Anotha week in CM

Update! Time! Is! Now!

Nearing the end of my first week in Chiang Mai.

Highlights and lowlights?

Highlight- the people here are super friendly, they should have license plates similar to back home. I noticed it right away, people are smiling laughing, wanting to talk, to help you out, sincerely.

Highlight- I've had two guest houses, one I stayed at the first day off the train while I looked for the other long term guesthouse or apartment. The people at the first guesthouse were so nice and I met an older gentlemen who used to work with all sorts of NGOs, apparently he knows everyone! Good contact! And a good man! The guesthouse I found to stay the whole is really a blessing of a find, the lady who owns it is so nice, and so are the other few workers. I ate BBQ with her and her sons the other day, and today she taught me how to make som tum, the cleaning lady is so fun and loves to laugh, we had a good time today when she was laughing and accidentally drooled and then we laughed some more, and joked about it getting in the salad.

Highlight- people I've met in my travels, marcel from Germany (really appreciated his insights on life), sabrino and Stephanie from the netherlands, a couple from England, the girls from america. Really nice to spend time with people from all over!

Highlight- the kids at garden of hope, forgot how much I miss and love Thai children, working with them full time is still not my bag, but the times I do are precious, well, the kids are precious.

Lowlight- the prospect of having to teach English. It was my worst fear, to spend two years in university learning a profession that would take me back to Thailand without having to teach English, only to get here and end up doing the same thing. This English teaching experience is a curse! Jk even if I didn't have experience I'm sure It wouldn't matter. If you speak English you teach English overseas, that is just the way it is. Both organizations I have talked to now, when I ask what I can do, this is their response--teach english.

Highlight- talking with nong fon. She is such a spunky girl who likes to tease and make jokes. She said she would love to travel but would never have enough money, I said she could be an au pere maybe...but then she would have to speak english. Then she said something poignant-- how come foreigners can come to my country and we have to speak English to them and they don't have to speak Thai, but if I go somewhere I have to speak English. I agreed, it's not fair.

Lowlight- in getting to know some organizations I've heard some heart wrenching stories and situations.

Highlight- face painting with the kids, I just love face painting.

Interesting-my big toenail is hanging on by a thread, it creeps me out. But it doesn't hurt.

Highlight- my fingernails are growing out because I can finally wear nail polish. They're so pretty, in comparison to before, not to other peoples haha.

Lowlight- haven't played soccer in over three weeks :( lack of soccer leads to depression lol.

Hilghlight- haven't had to cook or do my own laundry for three weeks either. And they do your laundry so nice out here!

This is all for now, I missed a good portion of bangkok week 2 highlights, but that time has passed, maybe I'll write them down later. It is best not to keep record of these things for years later when you want to remember your experience, I naturally have THE WORST memory for stuff like that.