Rumors were flying about the end of the year trip. Would all of the English Program be invited? Or only those that worked the full academic year? Would the trip be in mid March, or after we were on summer break? No matter what, I knew I needed a one piece bathing suit. I would not be caught dead with my Thai teachers in a bikini. So, my mom was my savior once again, and mailed me my bathing suit. Whatever the plan, I knew I would be prepared.
About two weeks ago we were summoned to an end of the year meeting. And it was official, we were required to go on vacation. An all expense paid vacation to Koh Kood, a small island off of Koh Chang. The vacation would be the first weekend after the students were finished with school, and only those teachers renewing their contracts would be invited. Uh oh. No Koreana.
I sat in the meeting picturing the vacation in my mind. We would be that group of misfits that no one can figure out. That group of people that you see and just discuss how they can possibly be related. About 15 middle aged Thai women, 9 middle aged foreign men, and Meaghan. Oh boy, we will be quite a sight. Wait, someone is talking to me. I snap out of my day dream to hear the vice principal calling my name. "Teacher Meaghan, you only wear two piece. You be very sexy." My face turned bright red. I giggled to acknowledge the comment, but I was absolutely mortified.
Over the next week and a half the location of the trip was changed about a hundred times. It was all that anyone talked about. Forget finals and grading, we were going to the beach! Teacher Lawan and Teacher Poon constantly tried to feed me during those ten days, because I was told I was not allowed to look sexier than them. Every time I turned down sticky rice or a second helping of kanomes, I told them I needed to look sexy for the beach. The women were eating it up. Maybe the trip wouldn't be so awkward after all, I can hang with these ladies.
The time came to leave. Teacher Lawan picked me up at my apartment at 4:30 in the morning and I immediately called Paul to make sure he was awake. Of course, he did not answer his phone. This was a bad sign. Teacher Lawan asked me to call again. And again. She laughed, knowing that Paul is always late. I wasn't laughing. I knew that we had been drinking until 2 am, and if Paul wasn't answering, he wasn't going to. And I was stuck. Without my bike, I couldn't go to wake him up, so I just kept calling.
As everyone trickled onto campus, I just kept pushing redial. At 5:15 all of the teachers had arrived, except for Paul. The vans were loaded according to the seating arrangement diagrams. Paul's seat was empty. As the van door closed I knew Paul was out of luck. He was about to miss the trip that he had been looking forward to for ages. And then Teacher Sue said it. The words that I had dreaded. "You take us to Teacher Paul house." Uh oh. The cat was out of the bag. They know that I know where he lives. The rumors are going to fly. I could have saved both of our reputations, but I didn't. I took them directly to his house.
While the van full of women waited down the road, I ran to Paul's house, praying that his gate was unlocked. The last thing I needed at this hour was the challenge of climbing his concrete wall. Luckily his gate was unlocked, every single light was on, and his door was unlocked. Paul was passed out. While his puppy jumped off of the bed to greet me, Paul was in a daze. He asked, "What time is it?" When I told him it was 5:30, he just said, "Oh. That's not good." And he rolled over.
Eventually we made it out of his house. The doors were locked, the lights were off, and the running faucet was turned off. When we made it into the van the women laughed and gave him a little smack on his arm, but he flashed a smile and everything was fine. Oh, to be a man in this country.
Twelve hours later, and about twenty-seven bathroom breaks later, we made it to Koh Laoya. The island was breathtaking. There was only one resort, and we had the entire place to ourselves.
We spent the next two days swimming, eating, drinking and laughing. It was absolutely perfect. And by the end, the director asked me to bring my friends to work at the school. So, if anyone wants a job, I have one waiting for you! Gosh, required vacations are great.
The photo of the teachers is for real. The man with the snorkel is the director. The outfits that they are wearing is what they went swimming in. And, I repeat, this is for real.
The photos of Paul and me alone are technically for our parents according to Teacher Lawan. And the thing Paul is doing with his hands is the sign for cute in Thailand. EVERYONE does it in photos here.
The woman in the photo with me is Teacher Lawan.
And the photo with the kayak is Alan flipping two of the Thai teachers. We spent a really long time playing that game.
