Every day we teach English to 160 kids. Like any children, they are so sweet, yet they also have a way of testing just how much patience we really have. In the small daily interactions, it’s easy to forget there’s a language barrier. But just as often, I’m reminded of it when I’m trying to teach and my 45 students would rather be sleeping, playing with clay, picking fights with the person next to them, or testing just how much they can get away with. And with only a handful of English and Thai words we share, some days can feel like pure chaos.
Yet even on the hard days, there are so many moments that make it worth it, the times when the students begin using what we’ve taught them, when they sneak us their precious snacks, or when they figure out how to say I love you in English.
Teaching English was never on my list of things I planned to do. But if it means I get to love these kids, through the sweet moments and the hard ones, then I’m grateful for the opportunity.