Thailand ≠ America

It has been some time now since I got around to sitting down and writing. I decided to finally sit down and update.

Things are going well here for the most part. I am beginning to settle into the mundane and continuous routine that comes with the role of teaching 1300 students once a week. The lessons get old, quick. Since my last post, we have moved to a new apartment. This one is much more to my liking; being only a short walk from E. TECH and right next to two markets. On top of that the rent is cheaper.

I have been making as much of my time here trying to do and see things on the weekends. Just this past weekend I traveled to Ayuthaya (an old capital of Thailand). It was once covered with gold and Buddhist temples, then it was sacked by the Burmese. A lot of the religious ornaments were destroyed. Now it lies in ruin. But with the help of slight imagination, you can see the illustrious past that Ayuthaya once had.







Just the day before Ayuthaya, I was in Bangkok (which will from now on be referred to as BKK). It was just a night. I was able to get some wonderful Mexican food. For a good price. From an actual Mexican. The place is called Tacos and Salsa. All the way at the end of Soi 18, just of Sukhumvit. Get there, enjoy it.

The weekend after next I am planning to get to Koh Samet (pronounced Goh Same(t) [silent t, no Thai finishes a word with a hard consonant]). Then in August, I will be going to Koh Phangan for Buddhist Lent and a Full Moon Party. Exotic beach locals soon to come.

I am slowly learning Thai. I do not know very much, enough to have a friendly little conversation or ask how much something is. The Thai's say I know good Thai. Not only is that poor grammar, but I think they are just being nice. I do enjoy talking to the little kids here. It is fun because their English is about as good as my Thai, so we tend to be on a much more even playing field. I just returned this evening from 7/11. There were these two children running around the store, chasing each other. They hurried around the corner and almost ran into me. I motioned to them to continue. They mimed me. The three of us laughed. One of them, a little girl, came up to me and practiced her English asking, "How are you?" I replied with, "I am well." I returned the favor with, "Sabadee mai (how are you in Thai)?" The conversation progressed to what is your name, where do you teach/go to school. It was pleasant. Thai children very much enjoy practicing their English with a Farang.

I traveled half way around the world. I am learning. I am evolving. If I have learned anything thus far it is this: Thailand is not America. That is not a value statement of any kind, rather it is just an observation through my experience.