The last week at the Ban Tha Ding Dang School was lovely, but there were many loose ends when I left. This wasn't entirely my fault or anyone's fault, as you will see. On Wednesday, I was in the middle of my second class of the day, when I glanced out the door to see one of the students from the 6th grade class being carried out of the classroom by a group of women. Sommai had mentioned that someone had been ill yesterday, and I was worried that this same
girl might have become sick again.

Then during my next class, I saw the 5th and 6th grade classes, which take place across the soccer field in a different building, run outside and to the road. There was a large group of people gathering, and my students in the 2nd grade class rushed outside to see. After a few minutes, I started to usher them back inside to their work, but then the first grade teacher motioned for them to come. I took this as an indication that something major was happening, and walked over to ask. The first grade teacher said that she did not know what was going on. I was confused, but it was clear that there were no classes going on so I let my class go. I took the opportunity to go back to my house and wash my face and hands thoroughly--my first class had been grade 6!

After lunch, the headmaster told me that there would be no students this afternoon. He explained that five students in the 6th grade class and one in the 5th grade class had become ill, and the villagers believed that there was a ghost in the school. Sommai was at a meeting that day, but when he came home I asked if the students would be back the next day. He said that he didn't know. This had happened once before more than ten years ago.

The next morning I woke up at 6:30 to an eerie quiet. The usual morning sounds of people talking along the road, music playing, and children laughing were nonexistent. Even the roosters seemed hushed, although not silent. No students came to school on Thursday or Friday, and apparently the villagers were going to bring in someone to get rid of the ghost on Friday afternoon. I left before he/she arrived, however, and without saying goodbye to any of my students or two of the teachers. My departure from the Ecole in Switzerland was quite similar. I guess I don't have much luck with goodbyes.

Above are some photos from the last week.