Schools are shut

Yup, the schools are pretty much all shut until 21st Nov. At least that's what the situation currently is, there is a lot of potential for it to change. The week before last I was off work, last week I was back to work until Thursday when we had a meeting, and were told not to go in on Friday, and not to come in this week.

Flood barriers are definitely still up!

I still haven't been flooded! Which is pretty good - but I have no idea whether it will stay that way. One moment we are told the flood is going down (by the media), the next minute there is a second wave approaching...

I don't know whether I'm coming or going.

Unfortunately... not working means not getting paid full wages. Which means when I do get paid I will have enough to pay my rent and not much more. All the other teachers are in exactly the same boat, and some of the newer teachers even worse off - at least I've got one week of full pay, they weren't working last week at all so they don't get anything.

So we are all very bored and considerably miserable in Bangkok. We can't afford to go away, we can't afford to do anything, and sightseeing is mostly out of the question anyway as it's flooded or hard to get to. Or expensive.

Bummer.

Bit of a splash in the pool

Last night some of the guys had a house party (they have a massive apartment with at least 4 bedrooms that they all share, and a pool - not a bad set up at all!) and we all drank and swam and drank some more and stayed up practically all night, some of them even saw the sunrise... We all shared cheap gin and whiskey and rum and hideous plum wine that someone bought in mistake thinking it was beer. Because.. well, we could. It's not like we have work tomorrow... or the day after, or the day after that.... There was definitely a depressed atmosphere. But at the same time a sort of shared depression, a kind of mutual understanding. For the most part it was very fun. Though when I woke up (after crashing out in my damp bikini in amongst some sofa cushions on the floor) I was feeling pretty sorry for myself.

I can't spend next week doing nothing. I cannot. I will go crazy.

Although I can't really afford it..... I have decided to set myself a challenge of going to yoga classes everyday next week. Starting tomorrow. I love yoga and miss it terribly. I haven't done it for 2 months now, and in the UK I only really went once a week. I have tried the video approach - but I didn't bring my yoga mat here to Thailand and my wooden floor hurts, and I find I am much more motivated in a class setting. Plus, I consider myself a beginner, even though I have done yoga on and off since uni (3 years ago) - I've dabbled in different types and had long stretches where I didn't practise. I've never really really learnt the basics. I always always want to do more yoga and be more focussed on it, but life tends to get in the way (or rather, I let it get in the way). So here is my chance. Again, I shouldn't really be spending the money... I may have to live off of plain rice next month... but, I really can afford the time. And I think it may be just what I need at the moment to silence my mind and help me get myself and my life into perspective.

I am also going to try and find some more places to eat...! I tend to hang around in the same places, and eat the same food which is boring.