So, I found out I need to make two mid term exams.  When am I going to do that?  Ugh.  I’m exhausted and working on lesson plans all the time as it is now.

A friend of mine is traveling in Asia and is in Chiang Mai this weekend so I went up to hang out with her there.  Friday after my last class, Noi took me up to the highway and dropped me off.  I’ve never left late in the day before, but was told it should not be a problem getting a bus.   I got to where the lady who sells bus tickets usually sits and see her stuff there, but not her.  Noi had called ahead and said I could get on a 3:00 bus, maybe sooner.  A small amount of questioning set in as I wondered if this would work.  I had to remind myself that it always does.  A little later and the lady rides up on her scooter and says “Teacher Chiang Mai”.  She makes a phone call and before I can pay her she motions me and this other guy to hurry.  All three of us run across the highway to the median.  We pay her there while we wait for the bus.  Not sure why we had to rush as the bus didn’t come for another 20 minutes, but standing on the median of a highway is as good a place to wait for a bus as any place, I guess.  I decided that would be the name of my book, “Standing on the median waiting for a bus”.  It was a long bus ride, but I got most of one exam written.

I got to the hotel in Chiang Mai and went out to eat with CJ.  It was great to see a friendly face and have good company and conversation.  She had been traveling in Myanmar and was still quite in shock over the poverty and living conditions she saw there.   She says she is going to write an article about it later.  I’ll post a link to it when she does.

The next day, after breakfast, we went up to Doi Suthep which is a temple and large shiny gold thing on a mountain.  As is typical with temples, there were a lot of steps, some dragons, a lot of shiny gold things, and a bunch of people.  It was definitely one of the prettier temples I’ve seen.  I enjoyed it.  We came back down and did lunch and wandered around Chiang Mai the rest of the day and evening.  CJ tried the fish pedicure where you put your feet in a fish tank and the fish eat the dead skin off your feet.  I’ve seen this a lot, but I’m still not sold that this is something I want to try.  I opted for a body scrub since I never feel like I can get clean here.  After dinner we went to the night market.  I bought a funny eye mask at the night market.

Sunday was breakfast with CJ and then we parted ways.  It was real nice to spend that time with her.  I went shopping for cheese and cereal, which I can’t get here.  Then off to the bus station to make my way home.  I finished my exams on the way home.

Today I learned that I need to ask 40 questions on each exam, not 20.  That would have been useful information before.  So, I spent all my free time today working on exams again.  I’m still not done.

CJ noted how calm she thought I was so, I guess some of the changes I’ve made are becoming permanent if other people can see it.  Now, I need to find time from all the lesson planning to start exercising again.  I haven’t felt well lately and I’ve lost so much weight.  It’s time to get back in shape so I can feel better.  I don’t feel sick, but I get fuzzy brain easily, I feel weak and I feel tired a lot.

(c) All rights reserved Kimberly Fiore