Showing posts with label Thailand. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Thailand. Show all posts
15.6.07
Randomness...
A survey of sorts, things you may not know about me. Enjoy:
Do you have any pets? --Nope :( I love cats and I miss my cat Ricky. I'm a very affectionate person and enjoy cuddling and petting cats almost as much as I do people. Although I don't pet people very often, I get weird looks.
What's your favorite sport? --American Football, although Rugby is pretty awesome. I love to play a pick-up game of football, but its been a very long time since thats happened. Being last picked in a pick-up game and then rolling out and surprising a few people, thats always fun.
Do you enjoy sleeping late? --I'm a total morning person. I get so much done and I feel awesome waking up. Sometimes I do have to pull myself out of bed, but I'm usually up and around by about 7 every morning.
What's the weather like right now? --Hot and humid. Sticky weather is not fun. I miss the cool crisp breezes coming off the franklin mtns. in the fall.
Do you like your eggs scrambled or sunny side up? --I actually am very fond of egg whites! I like hardboiled eggs too... zomg! devilled eggs rock my life to the point of absolute frenzy! hehe
Do you collect anything? If so, what? --Coins from foreign countries and .pdf's on anything knowledgable. Hehe I'm a spaz. I enjoy learning new languages and about cultures. Not to mention my fascination with superstring theory.
Are you reliable? --Very much so. I'm responsible and punctual. I don't like letting people down or being late. I'm a workaholic most of the time because I really enjoy doing a good job. I'm the employee you love to hate!
What's your favorite invention? --The record player.. zamazing! And the computer. Nuff said.
What's your favorite day of the week and why? --Saturdays. I get more done and have more free time. I dislike Tuesdays. But I forget why. *shrug*
Do you have any nicknames? --Chang Noi= means baby elephant in Thai as I'm such an obese person compared to thai people. Hehe. And of course I was called Bob/bobby/Bobert in High school. Although no one has called me that in a very very long time.
What toothpaste do you use? --Colgate 12 hour something or other.
Do you enjoy challenges? --I find myself complacent without a challenge and thats settling for something that goes against my nature. Challenge me please!!!
What do you want to know about the future? --Will the mavericks ever win the playoffs? Am I going to end up like Bridgette Jones, a clutz who is unsatisfied with a lot about herself and incapable of making a good decision? Renee Zellweger is a personal hero of mine. Good ol' Texas girl.
Would you rather have money or love? --Money is so insignificant when compared to love. A lifetime of happiness is invaluable. My ideal situation would be to live in a small house/apt/whatever wherever with the person I love in a cluttered house full of books, knick knacks, messily efficient and unorganized, with an ample supply of coffee, fruit and breads, with good music on 24/7 and no TV in sight. My heart is swelling just at the thought. Add a few kids to the picture and you have my home sweet home.
Do you miss anyone right now? --A lot of people... everyone I care about I miss them terribly. If I haven't hugged you or kissed you in the last week, consider yourself deeply missed.
What's the last sporting event you watched? --Muay Thai boxing on TV. I would love to train to do muay thai. Its an effective, fun, challenging workout and I know that I could excel in it. Or get my butt kicked, either or.
Do you need to do laundry? --Oh ya. I just can't bring myself to take the time to do it. I miss washing machines. Doing it by hand is just not fun anymore. Hehe
Where were you when 9/11 happened? --Playing wallball on the back of A building at andress. Hans told me. It was after the chinese took one of our airplanes and had the crew detained. Hans came to school saying that they were saying on the radio that the chinese were blowing up our buildings. We laughed at him and continued playing.
Have you ever caught a butterfly? --Yesterday actually. Rescued it from being eaten by a 4 year old.
What's your favorite fruity scent? --Strawberries. My favorite fruit is chompoo and pineapples.
Have you ever sat on a roof? --Yes. Some of my better memories involves roofs. And the back of Hans's pickup truck with the whole gang there at various locations, playing truth or dare and pouring our hearts out. Also a good dinner at any random restaurant with the guys in dallas, bickering and bantering and all. I miss conversations.
Have you ever been to a different country? --O.O I lived in Germany when I was a kid and well now I live in Thailand. Easy enough. I would love to live in France, Japan, India and Brazil. I would love to visit Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Australia and New Zealand, South Africa and Korea.
Do you hold grudges? --I find myself incapable of holding grudges against anyone or anything. I actually like most people by default. The exception to the rule are people that 1.) Make other people feel stupid and 2.) Stupid people. Usually one and the same. But even then, I find it hard to hold a grudge against them.
What annoys you most in a person? --Laziness. I can only motivate an individual so much and if they are too lazy to accept my motivation, it really makes me feel like they're letting themselves down. You have to have a sense of self and live up to that sense and not settle for something less.
Are you right or left handed? --Right handed, but I'm attempting to teach myself the leftway too. I've been inactively attempting this for the last 3 years. Haha. And I still suck!
Do you have any siblings? --I have a beautiful sister and a wonderful brother. I haven't ever been big on family, but I'm hoping to be better when I make it home. I've never really been there for my siblings or my parents. Its a goal that I have now.
What is you middle name? --Dawn. :) Krystal Dawn I feel like a fairy or a stripper sometimes. :P
Are you for or against gay marriage? --I'm for allowing people to be themselves. I don't think its right to forbid people from expressing themselves. You don't yell at a child for coloring outside the lines on his coloring book, because it really doesn't matter. Its how he colors, its what he does and its not wrong. You don't tell a gay person that they can't marry some one they love because its wrong. Its not wrong, its just their style.
What are your thoughts on abortion? --I couldn't do it, but I won't stop you from doing it. I'm actually terrified of suffering the fate of my mother and having miscarriages. I couldn't actively kill any of my offspring, regardless of the situation, because I may never be able to have children again after that. Its a fear I've had for a long time.
What is the last law you’ve broken? --Driving the wrong way on a street, on the wrong side of the road, on a stolen motorbike, without a helmet to get to a job that I'm not legally allowed to be doing. :) That was this morning.
Where were you born? --FT. Sill, Oklahoma, USA
Where do you wish you were? --Wherever you are.. :)
Isn’t walking in the leaves romantic? --Very! The leaves don't fall off the trees in Chiang Mai and there isn't much of a fall season. But I would give anything to be walking through the falling leaves right now. It would put a smile on my face comparable only to the smell of honeysuckle and chasing lightning bugs/fireflies.
Do you like taking pictures? --I take horrible pictures if I'm the subject in the picture. I've only ever had one good picture taken in my life! The others were the best of the bad pictures. :P But I do like taking pictures, as long as i'm not in them. Oddity's and random shots are fun. I like photoshop and tinkering.
Do you like coloring? --I'm contemplating buying a coloring book and coloring the whole thing! Its nostalgic and its fun.
Are you shy? --I used to think I was when I was younger. But then something happened and I realized I wasn't shy, just waiting for my chance to bust out. I've been described as a person who isn't necessarily friendly, but who is really nice. And I agree with that description. I won't go out of my way to make your acquaintance, but if you ever need anything, I've got your back. Once you are my friend though, omg, I'll drive you nuts with my talking, mindless babbling that it is.
How many e-mails do you have? --I'm guilty of having a new email addy once every year or so. I have 2 that I actively check, 1 as a backup, 1 for official business and 1 as a decoy. I'm not paranoid, or hiding from anyone or anything. I just change my online identity... a lot. :P
Do you like cotton candy? --I was going to pick cotton candy as my favorite fruit smell earlier, but then i realized it wasn't a fruit. It smells soooo good though. And it tastes like clouds should taste. :)
What is your favorite season? --Autumn. When the trees change colors and the leaves start falling, the weather makes you wear warm comforting clothes and fall colors are so appealling to me. Kind of a recurring theme in this survey.
Well thats me. If you want to let me konw whats up with you, email me somethings I might not know about you, or message me on msn: kryminalkrystal@yahoo.com, or on myspace: http://www.myspace.com/dyzzi
Awesomeness.
Do you have any pets? --Nope :( I love cats and I miss my cat Ricky. I'm a very affectionate person and enjoy cuddling and petting cats almost as much as I do people. Although I don't pet people very often, I get weird looks.
What's your favorite sport? --American Football, although Rugby is pretty awesome. I love to play a pick-up game of football, but its been a very long time since thats happened. Being last picked in a pick-up game and then rolling out and surprising a few people, thats always fun.
Do you enjoy sleeping late? --I'm a total morning person. I get so much done and I feel awesome waking up. Sometimes I do have to pull myself out of bed, but I'm usually up and around by about 7 every morning.
What's the weather like right now? --Hot and humid. Sticky weather is not fun. I miss the cool crisp breezes coming off the franklin mtns. in the fall.
Do you like your eggs scrambled or sunny side up? --I actually am very fond of egg whites! I like hardboiled eggs too... zomg! devilled eggs rock my life to the point of absolute frenzy! hehe
Do you collect anything? If so, what? --Coins from foreign countries and .pdf's on anything knowledgable. Hehe I'm a spaz. I enjoy learning new languages and about cultures. Not to mention my fascination with superstring theory.
Are you reliable? --Very much so. I'm responsible and punctual. I don't like letting people down or being late. I'm a workaholic most of the time because I really enjoy doing a good job. I'm the employee you love to hate!
What's your favorite invention? --The record player.. zamazing! And the computer. Nuff said.
What's your favorite day of the week and why? --Saturdays. I get more done and have more free time. I dislike Tuesdays. But I forget why. *shrug*
Do you have any nicknames? --Chang Noi= means baby elephant in Thai as I'm such an obese person compared to thai people. Hehe. And of course I was called Bob/bobby/Bobert in High school. Although no one has called me that in a very very long time.
What toothpaste do you use? --Colgate 12 hour something or other.
Do you enjoy challenges? --I find myself complacent without a challenge and thats settling for something that goes against my nature. Challenge me please!!!
What do you want to know about the future? --Will the mavericks ever win the playoffs? Am I going to end up like Bridgette Jones, a clutz who is unsatisfied with a lot about herself and incapable of making a good decision? Renee Zellweger is a personal hero of mine. Good ol' Texas girl.
Would you rather have money or love? --Money is so insignificant when compared to love. A lifetime of happiness is invaluable. My ideal situation would be to live in a small house/apt/whatever wherever with the person I love in a cluttered house full of books, knick knacks, messily efficient and unorganized, with an ample supply of coffee, fruit and breads, with good music on 24/7 and no TV in sight. My heart is swelling just at the thought. Add a few kids to the picture and you have my home sweet home.
Do you miss anyone right now? --A lot of people... everyone I care about I miss them terribly. If I haven't hugged you or kissed you in the last week, consider yourself deeply missed.
What's the last sporting event you watched? --Muay Thai boxing on TV. I would love to train to do muay thai. Its an effective, fun, challenging workout and I know that I could excel in it. Or get my butt kicked, either or.
Do you need to do laundry? --Oh ya. I just can't bring myself to take the time to do it. I miss washing machines. Doing it by hand is just not fun anymore. Hehe
Where were you when 9/11 happened? --Playing wallball on the back of A building at andress. Hans told me. It was after the chinese took one of our airplanes and had the crew detained. Hans came to school saying that they were saying on the radio that the chinese were blowing up our buildings. We laughed at him and continued playing.
Have you ever caught a butterfly? --Yesterday actually. Rescued it from being eaten by a 4 year old.
What's your favorite fruity scent? --Strawberries. My favorite fruit is chompoo and pineapples.
Have you ever sat on a roof? --Yes. Some of my better memories involves roofs. And the back of Hans's pickup truck with the whole gang there at various locations, playing truth or dare and pouring our hearts out. Also a good dinner at any random restaurant with the guys in dallas, bickering and bantering and all. I miss conversations.
Have you ever been to a different country? --O.O I lived in Germany when I was a kid and well now I live in Thailand. Easy enough. I would love to live in France, Japan, India and Brazil. I would love to visit Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Australia and New Zealand, South Africa and Korea.
Do you hold grudges? --I find myself incapable of holding grudges against anyone or anything. I actually like most people by default. The exception to the rule are people that 1.) Make other people feel stupid and 2.) Stupid people. Usually one and the same. But even then, I find it hard to hold a grudge against them.
What annoys you most in a person? --Laziness. I can only motivate an individual so much and if they are too lazy to accept my motivation, it really makes me feel like they're letting themselves down. You have to have a sense of self and live up to that sense and not settle for something less.
Are you right or left handed? --Right handed, but I'm attempting to teach myself the leftway too. I've been inactively attempting this for the last 3 years. Haha. And I still suck!
Do you have any siblings? --I have a beautiful sister and a wonderful brother. I haven't ever been big on family, but I'm hoping to be better when I make it home. I've never really been there for my siblings or my parents. Its a goal that I have now.
What is you middle name? --Dawn. :) Krystal Dawn I feel like a fairy or a stripper sometimes. :P
Are you for or against gay marriage? --I'm for allowing people to be themselves. I don't think its right to forbid people from expressing themselves. You don't yell at a child for coloring outside the lines on his coloring book, because it really doesn't matter. Its how he colors, its what he does and its not wrong. You don't tell a gay person that they can't marry some one they love because its wrong. Its not wrong, its just their style.
What are your thoughts on abortion? --I couldn't do it, but I won't stop you from doing it. I'm actually terrified of suffering the fate of my mother and having miscarriages. I couldn't actively kill any of my offspring, regardless of the situation, because I may never be able to have children again after that. Its a fear I've had for a long time.
What is the last law you’ve broken? --Driving the wrong way on a street, on the wrong side of the road, on a stolen motorbike, without a helmet to get to a job that I'm not legally allowed to be doing. :) That was this morning.
Where were you born? --FT. Sill, Oklahoma, USA
Where do you wish you were? --Wherever you are.. :)
Isn’t walking in the leaves romantic? --Very! The leaves don't fall off the trees in Chiang Mai and there isn't much of a fall season. But I would give anything to be walking through the falling leaves right now. It would put a smile on my face comparable only to the smell of honeysuckle and chasing lightning bugs/fireflies.
Do you like taking pictures? --I take horrible pictures if I'm the subject in the picture. I've only ever had one good picture taken in my life! The others were the best of the bad pictures. :P But I do like taking pictures, as long as i'm not in them. Oddity's and random shots are fun. I like photoshop and tinkering.
Do you like coloring? --I'm contemplating buying a coloring book and coloring the whole thing! Its nostalgic and its fun.
Are you shy? --I used to think I was when I was younger. But then something happened and I realized I wasn't shy, just waiting for my chance to bust out. I've been described as a person who isn't necessarily friendly, but who is really nice. And I agree with that description. I won't go out of my way to make your acquaintance, but if you ever need anything, I've got your back. Once you are my friend though, omg, I'll drive you nuts with my talking, mindless babbling that it is.
How many e-mails do you have? --I'm guilty of having a new email addy once every year or so. I have 2 that I actively check, 1 as a backup, 1 for official business and 1 as a decoy. I'm not paranoid, or hiding from anyone or anything. I just change my online identity... a lot. :P
Do you like cotton candy? --I was going to pick cotton candy as my favorite fruit smell earlier, but then i realized it wasn't a fruit. It smells soooo good though. And it tastes like clouds should taste. :)
What is your favorite season? --Autumn. When the trees change colors and the leaves start falling, the weather makes you wear warm comforting clothes and fall colors are so appealling to me. Kind of a recurring theme in this survey.
Well thats me. If you want to let me konw whats up with you, email me somethings I might not know about you, or message me on msn: kryminalkrystal@yahoo.com, or on myspace: http://www.myspace.com/dyzzi
Awesomeness.
13.5.07
IN YO FACE!...
Well as my landlady said last week, "You won't be lonely anymore." Heh. That about sums it up.
Daniel, David and Mon (the sweetest most inspiring thai girl on the planet) have graced Chiang Mai with their pressence once again.
I'm actually missing my free time now that we are all around each other so much, but its not a bad thing.
And as i'm working 50+ hours a week, I seriously don't have anything else to talk about. So this blog was a waste of time and energy and mainly just to let you all know that i am not dead, but i have nothing to report.
Daniel, David and Mon (the sweetest most inspiring thai girl on the planet) have graced Chiang Mai with their pressence once again.
I'm actually missing my free time now that we are all around each other so much, but its not a bad thing.
And as i'm working 50+ hours a week, I seriously don't have anything else to talk about. So this blog was a waste of time and energy and mainly just to let you all know that i am not dead, but i have nothing to report.
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
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
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.
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
*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.
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.
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.
31.3.07
Stupidity...
I forgot to let you all know that since the end of February, Chiang Mai has been under an almost dangerous level of pollution.
Royal Flora, the flower expo, that was here from November-January brought with it millions of tourists. So in order for the city of Chiang Mai to look its best, all districts and cities were ordered to not burn any overgrowth, trash or start and misc. fires. So of course when Febrary rolled around everyone burned everything!
Because of this and the already horrid pollution, the sky looks like its in a constant state of fog. Its horrible. I'm buying a new one tonight.
Chiang Mai city hall's solution to the problem? Dump thousands of gallons of water into the air from firefighting airplanes. Thus causing it to rain... ?
They had several weeks of water dumping and no rain, just a massive increase of the mosquitoes that love to chomp on me when i sleep. And finally yesterday it all paid off.
The day started out like any other. Really really, hot. And then in the middle of the afternoon it got windy. Then the sky darkened and thunder was heard. The sky turned to a dark yellow, everyone who's been through a severe thunder storm or a tornado knows that color yellow. Then with a strike of lightning it rained.
20 seconds later, the storm blew away and the sun came out.
So after wasting millions of gallons of water, while most of the districts are experiencing a water shortage, for 20 seconds of rain that has done nothing to abate the pollution, what do you think is the lesson they learned?
They're going to try again tomorrow with more planes and more water.
Mother Nature: 1
Thailand: -3
Royal Flora, the flower expo, that was here from November-January brought with it millions of tourists. So in order for the city of Chiang Mai to look its best, all districts and cities were ordered to not burn any overgrowth, trash or start and misc. fires. So of course when Febrary rolled around everyone burned everything!
Because of this and the already horrid pollution, the sky looks like its in a constant state of fog. Its horrible. I'm buying a new one tonight.
Chiang Mai city hall's solution to the problem? Dump thousands of gallons of water into the air from firefighting airplanes. Thus causing it to rain... ?
They had several weeks of water dumping and no rain, just a massive increase of the mosquitoes that love to chomp on me when i sleep. And finally yesterday it all paid off.
The day started out like any other. Really really, hot. And then in the middle of the afternoon it got windy. Then the sky darkened and thunder was heard. The sky turned to a dark yellow, everyone who's been through a severe thunder storm or a tornado knows that color yellow. Then with a strike of lightning it rained.
20 seconds later, the storm blew away and the sun came out.
So after wasting millions of gallons of water, while most of the districts are experiencing a water shortage, for 20 seconds of rain that has done nothing to abate the pollution, what do you think is the lesson they learned?
They're going to try again tomorrow with more planes and more water.
Mother Nature: 1
Thailand: -3
27.3.07
One More..
I compiled a few Humanism documents including the Manifestos for a personal reference page. Here is the Snapshirt Word Cloud it generated:
Songkran is coming up in 3 weeks. Thats the Thai New Year. This year they are celebrating the year 2550! Woohoo! :) If you remember me telling you before, Songkran is the week long holiday where they splash water on eachother all day long. I don't work for five days, so its my minivacation.
Its going to be a lot of fun. The biggest Songkran celebration is here in Chiang Mai. The boys are really going to miss out. I sent the camera to them, so you'll have to see if they post any pictures online because i can't. :(
I might be going to an elephant camp next weekend. It is owned by one of my adult students that i teach at night. I'll ride on the elephants, go down the river on a raft, eat from a restaurant in the trees and climb across rickety bridges like the common tourist i'm not. What fun!
If you wanna check out that site:
http://www.geocities.com/thai.fly0/humanism.html
Songkran is coming up in 3 weeks. Thats the Thai New Year. This year they are celebrating the year 2550! Woohoo! :) If you remember me telling you before, Songkran is the week long holiday where they splash water on eachother all day long. I don't work for five days, so its my minivacation.
Its going to be a lot of fun. The biggest Songkran celebration is here in Chiang Mai. The boys are really going to miss out. I sent the camera to them, so you'll have to see if they post any pictures online because i can't. :(
I might be going to an elephant camp next weekend. It is owned by one of my adult students that i teach at night. I'll ride on the elephants, go down the river on a raft, eat from a restaurant in the trees and climb across rickety bridges like the common tourist i'm not. What fun!
26.3.07
Snapshirts...
Interesting site I stumbled on from a fellow blogger. You just enter in your blog myspace page url and it generates the most used words on it. Here are two examples:
This one is from this blog.
This one is from my myspace page.
Interesting...
25.3.07
Here's to you Paul...
When I said "work hard" I took the saying to heart. Halfway into the month of January I got a job working weekday mornings at a Bilingual Nursery School here in Chiang Mai. Then I took a job teaching Private English Lessons weeknights and weekends. And just to ensure that I had no available freetime left I capped it off with another job teaching afternoon classes at yet another school.
Now 3 months later, I've toned it down some. I'm now full-time at the Nursery School and Weeknights with private lessons. It's a meager schedule of waking up at 6:00 eating breakfast, riding my bike 5 kilometers to work, teaching nursery school until 5 and going to my private lessons. I finish my last class at 9 p.m. and ride my bike home. I have just enough time to scramble together a dinner, read a few chapters in my latest book (Just finished Chapterhouse Dune) and fall asleep.
Now you may ask yourself, as Brian did repeatedly, why on earth would I do this? Well I can say that its not for the money. I get paid fairly decent, and despite the long hours, the work is incredibly easy. But nothing worth staying for.
Around the same time I began to emerse myself in work, Danny moved away. And now this last week Brian and Nok did too. Some time ago i decided I needed some alone time. By forcing myself into commitments of working, I have left myself no amount of idle time.
Today was the first time in the last 5 years (almost exactly, happy un-anniversary to us Brian) that I have been alone for the entire day. I woke up at the insane hour of 9:30 and cleaned my room. After that, I did the laundry and opened up my book. Read a few chapters, put the book down, stood up did some exercises. I picked up my book, read a few chapters. Put the book down. Went for a walk to the internet shop. Checked my email. Went home, had some breakfast. Picked up my book. Put it down. Practiced my Thai. Became restless, went to get some coffee. Got on my bike, went to the coffee shop. Studied my Thai some more. Went home. Exercised some more. Read my book. Threw it down. Walked to the grocery store. Bought some facial wash and a loaf of bread. Went home. Cleaned my face... ate some bread. Picked up that damn book once more (sorry mom) put it down. Went into the bathroom, began the systematic genocide of the ants that live in my walls, by clogging their entrance holes with pieces of bar soap. Played Tra-kaw, by myself. And decided I need to go eat dinner. On my way, I stopped here at the internet.
Lesson?
I DO NOT NEED IDLE TIME!
It's 7 o'clock at night and I have accomplished nothing today but temporarily having an ant free bathroom in which i can wash my face with newly purchased rose water anti acne facial foam. (The only part of the product that's in English)
I must admit, I am grateful for the lack of speaking with anyone. It gives me an incredible amount of time to think and then to think about the roots of my thoughts. In the weeks that i have been riding to work, I've managed to control my random trails of thought. But now with nothing to do, sporatic does not even begin to describe the thought patterns i've been having.
I have looked at my empty luggage more than once today in anticipation of joining my friends in the south (Rayong- google it) and I am looking forward to that day. Hopefully by then i will have some control over my free time, so as not to try to throw my friends at the wall when i've bored of them.
>:)
Now 3 months later, I've toned it down some. I'm now full-time at the Nursery School and Weeknights with private lessons. It's a meager schedule of waking up at 6:00 eating breakfast, riding my bike 5 kilometers to work, teaching nursery school until 5 and going to my private lessons. I finish my last class at 9 p.m. and ride my bike home. I have just enough time to scramble together a dinner, read a few chapters in my latest book (Just finished Chapterhouse Dune) and fall asleep.
Now you may ask yourself, as Brian did repeatedly, why on earth would I do this? Well I can say that its not for the money. I get paid fairly decent, and despite the long hours, the work is incredibly easy. But nothing worth staying for.
Around the same time I began to emerse myself in work, Danny moved away. And now this last week Brian and Nok did too. Some time ago i decided I needed some alone time. By forcing myself into commitments of working, I have left myself no amount of idle time.
Today was the first time in the last 5 years (almost exactly, happy un-anniversary to us Brian) that I have been alone for the entire day. I woke up at the insane hour of 9:30 and cleaned my room. After that, I did the laundry and opened up my book. Read a few chapters, put the book down, stood up did some exercises. I picked up my book, read a few chapters. Put the book down. Went for a walk to the internet shop. Checked my email. Went home, had some breakfast. Picked up my book. Put it down. Practiced my Thai. Became restless, went to get some coffee. Got on my bike, went to the coffee shop. Studied my Thai some more. Went home. Exercised some more. Read my book. Threw it down. Walked to the grocery store. Bought some facial wash and a loaf of bread. Went home. Cleaned my face... ate some bread. Picked up that damn book once more (sorry mom) put it down. Went into the bathroom, began the systematic genocide of the ants that live in my walls, by clogging their entrance holes with pieces of bar soap. Played Tra-kaw, by myself. And decided I need to go eat dinner. On my way, I stopped here at the internet.
Lesson?
I DO NOT NEED IDLE TIME!
It's 7 o'clock at night and I have accomplished nothing today but temporarily having an ant free bathroom in which i can wash my face with newly purchased rose water anti acne facial foam. (The only part of the product that's in English)
I must admit, I am grateful for the lack of speaking with anyone. It gives me an incredible amount of time to think and then to think about the roots of my thoughts. In the weeks that i have been riding to work, I've managed to control my random trails of thought. But now with nothing to do, sporatic does not even begin to describe the thought patterns i've been having.
I have looked at my empty luggage more than once today in anticipation of joining my friends in the south (Rayong- google it) and I am looking forward to that day. Hopefully by then i will have some control over my free time, so as not to try to throw my friends at the wall when i've bored of them.
>:)
1.1.07
HNY!
Happy New Year and belated Merry Christmas!
Its been a while since I blogged, but internet is hard to come by now. So i'll make this short and sweet!
New Years Resolution: Work hard, play hard, have fun and get places! Easy enough.
Its been a while since I blogged, but internet is hard to come by now. So i'll make this short and sweet!
New Years Resolution: Work hard, play hard, have fun and get places! Easy enough.
8.12.06
Thai Delicacies...
So over the course of being here in Thailand I have had the delightful opportunities to try some new things. There is of course the delicious Thai food, which i will miss when the time comes to leave Thailand.
Rice is in everything, and I wouldn't want it any other way. And of course chicken and mushrooms and sauces. Its incredible.
But then again, you do get those rare opportunities to try things that you normally wouldn't get the chance to try. Or want the chance to try. Here's a small list of the few things that i have found myself putting past my lips...
1. Chicken Feet- This is boiled in sauce until the meat falls of the bone. And yes there is meat to chicken feet. If it is boiled long enough it has a fatty texture to it and a chicken taste. Not that it tastes like chicken, but since chicken tastes like everything, then it doesn't really have a taste at all. You eat it whole, so beware the bones! Score: 5/10 It was OK and I'd have it again, but i wouldn't go out of my way to eat another one.
2. Deep-Fried Grubs- A weird sort of thing to eat while out having a beer, but that's what i found myself doing. These little guys are quickly fried so that their outsides are crispy and there insides are nonexistent. Had the taste and the texture of a Cheeto with no cheese. Score: 6/10 I wouldn't ever find myself craving them, but...
3. Fried Crickets- If you can get past the legs and the antennae and the texture of the head and body, you might be able to enjoy them. I could not. I tried swallowing them whole at first, I've only ate a handful or so, but that wasn't possible and i found one stuck in my throat. So you have to crunch them, which was too much for me. Score: 3/10 I will do my best to avoid eating these guys just for the nauseating factor alone.
4. Sauteed Grubs- These little guys aren't deep fried. But mixed with an oily sauce and cooked like you would a mushroom. They are still hard, but soft on the inside, which wasn't my cup of tea. If I'm gonna eat a bug, it had better be a bug that doesn't make me think I'm eating a bug. Score: 3/10 If you eat it, you can swallow it whole, I wouldn't recommend chewing these guys.
So that's that. I'll let you know what else I happen to digest. Purposefully that is. I'm sure since I've been down here I've ate a million and one ants, flies or other bug particles. Reminds me of Taco Cabana. Hahaha.
Rice is in everything, and I wouldn't want it any other way. And of course chicken and mushrooms and sauces. Its incredible.
But then again, you do get those rare opportunities to try things that you normally wouldn't get the chance to try. Or want the chance to try. Here's a small list of the few things that i have found myself putting past my lips...
1. Chicken Feet- This is boiled in sauce until the meat falls of the bone. And yes there is meat to chicken feet. If it is boiled long enough it has a fatty texture to it and a chicken taste. Not that it tastes like chicken, but since chicken tastes like everything, then it doesn't really have a taste at all. You eat it whole, so beware the bones! Score: 5/10 It was OK and I'd have it again, but i wouldn't go out of my way to eat another one.
2. Deep-Fried Grubs- A weird sort of thing to eat while out having a beer, but that's what i found myself doing. These little guys are quickly fried so that their outsides are crispy and there insides are nonexistent. Had the taste and the texture of a Cheeto with no cheese. Score: 6/10 I wouldn't ever find myself craving them, but...
3. Fried Crickets- If you can get past the legs and the antennae and the texture of the head and body, you might be able to enjoy them. I could not. I tried swallowing them whole at first, I've only ate a handful or so, but that wasn't possible and i found one stuck in my throat. So you have to crunch them, which was too much for me. Score: 3/10 I will do my best to avoid eating these guys just for the nauseating factor alone.
4. Sauteed Grubs- These little guys aren't deep fried. But mixed with an oily sauce and cooked like you would a mushroom. They are still hard, but soft on the inside, which wasn't my cup of tea. If I'm gonna eat a bug, it had better be a bug that doesn't make me think I'm eating a bug. Score: 3/10 If you eat it, you can swallow it whole, I wouldn't recommend chewing these guys.
So that's that. I'll let you know what else I happen to digest. Purposefully that is. I'm sure since I've been down here I've ate a million and one ants, flies or other bug particles. Reminds me of Taco Cabana. Hahaha.
26.11.06
Impressed?
So I taught myself how to ride a crotch rocket. I'm a biker babe now.
Cross that off my "To-Do list before I die".
Now about that skydiving thing? Haha
Cross that off my "To-Do list before I die".
Now about that skydiving thing? Haha
19.11.06
.........
****flashback****
We'd been in Chiang Mai for about a week. We woke up one morning, I looked at the time on my cell phone, tossed it aside and got up for the day. A few hours later, can't find the cell phone...
We'd been living in Chiang Mai for about a month and a half. Wake up one morning, Duan had stolen 7500 baht...
We'd been living in Chiang Mai for about 2 months. Wake up get some money out of the bag, take note of how much is in there. 3000 baht comes up missing later on...
We'd been living in Chiang Mai for 2 1/2 months. Went to the pawn shop, cashed in a game boy. Came back took inventory: Brian's Ipod and unopened Ipod. Mental note to cash those in later too. Krystal's Ipod, no where to be found...
Motorbike stolen from Spiceys...
****End Flashback****
About 3 days ago, I was rummaging through my bag looking for my perfume and thats when i realized the Ipod we had hidden to cash in later was missing. I tore up my bag and my room. No where in sight. I questioned Brian and he didn't move it. Not in any of his bags. We questioned Danny, and he hadn't seen it. We tore up the house looking for it. And there sat Mook. Playing Pangya (google it) as innocent as the day she was spawned.
I had had enough. I kept my cool as long as I could as we were asking her about it. Keep in mind that, not counting my ipod that vanished, we have Danny's Ipod and Brian's Ipod that are always in a constant state of floating around the house. We asked her if she saw the ipod. Her response, "The one in the box. The white one? No I haven't seen it." Admitting her own guilt there, the interrogation continues. Ironically the wallcharge to the ipods is also missing. So now we know it had to have been her. Any doubt is now gone. No one knew where we kept the ipod or what the heck that white thing was plugged into the wall.
I blew up.
I started telling mook everything that she needed to know to know that she was the scum of the earth. Basically it went like this, "Mook. You know we have no money? right? You know that I make only 4000 baht 2 weeks? Right? You know we cannot live here no more because not have money? And you take from us! You live here for FREE, you eat for FREE and you take from us? You are a bad friend. You are bad." And she proceeded to evolve from innocent spawn to demon spawn and "threatened" to "just go". Of course I wouldn't have cared. At some point Brian jumped in on the attack, and Danny feeling sensible to her feelings stopped the whole affair and said she wasn't going anywhere.
I never had the intention of kicking her out into the street. At some point she was a nice person to me. But I wanted to let her know she was not welcome here anymore. She hasn't talked to me since then, but...
That was a few nights ago. Saturday night, Mook is still around, biding her time. We were waiting for Danny to make a move. He was planning on going to a buddhist temple for a week or so, at which point he would take her with him and then she would have that opportunity to make arrangements to move out. But Danny was having a hard time finding a temple that would allow him to bring in books to read. Anyways, we had our guard still up, but we were still so very stupid...
James Bond. In all his interestingness and his buff glory he is the reason why i have to write such a sad ending. James bond... We'd been looking forward to seeing this movie for a while now. And we finally get the chance Saturday night. We buy are tickets, Mook pays for herself and surprisingly for Danny too. We eat some pizza and we head into the movie. Before the movie starts playing Mook says her stomach hurts and she heads out of the theater. Danny says she didn't come back immediately, but he assumed she had just sat down some where behind us. It was James Bond's interestingness that kept Danny glued to the screen instead of looking for Mook...
The movie ends we look around, no mook. We glance around outside, no mook. I'm not concerned at all. I was hoping she had ran off with some friends into the night and then we'd officially be done with her. We decided instead of taking a taxi home, to walk instead. It was maybe only a mile or so. And then when we got to our neighborhood, a nice stop off at the ol' milk zone was in order. So basically, it took us quite a while to get home.. if it had not taken this long, maybe....
We get home. I say goodnight to the boys and head up to sleep. It was already 2 and I had work early in the afternoon.
I was woken up at 5 a.m. Brian is shaking me gently and informing me that we have a problem...
He makes sure I am awake before he tells me anything. And he informs me that...
****Story****
Mook had taken what was left of my paycheck from working at london house, 3100 baht, and our piggy bank that was full to the max of baht coinage, maybe less than 2000 baht. And she did this while we were at the movie and then went to stay at a guest house. She confessed to taking the money to Danny when he came back home and signed onto MSN. She said she wanted to give him the money back, and so he went to where she said to meet him. They met up, she led him on a goose chase and eventually he ended up waiting for her for an hour and a half. He comes home, sure that he will never see her again...
Maybe an hour passes, and a tuktuk pulls up outside, Mook gets off and comes into the house. Boys are a little surprised, she says she's tired and heads up to bed. Danny of course won't let her sleep, begins interrogating her. At first she says that she had the money, she would give it back. She promised she would give it back. Then of course under pressure she tells a better truth, she gave the money to a friend.
He brings her back downstairs and I am awoken....
****End Story****
As i'm getting up and dressed, I do an inventory count in my head. Cell phone? Check. Grandma's necklace? Check. Sunglasses? Check. Camera? Thats downstairs...
Head downstairs. If you've ever seen A Clockwork Orange, and Alex's P.O. officer sees him in the interrogation room, well thats about how i felt. Like I was glad she put her in this situation, gloating. Well that was until I finished my inventory... she'd taken my digital camera.
I was furious. If you look back, nothing of Danny's has ever come up missing. Nothing! She and Duan have only stolen from me! I haven't done anything wrong!
The end to this story. We were waiting for the sun to come up so we can flag down a taxi and escort Mook to the police. No taxi's run this late/early in the night/morning, so we could only wait. Somewhere along the line, Brian got mook confessing on a recording on his phone. We were set. I headed for a shower and Danny escorted mook upstairs to the 4th story...
Well as all criminals do when penned up, she looked for an escape. She scaled out of the 4th story balcony and escaped into the night/morning...
Lessons learned:
-Thai people cannot be trusted. Their society makes them think lying and stealing is ok. If a thai person steals from another thai person, just lie about it. No one will question your integrity.
-Instincts are all that count. You cannot deny your gut. And if you're wrong, then you're wrong, but your gut wasn't. If you do something to have some one lose faith in you, then you never trusted them in the first place.
-Anything you treasure, never let anyone know. She was deliberately stealing from me because i made her hate me. When she stole the ipod and we knew it, I made her hate me as much as anyone on the earth can hate anyone else because i questioned her about it. So she stole from me to hurt me. But had she taken what I truly cherish, then we'd have a problem.
So in the long run. We're floating dead on the water.... And i'm going to be late for work...
We'd been in Chiang Mai for about a week. We woke up one morning, I looked at the time on my cell phone, tossed it aside and got up for the day. A few hours later, can't find the cell phone...
We'd been living in Chiang Mai for about a month and a half. Wake up one morning, Duan had stolen 7500 baht...
We'd been living in Chiang Mai for about 2 months. Wake up get some money out of the bag, take note of how much is in there. 3000 baht comes up missing later on...
We'd been living in Chiang Mai for 2 1/2 months. Went to the pawn shop, cashed in a game boy. Came back took inventory: Brian's Ipod and unopened Ipod. Mental note to cash those in later too. Krystal's Ipod, no where to be found...
Motorbike stolen from Spiceys...
****End Flashback****
About 3 days ago, I was rummaging through my bag looking for my perfume and thats when i realized the Ipod we had hidden to cash in later was missing. I tore up my bag and my room. No where in sight. I questioned Brian and he didn't move it. Not in any of his bags. We questioned Danny, and he hadn't seen it. We tore up the house looking for it. And there sat Mook. Playing Pangya (google it) as innocent as the day she was spawned.
I had had enough. I kept my cool as long as I could as we were asking her about it. Keep in mind that, not counting my ipod that vanished, we have Danny's Ipod and Brian's Ipod that are always in a constant state of floating around the house. We asked her if she saw the ipod. Her response, "The one in the box. The white one? No I haven't seen it." Admitting her own guilt there, the interrogation continues. Ironically the wallcharge to the ipods is also missing. So now we know it had to have been her. Any doubt is now gone. No one knew where we kept the ipod or what the heck that white thing was plugged into the wall.
I blew up.
I started telling mook everything that she needed to know to know that she was the scum of the earth. Basically it went like this, "Mook. You know we have no money? right? You know that I make only 4000 baht 2 weeks? Right? You know we cannot live here no more because not have money? And you take from us! You live here for FREE, you eat for FREE and you take from us? You are a bad friend. You are bad." And she proceeded to evolve from innocent spawn to demon spawn and "threatened" to "just go". Of course I wouldn't have cared. At some point Brian jumped in on the attack, and Danny feeling sensible to her feelings stopped the whole affair and said she wasn't going anywhere.
I never had the intention of kicking her out into the street. At some point she was a nice person to me. But I wanted to let her know she was not welcome here anymore. She hasn't talked to me since then, but...
That was a few nights ago. Saturday night, Mook is still around, biding her time. We were waiting for Danny to make a move. He was planning on going to a buddhist temple for a week or so, at which point he would take her with him and then she would have that opportunity to make arrangements to move out. But Danny was having a hard time finding a temple that would allow him to bring in books to read. Anyways, we had our guard still up, but we were still so very stupid...
James Bond. In all his interestingness and his buff glory he is the reason why i have to write such a sad ending. James bond... We'd been looking forward to seeing this movie for a while now. And we finally get the chance Saturday night. We buy are tickets, Mook pays for herself and surprisingly for Danny too. We eat some pizza and we head into the movie. Before the movie starts playing Mook says her stomach hurts and she heads out of the theater. Danny says she didn't come back immediately, but he assumed she had just sat down some where behind us. It was James Bond's interestingness that kept Danny glued to the screen instead of looking for Mook...
The movie ends we look around, no mook. We glance around outside, no mook. I'm not concerned at all. I was hoping she had ran off with some friends into the night and then we'd officially be done with her. We decided instead of taking a taxi home, to walk instead. It was maybe only a mile or so. And then when we got to our neighborhood, a nice stop off at the ol' milk zone was in order. So basically, it took us quite a while to get home.. if it had not taken this long, maybe....
We get home. I say goodnight to the boys and head up to sleep. It was already 2 and I had work early in the afternoon.
I was woken up at 5 a.m. Brian is shaking me gently and informing me that we have a problem...
He makes sure I am awake before he tells me anything. And he informs me that...
****Story****
Mook had taken what was left of my paycheck from working at london house, 3100 baht, and our piggy bank that was full to the max of baht coinage, maybe less than 2000 baht. And she did this while we were at the movie and then went to stay at a guest house. She confessed to taking the money to Danny when he came back home and signed onto MSN. She said she wanted to give him the money back, and so he went to where she said to meet him. They met up, she led him on a goose chase and eventually he ended up waiting for her for an hour and a half. He comes home, sure that he will never see her again...
Maybe an hour passes, and a tuktuk pulls up outside, Mook gets off and comes into the house. Boys are a little surprised, she says she's tired and heads up to bed. Danny of course won't let her sleep, begins interrogating her. At first she says that she had the money, she would give it back. She promised she would give it back. Then of course under pressure she tells a better truth, she gave the money to a friend.
He brings her back downstairs and I am awoken....
****End Story****
As i'm getting up and dressed, I do an inventory count in my head. Cell phone? Check. Grandma's necklace? Check. Sunglasses? Check. Camera? Thats downstairs...
Head downstairs. If you've ever seen A Clockwork Orange, and Alex's P.O. officer sees him in the interrogation room, well thats about how i felt. Like I was glad she put her in this situation, gloating. Well that was until I finished my inventory... she'd taken my digital camera.
I was furious. If you look back, nothing of Danny's has ever come up missing. Nothing! She and Duan have only stolen from me! I haven't done anything wrong!
The end to this story. We were waiting for the sun to come up so we can flag down a taxi and escort Mook to the police. No taxi's run this late/early in the night/morning, so we could only wait. Somewhere along the line, Brian got mook confessing on a recording on his phone. We were set. I headed for a shower and Danny escorted mook upstairs to the 4th story...
Well as all criminals do when penned up, she looked for an escape. She scaled out of the 4th story balcony and escaped into the night/morning...
Lessons learned:
-Thai people cannot be trusted. Their society makes them think lying and stealing is ok. If a thai person steals from another thai person, just lie about it. No one will question your integrity.
-Instincts are all that count. You cannot deny your gut. And if you're wrong, then you're wrong, but your gut wasn't. If you do something to have some one lose faith in you, then you never trusted them in the first place.
-Anything you treasure, never let anyone know. She was deliberately stealing from me because i made her hate me. When she stole the ipod and we knew it, I made her hate me as much as anyone on the earth can hate anyone else because i questioned her about it. So she stole from me to hurt me. But had she taken what I truly cherish, then we'd have a problem.
So in the long run. We're floating dead on the water.... And i'm going to be late for work...
14.11.06
Walk in Chiang Mai...
Well since our rental motorbike was stolen I've been walking to and from work.. Ok more like just from, I have to get up early so I usually make Bj take me, but thats not the point.
The "only in thailand..." blog I posted was a story of my walk home. I have uploaded some pictures to flickr and updated the map to include the walk home today so you can see it in its entirety.
Nothing too strange.. just a motorcycle with a buffalo skull, the return of the purple puppy, a squished snake, my wedding dress (teehee) and the schools I work at.
We didn't go to Royal Flora today, so I thought i'd make it up to you. :) Enjoy.
http://flickr.com/photos/thai-fly/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/thai-fly/map/
Will post more soon!
Kisses
Thai-Fly
Krystal
The "only in thailand..." blog I posted was a story of my walk home. I have uploaded some pictures to flickr and updated the map to include the walk home today so you can see it in its entirety.
Nothing too strange.. just a motorcycle with a buffalo skull, the return of the purple puppy, a squished snake, my wedding dress (teehee) and the schools I work at.
We didn't go to Royal Flora today, so I thought i'd make it up to you. :) Enjoy.
http://flickr.com/photos/thai-fly/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/thai-fly/map/
Will post more soon!
Kisses
Thai-Fly
Krystal
13.11.06
Relate...
So I've decided to spend an hour or so this morning organizing my photos at my flickr page. I've thrown them on a convenient map that you can zoom in and see where exactly we've been and what exactly we've done.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/thai-fly/map/ <---map
http://www.flickr.com/photos/thai-fly/ <---photos
The map includes the 3 el paso pictures so you can see where we started our flying journey from. No Dallas pictures though, but i do have bangkok pics posted. It was difficult finding all the places we took pictures at but you can see where everything is. Same thing with Chiang Mai and Mae Sai. You can't zoom in on either of the latter cities because the satellite photos aren't detailed.
No new pictures to upload, but tomorrow I am going with my class to Royal Flora, a huge flower exhibition here in Chiang Mai, and I will be sure to take pictures of the flowers, my students, and the school.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/thai-fly/map/ <---map
http://www.flickr.com/photos/thai-fly/ <---photos
The map includes the 3 el paso pictures so you can see where we started our flying journey from. No Dallas pictures though, but i do have bangkok pics posted. It was difficult finding all the places we took pictures at but you can see where everything is. Same thing with Chiang Mai and Mae Sai. You can't zoom in on either of the latter cities because the satellite photos aren't detailed.
No new pictures to upload, but tomorrow I am going with my class to Royal Flora, a huge flower exhibition here in Chiang Mai, and I will be sure to take pictures of the flowers, my students, and the school.
12.11.06
Only in Thailand...
Here's a neat spiff about some random things that happen to you in thailand when walking home from work...
On your way home from work, you're walking along and spot a street vendor selling goods. It is two wicker-bowl baskets, draped over a length of bamboo, filled with items for sale. You stop to buy something that intrigues you. You hand over 30 baht and carry away your newly purchased item... a blue elephant piggy bank...
As you continue walking you run into people. Mostly thai people. But also occassional farang. Speaking german, french, spanish or english. Sometimes you might run into a farang thats talking with another one while walking and only catch the phrase, "...but i knew it wasn't serious. It was just a rash..."
You will of course, being a farang as you are, be checked out by guys and girls alike. And that does include a monk in the bed of a pickup truck listening to his ipod...
But if you're really lucky, when you finally reach your street, you'll be approached by the smallest puppy you've ever seen. And it will be excited to see you. And it will be painted purple.
All these things happened to me today. Now excuse me, I have a few baht i need to put into my new piggy bank. My last one is full. :(
On your way home from work, you're walking along and spot a street vendor selling goods. It is two wicker-bowl baskets, draped over a length of bamboo, filled with items for sale. You stop to buy something that intrigues you. You hand over 30 baht and carry away your newly purchased item... a blue elephant piggy bank...
As you continue walking you run into people. Mostly thai people. But also occassional farang. Speaking german, french, spanish or english. Sometimes you might run into a farang thats talking with another one while walking and only catch the phrase, "...but i knew it wasn't serious. It was just a rash..."
You will of course, being a farang as you are, be checked out by guys and girls alike. And that does include a monk in the bed of a pickup truck listening to his ipod...
But if you're really lucky, when you finally reach your street, you'll be approached by the smallest puppy you've ever seen. And it will be excited to see you. And it will be painted purple.
All these things happened to me today. Now excuse me, I have a few baht i need to put into my new piggy bank. My last one is full. :(
