Speed Shower

On May 17, 2016July 26, 2016 By rrainefioreIn Teaching, Thailand, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Yesterday, I taught a half a class instead of 4. But since this is my 2nd week at school, it was probably time to teach something. By the afternoon it was looking like it would rain. The wind was strong which I liked because it maid me feel cooler. I saw part of the hill on fire – I think it might have been lightning. I got home and had running water! And by running water, I don’t mean what you are use to at home, but enough to take a shower and as much as I’ve ever had here. I took one of the fastest showers ever because I’m now wondering when the water may run out. If everyone comes home and takes a bath or shower or does dishes or laundry, there may be no water. Or maybe the amount of water has nothing to do with anything and is random. I think it’s random. So, speed shower time. But it was delightful to wash my hair! Yay! I ate dinner while it poured rain. After, it stopped raining, I went to the massage place. I wasn’t sure if I was too late, but if I was, they didn’t turn me away. It’s weird because it’s in someone’s home. There is no massage shop with hours on the door here. My entire body is a mess. My joints hurt. My legs are tight. My back is all rope, no muscles. I think my hands have been feeling numb lately because my back and shoulders are cutting off the circulation. Disaster. But, I plan to go to massage at least once a week and do my conscious movement at home and investigate what I’m holding. I suspect this is part of the final battle of the ego.

This morning’s guest in my bathroom was a snake. Thank god it was after I was dressed and ready for work or it could have been more than I could handle. I called Q over. He came over with a stick taller than me. He meant business. By the time he got here I couldn’t see it. So, I assumed it went under the tub. My tub is about 4 feet high by 1 foot across by 3 feet wide. Q is now standing on top of the tub with a giant stick poking the stick everywhere. No snake. He finally climbs down off the tub and we agree that it’s not to be found right now. I show him a picture and his response is “Oh, I think it is little”. Ugh. I don’t care. Little snakes can be just as deadly. He said he would tell the janitor to chase it out. Poor janitor has become so busy trying to fix all the problems this crazy western girl has. Q shut the bathroom door and suggested I keep it shut. In theory, that’s a great idea, but there is a 6″ gap at the bottom of the door that’s not stopping anything. I rush to get ready to go and look in the bathroom one more time to see the snake near the toilet. I don’t know what to do so I tried bug spray. He didn’t like that and thankfully slithered out the drain hole in the wall. But, if he got out, the screen on the outside of the hole isn’t doing it’s job and he could come back in later. This might explain the disappearing frogs I had in February. I think I’d rather have the frogs back.

Still, I went to school feeling terrified of my bathroom, but not feeling much else. The whole day was kind of indifferent. I think the massage last night released some of the stuff I was holding on to and now there’s no thought that I can’t survive this. I’m pretty resolved that I’m leaving after September. It doesn’t feel like an escape or a running away or an avoiding, but more like a decision made.

Last semester I had 16 classes a week. This semester they changed it to 17 and today I was told I would be teaching another advanced class so 18. I had 4 classes this morning with no break. From nothing for a week to full on. It was ok though. I like the advanced class. It’s only 20 students instead of 50 which is nice too. The other classes went fine too. It will be a lot of work having this many classes, but what else do I have to do?

In the afternoon, Noi came to get me. They are still having issues with my work permit. This time the problem is that the date on my visa doesn’t match the date my passport was stamped as coming into the country. And neither one matches the date of the request for the work permit. How can these people deal with granting work permits if they don’t know how it works? I had to get my visa before I came to Thailand so the dates will never match. I came under a visa that is for the purpose of finding a job so it will never match the date I got the job. So, we had to drive to Tak 45 minutes away to meet with them to try to work it out. I think it’s worked out now, but I have no idea. After, Noi had to go get supplies for the the school store and to make decorations for an upcoming holiday. We go to the school supply store in Tak. I sat in the school supply store forever waiting and sweating. I find the stores here to be interesting. There is so much stuff and yet, hardly any stuff, all at the same time. The variety of stuff is what there is a lot of, but the amount of each thing is what there is hardly any of. So, there are school uniforms – so many colors and styles for all the different schools, but only 5 or 6 of each kind. There is tape, glue, pens, highlighters, paper, and so many things, but only one bin of pens or 7 folders. It was so hot. I would scratch my arm or back and my fingernails would come up so dirty. I think I’ll just be constantly sweating and dirty here. We went to a second school supply store, but this one went quicker.

Then we went to dinner. She asked what I wanted and I told her something with vegetables. I was hoping for a salad, but not counting on it existing in Tak. She took me to a sukiyaki place. She ordered a plate full of mushrooms and tofu and some vegetables. I don’t like mushrooms, but I wasn’t specific enough and I did ask for vegetables. There’s a hot plate built into the table and you cook the soup right there. Overall it was pretty good. After dinner she wanted to show me the hanging bridge in Tak. There’s a park near the river and a suspension foot bridge. The river is very wide here so the bridge is quite long. It looks like a miniature Golden Gate Bridge. It bounces and sways in the wind. There is a night market next to it. There were quite a few people wandering around the market and walking over the bridge. The people wandering around and hanging out gave the area a wonderful energy. There was a nice breeze that made the evening feel comfortable. It was a very pleasant evening.

By the ride home, my brain is exhausted. Even though her English is better than most, it’s still very difficult to understand her. She loves to talk and I’m just tired from trying to follow and answer and explain. Then she pulls out the big guns. “If you have no religion, how do you know how to behave correctly”? I’m not sure if she means me or if this is the collective you. My brain goes all foggy and I feel quite grounded. I feel like I understand the answer to this question fully, but have no words or energy left to explain it. I have no desire to answer the questions, but that would be rude so I try the best I can to explain what I believe. I think it’s possible to live in harmony with life, other people, the world around you because it’s the right way to live, not because your religion tells you to. I don’t think I did a good job of explaining. She asked if I could forgive people. I explained that it sometimes it was difficult, but most of the time, yes, it’s very easy. If you see the truth of the situation, you will see that the other person didn’t do anything wrong or they acted out of fear or some other emotion or that you are reacting out of fear or some other emotion. Again, I don’t know that this translated either. But she now thinks I’m an amazing person that forgives easily. Then she went on for the rest of the ride about if you live a good life and don’t do bad things and give money and prayers to the temple, you will come back in your next life with everything you need. You will be rich, smart and happy. If you do bad things in this life you will come back as an animal or have a bad life or come back with no body so no one can see you. I use to believe in karma, but have since decided I don’t buy into in the hard and fast rule that if you do good this life you will be rewarded in the next. I do believe the energy you put out is the energy you will get back. All I could see as she spoke tonight was the fear of bad and clinging to maybe the future will be good. What a wicked game we play.

Tonight I took another speed shower, but mostly because I’m afraid of what is lurking in the corners or under the tub.

20160517_165223 — My bored at the shop face

20160517_174239 — They leave the plastic on their charms

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Broke Down Bus

On May 11, 2016July 26, 2016 By rrainefioreIn Teaching, Thailand, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Wow, this was a long day. I went to school in the morning to not teach. It’s the first day of class for all the students. The M1 and M4 students started Monday. M2, M3, M5 and M6 started today. Robin had to do his speech before the whole school at the morning assembly. It reminded me of my first day which seems soooooo long ago, but really wasn’t. Most of the day the younger students spent cleaning classrooms. Since the school is open air with wood shutters to keep the jungle out, every room is a disaster. They installed new glass doors on the classrooms in my building. I’m not sure what purpose that serves since there still is no AC and the windows are still open. The older students are in some school “camp”. All I know is that a bunch of university students are here to help with the camp. They spent most of the day in the all purpose room doing cheers – kind of like a pep rally. I like listening to it, but I don’t get it.

During a conversation with Pat I told her about what a Rain Dance was and how we would joke that someone needs to do a rain dance when we need rain. She told me they had something similar. They put a cat in a cage, just one female cat. Then do a parade with the cat. They throw water at the cat to make it cry. The cries of the cat will bring rain. True Story! http://www.thaiwaysmagazine.com/thai_article/2404_thai_tradition_festivals/thai_tradition_festivals.html

After lunch, Ging and her husband took me to the highway to catch the bus to Chaing Mai. The lady selling tickets on the side of the highway was there, but she upgraded to a bigger table. She wasn’t as friendly as before. She asked if I wanted the 150 or 200 baht bus. The 200 one is VIP. I don’t know what that means, but since it’s only $1.50 more I decided VIP. I should have done the cheaper one. VIP did not mean working air conditioning or anything that resembled VIP. I’ve heard that buses breaking down is a common thing that everyone will experience at some point. Check. Now I have that experience to check off. The bus broke down about an hour into the trip. So, we all stood on the side of the highway while the driver tried to fix the bus. It smelled so bad of burnt rubber that it seems to me it is beyond repair. Waiting didn’t bother me too much. It was real hot and standing on the side of a highway is never fun, but I think it’s just looking at all the trash thrown everywhere that bothers me. After a while, the bus attendant (every bus seems to have an attendant that checks tickets and lets you know when you get to your stop, etc) made an announcement I assumed was that another bus was coming. She handed us prepackaged wet naps. A warm wet nap didn’t do much to cool me off, but I gave it a try anyway. Then I watched as most of the people threw the packaging on the ground. Eventually another bus came and picked us up. I wondered if this was the 150 baht bus. The air con worked and a nice lady made her son get up to give me his seat so I didn’t have to stand.

After I checked into my hotel, I found a burger and a massage. Exhausted. I have to get up kind of early to go to the US Consulate to get a Power of Attorney notarized. I’m looking forward to seeing what the US Consulate is like.

20160511_104607 — How do they know which are theirs?

20160511_134948 — Bus Ticket on the Side of the Highway Lady got a bigger table

Taste Test

On May 10, 2016July 26, 2016 By rrainefioreIn Teaching, Thailand, Uncategorized1 Comment

Today I had to get up early to go to Tak to turn in my paper work and pay for my work permit. Noi said she’d pick me up at 7:30. But didn’t come over until 8:00. Not sure why I got up early. Still, this woman is awesome so I was glad to have her taking me today.

At some point on the drive to Tak, she asks me what we do with our dead. Huh? Yea, that’s what she asked. So we spent quite a bit of time talking about funeral services, cremation and burial. They spend several days praying with monks, 4 monks in the evening and 5 in the morning. Then they cremate the body and take the bones back to the temple where they stay for something like 100 days. Then there is more praying/ceremony with the bones. Then the bones are thrown in the water (lake or river). I’m sure I got most of that wrong, but that’s what I got out of the conversation. I tried to explain to her that the ceremony and whether to bury or cremate in our country would depend on religion and nationality. Thai’s don’t quite understand how big the US is and how many ethnic backgrounds live there.

We also talked about marriage. She is teaching her students that in Western countries young single people may have many boyfriends or girlfriends (many relations), but when they get older and choose a husband or wife then they don’t have other relations. She said it’s not like that in Thailand. People get married and then have secret relations. I told her it was the same in America. She was surprised. I tried to explain polyamory and then realized that was not a concept I could really explain. She said the rate of divorce in Thailand is high and the rate of teenage pregnancy is the highest in Asean. I told her we have the same issues in the US. She said she won’t share this information with the students.

Getting the paperwork processed for a work permit is confusing and there is no way I could have gotten it done without Noi to ask questions and translate. First they told me my passport visa was expired. It’s not and it took quite a while to get them to understand that for my visa the 3 month clock starts each time I leave and come back into the country. How do I know this, but they don’t? Then they asked for my work permit. This is where I would have left crying. I am here to get my work permit so I don’t have a work permit to show you in order to get my work permit. Somehow, this issue got resolved. Then there was a lot of shuffling of papers, getting up to walk across the room to get a rubber stamp, stamping a page, getting up to go across the room to get something else, paper clipping the stack of papers, un clipping the papers, stamping another page with another stamp, white out, binder clip, new folder, paperclip, look over there – a squirrel, shuffle, get up, sit down. Then I was handed the folder with all the papers and moved up stairs to pay. After I paid, I had to bring the stack of papers back down. I have a piece of paper now that says I’ll have a work permit in a week.

If all that wasn’t fascinating enough, watching my automatic reaction to all the stamps on her desk was amazing. It’s a piece of crap plastic rubber stamp holder. It has two tiers of rubber stamps and looks like it might tip over at any moment. I am instantly annoyed by stamp holder and notice everyone has the same one on their desk. But the fascinating part was how very badly I wanted to pick up each stamp and stamp them onto a piece of paper. I have no idea what any of them say, but the need to stamp was almost more than I could bear. I’m not quite sure how I held myself back.

After that we went to early lunch. I thought of how hobbits have second breakfast, but she hasn’t seen Lord of the Rings so this concept was lost on her. She asked what I wanted for lunch. I wasn’t sure and asked what options I had. Rice or noodles. I kid you not, those are the only two options. This is not the first time I have been given those two options. I think this is how they decide to eat most days – rice or noodles and then some stuff on the side. I chose noodles. There were some baskets with stuff wrapped in banana leaves. She asked if I had tried them, Thai Snack. Who knows, I have tried lots of things wrapped in banana leaves now. These are only made in Tak. Well, then I probably have not tried them. She bought one of each. They were some gelatinous goo thing made of coconut. One had nuts in it, one had corn and I have no idea what the other one had. I didn’t like the corn one, the one with the nuts was the best.

We went to the market where she bought two bags of mangos. There were some yellow and a lot of green. The green ones all had different prices so they were different even though I couldn’t tell them apart. I asked what the difference was. She said she’d let me try them when we get back to Sam Ngao. We found a store that sells the Thai triangle pillows. I bought one and will use it in my house as a couch. Very happy about this.

On the way back to school we stopped by Noi’s garden to get more mangos. Then at my house we cut up three different mangos. One is yellow and sweet. One is green and very sour. The other was green and not sour and not quite sweet. This third one is the best. Then she left me with a bag of mangos.

I went to school and sat around looking like I was doing stuff on my computer. I got to meet Robin. He’s another Westerner in town. He’s in his 20s, from England and was working as an engineer at the dam for 5 months. That job ended so now he’s going to teach math and science at the school for a few months. After school I went over to Tip’s house. We went to the market. Thai’s put everyone on a scooter. I’ve seen families of 4 on a scooter. Today was my first experience of being one of three on a scooter where one is a small child. I don’t like. After the market I was taken to Ging’s house. I wanted to go home so at some point I said goodbye to Ging. I was going to walk three houses away to get my motorbike. Ging wouldn’t let me and Tip brought my motorbike over. What is this severe aversion to walking here? It goes hand in hand with the need everyone has to have me sit. The number of times I am told “Teacher, Sit” in a day is comical. Standing doesn’t hurt you. Walking is good for you.

In February it would get hot in the afternoon and after school, I would ride my motorbike somewhere just to create a breeze and cool down a little. This strategy no longer works. It is so hot that riding a motorbike only hurts. Any exposed skin is hit with a burning hot breeze which feels like your skin is being ripped off. So far, no actual skin has been damaged.

Back to School

On May 9, 2016July 26, 2016 By rrainefioreIn Teaching, Thailand, UncategorizedLeave a comment

I didn’t wake up with the dreads this morning. What? How is that possible? I didn’t wake up excited to be awake, but still, no dreading life. Cool. Maybe because I figured it would be an easy first day back to work and it was. I filled out some paperwork, printed some things, had a long lunch with some of the other teachers and went home early. Only two grades started school today – the new ones starting M1 and M4 which has some returning students and a lot of new students. The rest of the classes will start on Wednesday.

I was hoping to get a mat and some pillows to make a “couch”. There was a store that Tip and Ging told me about that was closed yesterday. Pat said she’d take me by it today after we ran some other errands. I don’t have anything too pressing to do so errands sound great. We went and picked up Dam’s mother and took her to several stores and a market in Ban Tak. Really, where was this town the whole month of February? I’ve never heard of it and now I’ve been there twice in two days. Dam’s mother doesn’t speak English and I don’t speak Thai, but we bonded over how hard it was to get in the tall truck and over how hot it was. We found a fan in the back seat and took turns fanning each other. When we dropped her off, she grabbed my hand and just held it tight for a few seconds. Then we went looking for the pillow store. It either doesn’t exist or it was closed.

I still have a mouse in my bathroom. I still don’t like this fact.

Bugs

On May 5, 2016July 26, 2016 By rrainefioreIn Teaching, Thailand, Uncategorized2 Comments

It rained and cooled down last night. What a relief to be able to sleep. I was able to sleep until 7:00am and toss and turn and complain until 8:30am. Even though I was complaining, I was grateful that it wasn’t too hot and I could lay in bed and complain until 8:30. I swept my bedroom floor this morning. Even though it was cleaned the other day, it’s a disaster again – lots of bugs and mouse poop. I swept the rest of the house too – same thing. I just might have to sweep every day.

I worked on lesson plans at school. I don’t like doing lesson plans especially when I have no curriculum or any idea what they are learning in the rest of their English classes. I feel so unprepared and unqualified for this job. The main office has air conditioning. It doesn’t work real well, but my house is uninhabitable during the day so it was great. I was there most of the day and got hardly anything done. I don’t know what happened. I feel like that most days. Nothing gets done and I don’t know where the day went. I think I move slower in the heat? Maybe? I blame the heat.

I went to the pool with Tip and her kids tonight. Yay! A pool! You have to pay to get in the pool and the water was very warm, but I was covered in water so I don’t care. I definately felt out of place as most people just stared at me and no one really smiled. The pool is at the hotel. We ate at the hotel restaurant after. It reminded me of Laura, the missionary that use to live here. She liked to eat at that restaurant. I miss her. My salad had lots of dead ants in it. I picked out a ton before I just gave up and decided I wasn’t very hungry. Tip asked what I was doing and I showed her the ants. She didn’t seem too affected by it. On the way home Tip asked how much money I make. I wish I hadn’t told her. I make more than a dentist makes. Now I feel uncomfortable.

Several times today and quite a few times in the past I have heard scurrying sounds in my walls. The janitor didn’t come to fix the rest of the holes today. I know a mouse or tokay or both are living in the walls. I don’t like this. It’s ridiculously hot in my house so my only option is to sit in my bed with the fan on. The fan only helps slightly. It’s blowing very hot air on me, but I think that’s still better than no air flow. I’m told if I want air conditioning I have to pay half. I have no issue with that, but I wonder how long it will take to get it bought and installed. I was told they have to fix the school cafeteria first. I have no idea what that means. I wish I had just agreed to it two months ago. Maybe it would already be installed. I don’t know what I was thinking, thinking I might be able to handle it with out air conditioning.

I have now shook out my sheets 3 times tonight. I’m in the bug net, but my sheets are covered in bugs. I suppose I’m covered in bugs. I swept the bedroom floor again, but to no avail – the bottoms of my feet are now caked with dead bugs.

The company that is leasing my car is not making the car payments. This is ruining my credit. The guy renting my house says he wants to buy it, but hasn’t made an offer so I need to decide if I’m putting it on the market or not. I feel trapped. If I come back to Colorado at the end of a year, I won’t be able to buy a car and I won’t have a house or I’ll have a house I can’t afford the payments on. I’m having trouble seeing how this is all going to be ok. I’m sure this is part of the lesson of learning to trust life and go with the flow of life, but it’s difficult to trust when all of this is going on.

I’m having a real hard time staying present and non-judgmental. This whole blog feels like a pity party, but that’s part of writing an honest blog. I’ve been thinking a lot today about how much I’ve taken for granted living in America. I know somewhere I’m learning and this is all part of awakening, but I’m not loving what is today. I just feel broken. Broken, sweaty and covered in bugs.

20160505_202117_resized

Pictures

On March 3, 2016July 24, 2016 By rrainefioreIn Teaching, Thailand, Uncategorized2 Comments

Here are the pictures from yesterday’s blog and some videos. It seems they didn’t upload yesterday.

20160301_175212 — Overseeing me doing laundry

20160302_085620 20160302_083044 20160302_085540 20160302_085602

20160301_152445 — Counting votes for something

20160302_085527 20160302_085555 20160302_082447 20160302_082432 20160302_083017 20160302_081644 20160302_084103 20160302_085258

20160301_174330 — More laundromat chickens

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20160302_180724 20160302_111812 20160302_110200 20160302_112856

20160302_213331 — XploreAsia sent me this for doing a write up of my town

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20160229_202545 — Like a grapefruit, but not sour? Wonderful

The Lice Massacre

On March 2, 2016July 24, 2016 By rrainefioreIn Teaching, Thailand, Uncategorized

I tried the idea of using my flat iron to burn the lice to death. I actually felt better yesterday and today so I think it helped, at least until I could get the medicated shampoo. Today Pat brought lice shampoo to my house and put it on my head. I was instructed to leave it on for 4 hours. Really? 4 hours? Well, I want these critters gone, so I sat around the house in my shower cap for 4 hours. I have to retreat again tomorrow and then in 9 days.

Yesterday near the end of the day I heard someone on the loud speaker and a lot of cheering. Then I heard the same few words over and over. I went outside to see what was going on. About half the school was in a court yard and a teacher was reading out votes out of a big lock box. Students were tracking the tally on a large piece of paper. I assumed it was student council election, but I was told election was for government, this was selection for next year’s leadership. I think it’s somewhat the same thing as student elections except I think a group is chosen instead of a few people. I got that it was about 20 students, but I never quite got what they do once selected.

Today was Congratulations Day. I knew I wouldn’t have classes, but I had no idea there were no classes at all. I arrived a morning assembly and it was all excitement, flowers, balloons, stuffed animals, pictures, and decorations. M6 is graduating soon and M3 just had (or will have) a big national exam. So, it was a day to celebrate these two accomplishments. There were ceremonies, speeches, dancing, singing, a band, lunch, and lots and lots of selfies. Each grade created a booth and decorated it. It looked like they were all set up for taking pictures in front of.

There was one ceremony that really touched me. They put a row of chairs up front and had most of the teachers sit, including me. They handed us bundles of string. We made smaller bundles of string and tied a knot in the middle. Then students came up and sat on the floor in front of a teacher. (Students usually kneel or sit on the floor when a teacher is sitting. If they pass in front of a sitting teacher, they bend over lower as they pass. It’s a sign of respect). The teacher then put the string on their arm like a bracelet. I was not quite sure what I was doing, but I just watched the other teachers and tried to figure it out. The best I could tell is that it was a chance for the student to say thank you to the teacher and for the teacher to impart words of wisdom or wish them luck. It was a closure type ceremony for sure. Later in the day students would bring string up to the teachers they had not been able to get bracelets from. At one point I watched a teacher put bracelets on three girls and the girls were crying. Another teacher told me they were saying goodbye to their Physics teacher and calling him father. Then I started crying. I asked a couple other western teachers if their school did this and they said they didn’t think so.

Tonight after the lice massacre, I went to Tip’s house for dinner. We made spaghetti carbornara. She looked it up on youtube to figure out how to make it. It was pretty darn close. Her house is small and cluttered, but much nicer than a lot of houses I’ve seen. It was clean and felt much more bug free than mine. Her kitchen was tiny by American standards, but indoor and delightful by Thai standards. She said I could stay there any time. They have a guest room with AC. I joked that I was moving in when hot season comes. I met her husband who speaks pretty good English. He’s a dentist and he’s into fish. He has tons of tanks around the outside of the house with Koi fish. He kept saying over and over that I need to come over all the time. If I want to got to Tak, he told me I should ask Tip and she will take me. I had met Tip’s daughter before. She’s 3 or 4 and not too interested in talking to me, but not shy either, just preoccupied with other things. Then Tip’s son came home. He’s around 8 or 9 and speaks fluent English with great pronunciation. He kept showing me things he had made or dragons in a computer game. After dinner, I stayed and watched Frozen. The girls in Thailand are as in love with that movie as they are in the US.

Lice

On February 29, 2016July 24, 2016 By rrainefioreIn Teaching, Thailand, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Yes, that’s what I said, Lice. I have lice. My head has been itching for a while now. I can’t deny it any more. I asked Pat what I should do. Within 30 seconds she had me in a chair with 4 students surrounding me picking at my hair. They confirmed it was lice and proceeded to pick them out for almost an hour. I think they would have done it all day, but I had to go teach. Pat was so sketched out she kept making funny faces and I could tell she was itchy just thinking about it. I guess it’s a good thing I don’t embarrass easily because there was nothing discrete about this adventure. Pat told me to give money to one of the students and she would get me the medicated shampoo tonight. I think I would have rather just attempted to find it in the school myself, but it didn’t go that way. Another student suggested I flat iron my hair tonight to see if that killed some. Brilliant. So tonight I washed my hair several times and flat ironed it. It is slightly better. Tomorrow I’ll be sporting a straight hair do to school and doing some lice killing tomorrow night.

So much food

On February 26, 2016July 24, 2016 By rrainefioreIn Teaching, Thailand, Uncategorized1 Comment

I got a package from my best friend, Sharon yesterday! It was a huge box and it was so wonderful to see it! It was full of cheesy american junk food (goldfish crackers, smartfood popcorn and easy cheese). I’ve been missing cheese so much. It had some other snacks and a candle too. Pat helped me open the box and a couple of other teachers helped me look through everything. Pat wanted to try the easy cheese so I put some on her finger. She made a funny face and basically thought it was horrible. She proceeded to try to get everyone else that walked by to try it, but no one would. Ok, so easy cheese is not really cheese, but in a land of no cheese, it’s wonderful.

Yesterday after school, Noi came and picked me up to take me to her house. I was excited about this for a few reasons. 1. It meant I finally was able to communicate “later” to her. 2. She has a garden and I was excited to see it. 3. Her husband is the one I met at Scout day that was so delightful to talk to. 4. I think she really enjoys my company and this feels more like someone that wants to spend time with me than someone who wants to take care of me so I will stay here, teaching. It may seem like a small difference, but when you are truly alone in a town, it’s a huge difference.

I wanted to see in her house to see what a Thai teacher’s house looks like, but I wasn’t invited in and I didn’t want to ask. They had a lot of plants and trees everywhere. They had a really old dog who just wanted to go lay in the road. She insisted that I pick stuff from the garden. They have a bunch of fruit trees in the back and she gave me some fruit I’ve never seen and I have no idea what it is. One, I think is like a pomelo, but giant. The other, it sounded like she was calling it an olive, but it’s too big to be an olive (or it’s a giant olive). I plan to to food prep tomorrow so I’ll update you then. They gave me bananas (I have way too many bananas now) and a bottle of honey. Someone else gave me a bottle of honey. So, now I have more honey than I’ve ever eaten in my life. I don’t know what to do with it.

After the garden, they took me to the temple. The temple near their house has one of the oldest Buddha images. It’s over 1000 years old. The pagoda next to the temple was rumored to once float in the river and then was moved later near the temple. They also showed me a temple for ordination of monks – no women or non monks allowed in. After the temple, they took me to dinner. I am grateful for the information on the temple. It was a good evening.

Today one of the teachers and the school driver took me to Tak to turn in my paperwork for my work permit. The lady rejected the paperwork because the signatures were photocopies and she wasn’t reading my passport correctly and was trying to explain that my visa expired soon, which it doesn’t. I have a year on the visa and I have to leave the country and come back every 3 months. I have until the end of March to do the border run. And there were two other documents she handed me that needed to be filled out. It all was confusing to me and to the teacher that came to help me so we went back to Sam Ngao. We will do originals, fill out the other paperwork and pick up where we left off in May.

After school today, my new friends Tip and Ging picked me up and took me up to the gardens by the dam with their two daughters and Ging’s husband. We started Thai lessons and they brought food for a picnic. It was a beautiful evening. They want to hang out again tomorrow. I think I will bring a fruit salad and hopefully they will accept it. It’s nice that everyone wants to buy me dinner, but it does make me a little uncomfortable. I’m not use to being this taken care of. And I want to be generous in return, but no one will let me.

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20160225_172401 — What is this? Arugula?

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20160225_173151 — Dragon fruit grows on this – I had no idea!

20160225_173303 — Giant citrus type fruit

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20160226_205131 — What am I going to do with all this honey?

New Friends

On February 24, 2016July 24, 2016 By rrainefioreIn Awakening, Teaching, Thailand, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Last night after work, I went to wash sheet. No, that’s not a typo. They only use a bottom sheet here. There seems to be no top sheets. So technically I went to wash sheet and blanket. There are 4 washers they are next to someone’s house. The house has big roll up windows like a lot of houses do so people can sell stuff or have some kind of store out of their house. The windows were open for the first time that I’ve seen and the smell of chocolate came flooding out of them. I looked over an several chocolate cakes sat on the counter of a large kitchen. She had just finished cooking the chocolate that would be the frosting. Most people just put their laundry in and come back later, but I don’t really have anywhere else to go so I usually bring my nook and read. Yesterday I got to read while smelling chocolate. She cut the cakes up into smaller cakes, frosted them and put nuts on top. I bought one. That and clean sheet were the highlights of the day.

It’s getting hotter. By 11:00am I am uncomfortable. By the end of school, I’m not sure I’m going to survive. Today was the worst so far. I had a giant headache and was so physically uncomfortable. I couldn’t seem to stand or sit or find any way to get comfortable. I had an overwhelming desire to go home, but I have no AC so home wouldn’t solve anything. There’s no pool or ocean. I’ve never seen anyone in the river and I think I’d be eaten alive by bugs before I even made it to the river. No AC. So, after school, I went home and took a shower. It helped for a minute. I bought a coconut at the market yesterday and had the brilliant foresight to put it in the refrigerator. After a few minutes of hitting it with a knife I made a hole in it and had cold coconut water. This actually was the best thing I could do. The electrolytes in the water helped with the headache and I felt like I might survive. I’ll have to buy more coconuts. I’ll try to figure out how to get it open and eat the rest tomorrow.

Tonight, Laura and I went out to dinner again. As I was heading down to meet her, I ran into Noi driving up to the house to get me. She wanted to take me to her house for dinner. For the first time, I think I successfully rescheduled with her. She knows Laura and seemed to understand that we already had plans. I think we rescheduled for tomorrow.

When I met up with Laura, she said we were meeting a couple other ladies for coffee and then we’d go to dinner later. She dropped me off a the coffee shop and then went to run an errand. The two ladies found me when they arrived and started talking with me. They were delightful. They use to be English students of Laura’s when she was teaching English on the side. They immediately wanted to practice English with me, know how to get in touch with me later and said if I needed any help to let them know. I told them I needed help learning Thai. So, I think I may have found my Thai teachers and two new friends. Laura is leaving in a week and a half for a 10 month sabbatical. She set up this coffee on purpose knowing how nice these ladies are and that they would want to befriend me and that they will try to take good care of me.

I think this will be a huge help in settling in to live here after vacation. I’m trying to take it in that life is supporting me and taking care of me. It just doesn’t look the way I would have wanted it to look or would have expected it to. I think subconsciously in the back of my head I had the idea that I would learn to trust life, but that it would be by meeting other expats and building friendships that looked similar to the ones I left behind in America. One of those, of course would be the man I’ve been looking for for so long. I didn’t realize I had these specific expectations until the reality turns out to be so different.

While at dinner, it rained. Now it’s hot and muggy and I’m wondering how I will ever sleep.

20160223_171314 — View from the laundry washers – chicken

20160223_203326 — One of the best pieces of chocolate cake I’ve ever had

	eaglegenuinec87d1476… on Going Home
	delicately4f6d967f14 on Going Home
	delicately4f6d967f14 on Icebergs
	delicately4f6d967f14 on ATV Tour
	eaglegenuinec87d1476… on Kluane

Rraine Drops

Category: Teaching