people helping people

Disclaimer (yes, another): this is a long post, my 5 readers. I hope you stick with me 'til the end!

I love traveling. Packing. Waking up in a totally new city just waiting to be explored. Being completely immersed in a foreign culture. Tasting new delicacies. Observing religious ceremonies and beliefs. Comparing and contrasting them from my own. Breathing air that doesn’t smell like home. Walking everywhere. People-watching. Speaking new languages. Hearing them spoken fluently. It’s all absolutely thrilling to me. 

What’s most amazing about traveling, however, is the fact that it all comes down to people helping people. Ty and I found this to be true in our European backpacking excursions, and the same continues during my adventures here in Thailand. The people make the place! I’m reminded every time I step on a surface I never have before. 

-The very first stop in our European escapades was visiting Galway and being hosted by Becca, my high school friend/sister who was studying there for a semester. She gave up her beds for us, arranged tours for us to take, and cooked us baked potatoes at 3am (just to name a few). 

-Then there were Robert and Karen Litton, the newlyweds then living in Karen’s native country, England, who took us in, fed us, drove us all around, showed us the hot spots, allowed us our very own bedrooms (a big deal when you’re used to hostel living), and made us feel at home. 

-After Robert and a few other stops, there was Toni and her wonderful Austrian family. We stayed in 3 different members’ houses in Vienna and Gratz, all the while being spoiled and stuffed with homemade cakes (filled with cherries from their backyard tree), apple strudel (again, homemade), and downright love that you can only get from a big special family. I was in heaven.

-Thanks to Ty’s dad, we slept in a five star hotel in none other than Rome, Italy. We’d never known such luxuries as we were allowed during that stay. I wouldn’t have done it any differently, either, because traveling frugally as we did allowed us to completely appreciate those luxuries we were awarded in Rome. 

-After a while of being on our own (and a miserable overnight train ride from Paris), I couldn’t have been more excited to meet my foreign exchange sister and her family who were hosting us in Berlin for the next week. I was so lucky to have been the one to meet her first, and also so lucky to have been spoiled for the duration of our stay. We woke up to a spread of different breakfast foods each morning, which was only outdone by each lunch and dinner. We were taken to museums, markets, the Wall, and all the other amazing sights of Germany’s capital. When I boarded the train to finally leave, I was in tears. 

-I saved the best hostess for last. Seeing my best friend’s face as I stepped off the train in her new home of Amberg, Germany was greater than all the sights of Europe. Ashley showed me such a memorable time, but being reunited with my best friend and able to just be us was the biggest treat of all. 

-Even upon my return stateside, I was shown generosity American style from one of the loveliest couples I know, Curt and Mary Zacharias. They gave up their guest bedroom and bathroom for months, allowing me to live and work there in Chattanooga, Tennessee while I began the search for my place in this world. Not once did they complain, and told me I could stay as long as I needed. They also have me convinced that they're incapable of bad moods because I was never greeted with anything less than love, kindness, and graciousness. 

So....all that to say, the life I’ve made here in Thailand has been no exception. From the moment we retrieved our suitcases from baggage claim, we have been “handled with care.” The love, compassion, and interest which has been shown to us cannot be topped. The best example of these characteristics has been illustrated by Alleeya and her family this past week. 

I’ll draw you a quick family tree to show you how Alleeya and I are connected. This could get confusing. My mom has an uncle named Mickey. Mickey has a wife (our aunt) named Mary Ann. Mary Ann has a brother named Dan. Dan has a girlfriend, and his girlfriend happens to be Alleeya. They live in Florida, but Alleeya is in Bangkok (her home town) for a few months visiting her family. Clear as mud, right? My Aunt Mary Ann put me in touch with Alleeya-and thank God for it! Keep in mind that I’d never met her before she requested my friendship on Facebook and invited Meredith and I to come vacation in Bangkok over our long holiday weekend. We immediately accepted the invitation without question, unsure of what we were getting ourselves into. Little did we know...

We took a 7 hour bus ride to the big city, and were greeted by a smiling Alleeya as we stepped off the bus on Wednesday night. She and her nephew, Peel, whisked us away for dinner in the heart of the city. She promised us we’d never be hungry during the duration of our trip. After we’d spooned all the rice, chicken, vegetables, fruit, and dessert (all heavily coated with Thai spices and doused in the special coconut curry mix I love so much), we took a ride around the Grand Palace which was completely adorned with lights for the religious holidays. We took strolls down the most popular streets in the city that were totally alive with an energy I can’t even describe. I found myself oggling at all the “farang” (foreigners) because it’s been so long since I’ve seen people who aren’t, well, Asian. As odd as it sounds, it was so strange not being stared at all the time like I am constantly here at home in Uttaradit. That’ll be a rough transition to make when I get back to the states. But I digress...

Fresh off the bus our first night in the big city with Alleeya

Later on that night, we made it to where we’d be residing for the next 4 days: Alleeya’s aunt and uncle’s house. However, it is not just a house. It is a huge home that is bursting at the seams with love, generosity, kindness, and welcome. Also, you have to cross a bridge going over a pond with giant coy fish in it to get to the front door. This is a big deal for me. Do you know anybody who has a moat-like coy pond entrance to their house? I didn’t think so. We were greeted by the ferocious cocker spaniel guard dog, Dee-Dee, who learned to love us when we bribed her with tummy rubs. P’Boy, husband of Alleeya’s cousin, led us to our sleeping quarters (complete with our own bathroom with a rain shower head-another big deal for me), which ended up being our very own wing of the house. When you can use the term “wing,” you know the house means business. They bolted the deal that had long been sealed when we woke up, went downstairs, and were greeted by a feast of a breakfast. Alleeya’s sweet aunt sat with us to make sure we were completely and utterly content with everything we piled on our spoons and into our mouths. If there was free space on our plate, she could be found filling it. If we so much as leaned or, heaven forbid, pointed, in the direction of something we wanted, the angel had it out and ready for us.  These people are kind. These people are generous. These people are love. I could’ve cried all day, every day, from sheer happiness.

After eating as if afraid we never would again, we left the house to spend the day in the city. We shopped. We ate. We saw the Grand Palace (ya know, where Alleeya used to work-no big deal, right?). We got Thai oil massages. All of these were compliments of Alleeyah, who claimed, after our many failed attempts to pay or give her money-and believe me, we were trying- “it’s just Thai style.” The next day was the same, continuing in the fun and relaxation, but filled with just as much excitement and this time, we were joined by Aui, one of Alleya’s cousins. And truth be told, I’m not sure I’ve ever met a more beautiful person, inside and out! This angelic woman gives and gives and gives. Every time we passed a person in need, she gave. And never attracting attention, but silently, discreetly, and tenderly. For the rest of my life, I will strive to treat people the way she did. I could have cried from her compassion. 

Sweet Peel and me at the Grand Palace

On Saturday, the ladies took us to the floating markets of Ampawa, which is a city a few hours outside Bangkok that’s comparable to Italy’s Venice. It’s a little city on the water, and you can shop at the water’s edge, or have your pick from merchandise being sold on longboats. They booked us a Thai style hotel right on the canal, and we were just a short boat ride way from the main attraction. On Sunday, we took our own private boat ride through the canal and shopped at our leisure, exploring what the vendors had to offer. My favorites were, you guessed it, the ones with food. You can’t imagine a better scenario of eating while you shop, so stop trying right now. I munched on my longon (my new favorite fruit that Alleeyah introduced to me) while haggling with vendors. I could have cried from contentment. 

Floating Markets of Ampawa at sunset. If only the picture could do it justice. 

Aui, Alleeya, Peel, and me about to board the boat to the markets.

We were only in Bangkok with this family for 5 days, but that was all the time it took to make them ours. A Thai family all our own. They not only insisted we call them if we needed anything, but also made us promise to come back in October on our long mid-year break. I am only too anxious to take them up on it, and have already made a calendar to count down the days until I get to see the people most precious to me in this country again. Alleeya kept her promise to me (ya know, the one where she said we’d never feel hungry), so I feel it’s only right to keep my promise to her family about returning quickly. I could cry from the love of my new family. 

Alleeya's precious niece-love at first sight (on my end at least)

one big happy family!

Alleeya's aunt-she has my heart!

The challenge is this: how could I ever attempt to repay all these people around the world for the care and kindness and love and compassion and generosity they showed me, some of them never having met me before taking me in? But that’s just it! They don’t want to be repaid. They do it because that’s what good people do. I have concluded that the only way I could do them justice is to pay it forward. Who knows where in the world I'll end up settling down (if anyone could ever convince me to), but when/if I do, I'm making another promise to you, my Fabulous Five, I will find some way to change lives the way each and every single one of these special people I've encountered have changed mine. I will continue on and strive to be one of the people to help people. I am longing to be someone's person to have made the place for them, and I can't wait until I achieve it. When that's done, I'll pack it all up and start over. Luckily, this kind of gift giving is the best kind: recyclable. 

elephants: everywhere but in the room

*Disclaimer: this post was not written as a cry for help or need for compliments, so please don’t take me for an insecure little child!

Oh Thailand. These past two months have treated me so well. The atmosphere? Thrilling. The food? Mouth-watering. The people? Kind, generous, caring, loving, and...what was that last characteristic that named them so well? Oh yes...HONEST. 

If there’s one thing I’ve learned living in Thailand which trumps all the others, it’s the fact that Thais will sugar coat everything except the truth. I’ve seen elephants at the conservatory, at zoos, and even a few times a week on the street here. But as far as elephants in the room go? Not a one. 

What I mean is this: Thais will call you out. If there’s something wrong, they’ll tell you. If there’s an inappropriate question, they’ll ask it. If they have an opinion, they’ll make it known. It’s these qualities that make me love the people so much. However, one opinion that everyone I’ve come across here seems to share is that I. Am. Fat. 

No one would ever say this to my face in America. Maybe a small child. Or a grumpy old man. Or a close friend who knows how to push my buttons, but only in jest. I’m sure it’s been said behind my back, but to my face? It just wouldn’t happen. Not because I’m not overweight, but because as Americans, it sometimes seems as though it’s a wild competition to see just exactly how many pink elephants we can stuff in a room. So many of us judge each other, but if asked our honest opinion, we’d smile and tell the person they’ve never looked better. Maybe this is only a Southern thing. And it’s not to say that I don’t have honest friends who’d be the first to tell me that yes, Kels, your butt does look big in those pants. But most of the people I know in America wouldn’t in a million years so much as hint I’m fat (again, to my face). 

What’s my motivation for this post? I’ll admit that my weight has been an issue to me for a while. When backpacking through Europe, I chose to do away with being health conscious, and instead made it my job, my very purpose in life, to taste every delicacy known to man in each and every country. Multiple times. My metabolism has never earned bragging rights, so naturally all those delicacies caught up with me. Somewhere between coming back to the states, moving around, and settling into a few jobs, I never could seem to shake the weight back off. So now at the heaviest I’ve ever been, I’ve inadvertently become Sensitive Sally. It’s not because that one little girl I told you about a couple of posts ago called me fat. It’s not because I feel big compared to the small stature of the Thais by whom I’m surrounded. It’s because every day, by multiple people and several times (ya know, in case I forget), I am told I am fat. It’s never in a mean insulting way, but rather just like telling me that I have blonde hair or blue eyes--”Oh, and teacha: you fat.” 

Now, before all (five) of my readers take a collective gasp and think I can’t believe those people would speak to her like that! She shouldn’t think that! How rude of them!, please know that I’m not taking it to heart...totally. At first, I laughed it off. I was mainly getting it from the kids, and I was just happy to hear them speak English so well. I jokingly mentioned it to one of the kindest teachers in the university here, and she replied, “Yes, the children will always tell the truth. But at least you have a pretty face!” In a way, it felt like she was saying Hey, at least you’ve got that going for ya! Maybe there’s some hope! In America, a mention like that would’ve gotten me a “Honey, don’t you dare listen to what those little babies are saying; they don’t know what they’re talking about!” In America, in America, in America...Dorothy, honey, we’re not in Kansas anymore. 

I hadn’t given too much thought to the situation (although I’m sure Meredith would disagree, as I’ve come home venting about the number of times on which it was commented each day--if only I had a baht for every time!) until a little girl asked me, as I so often get asked here (much like by my students in America), if I have a boyfriend. When I gave her “no” as my answer, she looked at me simply, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, and replied “You fat, that’s why you no have boyfraaann.” That’s that, everybody. Alert the presses! Mystery solved! If only I knew enough Thai to put that little rugrat in her place...

I’ll admit: this one cut me deep. And then, to make matters worse, the same week a couple of the guys at the boxing ring (including my trainer) motioned to me that I needed to stop eating so much because I am fat. I’m always described as “the big one” when people are distinguishing between Meredith and me. The one that took the cake, though, was at the English camp I worked this weekend. They students were on a scavenger hunt, and one of their tasks was to find something fat. Oh yes, you guessed it. Passing up the 350 pound Buddha look-alike to my right, they came and took a picture of me to exemplify the characteristic. Excuse me?! If only they could grasp what a healthy eater I actually am! At each of these instances, I was distraught that people saw me this way. They don’t know me! They aren’t with me at mealtimes! I’m here working hard, aren’t I? Rude! 

All of these instances combined triggered my email writing. I typed away to my nearest and dearest, whining about being fat. Their responses were immediate, being the greatest friends that they are. My best friend, Ashley Bass, reassured me and suggested I think logically. Of course these people would call me fat because of what they had to compare against. They’re all of a tiny stature and are naturally skinny people. She padded my ego and made me smile again as only she knows how. Cain Anne, my other half, used a little less sugar when coating her words, which ended up being exactly the dosage I needed. Her reply was filled with the utmost reassurance as well, but also that extra kick in the pants telling me to suck it up. No, but really. Those were her exact words. “Suck it up, Crow. You are going to have to deal with people constantly pointing out your biggest insecurity because you live in a place where the citizens are genetically and economically thin.  Of course they think you are fat; look what they have to compare: other skinny Asians. You are strong, and you can do it.  Beg for it.  Embrace it.  You traveled all this way, and for what?  To be called fat?  No; you went there to make a difference.  You are there to change the lives of the most amazing children you will ever meet of course, but to also make a difference in your life.” The gal put it to me plain and simple. How am I supposed to argue with that?

Sometimes it takes people who know you better than you know yourself to remind you of what you already know to help you regain the strength to get your crap together, collect that negative energy, and convert it to positive. Did I make that as clear as mud? Thankfully (and unsurprisingly), they did just that. And between their immediate (and obviously effective) responses, Zach’s daily encouragement to keep kicking butt and taking names during boxing sessions, Meredith’s (daily, hourly, by the minute) patience, understanding, and guidance, and remembering Steven’s (who has earned the title of my most interesting closest friend) reminder that I am single right now because I choose to be, I am back on top and working harder than ever. 

That being said, I have continued to be diligent in my Muy Thai training, motorbiking it across town to be beaten to a pulp for nearly two hours every single day. I’m working the hardest I ever have. These sessions make everything else I’ve ever done before feel like child’s play. The physical change may be a slow and (I’m hoping) steady one, but the mental and emotional one has already far exceeded my expectations. This week, the guys gathered around the ring, clapping and cheering as I jabbed, kicked, blocked, and sparred against trainer, telling me how beautiful my forms were, clearly proud and telling the trainer he’s done well with me, and asking me when my first fight would be (I’m telling myself that their questioning was in support instead of being anxious to see me get my rear end handed to me in the ring). I’m finally at the level where trainer is wrapping my hands and hitting me back; I’ve reached the mark that made me want to begin training in the first place!

So I’m not in the figurative Kansas anymore. Thank God for it! Maybe their truth telling and ignoring of elephants is exactly the motivation I need to get my head in the game and become the very best person I can during my time in this country. With any luck (and by luck, I mean I will keep my determination, hard work, and perseverance at a maximum--it’s my promise to you, my five dedicated readers;), I’ll extend it to my next stop after Thailand, wherever in the world that may end up being.   

If anyone needs to borrow a soapbox, I’m done using mine. 

the old "neung-sawng"

Let me attempt to paint a picture for you. Hop on the motorbike with me (a little Vespa type, if you will---and yes, we finally got one and moved up on the road chain!). We'll weave in and out of traffic, forgetting all the rules you've ever learned and only looking out for yourself (because that's the Thai way). We'll jet across Uttaradit (way faster than we did on that stinkin' bicycle) with ease, passing tons of vendors selling Som Tam (my favorite Thai meal), durian (the most disgusting fruit on the planet), sticky rice, meat on a stick, iced coffee, sodas poured in bags instead of cups, among hundreds of other options. We'll pass the Tesco Lotus (which is the equivalent to Walmart) and head a little out of town. Just past a beautiful golden temple, we'll turn down a hidden dirt road, often muddy due to rainy season. We'll get a little deeper in the jungle before we finally make it to our destination, which is the real treat. Are you still with me?

Imagine turning into a little residence just off the dirt road, and parking the motorbike among the dogs and chickens that are wandering in the puddles or vegetation around the muddy "driveway." To the right, there's an open air house that's on stilts. Underneath the house, next to the kitchen area, there's an old TV set up with a few people around it watching boxing, which is what we're here to learn. To the left is where that will happen: a worn boxing ring with a roof over it, surrounded by 3 or 4 punching bags having the stuffing all but beaten out of them by the boxers in training. Welcome to my new gym!

I was excited about coming to Thailand for a thousand reasons, but training in Muy Thai was one of the highest on the list. As soon as we got settled here in our new town, I asked around about who could train me and was greeted with a lot of awkward looks that I didn't expect seeing as how this is the national sport of Thailand. Finally, I was introduced to my wonderful friend, Pond, who has a history with Muy Thai. Not only has she trained, but it's also how she met her fiance who just happens to be a professional Thai boxer in Bangkok. She took us to meet our trainer last week, and once I set eyes on the whole place, people, and all around experience, it was love at first sight.

I'm a lover of a challenge. To travel is challenging. To make things like this happen is a challenge. But also small personal challenges, like running which I started seriously in late 2009, get me excited. My last race was my ultra-marathon back in 2011, and having run it on injured knees, it was kind of a funeral for them. I've been avoiding racing and serious running since because I can physically feel the pain that it caused every time I think about that race. I know my running days aren't over because I'm not willing to let them go, but I want to push my body to the next limit with boxing. It's something in which I've always been interested and said I'd do, but I've never taken the time to get serious with it. I promised myself not to pass the opportunity up now that I'm in the prime country for it.

I've dabbled in boxing before. My mom did her share of boxing as I was growing up, and I even taught a cardio-kickboxing class in college, but I've never had formal training. One of my best friends, Zach,  has a few black belts (no big deal, right?), so for a couple of months before I left we had some training and sparring sessions to get me ready. And thank goodness for them! I'm not in any kind of shape to be good yet, but Zach was able put details about form into words, which is something I can't get from my new trainer because he doesn't speak English.

So more about my new trainer and gym...but you'll have to use your imagination for a bit longer.

The trainer is probably my dad's age (so 30, right Daddy?), and made of 100% muscle (just like my dad, too ;), but not the bulky body builder type. This guy is just plain brick wall material. And get this: he's kind of famous. He's a retired professional boxer who was (and still is) known around the country. Pretty awesome that he, a man who talks, sleeps, eats, and breathes Thai boxing, is taking the time to instruct two Americans who have no real prior knowledge of the sport. He knows 5 English words: kick, block (which he pronounces "bok"), one, two, and good. Between that and watching the few other guys that train with us at the "gym," it's really all we need. He's as sweet as he can be, but what's best is that he pushes me harder than I've ever experienced, and it's exactly what I was hoping for. I wanted someone who makes me keep going when I can't, and holy canoli, he does that. Once we're done with the hour and a half session in the ring full of my trainer giving commands and what seems like millions of repetitions of "the old one-two"(or "the old neung-sawng" as we now call it in Thai), he motions to the floor which means it's time for the required number of sit ups and push ups. After that, there's bag work that consists of hundreds of reps to attempt to perfect knees, kicks, and punches. I've run 26 miles at a time and not been as tired as I am after a 2 hour boxing session. It takes every muscle and ounce of concentration. Sweating is to be expected any time in Thailand, but add being outside and boxing, and I can literally ring sweat out of my t-shirt once I'm finished (and then wash it off on the ab racks of the guys that train with us)!

This is actually one of my driest nights!

The guys at the gym are so patient. Our trainer is hilarious, too. When we work on front kicks to the stomach, he always falls backwards to humor me even though I know if I kicked him with all the force I could muster up straight in the abs, he wouldn't budge an inch. And the guys who train with us (who fight competitively and are on their way to being professional status) are so much fun to watch and learn from. At first it was awkward because no one speaks English, and my Thai as of now is a joke unless we're in a restaurant (see what I mean about the eating!?), but now it's just a good time when they show us different moves or let us spar with them (which is my favorite part :). It also helps that they're wildly attractive. They guys share about 1% body fat among them. 

Boxing now consumes the majority of my thoughts. When I wake up in the morning, I'm excited because I get to spend all day with my kiddos, and then after that head straight to the ring. Plus the more I fight, the more I'm able to eat afterwards. How sweet of a deal is that? I got to see my first live Thai boxing matches this past weekend. It's like the whole town gets together for these things. They set up as if the fair is coming to town; there are vendors selling food, drinks, and toys. Everyone hangs out until the fights start. They let us sit in the V.I.P. section, and made us feel as if we were almost as important as the main event! The evening started with the smaller boys, probably around age 12. Later in the night, the fights made their way up to grown men. Each of the fights were equally entertaining, and we even saw a couple of guys get knocked out. Everything is so alive; the crowd goes crazy, the boxers are animated, and there are guys placing and running bets for each round. I can't get enough of the atmosphere, and I can't help but get invested in the fighters more and more each match. I don't know if I'd ever be able to have a real go at it; for now, training is exciting enough for me. We shall see...All I'm sure of is if there's one thing that feels better than being in the ring, it's hopping on the motorbike to ride home, feeling a sense of accomplishment the whole way. 

After my first night. Go big or go home!

Things I've learned in Thailand so far:

33. Ask for Som Tam "nid noi phet," which means to Thais "just a little bit spicy" which means to us "tolerable only if consumed with a gallon of water."
34. Speaking of Som Tam, pronunciation is key. If you say Som Tom, or Sam Tam, no one will have even the slightest clue what you're talking about. If your pronunciation is even the slightest bit off, you are out of luck.
35. Leave food out anywhere for longer than 5 minutes? Come back expecting a side of ants.
36. All fruits have their own season. This is not the issue. The issue is that when they're not in season, they pickle them. Don't ask for mango in the off season. You will get pickled mango. And you will not like it. 
37. In boxing, when kicking and/or punching, the boxers yell a word as they exert the most force. The reason for this is the release of bad spirits. I am still trying to come up with the perfect demon releasing word. 
38. I've found chocolate milk (in a little juice box looking container) to be one of the most refreshing treats. 
39. Our Thai friend No (yes, that's her name), the sweet lady we met who graduated from Mercer University with her undergrad and the University of Alabama with her Masters, made us an entire notebook full of helpful ways to learn Thai. The epitome of kindness!
40. Dessert most nights is a fresh fruit smoothie made from any fruit of my choice. All organic ingredients, and all naturally sweetened. Dragon fruit is my favorite so far. Tonight I'm trying carrot! Hey, when in Thailand...

it's the little things

The rainy season is upon us! It was never more apparent than the other day when I was leaving school. I could have waited until it passed, but I was anxious to get home because one of Meredith's students was coming to spend the afternoon with us. I figured the 30 baht umbrella I'd purchased from Big C in Lampang could finally have the chance to prove its worth on the trek home, but it didn't rise to the challenge. Very few motor-bikers passed me on my walk, but I know the ones that did were probably laughing to themselves about the silly "farang" (foreigner) who thought it better to face the storm than wait it out. Umbrella turned inside-out, I waded home, not caring about myself getting wet anymore, but only keeping the computer dry. What's that cliche quote about learning to dance in the rain? I didn't so much dance as I did swim, but either way, it was more fun than waiting it out. 

It was such a treat to have Nook (Meredith's student) with us for the afternoon. We went to our usual restaurant; it's the one we keep going back to because the man who runs it is so friendly, and the food he cooks can't be beat. Nook helped us with our Thai, and also with our order seeing as how most of the time we just take our chances when trying to tell the cook what we'd like to eat. Nook was able to describe what we'd be getting ahead of time. The man, seeing our trouble every night, grabbed the attention of a university student off the street and kindly had him translate his menu so that we'd know what we were ordering from now on. If that's not customer service, then I don't know what is. If he didn't have our business daily before, he assured it with that move from here on out. 

Speaking of food, I had my first encounter with some serious peppers last weekend. Our favorite little coffee shop is attached to a posh restaurant that hosts live music nightly. We decided to don our finest going out looks and give it a try. No sooner had we taken our seats than a cute little boy brought us a box of round little jelly type candy things. Great description, right? (We later came to the conclusion that the best way to describe them was by comparing them to the looks of bath beads) Anyway, the little boy went on to tell us, in Thai, that the candies were compliments of the table of gentlemen that was looking down on us from the upstairs seating. We looked up, and sure enough they were smiling and waving to us. We thanked them with a return wave, and tried one of the candies. The good news is that they weren't drugged or spiked, and delicious to boot! The men turned out to be really polite guys just doing something nice. The bath beads were the least of my worries that night, anyhow. We had the waiter order for us, asking her to pick out one of her favorites for us to try. They brought our food out, and being the genius I am, I took a huge bite of multiple red bell peppers (or at least what I thought to be so). I couldn't tell you what happened within the next few minutes, but Meredith tells me that I blacked out. I have never tasted something so spicy, and never experienced a taste that was so impossible to extinguish. Apparently I couldn't even respond to Meredith, and when she asked me if I remembered our conversation, I realized I had absolutely no recollection. So it just goes to show, kids: If you see some peppers on a plate in Thailand, go ahead and assume they aren't of the bell persuasion, but instead something more along the lines of the fiery depths of hell here to destroy you (should you absentmindedly have a mouthful). 

As you've seen from the pictures, it's no secret that I'm head over heels for the kids here at school. And they've been nothing but wonderful to me right back. However, there is a gap in our communication. A gorgeous little girl of about 8 or 9 stopped me before I left class last week and said "Teacha Cow-see, you ah so fat and beeee-you-tih-fooo (beautiful)!" Either I'm dropping the ball on teaching them what fat means, or I need to lay off the sticky rice and noodles. So to remedy this situation, I am assuming that these angels know exactly what fat means, and I'm going to take the latter option. However, without rice or noodles, I am not left with an abundance of meal choices. I am left with plenty of cardio choices, though, and with the help of the students and one of the faculty members here at the college, I am going to whip myself back into my marathon running shape. Aside from running at the track here on campus every night with Meredith, I will now be getting Muay Thai lessons from one of the boxers at the local gym. Also, since everyone has an hour break for lunch, I have decided to spend the 45 minutes that I am not eating playing badmitton (the second most popular sport I've seen) or soccer (the first) with the older kids, or chasing the younger ones around the playground and catching them when they come down the slide (which they have gotten quite a kick out of). By gosh, I am determined to teach that little girl the meaning of the word "skinny," and have her point to me when she says it. 

On our way to dinner the other night (yes, most everything we do is centered on food, and when we'll next eat it...hence the "fat" problem), we were mounting our bike, and low and behold, Meredith directs my attention to none other than a baby elephant walking down the street! We  blinked a few times just to make sure we weren't dreaming (since Mer had literally dreamt of just that only last night) before quickly chasing after him. The little (or giant) darling was being led by a man who was running quite a business for himself: 20 baht to pet and feed it. We jumped at the opportunity before it passed us by, and the baby elephant knew exactly what was going on. No sooner had we shelled out the money than was his trunk searching and sniffing for his treat. He wasted no time grabbing the food out of our hands, and was gone as quick as he came, on to the next customer. It was so surreal continuing our bike ride passing motorbikes, cars, dogs, and then being reminded that we're in Thailand by sharing the road with an elephant. 

Above all else, this country has taught me to enjoy the small pleasures in life, one of the most important being a standard mattress. It's not like I had the epitome of all mattresses before. It's that I have a slab of styrofoam now. We've come to the conclusion that what they've given us must've been display mattresses or something of the sort. Whatever the material, it has no give, no bounce, no nothing. We have 2 twin beds; besides the bad mattress, the other is a little more forgiving. Still not anything to write home about because of the springs poking you all over, and the fact that it sags toward the middle making you having to grab the sides for support; however, it is welcomed in comparison to the other nightmare. Meredith and I switch beds every other night, and on my nights with the “good” mattress, it feels like Christmas came early. I literally look forward to it throughout the day. Sleep is so important, and for the first time in years, I’m trying to get at least 7 hours (as opposed to my usual 4-5 I’ve been getting the past few years). Aaaaallllll that to say,   if I wasn’t before, I am now even more appreciative of the little things in life. Rides home on motorbikes, poking springy mattresses, internet connection, bath bead jello candies, elephant sightings, truth-telling kids, cardio activities, bell peppers in cognito--stop and smell the jasmine, people!

Things I’ve learned after a month in Thailand:

25. Fruits here are as aesthetically pleasing as they are tasty.

26. I’m rekindling my love for all things Harry Potter by rereading the series with first time (and still oblivious) reader, Meredith.

27. You can buy RayBan sunglasses here for less than 3 bucks a pop. I’ve splurged on 3 pairs so far. 

28. After cutting back on my coffee addiction (and only having iced mochas as a treat), I am no longer able to enjoy one in the evenings. I found this out the hard way (and the night I had to sleep on the nightmare bed), and after having one for dessert, I stayed up all. night. long. staring at the ceiling.

29. My favorite source of protein now comes from tiny baby eggs (they almost look like robin eggs) that have been fried sunny side up, and sprayed and sprinkled with some really great Thai spices.

30. I carried a basket of laundry, basically African woman style (on my head), for about a quarter of a mile to the nearest laundry mat (which is more like 3 washing machines in an outhouse). Very worth it not to have to handwash everything, though.

31. We escaped the lizards, but have new creatures haunting us. Swarms of bats live in the roof above us. We actually had to duck to avoid them riding to dinner tonight because of their flying so low. 

32. We’ve put our airplane neck pillow to good use, as it now serves as a seat pad for the passenger on the bike. Not the most ideal of situations (because it tends to slide, leaving the rider in awkward positions), but certainly better than the previous!

the land of smiles

     We either walk or ride our bike everywhere, but it seems like what are getting the most exercise as of late are my cheeks from smiling all the time! I feel like I could start lifting weights with these bad boys. The kids cause the cheek workout ALL day long, and relief isn’t found after school because of either attempted (and successful, I might add) two-on-one-bike cycling adventures, story sharing from the day’s hilariousness, or attempting to talk with the locals. We never leave room for dull moments.

     On Wednesday night, a teacher named “Nancy” from Meredith’s school took us (Meredith, me, Allison, and Jeanie-two of our fellow TTC teachers who teach with Meredith) to explore Uttaradit in her “pre-oos” (otherwise known as a Toyota Prius). She bought us Thai ice-cream, showed us some good night markets, and even sampled a few maggots (see my Facebook page for video proof). Being the perfect tour guide she was, Nancy didn’t like to drive as she spoke, putting her full attention on us. Unfortunately, this didn’t mean that she pulled over on the side of the road to stop. It means she constantly tapped the breaks (never going over 35 mph), sometimes even coming to a complete halt in the middle of the road, cars and motorbikes speeding past us, just to show us a good restaurant. I’m guessing this is okay since Thailand doesn’t seem to have any traffic rules whatsoever. To my continued surprise, I’ve yet to see a wreck. Perhaps they’re on to something here.

     Thursday was a day for the books. From what I gathered, not just our school, but all of Thailand celebrates Teacher Appreciation Day at the same time. All the students and teachers walked to one of the buildings on campus where the ceremony was held, the students with their flower arrangements in tow. After getting each student in organized lines by class, synchronized bowing and prayer chanting started. My fellow teachers explained to me that the students were saying something along the lines of explaining what an important role teachers played in their lives; in Thailand, apparently the role of teacher is second only to the students’ parents. This is such an honor to me every single day. And these Thais? They know how to appreciate a teacher. I didn’t just get a few wayward “thank you’s” mumbled my way. I was bombarded by flower arrangements of all sorts, so much so that I had to have help carrying it all back to my office.

     I spent all day Friday signing autographs for my kids. When I tried to leave from my last class, they literally grabbed on to my legs and waist, like a miniature mob not letting me go. In each class, I greet the students with either a “Good morning!” or “Good afternoon!”, and they have been trained with an automatic chorused response of “I am fine, thank you, and you?” so this week I tried to work with them on telling me their real emotions. I think it had a little bit of an effect at least, because now whenever I pass those precious angels, their greeting is “Hello Teacha Cow-see, I am very happy!” I’m not sure I’ve seen anything cuter in my life. 

     It’s not just the students that have shown me such kindness and compassion. The community has been just as welcoming. Aside from Nancy taking us out in her pre-oos, other people are just as anxious to extend a helping hand. The other day on my walk home from school, a lady pulled up beside me in her motorbike, telling me in very broken English to hop on the back. In America, the last thing I would do is comply, but I decide it couldn’t hurt (much to my parents’ dismay as they’re reading this, I’m sure). Luckily, I was right not to worry because she took me straight to my apartment, and was thrilled to do as much! The same happened when Meredith and I were walking to our favorite coffee shop across town last night. A lady recognized us as the teachers she had heard about, asked us where we were going, and a few moments later we were on a motorbike, then being dropped off at our destination. I’m in for a rude awakening when I get back to America. The only “special treatment” I get there is from creepers asking if I “need help pumping my gas” at gas stations. Call me crazy, but something tells me the genuineness isn’t quite the same coming from the latter.

     It’s been a great week here in the Land of Smiles. I’m getting more attached every day, and not just to the sticky rice and sweet pork wrapped in a leaf (that’s my favorite so far), or my adoring fans (even though they’re only 5-15 years old). This country is said to be 3rd world, and even though I’m living on the high end of it, I haven’t even thought twice about the fact that it is. Sure, I’ve complained about the cold showers (but not so much lately because they’re starting to be welcomed after nights of biking), or the hundreds of stairs I have to climb to get to my humble abode, but when it comes down to it, I wouldn’t change a thing. It seems like none of the locals would either. They’re on to something here, these Thais. I think it’s called “being happy with what you have.” I’m glad it’s just the beginning. 

Things I’ve learned here after almost a month in Thailand:

17. Oh no. I think I like kids. Actually, I love them. (no worries, still not enough to birth my own)

18. It’s ok to accept rides from strangers here.

19. Thais make coffee that tastes like coffee! Not cream and sugar with a little bit of coffee flavor like we’re used to in America.

20. All we need is a little background serenade from Sarah McLachlan to make the world’s best animal rescue commercial. There are stray dogs everywhere you look. They’re pretty mangy, some even hairless, but they seem to be fairly happy. 

21. A giant plate of delicious local Thai food for less than a dollar here is going to spoil me for life. 

22. There is unspoken, unquestioned, un-judged acceptance for every lifestyle choice here in Thailand. 

23. Thais don’t acknowledge sneezing. Saying “bless you” (and hearing it after a sneeze of my own) is habit for me. Luckily, the sweet ladies in my office are now used to my attention to it. 

24. I don’t know if it’s just an Asian thing (help me out with this, Rebecca Holman), but the hardest thing to find in this country is a trashcan. 

life is but a dream

     It seems that the word "settled" wasn't quite fitting for my last entry seeing as how we've been moved to a new town. However, the move was welcomed after seeing how perfectly everything has turned out! There's so much to write about for one single entry, but I'll try not to leave too much out. Allow me to play a little catch up with you.
   
     Our new town is called Uttaradit (you-tar-ah-deet). It is much smaller than Lampang, but it seems to fit me just right. It seems an even cleaner and safer place to live. There is a college here, so it almost feels a little like Jacksonville...ya know, if Jacksonville was a small town in Thailand, had way more places to eat, much more to see, and everyone spoke Thai...

     Our new apartment is perfect. It's on the top floor of an apartment complex that's specifically used to house the teachers at my school. It's clean, well-lit, air conditioned (in one bedroom), and the best part is it's in walking distance to my school--only takes me about 10 minutes to get there every morning. If I so choose, I can stop by one of the local vendors for some sticky rice and muu (pork on a stick) for Thai breakfast.

     The school is giant. There are about 4,000 kids from ages 5 to 15. I've never seen anything like it. They treat me like an absolute superstar. They gawk and point in awe any time I pass them. Today I had many of them asking to take pictures of and with me, and was bombarded by my morning class of 60 five year olds wanting to shake my hand. It's standard procedure for them to bow their heads at each teacher any time they see them, so even that makes me feel like a princess. My first day, I was made to stand up in front of the entire student body to introduce myself during the morning gathering. I've never spoken to that many people at once before. Usually, I hate public speaking, but it wasn't terrible this time, especially seeing as how 90% of them had no idea what I was saying. They presented me with the most beautiful bouquet of red roses to welcome me. I was in love with the place long before the roses came, though.

     The school schedule here is interesting. The students gather from 7:30-8:00am or so, getting dropped off my their guardians. A song is played over the school intercom, signaling that it's time for students to gather. As the morning assembly starts, they sit in perfect lines all together. The teachers make announcements, students say the traditional prayers, and the marching band plays songs. Then at 8:30am, they go to their classrooms to start the day.

     My schedule is pretty exciting because it's always different. I teach about 4 to 5 classes per day, traveling to different classrooms and different ages for each lesson. There are 50 to 60 kids in each class (and here I was, thinking 30 was a lot in my classes at OMS). Even though I see over a thousand different kids a week, it feels like I don't even scrape the surface of the number of kids at the school. My main job, as told to me by the head of the English department, is to make learning English fun for the students. That's all I've ever wanted to do! There's never a dull moment because of the giant age range. I get to see the sweet little Thai babies and teach them the names of common classroom objects, and then I get to switch it up and teach the 12 year olds what the present simple tense is. And I'll be darned if the first thing my 13-14 year olds asked me wasn't about my love life! Except for their wording was "Have you boyfrraaaannn?" Makes me miss my OMS kiddos somethin' fierce! All this just goes to show...whether it's America or Thailand, I promise you I have the best job in the world.

     The other teachers here are so wonderful. All of the ladies in my office are hilarious and always so much fun to be around. They are always so sweet, and they constantly make sure that I'm happy, having a good day, and most importantly, that I've eaten. They keep feeding me all this wonderful food, and I keep wondering how they stay so skinny. It's a good thing I walk everywhere (and sweat like a man all day).

     The language barrier can be a tough thing with which to cope. I feel like my English is getting worse because I have to break it down so much, but this gives me a reason to strengthen my Thai. The ladies with whom I work have the greatest sense of humor, and I know we'd get along even better if my Thai was up to par. One of the teachers was listening to Justin Beiber in the office (where we go to work between classes) today, and when I commented on her selection of music, she told me he was her boyfriend. She is my favorite. They all want to take me out for karaoke and dancing, and I can't wait.
   
Monday, the 4th of June, climbed the charts as one of the best days of my life. I remember the first time Meredith and I even talked about teaching in Thailand. I laughingly said, "We could ride elephants there!" thinking about how that would be one of the perks. Ride elephants, we did. I can't express to you what it felt like finally getting to do that. Not only was it an elephant ride (which is an amazing experience in itself--one that makes me miss my sweet mother even more because elephants are her favorite animal. I can't wait to take her here when she visits!), but also the realization that the goal I'd set and worked so hard to reach has now been met. I am in the process of living one of my dreams. Life is so sweet.

Things I've learned after over a week of living in Thailand:
9. Being from America will get you everywhere as far as popularity goes.
10. Thai children are smart.
11. Thai people eat. All. The. Time. (my kind of folks!)
12. Girls love Hello Kitty, boys love Angry Birds.
13. The students respect their teachers and will trip over themselves to say hello first.
14. My tolerance for spicy food is rapidly growing (thanks to my fellow Thai teachers who are ensuring that it does!)
15. I no longer have to live in fear of lizards sleeping with me at night thanks to our new apartment. This is the greatest gift. One more good scare, and I was sure heart failure was upon me.
16. I really, really like this place. Everything is just as amazingly adventurous as I imagined it would be.

Coming at you live!

I’m finally settled. I think. I’m coming at you live from Lampang, Thailand. It’s a balmy 95 degrees, very sunny and humid, with the usual chance of rain. Oh, and there are geckos everywhere.

I’m sitting in my living room with the fan blasting at me trying to dry my sweat. I know that’s a super attractive image to picture. Trust me, it’s even better in real life. Not. Thankfully, we have air conditioners in our rooms, but I save that treat for when I sleep at night. The 3 bed/3 bath townhome that’s ours for the next year is actually very nice. The only thing I could complain about would be the geckos with which it turns out we share the place. I slept with eye mask and my light on last night just in case one of them tried to snuggle with me in the middle of the night. They make this creepy barking/chirping sound to announce their presence. It wakes me from a dead sleep which leads me to, ninja like, jump up on my bed while ripping my eye mask off and searching for the creepers. It makes it worse when I don’t find them, but still know they’re there. They say I’ll get used to this, but they don’t know how easily scared I get. I love nature, just not all the creepy crawlies that come with it. 

The journey to this point has been amazing for the most part. We were lucky enough to both get first class seats not only on the flight from Atlanta to Tokyo, but also from Tokyo to Bangkok. Any of you who’ve seen the movie Sex and the City 2 can appreciate the style in which we flew, for it was just that! We had seats that converted to beds, not to mention a vast collection of movies, shows, and music to choose from on our own personal flat screen TV. The best part was the never ending food and drink service. The kind of treatment we received on those flights will never be taken for granted. 

After traveling for what seemed like days (it was actually 30 hours total travel to make it to Lampang), we arrived at the tiny local airport. Dr. Nirund, the founder of Yonok University here in Lampang and director of Teach Thailand Corps, picked us up, and we were transported straight into teacher training. Nothing like hitting the ground running after not sleeping for 2 days. However, it was actually a help not to go to sleep in a way because it helped us to better adjust to the time change, which is exactly a 12 hour difference from Central time. We met the other teachers who have come from all different states (so far there are 13 of us, but I think there will be 2 others joining us later). We trained for a few hours, and then were treated to lunch at a local restaurant. I can’t tell you exactly what we ate except for the fact that it had chicken in it. I can tell you that it was exactly what I was hoping local Thai food would be like: a perfect blend of spices, vegetables, meat, noodles, and rice. I could go on all day about the delicious food. I’ll probably end up making an entire separate entry with details about it. 

Last night, we were taken to a farewell dinner (since some of the teachers will be traveling to other cities in Thailand to teach) where we were joined by teachers from all the schools at which each of us will be teaching. Two groups of students did special traditional Thai performances for us which was highly entertaining. Their culture is so fascinating and beautiful. All of the teachers were so welcoming and excited to meet us. They made us feel so at ease. 

Today, we took a trip to Big C, which is like a giant Thai version of Wal-Mart. I could’ve spent hours there, but since we had to be back for our language lessons, we had to make it a quick trip. We managed to come out with laundry baskets, toilet paper (which believe it or not, Thais do not use...yeah...), drinking water, adapters, and phones! I am making it a point to go back to this place and spend some quality time. There was so much to look at that I was almost overwhelmed. 

Things I’ve learned after a day and a half living in Thailand: 

1.Don’t rush to be on time. No one else is. And it’s ok!

2.Bring toilet paper with you everywhere you go. They don’t supply it. 

3.People will stare at you, but it’s not necessarily a bad thing. 

4.Barking geckos. They’re always there whether you can see them or not. 

5.I’m going to be perpetually sticky due to constantly sweating.

6.There are no traffic rules. 

7.The language is so tonal. It would be so much easier put to music.

8.Everyone is generally happy. It’s contagious.