16 March
My first day back at work today. I took along a change of clothes with me but, thankfully, the Songkran celebrations seem to be over.

I taught at Thong Lor. During the class, thunder crashed dramatically overhead and torrential rain started to fall.
“Thank god,” I thought. “Now the air ought to be a little cooler.”

I finished the class and then stepped out to the relatively cool and clean air on the street after the rain. But I knew it wouldn’t last long. Heat and dirt are never far away in Bangkok. I took a taxi to my next destination – my Harrow student Nong Amy.

I arrived at her house to find her mother watching Desperate Housewives on the huge screen television in the front room.

“Mr Ben, this program I like soooo very much!” she smiled. “Would you like hot coffee? I have new espresso machine. I will borrow this dvd to you after I have to finish watching. Or maybe I copy it for you. Something like that. I like the character Bree so much. She is perfect wife, perfect mother, always dress so nice and everything – I feel that she is just like me…”