Today was the worst proctoring episode yet, and everything came to a head in a disastrous incident.

After being left behind and ignored by the head proctors for a week, I've been a bit on edge. So I knew today would be an issue, since the room I was assigned to was “SC,” the auditorium, which I've never been to, so I didn't know where to go. Of course at 8:27 my head proctor was already gone.

So I walked to the auditorium by myself, fuming. After trying to break the main door down, I determined it was locked, so headed to the side, where there was a secret door. Eight Thai proctors were passing out tests. The first guy I talked to was mine, whom I promptly thanked profusely for waiting for me, since I had no idea where to go.

Not only did he get my sarcasm, he fired back “I don't care.” I wasn't expecting this American response; he must have just gotten back from studying there. I asked him if he needed my help, or if I should just leave. So he pointed at the door and said to leave! Then I actually stormed out of the auditorium, as the other proctors watched!

I quickly realized that that wouldn't fly, so I had to swallow my pride and go back in. Of course all the other Thais took his side, and gave me a B.S. story about how they never wait for people in the auditorium, then I had to apologize. So exactly all I accomplished was making an ass of myself.

I had always heard about how you should never lose your temper with a Thai, because you will loose face, but this is the first time I tested it, and it's true.

After all this nonsense, it will be good to get out of the country for a couple of weeks. It's all starting to add up to make me feel a bit anti-Thai. Working here and traveling here are very different things. When you're traveling, you can put up with pretty much anything, because you know it's temporary. But when you are living and working in a place, you expect to be treated like a human being.

In all fairness, I don't think I 'm being discriminated against. Thais treat other Thais below them in the social hierarchy like crap. Farang don't fit into that hierarchy, so we are either treated like crap or like kings.