*This post is a couple weeks old, but I started it, then got distracted with life.*
These last few days have been a bit frustrating in a few ways. School starts on Tuesday (just 4 days away), and although I am teaching the same subjects again, I feel about as prepared as I did last year about this time. My classroom is taking shape, but I haven't actually laid out my lesson plans for the first week yet, and that makes me mad at myself. Sure, I could use a very real excuse -- I just got in 3 days ago and am still dealing with jet-lag. Sure, I am still waking up at 4am and going to bed before 9pm. But excuses only go so far -- especially when I'm making the excuses to myself.
Riding the curtails of work frustrations is the annoying factor of my phone (technology constantly plagues me). I had purposely terminated my service with True the day I left Thailand for the summer so that I could begin fresh with AIS once I returned. In theory, this was a sound plan -- I wouldn't have to pay a 2 month phone bill while State-side, I could just walk in to AIS and sign up once I got back, and I would be rid of True by June. However, my first two attempts proved to be fruitless. #1: I went to a mall that didn't even have an AIS store; #2: when I did go to the right mall, my phone chose that moment to die. I even tried tracking down a new battery, but gave up my search after 3 different phone stores gave me the run-around.
Today I was going to cover all my bases -- I charged my battery last night and promptly turned it off so the battery would still be fresh by the afternoon, and I successfully made it to the right mall--with my passport and Thai residency card. I waited in line until my number was called and walked up to the right counter when I heard soon-pbet-hok-si (0864), all the while praying that the woman would be able to understand my simplified English and halting Thai. Thank God, she did! She walked me through the different plan options, then pointed out one that I had my eye on since my last fruitless venture to the store: the 399 baht plan that included unlimited 3G data and 100 minutes of talk time. She even told me it was their 'special teacher discount' offer. I smiled gratefully and said it was perfect. My last plan with True was twice that with only 2G data, so teacher discount or not, it was a much better deal. She also assured me that I could keep my old phone number so I could avoid the task of emailing/facebooking everyone with new digits.
Things were starting to look up. I felt my frantic heart slow down and I was able to smile at the very helpful rep without it being forced. Even when she told me it would take 3 days for the plan to take effect, and I couldn't use my phone until Monday, I didn't sink into despair. Because at least things were in the process of being done. Patience is not a virtue I possess. I hate waiting. But two things made the thought of waiting bearable: #1: I knew that my phone would work by Monday; this was just the process of the phone service; #2: after all the trouble I went through for this stupid phone service change, it was nice to see myself moving forward instead of standing still. Now, I don't remember there being a 3-day wait when I was with True, but I'll take what I can get at this point. And so I tucked my new SIM card into my wallet so I'd be ready to pop it in on Monday, thanked her profusely, and left the store feeling accomplished.
Monday came and went.
Nothing happened.
Tuesday came and the SIM card still wouldn't activate. So with frustration mounting yet again, I marched back into the AIS store and showed them my defective phone. The rep had to call over a manager who spoke decent English so we can work through the problem together. As it turned out, because I had already cut my service with True before trying to set up an account with AIS, my old phone number was deactivated and was no longer usable by me. I didn't think this would be such a big issue, but they had to call True and talk to them about my old number and the plan that I had with them. So when all was said and done, I couldn't use my old number, and had to choose a new AIS number from their list. Since I hate memorizing numbers, I told them to give me one with repeating digits. They were quite accommodating, and as it turns out, I do like my number -- and I was able to use it immediately! If I knew the 3-day wait was for them to transfer my number from True to AIS, I would have ditched it in a heartbeat! So with my new service all set up, internet working, and phone able to receive calls, I left the store only slightly disheveled.
Needless to say, I did learn a lot about how phone companies and such work in Thailand, so if you are struggling with phone plan issues, let me know. I probably experienced them too.
These last few days have been a bit frustrating in a few ways. School starts on Tuesday (just 4 days away), and although I am teaching the same subjects again, I feel about as prepared as I did last year about this time. My classroom is taking shape, but I haven't actually laid out my lesson plans for the first week yet, and that makes me mad at myself. Sure, I could use a very real excuse -- I just got in 3 days ago and am still dealing with jet-lag. Sure, I am still waking up at 4am and going to bed before 9pm. But excuses only go so far -- especially when I'm making the excuses to myself.
Riding the curtails of work frustrations is the annoying factor of my phone (technology constantly plagues me). I had purposely terminated my service with True the day I left Thailand for the summer so that I could begin fresh with AIS once I returned. In theory, this was a sound plan -- I wouldn't have to pay a 2 month phone bill while State-side, I could just walk in to AIS and sign up once I got back, and I would be rid of True by June. However, my first two attempts proved to be fruitless. #1: I went to a mall that didn't even have an AIS store; #2: when I did go to the right mall, my phone chose that moment to die. I even tried tracking down a new battery, but gave up my search after 3 different phone stores gave me the run-around.
Today I was going to cover all my bases -- I charged my battery last night and promptly turned it off so the battery would still be fresh by the afternoon, and I successfully made it to the right mall--with my passport and Thai residency card. I waited in line until my number was called and walked up to the right counter when I heard soon-pbet-hok-si (0864), all the while praying that the woman would be able to understand my simplified English and halting Thai. Thank God, she did! She walked me through the different plan options, then pointed out one that I had my eye on since my last fruitless venture to the store: the 399 baht plan that included unlimited 3G data and 100 minutes of talk time. She even told me it was their 'special teacher discount' offer. I smiled gratefully and said it was perfect. My last plan with True was twice that with only 2G data, so teacher discount or not, it was a much better deal. She also assured me that I could keep my old phone number so I could avoid the task of emailing/facebooking everyone with new digits.
Things were starting to look up. I felt my frantic heart slow down and I was able to smile at the very helpful rep without it being forced. Even when she told me it would take 3 days for the plan to take effect, and I couldn't use my phone until Monday, I didn't sink into despair. Because at least things were in the process of being done. Patience is not a virtue I possess. I hate waiting. But two things made the thought of waiting bearable: #1: I knew that my phone would work by Monday; this was just the process of the phone service; #2: after all the trouble I went through for this stupid phone service change, it was nice to see myself moving forward instead of standing still. Now, I don't remember there being a 3-day wait when I was with True, but I'll take what I can get at this point. And so I tucked my new SIM card into my wallet so I'd be ready to pop it in on Monday, thanked her profusely, and left the store feeling accomplished.
Monday came and went.
Nothing happened.
Tuesday came and the SIM card still wouldn't activate. So with frustration mounting yet again, I marched back into the AIS store and showed them my defective phone. The rep had to call over a manager who spoke decent English so we can work through the problem together. As it turned out, because I had already cut my service with True before trying to set up an account with AIS, my old phone number was deactivated and was no longer usable by me. I didn't think this would be such a big issue, but they had to call True and talk to them about my old number and the plan that I had with them. So when all was said and done, I couldn't use my old number, and had to choose a new AIS number from their list. Since I hate memorizing numbers, I told them to give me one with repeating digits. They were quite accommodating, and as it turns out, I do like my number -- and I was able to use it immediately! If I knew the 3-day wait was for them to transfer my number from True to AIS, I would have ditched it in a heartbeat! So with my new service all set up, internet working, and phone able to receive calls, I left the store only slightly disheveled.
Needless to say, I did learn a lot about how phone companies and such work in Thailand, so if you are struggling with phone plan issues, let me know. I probably experienced them too.
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