 emails that showed up in my inbox over the weekend. But I also realized that there are people here that are glad I'm here. It's tough- there are things I miss about home that just drive me INSANE.
Let's see if this posts . . .
Top Ten Things You Never Think You Would Need to Translate (or shouldn't attempt).
Shall we attempt a Thai equivalent?
Mai dat kluay pom le hai phet prawat pom mai chai jow choo!!
Don't cut my penis off and give it to the ducks, I'm not a playboy!!
(When men cheat, the Thai women cut it off and give it to the ducks. Kinda like a whole country full of Lorena Bobbits.)
Ok, that's the best one. But here's some others that just sound bad.
Tuk long, khrap = Okay!
Mai mai mai mai mai = New wood doesn't burn well, does it?
Cow cow leaw cow cow cow = He entered the mountain with white rice.
Moo = pig
Gai = chicken
Kai = egg
Fuktong = pumpkin
Child:"Mea doo falang!"
Falang: "Mai chai pon la mai! Pom phen khon! (pom phen ma kuatet)"
Falang = guava and a foreigner.
Child: Ma, look, a foreigner!
Foreigner: I'm not a fruit! I'm a human!! (I'm a tomato)
Heeee!!
My birthday was lovely, I had a couple people over for dinner and ice cream cake. And there's still leftover ice cream cake in the freezer . . .mmmm . . . so worth the 350 baht.
I also got all my hairs cut, and was a bum. I'm going to slowly rewatch Heroes season 1, because I can't get the new eps fast enough. Then I'm going to lend them to Heike, so we can be nerds together. :D She apparently watches Atlantis, or did back in Germany, so I've got to get her caught up on that. If I come back, I'm bringing a lot of my DVDs, or rather ripping them to an external hard drive. :D
Wednesday is the thing at the ballroom, where we have to play dinner music for two hours. Or rather, Kraig and the students have to provide two hours worth of music. I just have to look pretty, turn pages for Boat, and play the guiro on Girl from Ipanema. :D I suppose I'm a pinch hitter if something happens, but eh. :D I have a pretty new black dress to wear, with a pretty pink pashmina. And I even bought a curling iron. *sings* I feel pretty, oh so pretty, I feel pretty and witty and bright! . . .
Yes, I'm in a silly mood.
I miss home a lot. And it's nice to know I'm missed, judging from the 60 emails that showed up in my inbox over the weekend. But I also realized that there are people here that are glad I'm here. It's tough- there are things I miss about home that just drive me INSANE.
Let's see if this posts . . .
Friday, November 2, 2007
Clearly, you've never been to Singapore.
. . . wait a minute, that doesn't apply anymore!
Yes, I'm in Singapore.
I'd been attempting all week to get some help from the school's staff with my visa issues. There's a person on staff who's sole job is to deal with visas for the foreigners. After repeated emails, missing her, and then finally learning that she'd be in Pattaya the rest of the week . . . . I lost it, just a little. Thank god for Amir, our violin teacher. Currently my favorite person in the world. He knew a place to stay in Singapore, and helped me research things. I had to leave school right after 3 yesterday (thursday), run home and pack fast, and sprint off to the airport so I could buy the airplane tickets. I do like Asia Air these days. I got into Singapore at 10pm, and made my way to the hostel. It's pretty nice, all sorts of travellers, and there's a basic free breakfast of eggs and bread :D And free internet- in fact, the best signal I've gotten on this side of the world.
I went to the embassy this morning, handed over my passport, photo, application, and 50 Singapore dollars. I go back on Monday at 2, hopefully with a 60-day visa that I won't have to deal with again. I fly back to Bangkok at 8pm on Monday. Between now and then, I've no clue what to do with myself. I want to do a little shopping- I already did some this morning. There was a BORDERS, a big beautiful Borders with lots of beautiful books. I restrained myself and only got the lastest Clive Cussler paperback. There was a new one, about ten dollars more, but I didn't need it. Also bought a couple little accessories at the 'apple store' here. There was a guy in there who had moved here recently from America. I was hedging over buying an adaptor cable- and he told me to go for it. He said it's so much cheaper here, that it's worth buying things here. I want to look for clothes, a couple dresses I can wear to these fancy concerts we have coming up. I think I'll have better luck here than Bangkok, because the women here AREN'T all as skinny as toothpicks. :D
That's the other thing that's nice about Singapore- everything's in English, most people speak English. It feels almost indulgent to be able to go anywhere and talk to anyone, to be able to read all the signs. What a luxury!! It's almost like being back home, except for the heat and humidity, and funny taxis. The Burger King here is just as bad as the Burger King at home. I'd forgotten how much I hate Burger King, having not eaten there in probably 4 years. Whoops, now I remember. Dinner should be better- the hostel's in Little India- there's a mosque down the street- and there's lots of indian food around. Yum!
I'm gonna find a grocery store, and anything else I can see. But hoo boy am I tired!!
Yes, I'm in Singapore.
I'd been attempting all week to get some help from the school's staff with my visa issues. There's a person on staff who's sole job is to deal with visas for the foreigners. After repeated emails, missing her, and then finally learning that she'd be in Pattaya the rest of the week . . . . I lost it, just a little. Thank god for Amir, our violin teacher. Currently my favorite person in the world. He knew a place to stay in Singapore, and helped me research things. I had to leave school right after 3 yesterday (thursday), run home and pack fast, and sprint off to the airport so I could buy the airplane tickets. I do like Asia Air these days. I got into Singapore at 10pm, and made my way to the hostel. It's pretty nice, all sorts of travellers, and there's a basic free breakfast of eggs and bread :D And free internet- in fact, the best signal I've gotten on this side of the world.
I went to the embassy this morning, handed over my passport, photo, application, and 50 Singapore dollars. I go back on Monday at 2, hopefully with a 60-day visa that I won't have to deal with again. I fly back to Bangkok at 8pm on Monday. Between now and then, I've no clue what to do with myself. I want to do a little shopping- I already did some this morning. There was a BORDERS, a big beautiful Borders with lots of beautiful books. I restrained myself and only got the lastest Clive Cussler paperback. There was a new one, about ten dollars more, but I didn't need it. Also bought a couple little accessories at the 'apple store' here. There was a guy in there who had moved here recently from America. I was hedging over buying an adaptor cable- and he told me to go for it. He said it's so much cheaper here, that it's worth buying things here. I want to look for clothes, a couple dresses I can wear to these fancy concerts we have coming up. I think I'll have better luck here than Bangkok, because the women here AREN'T all as skinny as toothpicks. :D
That's the other thing that's nice about Singapore- everything's in English, most people speak English. It feels almost indulgent to be able to go anywhere and talk to anyone, to be able to read all the signs. What a luxury!! It's almost like being back home, except for the heat and humidity, and funny taxis. The Burger King here is just as bad as the Burger King at home. I'd forgotten how much I hate Burger King, having not eaten there in probably 4 years. Whoops, now I remember. Dinner should be better- the hostel's in Little India- there's a mosque down the street- and there's lots of indian food around. Yum!
I'm gonna find a grocery store, and anything else I can see. But hoo boy am I tired!!
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