Gifts and Family Support

Today, I come in to school and I am getting some work done. I had a student come into my room before school and he gave me a flash drive and a beautiful tin container of Belgian Chocolate Cookies. He said they were Christmas gifts. I was so surprised and felt great. Not to mention that I love all chocolate candies and cookies. This kid hit it right on the button. However, I do feel a little bad because he is currently failing my class. I'm not sure if he is expecting to get a good grade now or what, but I am not going to change grades for gifts.

The bad thing is the student would not be failing but he didn't turn a project in and some other assignments. He was a student who was struggling in my class at the beginning of the semester, but now he is picking up the material better and actually understanding. It also helps that his English was horrible at the beginning of the semester and he has been working at that lately and getting better. I do feel bad that he has been working hard but is still failing my class. But the reason he is failing is because of the missing assignments, not for lack of effort or ability.

I had dinner with a lady last night and she was discussing how she wanted to go to England and study for a few years. Then she told me that her mom and dad are completely opposed to her leaving Thailand. Her mom went as far as saying that if she goes, she will not be considered her daughter anymore. I heard this and was shocked. I was in a similar situation when I wanted to come over to Thailand, (middle 20's, single, no attachments) and I decided to do something that I would not be able to do later in my life when I have more responsibilities. I was (and still am) lucky enough to have the complete support of and encouragement from my family.

I cannot imagine what it must be like to tell my parents about a dream I have to move far away only to have them say that they will disown me if I do so. The way this was described to me, the parents are military parents and they are the classic Thai mentality that there is no need to leave Thailand or seek other things outside of Thailand. I relate it to the strong class system in Thailand. People accept the class they are born into and do not try to improve themselves (or they are not allowed to improve themselves). The mentality can be related here in the fact that the parents cannot understand why their daughter would want anything different from the life that she currently has and the situation she was born into.

Again, I am grateful for the support of my family and friends. Even if my mom is worried about me with everything going on and would much rather me be close to home. She will not tell me that and will never ask me to stay at home.

Aaron