A few days ago, Pat called a different lady who sells bus tickets by the highway. This one sells tickets for the Green Bus. I’ve ridden the Green Bus once before. They are slightly more expensive, in nicer condition and make longer trips with less stops. There is no way to book Green Bus on line and pick my stop as a pick up point so I needed this lady’s help because she is able to do that. I paid for and picked up my ticket a few days ago. So, now I know where her store is. She pointed to a store across the highway as the place to pick up the bus. So, my instructions for today are to drive my motorbike to the store. The lady’s mom will let me store my motorbike at her house which is behind the store. Then wait for the bus. Again, seems unlikely, but I know from experience that it will all happen like that. It did. I arrived at the store and was about to ask the man about the green bus when he asked me “Chaing Rai” which is where I’m going. So, I’m at the right place. I asked “motorcye”? (motorbike) and a lady came out and showed me where to park it. I sat at a picnic table outside the store until the bus came. I mostly watched a rooster go about his daily business. He would root around in the bushes, looking for bugs, I assume. Then he would find a high place like the picnic table next to me and stand and crow for about 5 minutes. Then he’d go back to the bushes. Then he’d find a new high spot to crow. Back and forth covering all the high spots to announce from. About 5 minutes before the bus was to arrive, the man came out and put up a green flag. I assume that was to tell the bus to stop.
A few days ago, Noi asked me how I was getting to the bus and I told her I would ride my motorbike. She didn’t like this idea and said she’d drive me. I asked how I would get back because I don’t like the motorbike taxis. She said I could call her and she’d come get me. I tried texting her and calling her this morning to see if she was picking me up and I never got in touch with her. I’m kind of glad because I might be stranded with no one to pick me up like last weekend.
The bus ride was over 5 hours. I checked into my hotel, paid for a tour for tomorrow and now I’m going to head out to find some food.
Today I didn’t have any classes. I went to school anyway so at least it looked like I was working. I did work on future lesson plans which is good because they still take me forever. At lunch I went home and made a grilled cheese sandwich and then went to get coffee. It was way too sweet, but that’s really my fault for not practicing “no sugar” in Thai. Then later in the afternoon one of the ladies in the school office made a coffee run so I had another way too sweet coffee. I love that they put coffee in bags and then give you a side of ice so that your coffee isn’t watered down. I just love that they put liquids in plastic bags. I know that if you don’t have a cup or bowl to put the liquid in, you just stab it with a straw and drink out of the bag. I have no idea what the correct protocol is for when you have a cup of ice. Do you still stab the bag with a straw? Do you cut a hole in the bottom or do you oh so carefully undo the rubberband and hope to not spill any? I’ve done the latter.
In an attempt to learn the student’s names I asked them to put their names and favorite activity on a piece of paper and then draw a picture of anything they’d like to on the back. Just after a few classes, I realize that this is an impossible task on my part. There are over 500 students and I haven’t been able to remember one name yet. Attached are some of my favorite pictures they drew.
After school, I went back to my house and sat on my “couch” in front of the R2D2 green evap cooler. I’m supposed to go to the temple for the festivities tonight. I just wanted to stay on my cool couch forever and not move.
Chelon, the teacher that is a historian of the area and who put together a booth at the temple and directed the play that was going to be done tonight had asked me and Robin to attend the festivities. She had told Robin 6:00pm so Robin picked me up at school a little before. We got there and people were still setting up. None of the teachers were there. Robin had never been to the temple so we walked around the temple grounds for a while. The guys in the band, Noi’s husband is one, were delighted to see me again and tried to get me to dance. There was a lady last night that insisted I take her picture. Tonight she insisted again that I take her picture. One of the guys in the band really took to Robin and gave him the sash he had been wearing. He also insisted that I take a picture of him. So many villagers were excited to see us and smiled or wai-ed us. There were food vendors but none of the food looked good to me. There were a bunch of tents with food too. Robin ran into a lady he knew from the dam and she invited us to eat with her in one of these tents. Most of food was too spicy for me or had fish in it, but I still managed to find some to eat. My mouth was on fire for about an hour from a tiny bit of tom yum I put on my plate. I really like tom yum, but jeeze, why so much pepper?
The festivities really didn’t start until 8:00pm. So I was fairly bored by the time they did. I never did see any of the other teachers except Chelon. She bought us cotton candy. I felt like a very happy 8 year old. There were a lot of people standing on the stage while people gave speeches. Then in the middle of one of the speeches, fireworks started going off behind us. The area has been in a horrible dry spell. So, let’s set off low exploding fireworks right next to the people and lots of burnable things. I love not quite safe fireworks. After the fireworks, they set off what looked like a geyser of sparks. The geyser of sparks went off every 5 to 30 minutes for a good portion of the rest of the evening. Then the play started. It was the history of the town of Ban Na. Ban Na is the town that had to be relocated/abandoned when they built the dam. It is now deep underwater. Islands near the dam were once mountains. The best I can tell is the people of Ban Na moved around in boats, grew rice, and had a nice life. Then there were men with swords. Then the people had a peaceful time. Then the town fell to drinking and fighting. And I have no idea what the rest of the play was about or what the ultimate fate of Ban Na was (well, I know about the dam, but that didn’t seem to be part of the play). After the play there was traditional Thai dancers and then a parade of sorts on the stage with people in traditional dress, carrying offerings or banners. Even though I was rather clueless of what was really going on, the part that I really liked is that this isn’t some cultural show for tourists. This is the real thing. This is the real history told through dress, play and pageantry as told by locals for locals.
When the show appeared to be over I was ready to go and Robin seemed ok with that. My new buddy who keeps getting me to dance tried to convince me that it was too early to leave. I should stay and dance. It took quite a lot of slowly inching away to be able to leave. Chelon seemed so touched that we both came to this and walked us out to the motorbike and stood in the street as we drove off.
Today I had 3 classes in the morning. It’s so hot. After lunch it got chilly, windy and then it rained. Then it was hotter than before and humid. I wonder how I ever survived childhood since I grew up in this climate. It feel impossible that people can live and thrive in this heat. It zaps my energy and feel like a zombie walking around.
After school, Noi said I should go to the temple with her. Some of the teachers are decorating and getting ready for the celebration tomorrow. As I say yes I wonder if I might regret this yes. I’m tired and I just want to go to bed early. I went home and took a shower just to cool off. I sat in front of my evaporative cooler on my “couch” and didn’t want to leave, but I had said yes and at 5 til, she called me to ask where I was.
The temple looked like a small town, high school fair. There were several booths that the villagers are setting up. There’s a big stage and some food booths. There are decorative lights. The decorations remind me of the homecoming floats we created in high school. They spend the time on some details and not on others. The obnoxious green satin material is carefully gathered and draped to create beautiful drapings. The post of the booth are covered in other fabric. Yet, the wires everything is hung from are sticking out like a sore thumb. That’s just one example. One of the teachers is a historian for the town (or that’s what I got out of the conversation). The booth we were decorating had a bunch of old photos of a town called Ban Na. Ba Na was the town that existing in this area before the dam was built. It would be under water now. There are some people still alive that lived in Ban Na. There are pictures of the historian teacher talking with one of them. There are also pictures of her with the Princess which is a big deal. I wasn’t a huge help in decorating, but they were excited to see me there. Some of the men were practicing with their band for the festivities tomorrow. I walked over to watch/video. They made me sit with them in the circle. They tried to talk to me, but I had very little idea what they were saying. There will be a play tomorrow telling the story of Ban Na so I watch some of the practice of that. The actual holiday that is tomorrow is a religious holiday though. So I’m not sure why all the history. Buddha was born, enlightened and died all on the same day. Tomorrow is that day. It has a long Thai name for the holiday which I can’t remember.
Noi and I ate dinner. I remember eating at this restaurant before. I probably wrote about it. It looks like a falling down shelter on the side of the road with a few tables. But the food is delicious. After dinner, I asked Noi to take me home. I’m so tired.
(c) All rights reserved Kimberly Fiore
Paper cut out decorationsNoi made these
Getting ready for tomorrowGetting ready for tomorrow
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.
(c) All rights reserved Kimberly Fiore
My new “couch”My bored at the shop faceSchool supply storeAnother schoolThey leave the plastic on their charmsplate of mushrooms
Yesterday was extremely uneventful. I worked on tagging old blogs so hopefully they are more searchable. I met a friend for lunch. I sat by the pool. I tried Tinder again. One guy said he lived outside town and only had a bicycle. So, he can’t take a taxi? Tinder said he was only 6 miles from me. Lame. No one else responded. It was a real hot day and the heat kicked my ass. By the time I was done with dinner I didn’t even feel like getting a massage. Sleep was the only thing that sounded do-able. I did find this good pizza place so this was my second night eating there.
Today, after the sad breakfast that my hotel provided, I went in search of an atm, water and snacks for the bus. It took a while to find an atm and google maps was useless in this endeavor. After I got money, water and snacks, I went back to check out of the hotel. There’s an atm machine right at the hotel. If I had just looked left instead of right, I would have saved myself some time and frustration. Got a taxi to the bus station. Got a bus ride home. It was more expensive than the bus ride up, but I’m too hot to bargain shop. Maybe I’m paying more for air con that works on the bus. Wrong. I guess I was paying more for a bottle of water and mystery snacks. One snack they gave me was a pastry with meat, carrots and something green in it. The other one looked like a tiny hamburger bun with purple goo in it – taro? I love taro so I was quite happy with that one. It was a long (3.5 hours) hot bus ride, but the bus didn’t break down!
No one was able to pick me up from the bus stop so I had to take a motorbike taxi home. I hate those. Flying down the road 50 miles an hour on the back of someone’s motorbike with no helmet. Not to mention it was so hot, it felt like my flesh might melt off. Made it home safely.
I didn’t have running water when I left, but it seemed to be ok when I got home. But now we are back to no running water. I really don’t know if I can handle this. I just want to take a shower, but I can’t. I can’t flush my toilet. I don’t want to cook because I can’t wash dishes. I have a concrete tub in my bathroom, but the water doesn’t look very clean. It has a film on the top of it and dead bugs in it. I asked Q if he had water and he wanted to know if I needed water to drink. I have that. He didn’t seem too concerned about no running water. Both he and Pat said they’d talk to the janitor tomorrow. I was ready to pack up my suitcases and call it and go back to the US, but I can’t go anywhere.
When I had lunch with Rob yesterday, he was telling me how he loved living in Chaing Mai. His apartment is nicer than where he lived in the UK. He likes his job, has friends, and go places. He was going to the gym to play badminton after lunch. The main reason I decided against the Peace Corps is because I wanted a nicer lifestyle. I might have had better accommodations or at least the same in the Peace Corps. So, I question why I’m here? Couldn’t I be learning the same lessons if I lived in a bigger city and loved living in Thailand? Who knows. I’m trying to be present with what is and it’s not difficult to stay present, but I do find that I still want there to be a reason or a purpose to all this or to know how it will all turn out and I have no clue.
Pictures – I did get a picture of the US Consulate yesterday when I walked by it again. See below.
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.
It’s so hot. I looked at the weather forcast and it’s in the high 90s. It’s supposed to get up to 105 three days in a row. I’m going to die. I stayed at Tip’s house last night. I came home around 9:30 am and went into my house to get a few things. Within 10 minutes I was completely soaked. All the rat poison I left out was gone except in my bedroom. However something ripped the window screen off one of my bedroom windows. What on earth is strong enough to do that and where is it now?
I went into school and worked on lesson plans. Pat had said she’d help me with lesson plans, but when I go there, I got “up to you”. I’m beginning to hate that phrase. It basically means there is a right answer, but I’m not going to tell you what it is. I’m almost done with the first month of lesson plans. I should be done tomorrow so that will make me feel better. There is a room at the school that is always open. Pat said if my house gets too hot, I can use that room to hang out in and turn on the fans. It’s not air conditioned, but way cooler than my house. I’ll probably hang out there tomorrow.
The janitor came over and boarded up some of the holes – the ones between my house and Q’s house. He has to finish the others tomorrow. I’m glad he started with those as I noticed Q’s windows were open and he has no screens – this might be one of of the ways the critters get in. I assume he’s home and opened them or someone is airing out his place before he gets home. But now I don’t know which side of the wall the critters ended up on. Are they stuck in my house or his? I sprayed bug spray into all the dark places and put out more rat poison just for good measure. I have seen two tokays tonight on the outside of my screens, but I’m still not happy because I’m thinking they might be big enough to have broken the screen upstairs and they might do it again. One is staring into my bedroom as I write this.
It rained. I went outside and just stood in it. One of the other teachers and I were talking and she kept trying to get me to stand under cover, but I wouldn’t. The rain isn’t hot. Then I sat on the front “porch” and listened. So many things started making noise after the rain stopped. It was almost deafening. There is a lot going on in the woods. It’s great when it’s going on “over there” and not in my house. I took video of it so you could here all the noises, but I don’t think it picked up the noises so now you just get a video of what it looks like from my front porch.
It’s been like a ghost town around here. I haven’t seen another teacher or student in the housing area and no cars or motorbikes parked out front. The teacher I mentioned above was the first. She just got back today. I heard some other people talking a little later in the evening. I bet more will arrive tomorrow too. I imagine they are going through what I just went through, cleaning out the disaster that moved into their houses. The only difference is they are probably use to it and it doesn’t make them want to run away.
I was going to go to the pool with Tip, but she had to cancel. I came home and washed all the dishes instead. I also made dinner. It was no where near as fun as the pool, but I felt a lot better after knowing the dishes were clean. I think just getting back into a routine will help with the culture shock a lot. I feel quite a bit better after doing the dishes.
Now I’m sitting inside the semi safety of my bug net. I’m marveling at the amount of bugs that are not kept out by the bug net. I’m thinking it’s time to turn off the light and attempt sleeping. I think I’m going to go turn the light on in the other bedroom so maybe the tokays will hang out on those window screens instead of my bedroom. Seems logical.
It was nice to sleep in a cool, clean room last night instead of my dirty house. But I didn’t sleep well because I just kept thinking of how much work I have tomorrow trying to clean and block things up.
Tip told me she had someone to help clean my house today and told me how much they wanted to get paid – deal! The school janitor came over today to look at blocking up some of the holes in the house. He said he could do it tomorrow. Yay! I did laundry and hung out at Tip’s house the rest of the day. Yet, I still don’t feel better.
A conversation with Tip confused me. She was asking if I knew anyone else that could help clean the house or if I could ask Pat to find someone to help. So, were the people she though would help now not able to? The rest of the conversation confused me and got way lost in translation. Of course, I can’t speak Thai so I’m no help. By the end of the conversation I was pretty sure someone is showing up at 4:00pm, but who knows? After this I just wanted to get on an airplane and cry the whole way back to the US. But there are no taxis here and no airport so I’m stuck. I wonder why this I feel so bad. I know that even though I have no idea what’s going on, someone will clean my house today. It’s like riding the bus with vague directions. It doesn’t seem like it will work, but it works. So, I question why I feel like fleeing. Then it hits me, I’m going through culture shock again. I’ve been gone for 2 months and I wasn’t here long enough before for this to feel like home. I feel like a burden. I feel stupid for not being able to speak Thai. I don’t like a living quality below what I had in the US. It’s so hot I can barely move. All of this is being blown out of proportion into despair because of culture shock – too many things at once.
I went to the market at 3:00. I love the market. It scares me because I get so many strange looks and I have no idea what most people are saying to me. I just smile. It scares me because of all the strange food – not just the scary food like frogs in a bucket, but I have no idea if I will like that veggie or fruit or how to cook it. I can ask how much and understand the answer, but that’s about it. I love the feel of the market and knowing the person I’m paying is probably the person that grew the food. I felt a little better after the market.
After the market, two ladies showed up at Tip’s house and followed me to mine to clean it! See, why didn’t I trust. At some point I pulled a black trash bag out from under the stairs. It has been there since I moved in. It moved. I screamed. One of the ladies grabbed it, took it outside and beat it with a broom handle until it stopped moving. I didn’t look in the bag, but she confirmed it was a tokay. So now my house is clean and the tokay is gone. I did some more laundry and ate some celebratory ice cream.
As I’m sitting outside the 7-11 eating my ice cream a couple ladies walk by. One asks me something and I look sadly at her since I have no idea what she asked. She then asks me in English where I am from. I tell her America. She asks how long I am here. I explain I am teaching and will be here until September. She asks if I am teaching at Sam Ngao Witt, which I am. Then she asks me if I will come visit her at her house some time. She points down the road and tells me it’s way down the road. It’s the orange house. I told her I would. She makes me promise. I don’t even know her name, but I’ve been invited to her house.
I’m so hot that I don’t know if taking a shower will do any good. My plan is to take a shower, crawl into bed with the fan on and don’t move. I can work on my computer and try to sleep. I get a text from Tip telling me it’s hot and I should stay at her place again. I feel bad having them take care of me. I feel grateful at the same time. As I’m coming downstairs to shower, I see a huge tokay. I’m not sure if I can even get down the stairs. He’s not blocking the stairs – he’s on the window screen. I’m sure he won’t jump out and attack me, but still……I take a couple pictures, of course. I manage to get down the stairs. I want to open the window screen and shue him out, but I just can’t get that close. I abandon the plan and go to Tip’s house. I am done. I don’t know if I can do this for 5 months – no ac and a never ending supply of large lizzards.
I showed the pictures to Ging and Tip and asked if this is normal to have these in your house. They said yes. Ging sees them in her house all the time. “If you chase one out, another comes in”. So, now I want to run away and cry again.
It did motivate me to apply for Antarctica jobs again. I should have been working on lesson plans, but I suck at making lesson plans so I searched the Antarctica jobs instead. They get posted in March so I’m a bit late to the game. Right now cold and very few (no?) bugs or tokays sounds amazing!
I got home around 5:30pm. I’m glad it was still daylight when I got home as it would have been extra creepy in the dark. It’s completely disgusting. There is a thick layer of yuck on everything. The refrigerator was half ice. I’ve never seen so many spider webs before, of course complete with large spiders. There are geckos everywhere. No sight of tokays though. They obviously are not doing a good job or they don’t eat spiders. There is mouse poop on everything. None of the bags of food have been touched, but a bag of instant noodles had ants in it. There are ants all over the house. The bathroom was a war zone. One of the most disgusting things I’ve ever seen. I’m not sure what was pooping in there – frogs? Something ate holes through the screen doors upstairs. I’m not sure why I need screen doors upstairs anyway, but I don’t want to think about what decided eating screen was a good idea. My favorite flip flops were eaten. Something ate through the straps and chewed huge chunks out of the soles. There were quite a few bug wings on the floor upstairs. My bed has ants in it, not many, but enough that I won’t be able to sleep because that’s all I’ll be able to think about. The bug net save my bed from being a total disaster. My closet seemed to be ok. I went around with a can of bug spray and sprayed all the spiders, some roaches and under the stairs. I cleaned the bathroom since it was the worst. I was sweating soooooo bad. I don’t know if I will survive the heat. I turned off the refrigerator and opened the door – old fashioned defrost method. I asked Tip if she knew anyone that could help me clean tomorrow and if I could borrow clean sheets. Her cleaning lady may be able to help me tomorrow. I’m now at her house. They are going to let me stay here tonight. So, I’m now clean and I feel human again. I sitting here having a conversation with a furby. Tip’s daughter set the talking toy in front of me and then left the room. Tomorrow I plan to get some more cleaning supplies and bug spray. Tomorrow I go to war.
(c) All rights reserved Kimberly Fiore
What is big enough to do this to my bathroom?So much poopI loved these shoes 😦
I go back to Sam Ngao today. I would have expected to wake up with the morning dreads, but I didn’t. It was more like minor grumblings mostly about waking up in general. I don’t want to go back to my house or back to work, but I feel a sort of resolve. This is what is happening and it’s ok. I will miss the lack of roosters. I haven’t heard one in Chaing Mai. I will miss the swimming pool. Goodbye Western food. Goodbye air conditioning, I will miss you most of all.
I packed up, went out for breakfast and then went back to the condo to work on lesson plans and watch more bad tv. I caught the end of Minority Report. I like that movie. But then it was paranormal activity investigators on the sci fi channel – boo. I waited in the lobby of the condo for 45 minutes before Pat asked me to get a taxi and come to her. I got a taxi to the other side of town and had lunch with Pat and Dam. Now I am riding back to Sam Ngao with them listening to 60s and 70s American music and watching Pat grab the oh shit handle every time Dam tries to pass another car.
I’m wondering how terrifying my house will be after being locked up for 2 months. Will it be a little dusty? Will the rat and other creatures have found the snacks I left? Will the refrigerator have flooded the kitchen? Will I come home to bug wings inches deep like I did one weekend? Or will it be a total war zone? Tune in tomorrow……or later tonight.
Rraine Drops 