Falling Up

That's right, my friends. The other day at school, before summer vacation [started on the 15th]... I fell *up* the stairs. And hurt my leg. Big bruise. It hurts. [mentioned in previous blog]

Then just this past Wednesday I fell over with my bike and created a scab on my knee - one of the worst places to get such a thing. I didn't want it to get infected, seeing as it was pink already, so I cut up some antibotic-infused bandaids and made a makeshift large antibiotic-infused bandaid. What's weird is walking into the pharmacy and asking for a "plaster." They just don't know it by the term "band-aid" here. I can only imagine, with my full American-self showing, the pharmascist handing over to me a giant tube of plaster-caulk saying "good luck."
Ah, the differences between English and American...ish.

Crazy-ness! I'm waking up at like 8 AM normally, nearly every day now! ...Stupid sun... Then I get tired around 9 and 10. I think having Muay Thai class helps wear me out, though.

My friend Chase lost 20 kilos since he's arrived to Thailand. Not pounds, KILOS. 20 kg's is nearly 45 pounds! Yes, that's possible. He mainly feasts on super-spicy things. That's the main reason other countries [who typically have a lot of spices in their diet] are skinnier. Honestly though, I only lost 5 kilos, and am keeping to non-spicy foods. Knowing this information, though, I kind of want to be able to build up my tolerance for spicy food. He said he can out-eat a Thai person with spicy food. Is that even possible?

I can't remember if the report for Rotary is supposed to be every week or every month. If it's the first, I'm really sorry. Nothing too much has been happening, and I can't exactly write about watching movies, though I could write some very good reviews. If it's the latter, all I have to say is woo. Life is boring right now, wake up, watch a movie, check E-Mail, go to Muay Thai, come home, eat, E-Mail, sleep. Now that Watchi is [finally] into her summer vacation, I think I may have more things to do. I don't know for sure, though. Besides, I need to practice my dancing moves and mail some stuff out. I have yet a Christmas gift for my friend. What will I call it, Happy St. Patty's Day?

Those are some really fat fish in the tank next to the computer. Seriuosly. They're like sumo-fish or something...

[Currently checking pictures on computer to see if she skipped something...]

Oh! I met the super-famous-across-Thailand band called Colorbau. I don't have the pictures yet, they're on Pang's phone. Pang=name of host sister who's awesome [like me] [wink]. ;)
Anyway, they spoke good English! :P They were pretty cool.

There's a weird sound in the night... it makes a noise that sounds like a skipping CD then loudly screams "TOOKAY!" 3 days later I realized, no, it's not a toucan. It's a tookay. A giant wall gecko the size of a paint roller or bigger.

I also realized my Spanish is now obliviated. A man from Cuba is on something like a teacher exchange with our Muay Thai class, only he teaches the International Boxing, the stuff with no kicking involved what-so-ever. That's okay, though, I guess. There's another guy in my class named Marco, who's from Canada. He speaks Spanish better than I do by a longshot, and can translate for him to me and everyone else.

I'm tired. Going to "hit the hay."
Later!

MoniNeko

Muay Sacon

Write first! Title later!
That's a must for me. While I'm writing this... at this point in time... I'm title-less.

OKAY! First thing's first. Chinese New Year! It wasn't as big as I expected it to be, and it clashed with the Chinese Lantern Festival... apparently it's the same day. Nonetheless, the temple was decorated all pretty-like, and extended host family came to visit. They turned out to be rather fun. So later that day I took the nice red top that my old host family gave me, and slapped on my blue Chinese dress that I bought while in Chiang Mai/Chiang Rai. We went to the temple first, wai'd, and took pictures. One of the newspaper photographers wanted a shot of me. I thought that was pretty cool, even though I wasn't wearing a red dress. I don't know if I wound up in the newspaper, I guess I have to ask my host family - it doesn't matter, though. It was the whole 'option' factor that made me giggle a little.
After visiting the wat, we went over to Centerpoint/The Night Market and ate at "The Beer Garden," where I ate some Somtam [mai sai pli' brrio won], eggrolls, fish, Pad Thai, you name it. I got rather full. Then we all piled home.
[ Pictures - http://picasaweb.google.com/gecko.on.the.wall/ChineseNewYear ]

The next day everyone went to Laos [except me - my host dad made sure I knew that in a very teasing manner - lol], while I went to see my friend Crissy off on the plane. I met Crissy in Muay Thai class. She's from Ireland, a really fun person to be friends with. Anyway, I had coffee and banana bread with her and saw her off.
When I got back home, I had to change because I would soon be going to Muay Thai, which [after I got there] I found wasn't going to be held? Apparently the teacher left early, had to do something. Oh well.
Pi-Duh came over [she's pretty rad - host aunt], we had a big BBQ after all the rest of the family got back from Laos. Ribs, salad and Thai food [of course, I mean... I *am* in Thailand].

Sunday they left, - and I actually got up to eat breakfast with them before they did so. Ended up eating a Vietnamese breakfast. Not bad, really. Then Kun-Meh had the idea of taking pictures of the flowers and doggies while the sun was rather "nice."
[ Pictures - http://picasaweb.google.com/gecko.on.the.wall/BreakfastGoodbye ]

I have a new friend at Muay Thai, she's older than she looks, half-Thai, half-Japanese. She's pretty fun, too. Speaks English a little, but I usually speak Thai with her. Which is good, of course. I got some pictures of her practicing. I also got a few pictures of everyone else practicing........ the other day.
[ Pictures - http://picasaweb.google.com/gecko.on.the.wall/MuayThai ]

"The Other Day" included running, and finding out what the higher-ranked people in my Muay Thai class do while waiting for it to begin - they play Sepak Takraw.
[ Pictures - http://picasaweb.google.com/gecko.on.the.wall/SepakTakraw ]

Then there's yesterday. Happy Belated Valentines, hope you had "a good one." My sewing class gave me candies and told me they love me. Then we proceeded to take lots of pictures. There was also this large cook-out inside the school for the sewing departments for Valentine's Day. Somtam, TomYam, and fried chicken. Everything but the chicken was spicy, so I kept to that and downed it with some red Fanta.
[ Pictures - http://picasaweb.google.com/gecko.on.the.wall/AschiwaValentineSDay ]
Yesterday was also my last day at school. Summer vacation started today, and will last for 2 monthes [exactly].
Too bad it's cold right now.

Yesterday I also fell down while going up the stairs. Now my leg hurts. Along with the giant bruise [attatched].
Thought I'd mention that to let you know I haven't changed into someone else [or abducted by aliens] and am still... normal me. Haha, peace out.

Moni Neko

P.S. - On Wednesday, since the teacher didn't come to school, I headed over to Palaat because [Aijan] Sirir invited me to come over and "spar." [Spar = not serious fight, no hurting.] It wasn't Muay Thai [with kicking], just regular [international] boxing, called Muay Sacon. It was rather difficult for me because I'm so used to Muay Thai, due to all the kicking involved. Nonetheless, I won. Yay! :)
P.S. S. - I think Aijan [Du'ean] (Muay Thai teacher) will want me to fight Muay Thai before I go back home - he's already teaching me the traditional Thai [warm-up] dance called "Ram Muay Thai," I'm still learning it, but it's getting decent...

"Champion of the World"

Just 5 days until Feb. 7, the Chinese New Year! It's going to be HUGE!
I can't wait. Seriously.
Tons of people are going to be in Chinese dress, there's a Chinese musical happening, and because we're in a part of Thailand that's really close to China... well, yeah, it's going to be huge.

Sorry I haven't updated for a long time - I haven't had as much access to a computer! I'm with a new host family now, have been for exactly 2 weeks [today]. I really love my new family.
Also, the day right after I arrived, Watchi and Apinya were able to come over, and we had a huge BBQ with delicious ribs and salad.

Yesterday I started Muay Thai back up after having not been for awhile, due to the Phu Kradung trip, sick for a week or so, then going to Chiang Mai and being sick again. I'm finally getting over the sickness. Now I'm starting Muay Thai back up.
I can tell my body likes the return to the arts. :P

My friend, nicknamed "Oui," he's a student in my Muay Thai class, too. He's about 21, pretty cool. Well, anyway, something really cool happened. Around Phu Kradung-time, he left Muay Thai class in my city, kind of missed him. He's returned back. Guess where he went!? Bangkok. He participated in the SEA Games, SEA standing for SouthEast Asian. It's kind of like the Olympics, but just the Asian countries, really, and is played every year [not just once every four years]. Cool, right? It gets better... he won! Yah. That winner guy... I not only train with him, but am friends with him. ...killer. :D Now he's slightly known as "The Champion," sometimes called "Champion of the World," because he competed agianst several countries' top Muay Thai players.

On the 27th of Jan, the "Udon Girls" [inbound exchange students staying in UdonThani] put on a mini-show. We danced to a couple songs for the past President of Rotary International, along with a few other Rotarians from Japan. It was pretty cool. Unfortunately, when most of the pictures were taken, I had already been told we were leaving - therefore, I had yet to remove my watch. Haha.

I fixed my hair up real cute...

I have a cool new pillow. It's big, fluffy and green. He's a frog... I think.

Eating honey-roasted "Koh Kae" peanuts - only these don't have that weird crunchy coating stuff.

All day yesterday, planes were flying everywhere. My new house is near the airport, but even for that fact, it was still quite uncommon. You could take a picture of a military plane about ever 5 minutes or so. Most of them were carriers or fighter planes. My host family says it was training yesterday, that's why.

Updated photo albums:

Promdeeraj House [New Host Family's House]
http://picasaweb.google.com/gecko.on.the.wall/PromdeerajHouse

Welcome Party
http://picasaweb.google.com/gecko.on.the.wall/WelcomeParty

Lam Thai
http://picasaweb.google.com/gecko.on.the.wall/LamThai

Random
http://picasaweb.google.com/gecko.on.the.wall/CompletelyRandomPicturesFromThailand

Enjoy~~~
MoniNeko

P.S. - If you ever find yourself trying to read Thai on my Picasa website, it's most likely my fault and I didn't notice. Simply check the url/address & change ".co.th" to ".com" - that's all. :)