Thailand Bound to Thailand Found!!

First off, I want to say thank you to everyone. All the great people who have helped me get to where I am in some way or another. I’m so rich with many great friends and friendships in my life. Secondly, I’m not a professional writer and while I am an English teacher in a foreign country, try not to take my typos and grammar mistakes to heart. I have only written a little bit about my experiences so far and I will try to keep my blog updated more regularly!!

The Farang has arrived! Farang is the Thai word for foreigner and I hear this word often. I don’t really blend in so I’m really easy to spot. I usually just smile and wave. I have learned some Thai so I say, “sawdee ka, sabye di mai?” (Hello, how are you?) Truthfully, it freaks most people out and they run away.

January 6^th, 2014-I boarded an airplane at 11am headed to Narita, Japan. 19 hours later and a 14 hour difference in time zone, I found myself in Bangkok Thailand. I arrived on January 7^th at 11:30pm. Three weeks later, I now have a full teaching schedule and an apartment. I currently reside in Phetchabun Thailand.

This is my experience so far-

Comfort food, when you are surrounded by foods you are not use to eating, you find certain foods to be comforting to you. I rarely eat candy or drink soda at home (Colorado) but lately I can’t get enough potato chips, snickers bars or soda. This is somewhat of a problem considering I am already a “big” person by Asian standards and have not had an established routine to allow for workout time. Most of the meals in Thailand consist of MSG, sugar, oil, rice and fried something or fried everything. This did cause my body to have a few bad reactions, like vomiting and diarrhea. I know one man at the Tamarind Festival whom was not pleased with me on one of these particularly memorable occasions. I was riding with my friend as she was driving down the main roadway. I asked her to pull over so I could throw up. I got out of the car and stood in front of this poor man’s booth and proceeded to violently vomit all over the place, including down the front of my own clothes. He was setting up shop to begin selling Tamarinds in the morning. I didn't go back to buy any.

Bathroom experiences, simple lifestyle amenities are one of the first things that change when you enter unfamiliar territory. Toilet paper is a luxury and you must carry your own as most places do not offer it unless you buy it. Plumbing can be tricky and many times you are the plumber as you have to “flush” the toilet by using the bucket full of water and bowl provided. By pouring water down the toilet you “flush” your own waste. There is also a hose located next to the toilet, similar to one that most Americans use in the kitchen sink. This is to wash your butt after you finish your business as the sewer system cannot handle the amount of toilet paper that most Americans use to wipe themselves. If toilet paper is still your preference, then you need to use the waste basket to throw away the wad of soiled toilet paper since it cannot be flushed. This process can be tricky if you have to go number two somewhere besides your own bathroom!  Soap is another luxury item that should be carried with you or you will be going without. The common greeting in Thailand is the Wai. The Wai is placing the hands together in different positions and bowing the head. Different hand positions are used to show respect to friends, elders and Buddha. This is the Thai culture; however, I believe it is also a way to greet people without touching since soap and toilet paper are usually non-existent.

Showers, there really is no need for hot showers in Thailand. Unless of course you are an American girl that likes to take hot showers so you can shave your legs! The water is so cold I can’t even shave. I have chill bumps from head to toe so the purpose of shaving is null. I don’t mind the stubble, in fact it provides a nice barrier for the chub rub I experience when my hot sweaty skin rubs and chafes. Most showers are located in the same room as the toilet. The shower is just a simple box with a hose at head level. Mounted right there on the wall, same room, no separation by door or divider. I’m still trying to manage showering in the cold water and not soak the toilet paper and trash can.  However, a good friend did show me a trick for getting the water hotter, 40 Baht and I’ll tell you.

Mosquitoes! They are angry!! The weather is hot and humid and they love my blood. I figure it is their way of dining at a different restaurant then the typical meal they usually feast upon. However, I do appreciate spiders more since they eat the mosquitoes. I am beginning to look like I have the chicken pox or Elephantiasis with all the bites I have. I counted 15 bites on my right foot, this means the ankle and below. I even have three bites on the bottom of my foot. Hey, just because Thais believe feet are foul and filthy, doesn't mean the mosquitoes do. My new perfume is a mixture between the profuse amount of sweat I produce and the constant stench of bug spray I bathe in regularly. On the plus side, my reaction time is getting much quicker as I become a skillful master of mosquito slaughter. Eventually, I will be catching them with chopsticks! OK, maybe not.

Mae, she is my bright light. She is the sunshine in my sky that keeps my days filled with grace and makes everything manageable. Our story is interesting as she is a different kind of Thai woman. She was purposely kept a secret in my first two weeks of meeting my new colleagues, teammates and associates. Most people find her “scary and aggressive”. We formally met at an event that the University was hosting. I didn't want to sit at the table with the same people that I had been surrounded by the past few weeks and chose to sit at her table. She introduced herself and we actually had a lot in common! We are the same age and she is also a teacher at the University. She is a sporty type with a bit of an attitude.  Without her, I would probably be home by now, sorry dad. Her kindness and ability to speak English and Thai has been an immense help to me. Oh yea, and she challenges me every day to not cuss or bite my nails! This is a test since those are the two things I resort to in times of nervousness and frustration.  With Mae’s help, I have a furnished apartment, softer bed, built in family, bicycle, four dogs, and my daily cup of coffee. Mae lives with her family and they own a restaurant next to their home. Her father and mother are also teachers and run the restaurant as a part time job. The restaurant is complete with a coffee shop, kitchen and bakery. Mae’s family provides students a place to come relax, eat, drink and hang out without spending much money.  I spend more time at Mae’s then I do in my own apartment. I enjoy helping Mae and her family by baking, cleaning, speaking English to the students they tutor or taste testing the cookies and brownies for quality control! It is extremely important for me to feel helpful and like a contributing member to society. I hate being a leech! It’s awkward to have people running around doing everything for me all the time. Since I don’t speak the language, most people treat me like a baby. I pride myself in being an independently owned and operated woman. I believe part of the beauty of learning is the struggle.  Recently, my days are filled with many learning opportunities. Seems after I conquer one thing, it is right on to the next challenge. That’s just the way life is, it doesn't matter if it’s Thailand, America or Palau. Some days you win, and some days you learn.  

On deck for next time….my voyage to Laos for obtaining a working visa, wearing pants to work, and militant students.