I finally got to introduce them to my Thai school family. Watching them interact with my co-teachers and fellow native English teacher was truly special. We wandered the entire school and I was able to show them classrooms that I would teach in. Plus, my students were waving / pointing at them for majority of the afternoon and it filled my heart.
It was also time for me to introduce my parents to my volleyball family. So, after we wandered the school a bit, I took them to the court. Kru Bee, of course, was over the moon to meet them, and as my students slowly trickled in from their finals, I could see them light up with smiles. They all kept saying, “Teacher, mom dad. Mom pretty.”
Some of them did get a little shy since I made them all introduce themselves in English, but none of it really matter. My parents just watched in awe as I ran and played a little game of volleyball with my students. It wasn’t nearly enough time connecting my parents with my school and volleyball family, but there were still more people they needed to meet.