Okay. So I visited my [second] host family's house the other day. We had a BBQ with ribs after the huge Rotary group tour to the different Buddhist temples.
Pretty cool.
The house was big, and it was off in the outskirts, near my athletic college, Wittayalai Palaat. WE HAVE GRASS. They have grass in their yard. How cool is that? When I look out my soon-to-be-bedroom's window, I SEE GRASS. I see... a yard, a field! I see GREEN things instead of concrete and cement. Do you have any idea what I mean? I miss grass, end of story.
Oh, and my bed is bigger. I think comfier, too. Yet the room is smaller. No big deal.
They have a pet dog, and two fish in a tank. When I met the fish, it was a very interesting experience. You see, they're supposed to be those goldfish things that grow up to 1, 2 inches maximum, you know? One of them was normal. The other... well, his stomach was so full of fat that it ended floating upside down [fat buoyancy is better than muscle], and a good 4 or 5 inches big. The other fish? Normal SIZED, I correct myself. It had a string of poo trailing after it like a bride's train on the back of her wedding dress. It was 3 inches, bare minimum. All the fat fish could do was blub and chill out upside down, occasionally flap its utterly useless fins. I almost felt sorry for it. Nonetheless. We not only have a house and 3 cars, we have a rolly-gate thing, and another building, not attached to the house, but just outside; it's mainly for karaoke and computer usage. We still have a couple computers in the house for use, however, so I won't have to go outside whenever I want to check my e-mail, don't worry.
Today was fireworks day.
Holly's dad and herself took me to the park/lake thing, and we shot off some [would-be-il]legal [in America] fireworks, several sets of sparklers [I have a blister the size of Dolly Parton's... on my right foot near my second toe], and those [obvy] poppers/thingies. There were a couple [tribute-type] bands playing in the background. I applaud them for knowing My Chemical Romance, but they should learn English, and memorize the English lyrics before singing the song "I'm Not Okay [I promise]"... in English.
Then there was a band that sounded like Silverstein, but Thai version. If only I knew the name of them. I kind of liked them!
Then, of course, the hot punk Asian boys [ cough cough ] were playing amongst each other with fireworks, shooting them at each other, freaking out when anything went off by them [even if they are the ones who lit the dang thing]. Holly and I laughed at their cute-ness and stupidity. They soon realized, saw us. We knew they liked us, not to be full of ego. I looked at them, and all of a sudden ALL OF THEIR HEADS [from being all looking at us] turned away instantaneously. This happened several times. Then we'd giggle or laugh at the poor whipping-boy [the main target, apparently one of the 'leaders'], and smiles would spread across their faces. I almost felt bad for the guy who was always on his CELL PHONE.
A guy hopped down the flat, wide stairs on the back wheel of his bike. Holly and I joked that if he did that just a couple times, he'd hop right into the lake. [sploosh]
I found a top hat! ...but the guy wanted 390 baht for it. [About 12 bucks]. Over here, that's expensive. I'll keep looking.
This makes me want to post of list of "You know you've been in Thailand for awhile when..." sayings... hehehe, let me do that and eat my darned delicious dried pineapple I bought at the "festival."
- Splashing out $6 for a meal is extravagant.
- A weekend on a tropical island is only a few hours away.
- $9 per night is a reasonable price for a double room with en-suite bathroom (basic as it may be). [ If anyone wants to come visit me, let me book the hotel on this end. ]
- Everyone you know owns at least one yellow shirt.
- In the morning, you don't need to stick your head outside to decide what to wear. You don't even need look out the window to decide what to wear. In fact, you don't need to wake up to decide what to wear.
- You're beginning to understand the notion of “Thai time”, meaning don't expect anything to be done by the time you expect it.
- You had fried rice for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and there's nothing odd about that.
- You debate whether $15 is too much to pay for a pair of shoes.
- Playing “spot the ladyboy” is a fun way to pass time. In school.
- When you see other farangs in your neighbourhood you assume they're either teachers or lost.
- You feel superior to backpackers.
- You catch yourself saying “My birthday five December, same-same like King”. And in fact generally speaking in a Thai accent.
- You use the term "same-same" a lot in English speech now.
- Seeing a family of four and their dog all piled on a moped doesn't surprise you.
- You do your shopping in the market, not Super WalMart [or] Target.
- You have seriously adjusted your notion of what constitutes "really good English."
- You understand why 555 is the new LOL.
- You know how to respond when someone asks "poot thai dai mai?", "bai nai?" or "hew mai?"
- There's condensation on the *outside* of your office window, and in the winter it's a relief to get *out* to the warmth!
- The word "soi dog" does not make you think of a vegetarian BBQ.
- You recognize the above term is actually ISAAN!!!
- You know that the big "stuffed omelet" sitting before you is actually Pad Thai Haw Khai. [Pad Thai (noodles, sauce, stuff) wrapped in a giant fried, flat egg.]
- You occasionally hum the tune of Channel 3 which is actually on channel 4.
That reminds me.
Winter is coming up for Thailand just as well as America.
Yes, it will get colder.
Yes, it is possible.
Yes, I'm telling the truth.
In fact, it's quite EASY to find hoodies, hooded sweatshirts and such ANYWHERE for the same price as a tank top or T-Shirt.
It's really not so much day weather that changes. Mainly just night and morning, and it gets in the low 16-18 C's.
In case you're wondering, it gets chilly with my air conditioner set on 24 C.
Nonetheless! I have a couple new hoodies, so I'm good. One was bought in the guy section [go figure]. I love it, though.
I believe it is possible for it to snow. I'll test that theory at the next Rotary meeting. I believe that's the best area with temperatures as such to be able to HOLD snow.
Maybe I'll just dump my ice water on the table and see how long the ice stays frozen.
I have three pineapple chunks left. Wait, make that two. [chew chew, gulp]
I'm loving school! I'm also loving the 3rd "Yeep Haa" [sewing] teacher that I met. She's funny, and fun to hang around with. I think I found my 'hideaway' in school when I get bored, or have a few hours in between, before or after classes. I can sew for the nuts of it, and she said she'd even help me sew a few designs I've come up with. My stay here has shown me I like to draw out new fashions. So, I now have a sketchbook for just that, fashion designing. People like to sift through and look at my drawings, and I'm making them bigger. Who knows, I may come back and want to do that. I don't know yet. If I do, I know the name for my brand already. I'm not saying it aloud, so no one can steal it. I love the brand name I have in mind! If I don't go into fashion, however, maybe even food or something of the sort, the same name is possible. I'm loving this brand name...
I have received the coolest card yet. No only did my amazing grandmother go through trouble cutting out pictures and putting them on a very cute [kitty] card for me, but she did it with her left hand, being her right one is currently wrapped up. She complains her writing is horrible with her left hand. I see no difference, I can barely read it either way. [laughs] I managed, though. My host family got a kick out of the whole tradition thing. I laughed aloud thinking [before I had opened it] that she'd have stuck in 2 dollars like she usually does. I tried correcting myself thinking Grandma would realize I wouldn't be able to use them here.
I opened the tape-sealed envelope, that had Star Wars and comic book stamps on it, to take out the Halloween-themed envelope. I then proceed to grab the shears from the basket that host grandmother so oftenly uses in front of the TV to cut open the envelope holding the card. Why did she seal it?! Oh well. I pulled the card out to "aww" at the cute kitty on the card. I opened the card.
Two US Dollars made themselves quite obvious against the large white sheet of paper that was covered in, well, scribbles. I couldn't tell it was writing at the moment when I was busy laughing. I'm not trading them for Baht. This moment is to keep. I read the note [without any trouble, I'm used to her handwriting], and looked at the card and envelope again. I nearly cried, to be honest, but I wouldn't have minded if I did. I cried when I got my first package. Not out of homesickness, but the thought and what was inside it.
One pineapple chunk left.
22 minutes after 24 hundred hours.
I'm half-half thinking in Thai time and US time.
Weird.
Yes, I'm thinking about getting up tomorrow... but do you honestly think I could sleep with fireworks still going off all over town? Pffft, I'd rather write a huge blog and tell you bunch of stuff.
I have a new plan, by the way. I will no longer post links to pictures on my blog. I will give you a link to my new photo account on a website that my sister has shown me. It's much easier on my end, and to be rather frank... that's all that matters.
I'm not getting any comments from ANYBODY anymore! Please, feel free to comment on my blogs! I love to get feedback from my friends and family. What do you think?
Cake has been sleeping on my bed the past couple of days all through the night without waking me up. Her cute-ness comes around me all the time. She's like my shadow. I love her.
The bag I bought is already breaking. Stupid fake things. I refuse to repair it, reinforce it and modify it so I like it. I say, simply, mai bpen lai. [never mind, no problem]
I shall make my own. That way, I know it's durable, I know exactly how to fix things... and I'll use the stuff from my [crappy] old bag on my new one. I bought a small patch of fabric that's so small it could be used as a bandanna around a cat's neck [yes, I did put it on Cake to prove myself correct, and it was highly adorable and fashionable]. It's white, with black paw prints on it. I have a hole in my backpack, a rather large one that you easily slide a water bottle in the bag while it's zipped. So yeah, I need to patch it up. So yeah, I bought a patch of fabric... that was supposed to be a handkerchief, I think?
I have [most] gifts bought. I need to put together one in particular, but I have exactly what I want to mail to everyone. Now I'm going to work on cards. That's a stop for tomorrow: B2S [Books, Stationary, Music, etc.].
[yawn]
I need [want] to go to the Complex with Holly Bolly tomorrow. Don't tell her I just called her that.
The other day I went shopping for myself, however.
I bought shirts! I bought a nice-looking, flattering shirt at a rather expensive store [it would have been expensive save for the half off everything in the store sale], along with a couple of other shirts that I liked and liked me in return. All I'm looking for for myself now is a top hat. Yes, I'm still looking. Yes, I will wear it casually sometimes. [Other times I'll be wearing my school outfit. Heaven knows nothing matches that thing.]
You know you [live] in Thailand when you no longer think your school uniform is as cute as what you thought it would be [when you have to wear it every day].
Signing off for now. I think that's good enough. No, I won't give you my picture link.
Make me.
Okay, truth be told... nothing's on there yet. Remember, no photo software? Bleh.
Oh well. Good night for me.
Monica
P.S... No more pineapple...
