As of tomorrow, October 11th, I'll have been here two months :)
My blog is titled "Smiling Moon" because Thailand is "the Land of Smiles" and Chanthaburi is the "City of the Moon"
My host family's main room clock broke last week, so we got a nice new one. On the hour, it's chimes sound like a lovely church bell.
Some things are ridiculously expensive. Yes, here in the land with Really Cheap Stuff. For example, chocolate bars, or jeans, or rollerblades. They're all more than twice the price you can find them for in the States. Also, the baht is a bit weak right now, so that isn't boosting the value of goods.
I was shooing away a mosquito when I saw a spider. Spiders are very frightening, but even more frightening when they move quickly...the spiders in my house are jumping spiders. This one jumped onto the door. Because of my fear, I was trapped in the room until the spider moved, a few minutes later. Classic times right there.
It shouldn't be too surprising to you that I'm not content learning just Thai in Thailand (and my online English course). No, I'm also going to dabble in Danish, and learn some French. Why let the talents of the French-speaking friends go to waste? And when I get back from USA I won't know how to communicate...let's not mention trying to go back to Spanish 3 or Precalculus. However, this exchange is constantly proving its worth against the future confusion that will ensue. I'll have good excuses for the SAT. Right? :)
Berries....dear berries, how I miss you so! Why does Thailand not have berries...they should learn to grow them in every climate. I'm going to start having dreams about them soon. Maybe the exchange students can save up our money and buy some scandalously priced jam and maple syrup (**cough cough care package idea cough cough**) to put on the pancakes we're supposedly making this week. I long for a breakfast with sweet smells, fluffy concoctions, and the need for fork and knife. Take note that this dream breakfast does not contain rice! I will wake up tomorrow and be a giant white grain, and then wander back to my home in the fields.
**side note: I apologize for talking about food so often! I don't know if I can stop, though.**
Last night I slept very deeply. I know this because I saw that I had kicked the covers up so they didn't cover my feet or legs. And my stuffed animals (hush) were looking a little distraught. In the past month or so I've been sleeping pretty badly, and waking up often to thuds from the lizards or rumbles from motorcycles and violent storms.
It's also evident that I craze human touch. I'm starting to have weird thoughts and I fall asleep hugging Wolfie. Ahh I haven't been touched for almost two weeks, aside from my arm being grabbed so a car wouldn't run me over. This not-touch lifestyle is what many Thais live with normally, but I don't know if I can ever adapt.
This past week has been hard on me psychologically, because I have stayed at my host family's house the whole time. Both my parents are busy working every day, so they can't take me anywhere. I try to ask other people if I can go places with them, but they and my host mom just aren't communicating. I guess the upside to this overly vast free time is I have been writing to family.
My blog is titled "Smiling Moon" because Thailand is "the Land of Smiles" and Chanthaburi is the "City of the Moon"
My host family's main room clock broke last week, so we got a nice new one. On the hour, it's chimes sound like a lovely church bell.
Some things are ridiculously expensive. Yes, here in the land with Really Cheap Stuff. For example, chocolate bars, or jeans, or rollerblades. They're all more than twice the price you can find them for in the States. Also, the baht is a bit weak right now, so that isn't boosting the value of goods.
I was shooing away a mosquito when I saw a spider. Spiders are very frightening, but even more frightening when they move quickly...the spiders in my house are jumping spiders. This one jumped onto the door. Because of my fear, I was trapped in the room until the spider moved, a few minutes later. Classic times right there.
It shouldn't be too surprising to you that I'm not content learning just Thai in Thailand (and my online English course). No, I'm also going to dabble in Danish, and learn some French. Why let the talents of the French-speaking friends go to waste? And when I get back from USA I won't know how to communicate...let's not mention trying to go back to Spanish 3 or Precalculus. However, this exchange is constantly proving its worth against the future confusion that will ensue. I'll have good excuses for the SAT. Right? :)
Berries....dear berries, how I miss you so! Why does Thailand not have berries...they should learn to grow them in every climate. I'm going to start having dreams about them soon. Maybe the exchange students can save up our money and buy some scandalously priced jam and maple syrup (**cough cough care package idea cough cough**) to put on the pancakes we're supposedly making this week. I long for a breakfast with sweet smells, fluffy concoctions, and the need for fork and knife. Take note that this dream breakfast does not contain rice! I will wake up tomorrow and be a giant white grain, and then wander back to my home in the fields.
**side note: I apologize for talking about food so often! I don't know if I can stop, though.**
Last night I slept very deeply. I know this because I saw that I had kicked the covers up so they didn't cover my feet or legs. And my stuffed animals (hush) were looking a little distraught. In the past month or so I've been sleeping pretty badly, and waking up often to thuds from the lizards or rumbles from motorcycles and violent storms.
It's also evident that I craze human touch. I'm starting to have weird thoughts and I fall asleep hugging Wolfie. Ahh I haven't been touched for almost two weeks, aside from my arm being grabbed so a car wouldn't run me over. This not-touch lifestyle is what many Thais live with normally, but I don't know if I can ever adapt.
This past week has been hard on me psychologically, because I have stayed at my host family's house the whole time. Both my parents are busy working every day, so they can't take me anywhere. I try to ask other people if I can go places with them, but they and my host mom just aren't communicating. I guess the upside to this overly vast free time is I have been writing to family.
Update: The last two days have been super fun :) I wandered through the neighborhood on a bike with my grandma, and then Nong Fwim (15-year-old neighbor girl) drove us to Samet Ngam. Samet Ngam is the bank of Chanthaburi's river. It's beautiful, with sandy shores, a white Buddha, and a monument temple for King Taksin. He's the hero of Chanthaburi because he was able to keep the country strong and drive the French out of Chanthaburi. Samet Ngam holds an underwater preserving of the real ship King Taksin used to sail in, as well as a replica.
I fed monks yesterday for the first time. For two hours we took out the food, wiped off all the eatery, arranged and served the food, and then the two monks talked with my host mom and neighbor. I didn't understand much, but they asked my mom a few questions about where I come from.
**side note: I saw, and touched(!!) a genuine Thai bird's nest. In case you aren't aware, the whole box was the size of a small cat and the contents cost nearly US $2,000. To eat one (that's what you do with it) would cost you 30 - 40 dollars, but you'd get strong in all your body.**
The latest thing I've done is gone to the mall with my Canadian friend, and we had some tasty Pepsi and fries. We rented a movie and then watched it at her house. The speakers in her host family's stereo system have a LOT of bass, so it felt like the room was shaking.
I Finally Bought Some Bugspray, but...I forgot it at my friend's house. Sounds like me, doesn't it?
Now I'm going to pack today and organize my clothing, all that fun preparation for my 7-day Rotary meeting in Korat. I wish we stayed with host families during RYLA....because the hotel is less Thai (By Far) then anything in Thailand. I'm anticipating a lot of events to happen in Korat, so wait for my next blog and I'll tell all.
-แตงไทย (which means honeydew, not cantaloupe, by the way)
I wandered through the neighborhood on a bike with my grandma, and then Nong Fwim (15-year-old neighbor girl) drove us to Samet Ngam. Samet Ngam is the bank of Chanthaburi's river. It's beautiful, with sandy shores, a white Buddha, and a monument temple for King Taksin. He's the hero of Chanthaburi because he was able to keep the country strong and drive the French out of Chanthaburi. Samet Ngam holds an underwater preserving of the real ship King Taksin used to sail in, as well as a replica. I fed monks yesterday for the first time. For two hours we took out the food, wiped off all the eatery, arranged and served the food, and then the two monks talked with my host mom and neighbor. I didn't understand much, but they asked my mom a few questions about where I come from.
**side note: I saw, and touched(!!) a genuine Thai bird's nest. In case you aren't aware, the whole box was the size of a small cat and the contents cost nearly US $2,000. To eat one (that's what you do with it) would cost you 30 - 40 dollars, but you'd get strong in all your body.**
The latest thing I've done is gone to the mall with my Canadian friend, and we had some tasty Pepsi and fries. We rented a movie and then watched it at her house. The speakers in her host family's stereo system have a LOT of bass, so it felt like the room was shaking.
I Finally Bought Some Bugspray, but...I forgot it at my friend's house. Sounds like me, doesn't it?
Now I'm going to pack today and organize my clothing, all that fun preparation for my 7-day Rotary meeting in Korat. I wish we stayed with host families during RYLA....because the hotel is less Thai (By Far) then anything in Thailand. I'm anticipating a lot of events to happen in Korat, so wait for my next blog and I'll tell all.
-แตงไทย (which means honeydew, not cantaloupe, by the way)
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