Third Week – Thursday, September 8, 2011

This week has been much tamer than the rest. I had Thai class everyday from 8-12 and then Foundations from 1-4 and Cross-fit on Tuesday and Thursday. I think we are getting into a pretty set schedule. Although tomorrow starts the weekend and I have no idea what to expect.

Today, I asked Paw what we would be doing over the weekend because the first couple weekends we didn’t really go anywhere or do anything  (and the host families are told to take us around on weekends). Paw said he asked his student to take me around (I think) and he said that if his student couldn’t than he would. After my rough moments the first weekend, I talked to Pi Pooh (who’s in charge of the home-stays and knows the families) and she found out that my grandfather is very sick. I already knew this because I see him everyday but apparently its new and pretty consuming for my family. So, I definitely don’t want to push my family to take me places but I do really want to explore! So, I talked to Pi Pooh who said I could potentially go with someone else’s family. I suggested that to Paw and he and Meh just sat me down and asked who, if their family said it was alright, and if it was a girl or boy. This is another major culture difference. Girls and boys are NOT allowed to hang out or be alone together…very bad implications. Luckily, I already knew of this. But, I don’t know if anyone’s family is willing to take me so I said I would ask tomorrow and let him know. After talking with Meh, Paw said that I could either go with a friend or we would go somewhere as a family. Of course I said I would love to go with the family but I said I didn’t want to burden them. So, I THINK we are going to some hot springs but it is all a huge mystery. I’m just hoping that I get the chance to explore places outside the village!

So, that was the confusion of the day and I’ll let you know how that plays out. But, things with my family are apparently going better than I thought. Reading the family is HARD…for a while I wasn’t really sure how my family really felt. Pi Pooh and Ajan visited all the homes this week to see how things are going. Paw told me this morning that they had come to speak with him yesterday afternoon. He said that he told them that I was talkative and rip roy (doesn’t translate but basically means respectful/considerate/etc). Then he said that in a little more than 2 weeks I would be moving to the apartments and he would be sad! I can’t explain to you how happy that makes me. To be honest, their approval means more than anything else. This is a huge relief after the first weekend. Paw said that at the end of the homestay we have a banquet where we dress in traditional Thai attire. He said Meh would dress me and that we all perform something (with the family, I think)! But, apparently they don’t know how to sing or dance so Paw said maybe we could just paint on the stage together haha…so we’ll see what happens.

On the study front…Foundations class is getting really interesting. We learned a lot about sex trafficking, which was definitely disturbing at times, but very revealing about Thai culture and much of what we don’t really see on the surface. We also learned a lot about Burma and what the Burmese government is doing to many ethnic groups located in the jungles. It is awful and basically genocide. These topics are always disturbing when brought up and discussed/studied in depth but the fact that we are so close (proximity wise) to both makes these topics so much more real and meaningful. I wish I could explain more but I wouldn’t be able to do it justice and it wouldn’t have the same effect. So, I’ll leave it at that.

On a more entertaining note (notice I did NOT say happier)…I found a new creature in the bathroom this week. New surprises, always. I walked in to take my shower and I saw a long centipede looking thing that was about 10 inches long with MANY little legs. As I recalled, Ajan Mark told us that some creatures like these were dangerous…so I ran outside, in my towel, to get Paw before he headed off to Meh’s house (where I would later bike over to eat dinner). I guess I seemed flustered because he ran in and saw the creature and immediately calmed down. Guess it wasn’t a big deal because he picked it up with his fingers after he couldn’t get it on the toilet brush. So…that was another exciting/embarrassing shower moment.

Oh also…I have gained a passion for Milo. It is sort of like hot chocolate but better! They have Milo flavored everything. Everyone makes fun of me for it. I have a major sweet tooth. All my favorite foods are the Kanom (desserts). Coconut milk, sticky rice is my favorite. We also have this sticky rice banana thing…hard to explain because I don’t really know what it is but it’s also DELICIOUS. Eventually I will figure out what the food I’m eating actually is but in some cases it is better I don’t know. And in other cases, I just can’t understand. Meals are always a mystery and I am always a little nervous before mealtime, not going to lie.

Alright, I should study some Thai and go to sleep. I have to get up early to go to a fish farm tomorrow to do “aquaculture training and activities”. Don’t know what that entails but I do know that we will be in mud up to our waists because we were told to dress appropriately!