First day and week of Teaching In Anuban Phaisali School! 17/07/13 - 19/07/13

WEDNESDAY 17TH JULY
Omg woke 2 minutes later to the worst dream ever last night, I was in this house but it was slightly different, I could see into the other bedroom and there was a bed in it and a dead Asian girl was on it, like something from the grudge, think I woke myself up screaming. DA FUCKKK.
Was a mixture of hot and cold all night turning the air con on and off RON & YEN got up and ready. Saw some of the students and got introduced to some of the others when I met jong at the front of the pitch. One of the teachers looks so young “watt” he’s doing a masters in math to become a director., he’s 25 and looked the same age as Ryan, Bla is 26.
The flag ceremony was nice, jong explained the different things going on. However I had to give a intro speech. SCUNDERED. Kept saying/ doing sawat dii ka wrong too. They all laughed as I spoke in English too. Kept is following me around and all though, classes begin half 8 and are hourly until half 11 for lunch. I had 1st free and then helped jong with a double period by doing phonetics. For lunch the kids surrounded us sat with chong wat and bla, I got rice and stir fry veg, when I was done I went to my flat for a bit before returning at half one and going on the internet. For the next lesson jong gave me a backy on her bicycle, I sat side-saddle, scary! I did it on her bike earlier this morn as I had to put on a cardigan to cover my shoulders. For her next class I did the majority of the lesson, was really good trying to get the kids to pronounce their “r’s” afterwards I sorted out Cambodia, its like £104 to get there and back and robin and tom are defs up for heading. Excited.  Jong has arranged to teach me to ride the scooter at 5. I got the hang of it pretty quick and I gave wat a backed round the outside of the school. Had a helmet though. Then we all went for a ride. Bla took jong on the back. Got shown the hospital and then taken to the reservoir. Its very dry this year hence why my taps wont work. Was lovely just wished I had my camera but bla took lots of pics on the school cam, im sure I can borrow it :D after this serene break we got some food from a stall which they had reordered and brought it back to jong’s and we all had dinner I had some noodles and rice, spicy bamboo and SOM TAM spicy papaya salad lovely. When everyone left jong and I chatted for a while and then I went home. Attempted my first “shower” my bucket wash, it was awkward but it was good to get a wash. I shall adapt. Malik rang he got bit by a dog. He’s not the happiest. And Liam, the other guy near me is actually leaving next week he’s that unhappy. I am sooo so lucky :)

"I feel like Fagin from Oliver twist, the students love me, teaching was so fun, even got them to pronounce their "r's" a bit  great day, couldn’t have a nicer mentor and all the other teachers are lovely. I’m even getting taught to drive a scooter tonight!! my mentor is in fact a legend, loving my Thai mummy haha. roll on the weekend though, CAMBODIA! excited to the MAX — in Nakhon Sawan, Thailand."

THURSDAY 18TH JULY

Knackered this morning fuck's sake!  And it was roasting for the flag ceremony! Felt like I was going to melt, least il get a half hour of sun today lol. Had first period free so went over some Thai words: RUTBRATJAMTNG bus SATANI station CHEUN BY BROOM KREUNG TEP I am going to Bangkok

For my first class I was with Bla for 2 classes of PRATOM 3..p3, they were learning the body parts so I taught them using myself then taught them head shoulders knees and toes, they fully loved it. The 2nd class I had to do the phonetics for it, they weren’t as impressed, did the game again though and it cheered 

Them up. One girl had a wee twitch… aww <3 then it was lunch. One of the teachers brought me CANOM CROAT an eggy thai dessert, had a couple of them and then I had a mushroom dish and some rice and tried TOOT LEE AN durian fruit, was really different, but very nice, love trying new food, Asian food is sooo much better! Jean showed me the GLONG YAOW and the Thai dancing practice, a wee boy was doing it….enough said. They were decorating the car for the temple procession tomorrow and jong came up with the great idea that I should sit on it with the candle and the parrot (don’t even know what that’s about) in traditional costume. After that I had prathom 2 to teach. Their ABC’S. it was ok, so young and they didn’t want to do it, but they caught on quick when I taught them the ABC song. Literally thinking of my childhood to come up with things to help teach them lol.

 After this I got to dress up, a hoard of kids came into watch and bla took loads of pics, I love dressing up, ha-ha I'm such a big kid. Will be wearing a skirt and top of draped cloth and loads of golden jewelry. Excited!! You know me, any excuse to dress up ha-ha.  I got to go home early after this and was able to Skype mum and dad, they seem happy for me, though terrified at the same time with this Cambodia talk and the scooter lol. Apparently its very hot at home, late 20s…of all times for me to go…. Went on a wee bike ride to try and scope out the town and go to the 7/11 to get a top up, went a wrong route and saw a temple. got to the store eventually and got a slush puppy, yummers. Went for a dander, kept being told I was beautiful SOY MA. And two guys even took my pictures lol. Left though, as I thought it was going to rain.. I meet jong, bla and wat at half 5. We went by motorbike to the temple, wat on the back again, I think I did worse this time, maybe because I had no helmet and was nervous, finding it hard to start and head off and to turn…but then again the bike is a lot heavier than me. We went to the local Buddha shrine in which jong instructed me what to do, i.e. Shoes off, light incense and ask/talk to Buddha, then place on holder and place garland at Buddha, there were little white pieces of paper and inside were foil gold cubes to put on Buddha for luck for money. Some of the local kids appeared and we went to feed the fish beside the shrine as it is lucky to fed animals at a temple. The things were scary and vicious, maybe reconsidering this cage diving lark lol. 

After I was introduced to some English speaking Thai’s and then we went to the market to have dinner, we had  PAT THAI spicy fried noodle with egg and nut in it, beaut. Got a real lemon slush puppy and jong got me soy milk hot for the house. Stayed for a while at gong’s after and watched some soaps and the news while gong and I compared some customs, she’s great, she got me to try some mixed mango (mixed mango flattened out and sun dried in a banana skin) which was beaut I gave me some to keep and forced grapes to me for the house, coming down with food, she told me she wants me to get fat ha-ha. The news here was very different from any i've ever seen before, it seemed to only regard the king and his royal family. His son has 3 wives  =/  he is a soldier and his eldest sister is a teacher whilst the youngest is a doctor but she is very sick,  but it is not aids as J told me REPEATEDLY. i googled it at home and it came up that the son had aids but couldn't find anything on her? Apparently the King is the longest reigning monarch EVER. Impressive. Lol later on at home Batoway came with a "smallish" melon for me, adding to my growing collection I could literally open up my own fruit market lol. Booked Cambodia, its just robin tom and I, less than £2 a night for 3 nights!! Got speaking to mark on the phone, he got doubled up with a guy Luke who was miserable from N.I.

 need to be at the school for 7am to dress up.. The joys lol

FRIDAY 19th JULY

Got up at 6.40 today, stomach’s killing me, they make me eat way to much, just feel grim!  They feed me so much, like they’re scared I’ll waste away if they don’t offer me food constantly lol. Today is Thai Buddhist festival, “HAVA” or "Nakhon Ratchasima" were the people decorate candles and have a parade to the temple for a ceremony. Yesterday Chongrak asked me to dress up in Thai costume for it and go on a float (as all white girls in Thailand must)  this time I wore pink on top, not blue, C chum poo, then got a side saddle backie in full Thai costume to the parade beginning, as one does Ofc lol! Got loads of pics/, there were many other kids in the traditional thai costume too, and the Phaisali school band from the high school were there too. 

It started to get hotter by 8am, was knackered and with the added sun glare I was squinting the whole time, least I looked the Asian part… kept being told to smile and must have got like a million pics, face hurt, felt like and was told, I was like a doll.. The procession was slow and my head had began to hurt with the weight of the large head ornament, im sure the ancient old gold ones were a million times worse, this was all plastic and only some metal! Got pics with the Buddhist monks and the director, was kind of being treated as something in between an invalid and a movie star. Was near falling asleep too, the heat and incense did NOT help! Haha thankfully the ceremony wasn’t too long, and was given some more honey lemon tea, yummy! Was fun overall but honestly couldn’t wait for the relief I would get once the head ornament was taken off!! Went for a half hour nap before coming back for lunch. Had melon and a mushroom & mushroom meatball soup with noodle “tai” was beaut and easy on the tum. Had some fried bananas too which were quite define. They do love they’re sweetness and fried stuff. Rebecca would have a field day im sure. I was also given a lotus flower seed to try…I didn’t even know you could eat any part of a lotus…lets just say it wasn’t the most appetising. Had a meeting with the director of Phaisali district, apparently he’s the youngest there’s ever been at like 45. Sort of like a president I guess, like JFK being a president in his 40s, and also the main education woman, she was nice, reminded me of a thai Nannies with her fancy clothes and well set hair. Heard about the others from her, Wan is sick, Malik got bit by a dog and Liam went home, least im having fun lol.  Did a bit of a class after, did phonetics, to help them with their pronunciation, but it was a bottom class, hopefully I helped a bit. Chilled at mine then back for assembly sort of thing, told them about myself briefly and asked them questions about it.  Jongrak asked a girl if my sister was called Rebecca or Julie, funny eh? Apparently when she does English camp the English name she chooses is Julie, obvs why she’s the perfect Thai surrogate for me haha.  Chongrak leant me a backpack for my trip so gathered some things together and went for a bike ride out of the town, actually saw a snake slithering across the road! And some heron like creature in a rice field, na coaw went to the 7/11 and had a wee nosey at the surrounding shops, nothing exciting really to be honest, spotted a fucking dead decomposing cat beside my house, BOKEE!!

 Skyped the parentals then afterwards Dang, Bla and Chongrak and I all went to Nakhon Sawan in Chongrak's car, we even stopped at Nakhon Sawan park, even though they don’t speak the best English and I don’t speak any Thai really, im starting to love them :D turns out Dang is Chongrak’s sis! And they live beside each other along with they’re younger brother how strange! All teachers too! Had tofu and rice with veg, so full, cant wait to be able to relax the food intake over the next couple days without feeling like I may explode as my stomach is killing me! Their sister came up from Bangkok too for the holiday, it seems everyone does this sort of this which I think is lovely! Chatted away to her they’re all so nice and was even able to speak to Chongrak’s hubby, he loves golf so was talking about Rory McIlroy from back home haha. The house is weird, open plan, “kitchen” is outside between the houses and her living room has garden furniture in it, must just be what they do in Thailand. Up for 7am for Bangkok in the morning then CAMBODIA!! 

The BoomBoom Bangkok! 14/07/13 - 16/07/13

SUNDAY 14TH JULY 2013

Finally touched down in Bangkok about 8.20am local time. didn’t get much sleep.  The immigration service held me back as well and when I finally came through I couldn’t find anyone, absolute disaster. I just had to be at the back of the plane. couldn’t see any students, no people with signs either must have went around the arrivals about 4 time on several levels. Wanted to gurn. Rang my parents and got them to double check my address of where I was staying and finally got a taxi. Depressed to the max. did only cost £9 and the ambassador hotel looked nice on the inside but I was utterly alone. I got placed with some random English girl, not given a key and felt a mess.Slept for a bit till 12 or 1, pure dying never been more wrecked in my life. Ofc sadie was gone, wifi wont work here either. thankfully I went downstairs dehydrated and shitty to register and found Emma and Hannah, Emma guided me to the reg and sorted me out, the lady gave me some water thankfully. Went and got a litre bottle and a 7up from the shop to see if it’d help, told everyone is meeting at the lobby at 6 for dinner. Only place for internet is the lobby, so have to carry my laptop about =/  went to sleep for another couple of hours, have to get reception to let me in to do it, got talking to an Asian girl who is on the programme called one or WAN.  I’m so worried about being alone and cut off, especially if I don’t have internet (gay i know!)  =/  the plugs are ruthless here, sparks come out and everything! shower was cold but refreshing Was after 4 so decided to go 4 a dander to get my bearings. . Lots of wee stalls.

Its so different here, sort of overcast everything is so built up and mostly under bridges of the trains and roads, very strange, lots and lots of stalls selling clothes etc. and a wonderful shop that although the name resembled something dirty had gorge heels with studs!! (Pink Pussey, a chain brand shop there's quite a few!) I got slightly lost on return when I crossed the road as I forgot that I turned off the hotel but realized thankfully so good idea of my nearest bearings. Met a guy from Banbridge at the hotel on his laptop, he came with Matthew from study china, went on my laptop, good to get on face book and check emails etc and see ideas on what to do. Emma and Hannah came down, with some others lads (4) we had our dinner, wasn’t the nicest no veg options so had to just not eat the meat and just eat rice and a bland sauce,but there was lots of fruit for dessert which was nice, some weird “yoghurt” like sauce for it with what I thought was cherries but was not, lovely though! I stayed behind with the guys and went on my laptop, we arranged to go look at the “Wat Arun” temple, or the “temple of dawn” as its beautifully lit up at night then go meet the others at the sky bar,

We got a taxi, we squished in 5. Cost us 600 in total but was so beautiful, warm and was nice to be out talking and with people, we dandered round, chatted took lots of pics and then tried to get a taxi, we managed to get it to the sky bar, the one that hangover 2 was partially filmed in, however the guys couldn’t get in due to the dress code they were wearing shorts, we got another taxi back to the hotel, nice being able to see everywhere at night in the safety and comfort of the taxi, we then went round to an Irish bar and found many E.T.A's at it, such as Hannah and Emma, one of the girls I recall from the pre-departure meeting and even Matthew from study china,. Only had a Smirnoff ice and left as was coming up to 11 and I was exhausted. Spoke to another guy from Ireland in the lobby.  May just carry my wifi device about and see if it works, if not, then I don’t know what to do? My roommate actually came back to the room briefly which was nice. She was going out again and we spoke before she left. Though unfortunately she broke a bottle. . May use the pool at some point tomorrow too. Day1 of Bangkok over…exhaustion and the initial disaster has made me feel depressed but tomorrow could be better and the temple tonight was great,. Saw lots of geckos at it, and bats, cats and dogs, and Ofc a few Buddhist monks! On top seeing the birds in the bird "sanctuary" in the hotel which needs explored more, with many parrots, I have seen a few animals. Such a stark contrast from Dubai. For the worst perhaps, just glad i'm not staying in Bangkok,it feels seedy and overcrowded, the sky train makes it oppressive as it darkens the areas underneath, it makes you feel enclosed i guess. not really liking it, need to see the sky and space, im a village lass after all haha. Least when we went to the temple we crossed the river and it was all open. Hopefully I feel better in Nakhon Sawan… fingers crossed. Bangkok 1 Kelly 0

MONDAY 15TH JULY

Felt a bit better for the sleep thankfully. Though my room mate kept appearing in at random times, when she came in at 2am, because the lights were on I got confused about the time, I don’t really like her she seems like a waster, here just to party and not take the program seriously, though I'm sure there's a good few like that..
Had the introduction in the hall with everyone. Nearly 200 students this year!! However my mentor was not there, instead it was the director, which I guess is like the headmaster, he didn’t speak much English and I was fully bricking it!! We had a wee Thailand dance show, was really cool, apparently the different dancers for each bit were from different regions. Loved it. Want to learn to Thai dance!! Lol had a wee coffee break then wee split into groups that were nearby, tom and mark from last night are in mine J and Tom is actually in the nearby area. He wants to go to Burma too and travel if he can, can do this at weekends J Robin wants to ride an elephant, now I want to as well :P  want to see so much! Had our lunch was quite nice in comparison to last nights, more flavor, there were even stir fried veg and there was a beaut curry sauce I used from the chicken. Next we went into our groups. I was in red, there’s two other guys in my area, not far, Malik, and Liam who is originally from Italy, got speaking to him a bit. The girl taking us, Emma has been teaching in Thailand with the British council for 3 years, she helped show us how to plan teaching, vocab games etc, by the time we had our break I was exhausted, met the Thai girl from yesterday again, wan or one. She’s lovely, she is actually from Bangkok but studies in the UK she swore to Del she would not speak Thai.
Very hard I'm sure. Thankfully we finished before 5, I went to the pool on the rooftop, past where dinner is usually served and past the outside bird cages. It was outside, quite nice, though very salty, weather was overcast but still very warm. Unfortunately when I was in, of course lots of the fellows from the program appeared, was sundered. Got a shower in the changing room and washed my hair which felt beaut. Hannah was supposed to meet Mark, Tom, Robin and I, to go to the WAT Suthat temple but she wasn’t there even though we waited until 6.45. I didn’t have dinner, there was nothing for me except plain steamed rice, wasn’t interested. Daniel didn’t go this time, don’t think he was interested, he came back to Tom’s room last night with what everyone believes was a prostitute from the Australian bar who was really clingy and kept saying “danielll” in a whiney voice, wouldn’t leave and tried to give him a dodgy pill ha-ha. Had to keep getting let into my room by the receptionist he’s seen me so much he’s taken to calling me Madonna as apparently I look like a younger version of her, must be a popular thing I have going as some black guy said something earlier when I walked past. What is with foreigners and pink hair eh??
We got a taxi to the Wat Suthat temple. Stuck in traffic for AGESS, but of course when we got there the frigging monsoon weather struck, so unreal, so heavy and yet so hot and warm, like a pleasant shower! The temple was all light up however we weren’t able to go inside as there was a service on, absolutely beautiful though, all the Buddhists chanting together, all with the lights, the serenity, all the shrines, was awing.
However the mood was eventually broke when I huge rat which at first we mistook for a small cat ran into and past Tom hahaha!

Once we finally got another taxi, completely saturated, felt like I had trench foot beginning . We went to the kmb shopping center, one of the biggest in Thailand, several floors, lots of shops, food shops and indoor markets. Not only did I get myself a cheap Thai SIM phone I got myself a touch screen one that have wifi, Facebook and free TV with a wee Ariel all for £42 SWEET!! Bargainnn,. Tom got himself cheap converse and I tried an ice horlix float, scrummy. Then I haggled for 2 amazing cute umbrellas., from 400baht each to 200. Me and becks, got her a geisha one and myself a flower. Next I haggled us a tuktuk for 100baht to Khao San street. The driver was HILARIOUS! He asked our ages and if we were all married (mark 25, robin 19, mark 21) and started talking about the “boom boom” ha-ha he had “boom boom” with his wife and now has 2 kids :L  he started saying that if robin couldn’t get boom boom he’d need to use his had or maybe he’d do it for a price hahaha immense. Khao san road in the backpackers area. Lots of cheap Thai massages, ½ hour for 120 baht that’s £2.52 bargain!! There was laughing gas, lots of cheap T-shirts that I need in my life cheaper than the ones in kbm, and probs have cheap trousers there too that I liked J defs need to go back, got invited to a sex show, drinks are all dirt cheap too, fishbowls and buckets. Awesome, no wonder all the backpackers go here.

Unfortunately this was not where we thought it was, we wanted to go to the lady boy area…so we did, haha and got a taxi :L meters are FARRR cheaper too. The area is really close to our hotel, it was called “nana palace” first thing we saw were lots of lady boys. Hard to tell but if you stare at the jaw line you can work it out.. The first person to speak to us was a guy with a whip and a sign that he kept hitting for “spankys” didn’t go there, had a wee dander round, think I was the only white woman there llf. Spotted a cheap bar area upstairs after our dander. 59 baht for a spirit and mix, so walked up the steps and near got pulled into a strip club… awkward. But the bar was closed off, was even able to get on facebook :D  we spent our time spotting trannys and old man pervs with young Thai women.. Too many to count! One guy had his thai girl under the table…oh hooo ;) once we finished our drinks (Malibu & sprite forgot how yummy it was <3) we had to walk all around the complex to get out. I saw into a strip club, lots of titties… awkward and when I walked past spankys I GOT SPANKED BY A LADYBOY, DA FUCKKK Hashanah. It was only a soft leather thing though RANDOMMMM. couldn’t get a cheap taxi but I remembered it was very close to where we were so just walked it and looked at a few shops before going back to the hotel. Went ton my new wee phone and set up face book, sooo panicking that I cant contact anyone =/ went to my bed after 1. Up for the final teacher day for 9. FUNNN. My roommate however… she was in and out a bit and I thought she was finally in round 3 or 4 but know she grabbed something then left with some guy at the door…whoever he was when she did come home at 5 she was pure dying in the morning…smart one

Had a quick shower when I got up and a lemon tea then back to “peony 12” for the rest of my teaching exercises. Got speaking to Liam, he’s apparently half an hour away. He also hadn’t met his mentor. He seems nice. Karl who we were working with mentor didn’t speak much English and he was teaching kindergarten so apparently he’s leaving today… bit of a waste like. Had a wee break got speaking to the others. According to Hannah the other night after we left the Irish bar Emma didn’t come back till like 5am she went to some room with 2 Moroccan guys and well.. Ya know… nuts like. And someone got carried and put to bed last night after too many buckets.. 

Went and finished our teaching lessons with Emma, having uploaded my final Dubai pics and put up a stat from last night

"what a last night in Bangkok, went rooftop swimming, went to the beautiful lit up Wat Suthat one of the oldest and largest temples in Bangkok with a service going on in my first monsoon, was beautiful with the chanting! monsoon weather was unreal utterly soaked but roasting! when to the HUGE MBK shopping centre in Siam square, got a wifi touch screen phone with free TV on it!! for £42. had my first haggling session, got a tuk tuk with a legend of a driver who kept talking about the boom boom  went to Khao san road then partied it up in Nana Palace near spankys laughing at the old men pervs, near getting dragged into a strip club and getting spanked by a ladyboy. got a picture with some thai woman today too, no matter where i go im popular with the ladies haha. Nakhon Sawan later today and teaching tomorrow" 

TUESDAY 16TH JULY

Got loads of stickers for my students too. Went down to the convention room and finally met my mentor, jongrak or chongrak. She’s lovely, a Thai mummy for me, same age as my mum too. She will help me learn Thai, is super accommodating and speaks excellent English I will be teaching with her. She also brought BLA with her, she’s 26 and was shy with her English but seems lovely, a big girl but very nice. The headmaster was there too, he seemed a bit happier as jong was there. Got some pictures with them J had my lunch, again like yesterday but I also tried the spicy papaya salad, was yummy. Got my suitcases and checked out. Tried to say goodbye to Sadie but the bitch blanked me, don’t know what’s up her hole.

Began our journey. The car was very fancy and Jong quickly started teaching me a  few Thai words. Travel was slow leaving Bangkok but finally got on the motorway on our way. Stopped for the toilets, had my first squat toilet experience. Its so weird not having a flush!!  Rained a bit and I got really sleeping, thankfully I kept waking myself up when my head slipped from my arm… embarrassing… thankfully we stopped again. Jong got a honey lemon ice tea BEAUT. Then we stopped for dinner. Lots of flies unfortunately but they ordered a fried mushroom dish for me PAT HEP and a bean sprout and tofu dish was scrummy. Admired the school camera a dlr. They’ll not too dear here tbh and the mirco’s 16 gb Fiji are 60 in Bangkok. Monsoon rain started again was pretty unreal! Back in the car jong taught me some more words such a the local fields and how to say beautiful/ handsome NA COAW…KA POTE…OI.  SOY MA….LAOW MA (very beautiful / handsome)

We got to the school, it seems like in the hell hole of nowhere!! The school seems decent though. My house is nicer than jong’s who is right beside me. Lots of the other teachers came over they were all very excited. Though I'm so thrilled Jong is my mentor, I was so happy and knew I was going to enjoy me trip earlier I felt I was going to cry lol im so sad. I have a 2 storey house. Downstairs kitchen like area, and living room, and 2 bedrooms upstairs one that apparently I can have guests in. have a huge double bed, wardrobe, TV even aircon. SORTED FOR LIFE!! They even hooked me up with wifi bless em! couldn’t be more thrilled toilet is even western too. Soo thrilled. The only downside is the shower which is a bucket but it’ll be warm at night time at cooling as I only have fans downstairs and sweat like a biatch whilst on my laptop. We went to the Tesco lotus to get me a few things. Juices and some food if I want to cook. They also have other things and electronics in the shop :D  jong says I can cycle to the local shops if I want as its just besides us, she showed me and I got some dragon fruits :D fresh. It's like a really run down village but I'm happy enough. Maybe if I am lucky she will let me go on the motorbikes round the school. There are a few shops round the market too, I will be happy. Just need to add some posters or whatever. Make my house mine. I only have a microwave but I can learn to cook and have hot water etc with it. Tried to Skype gag and becks a bit but the connection is poor. Least I have internet and face book. Want to go to Laos or Cambodia with my 4 day weekend. As Burma is a no go without a visa and is very very hard to get to, going to try and get some others to go. Some have really bad rooms. One girl has the worst case scenario, no furniture and they speak little English, I am very very lucky, they said I will help them all so much and they’re so lucky. Im so lucky, really!! 

Have to make a speech at the assembly tomorrow so may have a think about that and some lesson plan. Jong wants me to tell a story about myself and perhaps get the students p5-6 to draw something from it… assembly is at 8.05 but I am right beside it. I am happy and lucky…but lets see how tomorrow goes first lol