I'm sorry I haven't been able to get to this blog the last few days...the situation is such that I am only able to connect to the internet (via laptop...I do have BB access throughout) at the cafe downstairs at our guesthouse... It's open from 8 AM to 10 PM and everyone congregates here from about 10 AM to 11 PM every night...and after staying here for about a week...you get to know people and it's next to IMPOSSIBLE to get any kind of work (i.e. blogging) done with everyone chatting with you...etc. But what amazing people! What amazing stories! Most people here are from Australia or somewhere in Europe (which is NOT surprising in the least...) Most have been traveling over 6 months...teaching in Korea...volunteering in orphanages....helping refugees. I can not begin to describe my appreciation for this world that has such good people in it... THIS is what we need going forward in life...people like THESE... (not in leadership...but in mass quantities for a POSITIVE group think...) It makes me want to do more...go to Cambodia and help at the orphanages for a few months...then go to Korea and teach english....BUT...this is not in my cards friends...not right now...and possibly never... yes...I will be doing more service trips...100 percent...but my time on earth is not nomadic...and while I wish it was...that's just how it is... I know this. Point: I will come back...I will do something like this again...at some point... But realistically I will not be traveling for a year...I've thought about it... but it just doesn't feel organic to me... I'm an experiencer...and a nurturer... an experiencer to aid in nurturing... but enough on this...this is about thailand...not katherine's inner theories...
Anyway...there was also a blackout one of the nights so I had no power... Since we're on the cusp of the rainy and the dry season (rainy season 'ends' in October)...there have been storms at night...SEVERE storms...but it's nice watching them...
I've made a list of a couple of things I wanted to touch upon...so pardon if this is a bit disjointed... that's my style :)
INITIAL NOTE: I leave for the homestay in a few hours. I will be spending one day in Chayiaphum with the parents of the VolunThai organizers in order to have a crash course in customs / basic language (although I can ID some food! And knowing me...you KNOW that's important!) The bus trip will take about 6 hours. The town itself is a normal city...so I will have internet access there.... The next day (tomorrow), I go to my village to meet my family. That will be interesting...and I cAN NOT WAIT because NO ONE can give me a town where I will be living...there isn't a name! All they can say is that it is within a certain region... LOVE IT! (I originally asked for the most RURAL village possible...I figured that the area is much less likely to get other volunteers due to the lack of 'perceived' sanitation, etc....and...I really wanted to be in the poorest environment possible so the change from the Chicago standard is as severe as possible). The internet in this 'village' is an unknown situation...but I will keep all posted...I assume the school will have access...but I have been wrong in assumptions before...
ONE: not sure if all are aware...but Brian (also staying here) told me the other night that if something happens to the king (he is very ill...) there is 999 days of mourning. Wow. Three years. Not sure what that entails...but certainly will not be asking...as talking about something like this is DEFINITELY a VERY good way to get 'Locked up Abroad'...
TWO: I spent some good time at the world's largest outdoor market on Saturday and Sunday. It's right by the park where I run. ABSOLUTELY HUGE! There are bunnies in dresses...and chickens....and puppies...and tattoo artists...anything you could ever want in life! It's a fun way to spend the afternoon...just hanging out. 18,000 VENDORS! There are SO SO many things that I wanted to purchase...but I was a good girl...and just got 2 polo shirts in which to teach (yellow which is the king's color and pink with the royal emblem on the chest pocket). Nothing better than walking around in the sun, a fruity smoothie in hand (made from ONLY fruit...well...and sugar...but that's another 'point' later)....engaging all the senses! Marci...you would have LOVED IT!
THREE: drinks. food. it doesn't matter it all has two FOUNDATIONAL ingredients. SUGAR and SALT. that's just how it is. Fruit smoothie...sugar and salt. standard. SO odd! Especially someone that is trying to not eat those things...i almost gave up on it actually... you sweat SO much here! I always shower 3 times a day minimum. so the salt goes to replace fluids lost...got it. but the sugar? even soup...or noodles...contain them. I had a recommended vitamin D drink the other day before my run...it was like dissolving 5 cups of sugar in a 1/4 cup of water. EW. My favorite thing is the street food. it's UNBELIEVABLE. the whole street food concept is almost unheard of in Chicago... Why not have a place...say between two buildings...someone can rent that space out in the summer (let's say it's a biz. property)...but up a few umbrellas...and have maybe 10 different 'street' food vendors there...with GOOD food...how neat! I would def. go to a place like that to hang! All we have is stupid hot dog vendors. On a good day...on a typical 30 min walk...i see probably 50 to 80 street vendors...I can ID the foods at about 10...and I LOVE it this way! And a typical entree on the street costs (it comes in a bag...and you have to go to the store to buy a fork and carry it around with you...) about 40B...which is about $1.25 or so. GRAND! Salads (that fully fill ME up for lunch can be had for 20B....so about 60 cents). YAY Thailand! I could easily move here...live in the life style that I am used to in the states...AND fly back every other week....and STILL save 60% of my income. Now that's a huge time inefficiency...but I'm just sayin'... The distance running would be put to a hault...as at present...i can not run more than a 10K in the heat...but I'd always have muay thai! (and bruised legs to show for it :(
FOUR: speaking or cost-of-living.... Just wanted to throw in some prices that I've experienced...
NOTE EXCHANGE RATE: $1 = 33B
manicure and pedicure: 120B (so $4)
beer (16 oz): 40-50B
750 ML Bottle of whiskey (this is all they drink with a dinner out with friends - all places are 'BYOB': 200B
A $1000/month Chicago apartment in a wicker park type of area: 4000B ($120!)
1 hour AMAZING thai massage (WAY better than deep tissue): 150B ($4.50)
AND BEST PART EVER: No tax and no tipping! SCORE
So you see the draw here... you can live here..and be relatively stress free... Which is important to most...unless you're rolling in money in the states...which given the CRAP falling dollar...is less and less the case...
FIVE: Dear god. DOGS everywhere. they run this town. and the cars/motorbikes don't stop for ANYONE but dogs. and they all have like 1000 lesions on their bodies and flies all over them. super yucky. I fear that i pass one and it somehow attacks my leg and i get rabbies... highly unlikely...but...just sayin'... mase...need dog mase...
SIX: So a typical day the last few days...week...would be:
6/7 - wake-up...shower... the getting ready never takes more than 15 minutes because no makeup and no hair dryer! YES
8-9 up to the boxing studio for a quick workout and shower
9-12 breakfast (banana chip buffet!) and emails etc downstairs
12-3 a run in the park...or a massage...or some outside strolling
3-4 rest and shower
4-7 muay thai training
7-11 dinner and hanging out in the cafe downstairs catching up with people about their day...
Now Marci...you know how much this is SO not me to hangout with people a lot like this...I am NOT into that...but it's nice here...pretty casual...there isn't any of the small talk crap so prevalent in the states. if you have something to say...say it...if not then do yo thang...
So that's the day....which of course is about to change drastically...
SEVEN: My friend Joel's parents are also in Bangkok! how cool is that! He texted me the other day saying I should contact his mom and meet her out... I did...and his dad actually emailed me back (but I didn't get the email on time, etc. etc)... So unfortunately I did not get to meet them...would have been neat though... What a small world! And then of course I have 3 other friends flying in to Bangkok on Thursday for about 10 days...just as I leave! SHUCKS! I can't wait to chat to them about their travels! (and it's 3 boys! TROUBLE!!)
EIGHT: So all fantastic things about Thailand and Bangkok aside (and there are MANY)...I do miss my loved ones... :( I know texting etc is ridiculously expensive for me...etc...but anyone that has ever tried to tell me I can't do something...well...it just doens't work... I miss that connection with all of you...thus i keep in touch... I can't wait to land on the ORD runway...and make that first call! and go for a piccolo sogno truffle pizza...
I love you all dearly...know I think of you ALWAYS...
More from the bus I think...
I can't stop writing love...
love love love....
No comments:
Post a Comment