Spending the Christmas season in Thailand was strange. It is incredibly odd to hear the school pump out Christmas tunes in the morning and see all the Christmas decorations and fake Christmas trees all around. Most people, almost everyone, I think, do not do anything on Christmas. I guess. Now, being at a Catholic school a manger was set up, Christmas carols were sung, and several classrooms decorated with tinsel and Marry Christmas signs. On December 24 we had a day long school fair. There were several games, the obligatory dance competitions, and beauty contests. While I can understand the school promoting Christmas, I am perplexed that in a country almost entirely Buddhist, why grocery stores would have Christmas lights and gift baskets for sale. I guess someone is buying it?
I spent my Christmas day travelling to Phnom Penh, Cambodia’s capital, and spent the week there. I will be posting on that trip very shortly.
Below are photographs from the school’s Christmas celebration. You can see some of the dancers, Santa Clause, and me, dressed in a boy scout uniform and cape (of sorts), as I get ready for the water dunking tank.
I spent my Christmas day travelling to Phnom Penh, Cambodia’s capital, and spent the week there. I will be posting on that trip very shortly.
Below are photographs from the school’s Christmas celebration. You can see some of the dancers, Santa Clause, and me, dressed in a boy scout uniform and cape (of sorts), as I get ready for the water dunking tank.
A few other things:
Three times I have seen companies come to the school, apparently paying the school a fee, and advertising to the students. The other afternoon, at the end of the day assembly, students were required to sit through a live promotion for a brand of motorbikes. Twice the live commercials with music and beautiful people took place during all school assemblies, a captive audience.
Teachers get bonuses. Teachers get one month worth of their salary; however, deductions are made based on absences and late arrival. Teachers get another bonus based on school fundraising. Teachers sell raffle tickets, coax students to pay to play carnival games, and generally try to raise money during the December 24 school wide Christmas party. The school gets a certain amount of the money raised and the teachers get a specific percentage of the money raised above this marker
Three times I have seen companies come to the school, apparently paying the school a fee, and advertising to the students. The other afternoon, at the end of the day assembly, students were required to sit through a live promotion for a brand of motorbikes. Twice the live commercials with music and beautiful people took place during all school assemblies, a captive audience.
Teachers get bonuses. Teachers get one month worth of their salary; however, deductions are made based on absences and late arrival. Teachers get another bonus based on school fundraising. Teachers sell raffle tickets, coax students to pay to play carnival games, and generally try to raise money during the December 24 school wide Christmas party. The school gets a certain amount of the money raised and the teachers get a specific percentage of the money raised above this marker