Trying to be PC in a Thai classroom...

I'm giving it up. :(

One of my weekend teen classes has a new student - Boss. Boss is about 13, wears tight pink t-shirts and is very fond of sitting with the girls. To say he minces doesn't really do justification to the way he walks, and when he speaks, he doesn't so much speak as squeal.

Anyway, this class also has a gang of boys who don't approve of Boss's lifestyle choice. For the first few lessons I had trouble shutting them up when they started making smartarse comments about gays and katoeys. I finally got the upper hand by threatening the ringleader - Kong - with a call to his parents about bad behaviour. He nearly burst into tears and complied immediately.

Last weekend, we settled into our classroom routine and I was keeping a lid on things quite well I thought. During an open pairwork activity (where one student asks a question then nominates another student to answer), I set a rule that girls could only nominate boys to answer and boys could only nominate girls. It came to Kong's turn to ask a question and nominate a girl. You can guess.

Kong: How much do you spend a week on snacks? Boss.

Everyone falls about laughing.

Me, sternly: Kong! I asked you to nominate a girl!

Boss: It's ok teacher. I am a girl!

Everyone falls about laughing.

Cynadide pill in the milk during break-time?

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Originally Posted by benbaaa

I'm giving it up.

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I think you got it right first time Benners...

Whip out your donger & show him that girls & boys are different.

ever tried explaining what 'politically correct' means - that's a tough one!

Came across the first Thai student yesterday who likes Indian food - in one year of teaching - amazing.

Why are they so racist towards the Indians here ?

^
Weird considering Thai culture is just a branch of Indian culture.

Possibly they identify Indian with Tamil . . . darker,therefore beneath them.

Could be, if you want to change the youth you've gotta start when they're young, preferably in the classroom.
All in your hands BenBaaa ;)

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Originally Posted by benbaaa

... Boss is about 13, wears tight pink t-shirts and is very fond of sitting with the girls. To say he minces doesn't really do justification to the way he walks, and when he speaks, he doesn't so much speak as squeal. Anyway, this class also has a gang of boys who don't approve of Boss's lifestyle choice. For the first few lessons I had trouble shutting them up when they started making smartarse comments about gays and katoeys.

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There's a paradox in the way Thais practice bigotry. It's more open than it is in the West, but not as violent or even as mean-spirited. When I was growing up in the USA, effeminate boys were brutalized verbally and occasionally beat up. School was also cruel for racial minorities as well as the disabled. But in Thailand, where my wife was 'ee dahm' ('darkie') to her classmates and my gay Thai nephew got the same treatment as Boss, both were accepted and well-liked by their classmates. This doesn't solve your dilemma, but perhaps puts it in a lighter perspective.

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Originally Posted by floorpotato

This doesn't solve your dilemma, but perhaps puts it in a lighter perspective.

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Yeah, he's on his own now. And I make sure I pair him up with Kong as much as possible. :D

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Originally Posted by floorpotato

'ee dahm' ('darkie')

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More like 'Black kunt', but we get your drift.

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Originally Posted by Marmite the Dog

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Originally Posted by benbaaa

'ee dahm' ('darkie')

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More like 'Black kunt', but we get your drift.

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Oi! I didn't post that. It was floorpotato, you dimwit. Mods! Mods?! Damn, there's never one around when you need one...

^ Shut it, Benners.

Ee dahm...

https://teakdoor.com/images/smilies1/You_Rock_Emoticon.gif

Shit cheese. No idea why anyone likes it. Tastes like rubber.

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Originally Posted by Marmite the Dog

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Originally Posted by floorpotato

'ee dahm' ('darkie')

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More like 'Black kunt', but we get your drift.

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I'm not sure if you can get the drift if you don't understand the language. 'Ee' is used before a disparaging noun or verb directed toward a female. There is no English equivalent. In parts of Thailand, it can be used jokingly amongst friends as a term of endearment. For example calling a schoolmate 'ee dtee-a' would be like calling her 'shorty'. 'Dahm' is the Thai word for black. Your interpretation wouldn't be given or taken lightly in any culture.

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Originally Posted by floorpotato

There is no English equivalent.

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I know, but in terms of insult level, 'kunt' is what we would use. Amongst friends, you can get away with it, but amongst strangers, you can't.

I thought ee was more like bitch. Ee uan is fat bitch.

The male equivalent is bak. My wife's great uncle calls her brothers Bak Nok, Bak Kai, Bak Gop ...

I'm told it's a term of endearment if used by an elder relative, but fightin' words if used by anyone else.

Sorta like nigger.

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Originally Posted by Texpat

The male equivalent is bak.

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Or 'eye'.

Bitch is probably a better comparison considering they seem to use it in every other sentence.

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Originally Posted by benbaaa

I'm giving it up. :(
Kong: How much do you spend a week on snacks? Boss.

Everyone falls about laughing.

Me, sternly: Kong! I asked you to nominate a girl!

Boss: It's ok teacher. I am a girl!

Everyone falls about laughing.

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:rofl: Thailand! The 'gay thing' is very acceptable in Thailand. Looking at students in the universities it appears that the student population is only comprised of women, men wearing a shirt one size to small and a light sprinkle of straight men.