Thais And Automatic Doors

Perhaps it was because I did grow up in Thailand that I did not learn the annoying habit of crowding in front of any automatic door.  I don’t know what the mental block is, but regardless of social status or education level, people here block the automatic doors to elevators, trains, and shopping centers, effectively preventing people from exiting.  The chaos that ensues is just short of mind boggling as bodies squeeze, turn, and convulse their way through a pedestrian cluster fuck.  If people would just WAIT 5 SECONDS and allow those inside to exit then their own entrance would be both unobstructed and speedy.  What prompted my posting this subject tonight?  After doing some food shopping this evening I proceeded to my car.  Hands laden with bags of goodies, I took the elevator done to the parking level.  The doors opened and a mob of 7-8 people stood directly in front of the entrance.  Upon seeing my burden and those of my fellow elevator passengers they did not, as would be the logical assumption, move out of the way.  No no no.  They tried forcing their way in before anybody had even a chance to exit.  Again I ask, “What the fuck?!”  Among the guilty were students, parents, and professionals.  It just boggles the mind… not one person stopped to think for just 1 second that maybe it would be easier, and quicker, to allow us to exit first.  Well I’ve used up 220 words just talking about this one incident that spoiled a  relatively great day…

What made it so great?  New students!  Yup, this week will see five, F-I-V-E, new students sign up and pay.  With real money.  The two students this morning are two sisters who are just beginning school.  Needless to say it was a bit tense in the first few minutes of class as they overcame their shyness.  But by the end of class I had one on my shoulders and the other climbing on my back.  Nice.  I’ve never felt to so tired after teaching.  They have an endless supply of energy for so early in the morning.  Both girls are in a bilingual program so I don’t have to speak English the whole time.  But I try to expose them to as much farung speak as possible.  They’ll be coming in every morning for the next couple of weeks since they’re on school break. But afterward I think they’ll switch to weekends.  Either way its good to keep there business.

The rest of my day was spent preparing lessons for tomorrow’s class and sitting in traffic.  You know, same same.