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28.4.07

Farangs...

So I ventured into the heart of the city yesterday to return the bicycle that I had been renting. Apparently Tourist Season is in full swing.

The usual crowd of overweight european men and women has been replaced by fit, ablebodied aussies and americans. And they are all very attractive. I sat at a coffee shop yesterday and was overwhelmed with how many good looking young people there are walking around town now. I actually didn't cringe for once when I saw a few farangs with their shirts off. I was actually disappointed that more of them weren't running around shirtless. Even the women aren't looking like they're 6 months pregnant!

Makes you wonder why here... why now? I'm sure most of these kids aren't in college, because semesters don't finish until next month or so, i think. And they're not backbackers. I've now been able to decipher who is a backpacker and who is not.

1. They're carrying a backpack
2. They're exceptionally dirty
3. They have dreadlocks
4. They travel in packs of 4 and all wear the same outfit
5. They're keynok

Ok so it wasn't that hard. But these new tourists don't fit the mold. Which is refreshing. If i have to see another caravan of backpackers trudging through the jungle that is the asphalt streets and concrete buildings of Chiang Mai, i'm going to vow never to leave my Thai bubble again.

I'm nicely isolated in the corner of the city. Well it was worth it before this influx of tourists. I may contemplate moving into the city. hmmmm
25.4.07

Work Work Work...

Funny stories. Bill Cosby would find these pervertly funny.
Kids do the darnedest things and say the darndest things.

Take this week.
Monday
Usually my kids are pretty good at controlling their bodily fluids. I was actually impressed that if ever there were any accidents it was usually in the bathroom ara. Not on monday. It was a pee-tel-a-thon. Somehow two kids coordinated it in songtime to pee on the tumble mats from at the same time on opposite sides of the room. A few thai helpers began frantically running the kids to the bathroom leading two happy trails across the mats and thus ending our nursery song singing for the morning.

Yesterday
I have a student in my kindergarten classes that loves to tell the biggest lies. He is harmless when he does it, but i try to make him tell the truth so it doesn't get him into trouble when he's older. He tried to convince the rest of the class that he speaks russian, his father is as tall as the school building and that his brother is in grade 59.

But nothing compares to yesterday. One of my boys was scratching himself, inappropriately and I asked him to stop or go to the bathroom. He declared that his penis itched. I thought that was funny in its self as parents usually sugarcoat the male anatomy to their children. But then my pathological liar makes it ten times as funny when he shouts out that he has 7 penis'.

Ok so my kids are perverts too.

Today we made flags from different countries in my kindergarten class. The 2 most popular flags? Canada and Saint Lucia. I don't know why as neither flag is particularly easy to draw. I think kids have a thing for leaves/trees and triangles. We were working off a big poster I have of flags from all over the world. One of my girl students asked where the american flag was. And then asked where the american king's flag was. In thailand they wave the thai king's flag with pride along side the thai flag.

Innocence is great. I'm so glad that I have an opportunity to be a part of their lives and to be able to take this experience home with me.

I guess i should have called this post: Fun Fun Fun
21.4.07

Back...

I got back to Chiang Mai on Tuesday last week. I just now thought to update my blog. Bleh. Rayong sucked. The city was ok, the people were ok, but it rained everyday I was there. With the exception of the day that I left. So I never did make it to the beach. I spent too much money getting to Cambodia and back. Bleh. It wasn't fun.

It was nice seeing the guys again, although like most friendships the distance between us is causing us to drift apart. :( Or maybe it's just my complete lack of personality, either or, I'm sure the next visit will be just as awkwardly normal.

Work. Work. Work.

I've met a few interesting new people. Ranging from the owner of a local pub who wants me to go "Jam" whenever I want. I don't think I've jammed anything at all in my life. And the father of a student who just started preschool. He's a teacher at a local school and he suggested that me and him should go out sometime... with his wife of course. Ermmm ya.

So the selection of farang in Chiang Mai is the same. People looking out for number one, while pretending to be number two in order to attract number 3 who isn't anything like their ideal number 4. Who am I kidding? Thats the dating cycle in any city.

What I really want to get my fingers on is a humanism fellowship here in thailand or back home in El Paso, which I will be going home to in a few months time. Surprised?You shouldn't be. I can't live in Thailand forever. I'll continue this blog of course, I am thai-fly at heart.

Which I never did define Thai Fly. Well I wanted to travel and spread my wings and I was going to Thailand.. so.. That and I pictured a butterfly tattoo in thai calligraphy. Either or its a name of passion and travel and worldly perspective. I mean look at Lily Thai-She's not Thai at all!!!- But the name suggests exotic traits. Thai fly may not describe me personality, but it does describe my world scope and view of society.

That and Dizzy was already taken. Which describes my personality more accurately.
12.4.07

Rayong....

Let's do a recap of why I decided that moving to Chiang Mai would be the most excellent of ideas.

*Ahem* Before I came to Thailand I looked up the Royal Flora Exhibition and it sounded amazing! Millions of flowers from all over the world in one location. The sights the smells the fun! It was a definite factor in my choosing Chiang Mai. Unfortunately I didn't make it to the expo, :( Letdown #1.

And then there's Songkran, which I've talked about enough. In all of Thailand (the world if you want to be helluva specific) the place to go to celebrate Songkran is Chiang Mai. Every wayward family member returns to celebrate with their relatives in the city and tourisms increases by astounding numbers. There are hundreds of places to go and participate in the worlds largest water fight. It was another major determining factor in me moving up to Chiang Mai.

So with that in mind, I ask you why is that I'm sitting in an apartment in Rayong the day that Songkran begins?

Easy. I enjoy the company of my friends and when they randomly decide to leave the country, i have to randomly make arrangements to say goodbye. So I took the 15 hour bus ride down here, and I'm having a good time hanging out and talking. We were supposed to go to the beach this morning but...

Second day in a row its been raining. Happy Songkran! XD
7.4.07

And going...

Yesterday we had a Songkran celebration at our school. I work for a company called CEC. It is nationwide, but based here in Chiang Mai. They own the other school I work at called Little Stars. So it was a big party yesterday. People came in from all around the country.

But this isn't any normal holiday celebration like we had back at home. It was a very formal affair, with all the teachers and staff (that were thai) dressing in traditional lanna style clothes. Which is to be expected in a culture that is as old as thailand's. It was anything but traditional when the party was opened by a thai rock band performing american christian songs and the whole party singing along.

They proceeded to say their thanks to the principals and the founders of the school. Then the principals began to preach a sermon... for an hour and a half. They capped it all off with a prayer and then in honor of Songkran they sprinkled water on the officials, founders and elders hands.

I decided to go to the party because:
1.) I had nothing to do
2.) I thought it would be an interesting cultural experience
3.) Free food

Instead I was bored to death for 3 hours and afterwards I ate kanom jin (a chine dish of skinny noodles, chilli, lotus flower, sprouts and gelatin pigs blood) which i eat on a regular basis as it is. It was worth going to mingle with the teachers i've been avoiding like the plague. They're actually not that bad, and we had a nice conversation about the politics of thailand and southeast asia. And there was strawberry shortcake contributed by Teacher Wendy which was de-lic-i-ous!

Afterwards I walked to the mall, which is around the corner from my work. Now usually going to the mall is depressing for me because none of the clothes or shoes fit. But! Yesterday I found a few shirts that were really cute (and cheap!) in a store for gay men! So I bought them and found some pants that fit, but they were ugly so i didn't buy them! I am so ecstatic to find clothes that fit. Its been almost a year since i've bought something new!

But thats not important. At the mall I happened to hear a ruckus happening outside. So I went to investigate. They had set up a huge stage in front of the mall and there were performers on stage. But this wasn't a concert. This was an elaborate setup for 3 hours of live commercials advertising everything from 7/11 to Laundry soap. There was a person that would sing a lengthy jingle (in thai) and 3 or 4 backup dancers. The girls wore teeny tiny shorts and tops that sparkled and had logos for the product on it. And the men wore shaggy, fur vests and sparkly pants. It was really interesting and worthy of a picture. *hem hem*

So Songkran so far, has been disappointing but its sure to pick up this week. We'll see.
5.4.07

Songkran...

Well its here! I was riding to work today when i was held up by a parade of Thais dressed in outrageously Asian costumes. Golden umbrellas, children in flashy colors on the shoulders of their equally flashy relatives. Cymbals, drums, flutes, the whole she-bang. It was impressive and made me late for work, but no problems. Times like this I wish I had my camera and that I hadn't sent it south with the boys to take pictures. (hint hint: TAKE PICTURES!!!!)

While the national government declared this year there was to be [officially] 5 days of Songkran, the governor of Chiang Mai decided last week to extend Songkran to 10 days in the province। So Songkran is gradually picking up the pace. You can't walk into any shop without seeing the display of water guns for sale. Including Seven Eleven, Minimarts, Pharmacys, Restaurants and even a door to door water gun vendor. Its all about the marketing people!

The weather is getting unbearable. I now find no enjoyment at walking in from the heat into an air conditioned building because it feels like my skin is being raised a few inches from the meat. Very awkward and makes you go "Whooo"... thus making people look at you funny.




Whooooooooooooo.