To The Citadel on Bicycles We Go

From Hanoi – we took a train to Hue. The Former capital of Vietnam. It is a city which holds a structure of National Pride. The citadel – where royal families once ruled Vietnam. It was huge- and the weather was nice, cool, and cloudy. Went there on bicycles and were treated to some truly warm Vietnamese hospitality where a few women kindly fetched some food for Taryn and I..however, due to my weak stomach – I was unable to hold it in and had to cut my visit to the Citadel very short as I was – getting sick in various areas of the compound. I went back to our hotel ( thank God we had a hotel – for our own personal bathroom... and slept my sickness off.) The next day Taryn and I biked around town and went to a temple and the saw the famous Pagoda. It was beautiful...so many shots taken! We laid around at a park with locals. We then went to a lovely 5 Star hotel and had a nice glass of wine and enjoyed the beautiful views Hue had. Later we had a delicious Mediterranean dinner and drinks with a few locals that Taryn befriended while I was sick the night before. It such a pleasurable time, I smile thinking of Hue. The next day we took a day bus to Hoi An – a quaint beach town!

Hanoi - The Coolest Part of Our Trip!

What a great city! The epitome of East meets West. A well welcomed treat when Taryn and I grew tired of the extremely warm weather..It was nice to be actually – COLD! It was the most northern point in southeast Asia that we had been to. It's pretty amazing when you just stop and look out into the streets...motorbikes clearly outnumbered cars at least by 20 to 1. French colonization is clear in this city, especially where we stayed – in the French Quarter. We treated ourselves to a lovely little hotel – the Heart Hotel which provided us with free Internet and it also doubles as an art gallery. It is in a supreme location – everything was within walking distance. Highly recommend this quaint boutique hotel for the value! We enjoyed the serenity of the Lake and the Japanese Temple in the center where a traditional legend was said to have taken place– where locals and travelers alike mellow out. While in the French Quarter Taryn and I treated ourselves to a fabulous spa day at a beautiful Q Spa which overlooks the lake. We both got amazing hot stone massages, facials, and enjoyed sauna/steam room as well as the Jacuzzi. After our services we were surprised with a beautiful snack with a refreshing beverage on the top floor of the building. The room was stunningly cool – it had rock decored floors and exposed wooden beams that evoked calm and zen. There were lounge couches and chairs strewn about and a vast array of travel and lifestyle magazines to further induce our state of relaxed minds! This was bliss at its finest for a fraction of what it costs in the states. When we did venture out of the area – it was about a $4 ride to our rooftop bars – where Taryn and I enjoyed wine and cheese while savoring our visuals of Hanoi's Skyline where it met body's of water. We had epic Gastronomic meals – and strolled through the city's many museums. We visited the Hanoi Hilton where senator and Presidential Candidate “08, John McCain was held. It was incredibly heartbreaking to view all the artifacts from prisoners and read and hear about all the stories of the prisoners who were there simply standing up for the rights of Vietnamese and later POW s. We visited the Vietnam National Museum and Natural History Museums. A beautiful time in a beautiful city.

MotorBike...I Finally Did It !!!!

After many months of being teased with the ease and freedom of the ever elusive but much warned about Motorbike - I have finally jumped on one...and I like it!

Being on Cat Ba island -I observed the finely paved roads and the visual feast the island offered was just to sweet to not see...Every island local was touting their motorbikes - and I got tired of turning down the sweet freedom from someone else's clock and schedule...so the next morning - after our hotel guy offered a motorbike - as I first placed my foot onto the pavement...I decided not to be so dismissive..I decided to give him and the bike a chance..Taryn was shocked at my sudden "O.K. -let me try it!" attitude - as I prepared to jump on the bike, I felt the " just do it" stares from our hotel guy and his friends - and they assured me it was really easy...staring at the finely paved 2 going on 3 lane street ahead of me -designed to accommodate far more traffic than it does it currently ( my guess is that investors put a lot of money into this island early on - and when the economic crash in Asia hit in the late 90's - that put a halt to things...but construction is back ...and its going full speed ahead - its insane to see them just plow into rock and cliffs to finish off the ambitious projects that were dreamed up) I jumped on and was pleasantly surprised at just how easy it was! From then on - Taryn and I were inseparable from our Motorbikes for the whole day! We rode around the whole island - we saw places we wouldn't have been able to - had we done bicycles or even commissioned a taxi driver...It was liberating on many levels - it's nice to overcome this big fear of motorbikes and it was heavenly to feel the wind all around you as your ride though the misty karsts that decorate the beautiful island.

Xin Chao from Vietnam!

This posting is for you Alexis! ;) New Country..New Language...yes, that's part of travel and Taryn and I are now humbled by our inability to pronounce Vietnamese..we've been so proud and albeit a little smug from our abilities to communicate simple things in Thailand and Laos - but in Vietnam it's a whole new ballgame. Taryn and I decided to fly from Vientiane to Hanoi - we just couldn't deal with a 28 hour ( ?? maybe more and more hell to endure!) bus ride...so we did a 1 day express visa deal and booked a flight bound for Hanoi. We weren't alone though- there were a few familiar faces at the airport from the much beaten tourist trail that Taryn and I had reluctantly been on ( and sometimes off - only to get back on again)..when we landed at Hanoi - it was exciting! We were thrilled to be transferring our money into new currency ( Dong) and head onto a new adventure. We joined fellow travelers ( Katie and Chase) in the techno music laden cab with an extremely affable driver who took us to an O.k. hotel in the Old Quarter section of Hanoi- where the room itself was just o.k. but the staff was amazing! After hearing about a pending storm that would be entering Ha long Bay ( a destination we were planning on heading to 3 or 4 days later) - we decided to impulsively book a 1 night- 2 day - all inclusive tour...now, we wanted to avoid packages - but we were just too tired to figure it all out in such a short time...and figured once we got to Ha long bay - we could figure it out after the package ran out and stay longer ( which the staff and Star Hotel said we could) so it was done. I had my first bowl of Pho in Vietnam and I was stoked! The next morning we got up and jumped in a van bound for Ha long bay! It is stunning - it is UNESCO world heritage sites and rightfully so! Once we hopped onto the pier - and I slung my Adidas duffel bag - with my broken staps ( I am the only again without a backpack - which i am still on the hunt for one!) over my shoulder and headed for our boat named "Imperial Junk." Its a common and "must do" things for visitors to view and take in Halong bay and all it's glory from an overnight cruise throughout the bay - there were hundreds of these Junk boats at the pier! They all have about 10 rooms for guests so its perfect amount of people on the boat - not too crowded and its just a treat be able to enjoy the awesome beauty of the 1,000's of tiny islands that are scattered about Halong Bay. Our guide said that Halong means - where the dragons tail descends - to create the many islands...

On the boat - Taryn and I were with about 6 or 7 couples - and there was one family -and then us! So, we were like the only pals on the boat - but we had fun and chatted up with a really friendly couple, Dom and Simon from Wales who have been traveling around the world since June 2007! They'll be heading in a month - but it was lovely to exchange stories and laughs from our tales of travels.

Included in our package - we got to Kayak, had meals, hike, bike, visit a monkey island, and ofcourse sleep in the middle of the gorgeous bay...it was a treat!

Now, Taryn and I are on Cat Ba island in Halong bay - where we deviated from our group ( since we didn't pay for 2 nights and 3 days on the boat) and found ourselves a decent hotel room for $10 whereas our former group members paid a little more and got their dinner included. But Taryn and I are enjoying saving our money and our time away from the group - its nice to do what we want - when we want and not have a timetable..Cat Ba is the biggest island in Halong Bay and its filled with cute hotels, markets, restaurants, and beach. It's very reminiscent of Positano or some cliff side community in the Mediterranean! Taryn and I and loving it and are contemplating staying another night..we are sort of on a time schedule - she has to return to BKK on the 2nd - so that leaves me to travel solo for about 5-6 days...so we'd like to see as much of Vietnam as possible and head into Cambodia together...but it's looking like it will be difficult to accommodate that..After we finish up with Halong Bay - we'll head back to Hanoi and enjoy the city.

In Relaxing Laos

Its been nice to be in Laos. It's really chill and mellow. It isn't modern like Thailand and that's the charm that Laos has. Taryn and I arrived in Luang Prabang via long boat along the Mekong river. It was lovely the first 2 hours - but after that, I was ready to get off the boat. Luang Prabang is a quaint city with the french colonial feel - which is evident with food and architecture. We're now in Vang Vieng and have been staying on an Organic Mulberry Farm. Its a really relaxing place to stay at - we're staying near the goat house ( so we can hear them sometimes) The farm makes excellent mulberry shakes and is located right by the river where many people launch into the river in their tubes or kayaks. Its just 3 km outside of town and I do enjoy the scenery - there are mountains and hills scattered about and the air is clean. There are animals everywhere and the farm really prides itself on being more than just a farm but a model of sustainability and provides education to children who otherwise would be out selling things to support their families. It's a great place to be and its neat to be there to observe how things work. There is plenty of opportunity to volunteer and help out. There are some people who have been there for months - who teach or volunteer on the farm. Taryn and I will be heading to Vientiane soon..our original plans to be heading to Vietnam soon were a little spoiled due to Laos New Year - so the Vietnamese Visa office wont be open until the 17th - which was the day we were hoping to be on our flight bound for Hanoi..But for now, we're enjoying the beauty that Vang Vieng has - and the playfulness of the locals and tourists during the water fight that is "Lao New Years" or "Sonkran" for Thailand.

A Quest To Do Our Own Trek/Homestay

Taryn and I have been in Mae Hong Son. This is the place that is centrally located to do some trekking if you want to visit some of the hill tribes. When we got here, we realized that it was way different from Pai. Pai was a cool town with heaps to do for the much beaten tourist trail - especially those who want organic or vegan food - who happen to be wearing tie dye or have dreads...Yeah, Pai has this laid back hippy vibe which is cool but we were seeking something a little more quaint and authentic...so we hopped on a bus - since all the minivans were taken - bound for MHS.

Once we got here, we immediately greeted by mountains and the breathtaking scenary that is Mae Hong Son. It is a REALLY small town - with just a few major streets and a few restaurants and guesthouses - but there is an abundance of friendly locals willing to welcome you to their town. After checking at our guesthouse - which was overlooking the lake and 2 beautiful temples -Wat Pratad Doi KongMu ( sitting on top a hill) we dined at a restaurant with a friendly girl, Cristina who was from Spain. The town was so small - that we kept unintentionally bumping into her. We then got massages..

The next day we went for a long walk and found ourselves at a Thai resort that wasn't catered to westerners ( always nice to find) - it was like an oasis to us since we had been walking in the relentless sun. The family who owned the resort were kind enough to let us use their pool for the prices of 20 Baht ( about 70 cents) and enjoy frosty beverages. After enjoying our poolside escapades we decided we would head to Wat Pratad Doi Kongmu - which would be an intense walk to the base and the ascent would be just as fun! Once we got to the base - we looked up and admired the beauty but also knew it was going to be quite a workout getting up there. But along the way, we enjoyed the many vista points. Once we got to the top we were praised by a few locals, "Gang Mak!" - well done! We made it - bells were rung by Taryn for good luck and we walked around the Wat and snapped shots we then headed to the vista point - where everyone enjoys the beautiful sunset over the mountains in Burma. What a sight! We enjoyed the sunset over a few smoothies. After sundown, we headed back home.

To View Photos Visit: http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/moniwelz/ChaingMaiPaiMaeHongSon?authkey=oD2OUuc3A8E

On Thursday we decided was going to be our day to start our quest for own on Trek. We wanted to try doing it on our own instead of an organized tour - since most of them have this rushed and - unauthentic feel to them..Taryn and I both felt it would mean more to go and meet the hilltribes on our own verses being with a group and a tour guide where everything was strategically orchestrated to satisfy the average tourist.... more to come!

In Northern Thailand Now

Took a 10 hour day trainride from Ayutthaya to Chiang Mai...wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be - but it wasn't something I'd like to do again if I could avoid it. Chiang Mai is beautiful as its Thailand's 2nd largest city. Things are so diffrent in the north - such beautiful moutaneous terrain. My friend Taryn and I decided that after a day we should shimmy up to Pai - which all of the residents of Chiang Mai seem to love. In my Lonely Planet guide- they describe as having a "hippy trail" and I could definitly see after a few minutes of being here...I saw that tie die and dread locks were in full force. Pai has this laid back feel and its a small town - which I like! Tomorrow Taryn and I will be going to do some yoga and head to the natural hot springs and are looking to do some trekking to visit some hilltribes.

Kanchanburi

So I’ve hearing people singing the praises of Kanchanaburi for as long as I have been in Thailand. People saying, “I like it better than Chiang Mai.” That’s a bold statement seeing as Chiang Mai is a much revered tourist destination in Thailand as well as the 2nd largest city. After spending the weekend there, I knew why. The place has this mellow charm, the people are friendly, it’s got amazing history, you can touch tigers there, it isn’t too far from Bangkok, and the price is right!

More on Kanchanburi:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanchanaburi

Jess and I arrived in Kanchanaburi about 8 at night at checked into our “Raft room” – which is a room that is right on the river. These rooms are pretty neat but you must stepped carefully and speak softly or else you’ll disturb your neighbors! The next day, we decided to go with an organized tour –just for simplicity, but already after the first hour, I immediately began to feel remorse for not having listened to my Lonely Planet guide that said, “If you can arrange your own transportation, go with it, but if you want to do elephant trekking or rafting then go with a tour.” Well, Jess and I weren’t doing anything the really required a guide, we decided to go the museum and historical sites route – which really would have been great without the tour – because you’re on this strict timetable, and I don’t know about you, but when I go to museums or historical site I like to take my time to take it all in. I feel if you rush it, it really cheapens the experience. So the tour started with a 3 hour trek (which we did individually, it didn’t require a guide because we followed well distinguished paths up to “Erawan Falls.” Erawan Falls has 7 levels , ( I felt I was in a video game, every time people mentioned getting to level 7 or some other number ) the top is suppose to have an amazing view, but since Jess and I weren’t equipped with the proper footwear we only went up to level 5. The waterfalls were amazingly beautiful. A postcard worthy landscape, it didn’t feel real. The water was so clean and pristine and the layout of the waterfalls was as if someone had designed it!

After reaching level 5 – I decided that since I brought my bathing suit, I better jump in the water. I went down to where there were others enjoying the water, and hesitated at the shore for a bit…there were fish, and the fish were BIG! They weren’t afraid of people, so they would just cluster near the nooks of the shore of the lagoon. After about 7 minutes of trying to talk myself into just getting in (there was a German girl next to me, screaming and yelping every time she attempted to slide in) I finally did it…and the fish didn’t bother me! The water was so invigorating! It was worth it….but then, no sooner than I was bathing in my glory did I feel it – a few fish were near me and taking little bites on my legs – it didn’t hurt, but it was a feeling that I would have preferred not to feel! I made my way toward the shore and promptly got out. It was a great dip, but I really didn’t feel like dealing with the fish. After that, Jess and I joined our group and had lunch (a rushed lunch – with only further ignited my irritation with the tour!)

After lunch we headed off to “Hellfire Pass.” Hellfire pass has significant importance to WWII because this is where some POW’s from America, England, Australia, Holland were kept. The Japanese overtook Burma, but to keep their site in Burma stocked with supplies they needed to build railroad – this is where the POWs came in. They were forced to worked insane amount of hours, live in unsanitary and miserable conditions, and live in disease to make this railroad possible. In addition to the POWs, there was also laborers who came that were promised good wages – but were in fact treated far worse than the POWs. There were many deaths from the laborers and POWs due to the miserable conditions on all fronts. This historical site that we visited pays homage to the people who suffered there.

More on Hellfire Pass: http://www.hellfirepass.com/

So after walking around the deathly hot area of hellfire pass, which only brought more to light just how unforgiving the conditions must have been for those who worked on Hellfire Pass, we got the chance to look at the museum, however we were again rushed to the next site – which was to make the trainride. Now this time, Jess and I weren’t the only people on the tour that were upset with being rushed, there were quite a few people who said a few snippy words to the guide – but I have to say I understand she was just doing her job. Again, at places of importance, you just don’t want to be rushed!

We headed over the catch the trainride, the train itself was in o.k. condition and there were fans inside to keep us cool. Being in the train provided some great Photo Ops.
After the train, we headed over to the “Bridge over River Kwai.” You may have heard of the movie, I never saw it but I’ve been told that it’s pretty famous. The bridge was beautiful, and I again was able to get some great shots. After that, we were finished with the tour and Jess and I were exhausted. We went back to our guesthouse and enjoyed our watermelon shakes as we had the great timing for the sunset over the river. It was so relaxing and the perfect conclusion to our long day!

The next day, we decided to rent bicycles (because we just missed them so much from our time in Ayutthaya!) and decided to ride on to the ever so kitschy “WW II Museum.” It was neat to go near the bridge again and check out some of the random artifacts and memorabilia from that era. Some of it was a bit morbid – such as remains from WWII. But it was interesting all the same. My Lonely Planet guide said we should head over to other museums but said this one was worth a look.
After the museum we rode our bikes back to our guest house and had lunch. There we

waited for our next activity, heading to the famous “Tiger Temple.” It is there we you can TOUCH and take photos with tigers. Yes, even being in Thailand and having Yahoo as my homepage, I heard about the sad tiger attack at the San Francisco Zoo, but I just couldn’t pass up the chance to do this! My friend Jessica and I heard many different stories about the temple. We heard combinations of the monks having the ability to soothe and calm the tigers to the jaded but possibly true notion that perhaps the tigers are drugged or sedated. When we arrived at the tiger temple there was a mixture of emotions and thoughts amongst everyone in our songtaew headed to the tiger temple. If the Tigers were exploited and living sad lives, then we would feel bad for patronizing such a self serving enterprise. Especially if they are forced to take these pictures with the hoards of tourist that come. But hey, who was I to judge when I was that very tourist.

Once we paid our fee (which is said that the proceeds go back to the tigers in the quest to build a better environment and facilities for them) we past through the gates and saw ponies! We had no idea there were other animals there! However, I got a little scared when they began walking toward me and the gentleman at the gate kept trying to keep them away and threw up the danger signs – and started to kick his legs back – indicating that the ponies can kick! …Well, the ponies kept following me as I proceeded to walk. And finally I got to the point of the pony possibly biting me, so out fear, I threw down my bag and the pony immediately picked up my hand bag – but thankfully, Cristal, A kind Dutch girl and now my hero jumped in between the pony and said, “I’ll protect you!” she then grab my handbag out of the pony’s mouth and shooed it away from me. …funny thing is, going to the tiger temple I didn’t expect to be afraid of Ponies! Well, after thinking about it – as to why the pony was so interested in my bag – I was carrying a plastic bag – and I believe the pony associated the sound of the crinkling plastic bag as I walked with the prospect of getting food from me…So, yeah if you’re ever heading to the tiger temple or possibly going to be around ponies that are roaming free because they’re domesticated- don’t bring a plastic bag with you!

Now on to the good stuff! So after the pony encounter- we were free to mozy toward the tigers. Once we got to where they were – we were all in just awe. The tigers where just laying, chilling out, with people around. They were NOT in cages! It was the first time I have ever seen anything like it! (I’ve never seen a Siegfried and Roy show – but I heard they’re doing a comeback show) Then we looked to the left and saw this huge line to take pictures – but that’s why we came to the Tiger Temple – to touch tigers! So, We got in the line and waited for about 45 minutes. As we were waiting, we noticed there were a few individuals that paid an extra amount – got to skip the line and got to take pictures as a group! I would have possibly done that if I had more money ( it was REALLY hot) but I decided to wait! So after seeing that, I was thinking, man this place is all about making money. Two friendly Dutch girls, Cristal and Natasja ( who were on the tour with Jess and I the day before) began to inquire with a few volunteers at the temple who were from all over the world. The volunteers came to the tiger temple for the opportunity to work in the unique environment. One fellow from New Zealand roughly said, “While this place isn’t perfect, the objective it has is for the tigers, I know if I were coming in the same way you guys are - I would think this is all about someone getting money, but the head abbot of the Temple is doing this soley for the animals. I know because I see everything that goes on behind the scenes. The costs simply for food for the animals is about $70,000 U.S. every month – so the fees from all this go to the animals. He went on to further say that people aren’t going to give money unless there’s something in it for them – so taking pictures with people is necessary to support this effort. To me, it made sense. If the place was out to make money- they’d be open for more than just 2 hours, 1 day a week. Now, I don’t know everything about the organization, but after he had sufficiently provided that bit – I felt a little more comfortable about it all.

The New Zealander fellow also commented on how people think the tigers are drugged. He chuckled, and said “yes, I’d think that too since they’re mellow but they aren’t drugged. They are simply resting and are doing so after their exercise. They have been around people all their lives and they are just use to them.” That being said, it is very much possible to get attacked – but he said in 6 years of doing this, no person has gotten attacked. When visiting the tiger temple – we aren’t suppose to wear any bright colors as this may excite the tigers – also, we were to remove our accessories and anything that dangled from us, as the tigers like to play with trinkets such as necklaces and sunglasses on our heads.

The whole time I was in line, I wasn’t nervous – but once I was next, I got a little anxious! Before I knew it, I handed over my camera to the volunteer photographer and held the hand of another volunteer who basically watches over you while you’re in the tiger area. You only get about 10 -15 seconds in the tiger area. But, man, do those 10-15 seconds seem like forever! It was amazing! I was flabbergasted! The volunteer showed me how to pet my first tiger – she did it so rough! I kneeled ever so gently by the tiger slowly and carefully, then decided to lightly touch the tiger…It was a surreal experience! The tiger’s fur was not as soft as I hoped – it had a rougher texture, like that of my old Great Dane, Roxxy. A few pictures were taken of me and my first tiger- then I was hurried off to the next. We were taken to about 3-4 tigers and had pictures with each, and before I knew it- it was done! I had my tiger experience. It was awesome to have done it! A little fear and anticipation – then finally doing it! It was awesome!
After we all finished up with the big tigers – we got the scoop that there were tiger cubs! We hurried over and saw them – they were so cute! They were like little kittens. Again, we got to sit with the cubs and take a picture with them. The cubs were just walking around free as if they were kittens, in contrast to the full grown tigers, who had chains or leashes – it was surreal! It was an epic day for me – it’s definitely something I would never ever be able to do back in the states! I am so glad I did it  Another thing of my checklist!

Off to the Beach..Again!

This previous weekend I headed to Hua Hin (which is about 3-4 hours from Bangkok) with Taryn. It was a great getaway and it had been about 2 weeks since I put my toes in the sand! I prefer Hua Hin to Pattaya any day. The area is much better (it’s the other beach close to Bangkok); the atmosphere is just pure beach, none of the high energy clusters of crowds seeking hedonistic entertainment that plague Pattaya. My friend Taryn and I arrived in Hua Hin really late at night because it was so painful to get to the southern bus terminal. It was Bangkok’s rush hour and the southern bus terminal is the farthest bus terminal for me and it was simply difficult for my friend coming from nearby due to the relentless traffic. It took just as long to get to the bus station as it did to get to Hua Hin! So, on Friday my friend Taryn and I grabbed a night cap and hit the sack after arriving at about 11:30 p.m.

The next morning we grabbed some breakfast and walked across the beach. As we walked across the beach, we noticed there was an amazing variety of shells across the ground .There were so many! I had never seen a higher concentration of shells on one beach in my life! My friend Taryn went crazy and picked up at least 100 uniquely beautiful shells and I being the amateur shell collector figured 5 that would suffice. After picking up shells, we strolled to the next beach over. We saw a HUGE golden Buddha seated on the side of the cliff that separated our beach from the next. It was breathtaking. We also heard that there are monkeys that live in the hillside cliff.

When we entered the other beach, it wasn’t packed at all. There were only a handful of people compared to other beaches I have been to in the past in Thailand. It was a calming and trancelike walk that Taryn and I went on. It was like this never-ending space of beach, the sun was shining, the waves were crashing gently over our feet, and the breeze was strong but relaxing. So after our walk, we spotted this incredible resort along the beach and decided to see if we could grab a pina colada inside. The resort was gorgeous and food and drinks hit the spot! The staff was kind enough to let us lounge around the pool and utilize the “swim up” bar. We spent a good 4-5 hours just lounging around. It was a truly relaxing day at the pool, an infinity pool to boot! After we left the Wora Bora resort, we got massages on the beach, because after you’ve been reading my blog entries you’d know that I consider it a crime not to get a massage at least once a week when in Thailand  After our amazing massages, we then headed to a wonderful restaurant at the Veranda lodge right on the beach. We again, gorged ourselves with all the delectable entrees and appetizers and post dinner, decided to treat ourselves to yet another massage! Ha Ha Ha - life is just too tough over here!!

The next day, Taryn and I decided to walk the other direction of the beach – which again, it was 7km, so It appeared to be never ending! After about 3 hours of walking ( we took breaks to enjoy the scenery, snack, and swim) we reached the end and were pleasantly surprised by yet another large golden Buddha and a quaint fishing village. W inquired with the locals as to where we could get a bite to eat, (we were looking to get a bite from a casual Thai restaurant) but they referred us to a lovely Swede run resort. There, we enjoyed another EPIC meal – complete with quite a few fruit shakes and wine! It was gluttonous activity at its best! After our meal, we figured it was best to head home since it was getting late. We took a shuttle minivan and got back into Bangkok at about 9 p.m. on Sunday. The weekend was relaxing and just what I needed…it’s funny to mention this, but over the course of the weekend, Taryn and I spent about 5 times more on Food, Drink, and Massages than we did on our accommodation – and it was a backpacker bungalow, it was a decent hotel. But that’s how it can be in Thailand – especially in touristy areas 

I Stepped in Elephant Poo

Who'd think I’d want a little break away from the city and the beach? This weekend I went to Khao Yai, which is a National Park in Thailand. It was a fantastic time – and get this, I actually needed a jacket (a light jacket, but a jacket nonetheless) while I was there. My friends and I went on an organized day tour since we figured its best to go with experienced guides and it just made sense. We did a 4 hour trek through the jungle – and on that trek, I stepped in Elephant Poo!! I was the only one who did. Just my luck. I always seem the one to experience an unfortunate event such as that. Thank God it wasn't fresh!

Throughout the day at the national park, we spotted many animals. Our guides are on this network, they are so connected with other animal spotters. They'd call each other on their cells and race in our songtaews to the area of the park where the animals were. They also had these hi powered binoculars and telescopes so we could all get a really good look at the animals. We spotted wild elephants and got hear them call to each other. It was exciting because the elephants that I usually see around Thailand are domesticated and used for entertainment purposes or labor. It really hits you to the core listening to the elephants call to each other. I am sure they were scared when they hear the engines of our trucks coming and all of us trying to get a shot.

We saw gibbons (a species of monkeys with white faces), other monkeys, hornbills (toucan looking birds) wild deer, and others. This tour was pretty legit as far as animal watching goes – there were a few guys from California who had just came to Thailand to check out Khao Yai and they were serious outdoors guys. They were complete with their bird watching books, where they documented the many animals and bird species we had spotted throughout the day. So this tour was great in that arena. We then went to Hew Suwat waterfall – which was the waterfall from “The Beach.” As with everything in the movies, it was different than I had imagined. The waterfall was smaller than the film made it out to be, but it was still such a beautiful sight. Then we went to the highest point of Khao Yai and watched the beautiful sunset while enjoying fresh slices of watermelon. (By the way, all the fruit in Thailand is amazing – I haven't tasted better fruit anywhere else in the world, the have fresh fruit shakes with no sugar added or power – just the pure stuff. That is one of the many things I'll miss about Thailand.)

The next day my friends and I went to a heavenly winery in the Khao Yai valley. The landscape and the climate reminded me of home, near the Napa Valley. There were rolling hills and rows upon rows of grapes. It was absolutely gorgeous. It made me a little homesick, but I again shook the sickness away and reminded myself that I am incredibly lucky to be here. We arrived at the winery and were pleasantly surprised. If you have ever heard about how wine was in Thailand, then you'd know that it's not a common beverage enjoyed amongst the Thais unless you're in a metropolitan or touristy area. My wine experiences of Thailand (when I could get it) weren’t too impressive, and I wouldn't consider myself a connoisseur by any means. But the wine my friends and I enjoyed on that Sunday was divine.

we arrived at the winery, we just had missed the scheduled tour by 10 minutes so we had an hour to kill. My bpen lai (no worries) as the Thai's say. There was wine and appetizers, heaps of amazing travel magazines (that only further ignite the travel bug I have), killer views from the acclaimed restaurant, The Great Hornbill Grill, and great company. We also got an unexpected free 10 minute massage to kick off the relaxing vibe of the property.

Post massage my friends and I went on and enjoyed a few glasses of vino and no sooner were informed that our tour was waiting with a few extra people. They asked us if it'd be alright if we did the tour with a television crew for channel 11 – we all looked at each other and shrugged and said it was fine. The tour was nice and informative. We got to taste the different varieties of grapes on the property and were filmed throughout each stage of the tour. Wish I could have seen the footage! Funny, we weren’t even asked to sign a waiver...a little different from the states! The winery and the National Park tour at Khao Yai made for a great weekend, I’d definitely do it again, especially since I feel like I only scratched the surface of the massive park.

Short Trip To Pattaya

A short trip (again) to Pattaya. After going to Pattaya with my sister only for a day, I figured it would be a good place to go again to stay the night and spend the day. We had teachers day as a holiday on January 13th – so Jessica and I headed to Pattaya. We had the best burritos for dinner you can possibly get in Thailand at an awesome restaurant “Tequila Reef.” It was so good that we went there both days! Something I definitely miss about California, is the amazing Mexican food!

We stayed the night at a guesthouse and in the morning took a ferry to Ko Larn, A small island just about 7 km off the coast. It was so worth going there as there is quite the presense of Pink Lit Bars and bar girls in Pattaya. Ko Larn was beautiful and exactly what I needed for my midweek escape! The wind was blowing and it was just so refreshing and energizing to feel the gusts of wind against my skin. The ocean air is just so invigorating in comparison to the overbearing congestion and humidity I experience most of the time in Bangkok.

Ayutthaya and Lopburi

I am a weekend warrior!! This weekend I along with friends, headed to Thailand's original Capital and cultural megaplex, Ayutthaya, and then went to Thailand's Monkey Town, Lopburi. I took about a 2 hour bus ride into Ayutthaya and wondered the streets at about 9 p.m. for about an hour with Jessica searching for our guest house. Once we found the much recommended guest house, Tony's Place, we enjoyed dinner and drinks and had an early night. Tony's place was awesome; it was like sleeping in a huge tree house mansion! The next morning we woke up and had an amazing breakfast and proceeded to rent bicycles for the day. Ayutthaya has over 20 temples in such a small area. Ayutthaya is basically a small island surrounded by rivers – it's so unique. As we biked around the town, it was so cool to see all the ruins of a Thailand's former powerhouse and be able to navigate around the city without being at the mercy of bargaining with Tuk Tuk drivers or taxis. Seeing the ruins of the many temples was amazing! You could see and feel the history all around you! A shutter bug's paradise! Too bad all I had was my point and shoot camera!

More on Ayutthaya: http://wikitravel.org/en/Ayutthaya

After temple touring on our bikes, we met up with my friend Taryn who has her teaching placement about 1 hour from Ayutthaya. We handled transportation Thai style; I biked around a bit with Taryn on the back of my bike – which was no easy feat since the bike I was using wasn’t made for such a trip. We all got massages after checking out the only temple not ruined by the Burmese and meandered our way to grab dinner on the river. It was delicious and reasonable. We ate like queens for roughly $20 for the 3 of us!

The restaurant was beautiful; we ate right on a traditional boat on the river along the island of Ayutthaya. It was the perfect ending for our time in Ayutthaya! After dinner, Jessica and I said our good byes to Taryn and jumped our Lopburi bound train, in just the nick of time.

The particular train we jumped on was ok, it did the trick, but it was no “Euro Star,” that's for sure! After about an Hour, we arrived at Lopburi where our friends who teach there greeted us at the train station. We started out the night with plenty of Thai whiskey and exchanged our teaching stories and experiences in general. It was so neat to hear how each of our experiences vary so much! Some people have a completely different dynamic with their administrative staff or Thai teachers than Jessica and I. Let's just say we have to deal with a much more, dramatic and conservative administrative powers that be than others! We then all headed to the local club and danced the night away.

More on Lopburi : http://wikitravel.org/en/Lopburi

The next morning our Lopburi friends showed us around the town, which was so pleasant since the town is really easy to walk around. The town is known for its residents - more specifically its monkeys who roam about. They swing from telephone and electric wires and live in the center of town. It was surreal to see these monkeys just hanging out – no fences or bars, they live in the city! What's more crazy is that these monkey's are pretty aggressive if you get near them, which I chose not to! The stories I've heard was that the monkeys steal from you and put quite a few people in the hospital if you try to resist them taking your things or look at them wrong. The monkeys will seriously hurt you and could possibly give you rabies if they bite you- so you can understand why I chose to just enjoy the sight from afar!( Aplogies for no Lopburi photos but my camera battery died) All in the all, I enjoyed the weekend of seeing sights and meeting up with friends. That's what is so great about going through my TEFL program; I have a network of 60 people whom I trained with and can call up and visit through the many diverse regions of Thailand!

Holidays in Thailand

So the holidays have come and gone – so fast! It was a great time to spend time with special people. One advantage of being at a Catholic school was the fact that they observe Christmas and I got Christmas off. Even though it didn't feel like Christmas in most parts of Thailand, it definitely felt like Christmas at my school. Every classroom in our program was decorated to the nines! It was awesome and the students loved it. I helped my students prepare for their big Christmas performance – they sang “Rudolf the red nose reindeer.” They really enjoyed the performance aspect of the song since its fun to sing and dance to. One of the more “Santa like” students, Poom, acted as Santa and was adorable. He had his own solo when singing to Rudolf, who was played by Jeffrey.... You'll never guess what happened to me though, while I was doing all the students makeup before their performance – my sensitive stomach kicked in and I had to leave early and go to the hospital. Darn my sensitive stomach!

The next few days a few of my students gave me Christmas gifts – it was so sweet and unexpected. Some of their gifts were above and beyond a typical gift from a student! It's funny; it’s like getting schwag from my previous job – minus the logos of companies. The ideas are still the same though :)

After the Christmas celebrations at my school, I along with a few friends took off to Ko Sumui! It was a wonderful time considering it was one of the most unorthodox Christmases I've ever had. I spent a lot of time on the beach, basking in the sun where I saw Christmas trees every so often in lobbies of hotels and restaurants. I again, also took full advantage of the amazing massages right on the beach every day. On Christmas Eve, we did the most unchristmas like thing and went to the “full moon party” on Ko Phangan. It felt so wrong, but also right since - we’re in Thailand where majority of the population doesn’t celebrate Christmas and it's one day, one year..Why not!? It was a good time, lots of Santa hats were worn and good times were had. It's basically dancing on the beach to great music. One Christmas eve I won’t forget, that's for sure!

After Christmas, I returned to Bangkok and relaxed there for a bit, and then met up with my family up north near Khon Kaen. My mother, sister, and uncle flew from the U.S. And went back to my mother's hometown or village rather. My mother's village is small, about 200 residents and it's in an extremely rural part of Thailand. It was peaceful, but not a whole lot to do there. The air was so clean in comparison to big cities in Thailand, that’s for sure. It was so good to see my family again, and to spend time with my Thai side of my family. Mind you again, my Thai is that of 4 year olds at best and very little of Thai family can speak English. But smiles go a long way, and my body language is pretty darn good if I do say so myself! I'd rock it in Charades from teaching English here! :)

But, I tell you, my mother is a much more relaxed person in Thailand, she's always on the go and always busy

in the states, but when she is here in Thailand, she's got this huge smile and is a lot more easy going. It's great to see her so happy. Another thing about my mother is she's not one for details when she tells me things; this has always caused a little strife with our communication through out my life. Here's a little example of that when I recently visited her village. So, I am napping with my sister and we're awoken by mother who says, “Come on, get up, we're going to go for a walk.” I'm thinking, why is it so important to go for a walk. She then continues us to hurry up; “Lieu, Lieu!” ( Hurry in Thai she says) , Some of our family members will be joining as well as friends.” Well, when my sister and I tumbled outside in a quasi sleepily stupor, we noticed it was the WHOLE village and everyone was Thai Dancing in the streets to blasting Upcountry Thai music provided by a stereo system with two gigantic speakers being toted in the back of a pick up truck. What a sight – and guess what. My camera's batteries were dead – so you'll have to wait a few more months for the pictures since they’re on my mom’s camera...

But it was a quite a sight! Oh yes, everyone was out having a grand time, candy was being tossed for the kids and the adults were enjoying libations being passed around. Also, there was a family sitting in the pickup truck's back on chairs. People from the village were giving them gifts – which of course prompted me to inquire why, my mother shortly responded, “They’re father died, so the villagers are giving them gifts and condolences.” My mother also told me this parade like village walk is for good luck. I've noticed that there are a lot of things that are for good luck here. I had a blast. But my stomach wasn't cooperating with my visual paradise. My sensitive stomach was not letting me get away with the traditional Isan ( Northeaster region of Thailand, where my mother is from) food I had cautiously consumed mere hours ago. My stomach killed me, but I kept on trucking with the aid of Gatorade, Soda water, and bland food. Hey, after playing the food poisoning game for a while – I know what helps :) Also, Susan, a fellow teacher and former Peace Corp member, told me about the B.R.A.T. Diet. This is also one that I've used often after getting sick here – it consists of Bananas, Rice, Apple Juice, and toast. It helps! Also, Rachel, another fellow teacher endorses it as well...so it works :)

In addition to the BRAT diet, thankfully, my mother being the woman is always prepared for anything – (she is the original Mary Poppins) brought some good' ol American snacks that would be kind enough to our stomach. She kept my sister and I going with the timeless concoction of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. I love my mom for that, but boy did I get over the snacks after consuming them for 3 days!

So most of my time spent in my mother’s village was spent spending time with family members I didn't know or didn't remember who remembered me. (I feel like a jerk for that) People in the Northeastern part of Thailand aren't exposed for Farang (foreigners) like Thais in touristy parts of Thailand, so my sister and I tend to stick out and be remembered. There's many of them and 2 of of us :)

On New years Eve, there was a huge party held my uncles house. Tables, Chairs, Tents, Karaoke System, were set up at my Uncle's place. Also, from wee hours of that morning my aunt and other family members were cooking up heaps of amazing food! It was a busy day filled with plenty of friends and family celebrating the New Year. My Uncle also got his house blessed by monks, so there was a lot of commotion on New Years Eve. It was a trip, I walk upstairs and there are like 6 monks sitting “Indian Style” at the front of the room all lined up, beginning to do
their chants to bless the house. The day was really cool because everyone came to celebrate New Years with us

– for my mom (New Years is her birthday) since Thai New Years is different from U.S.'s New Years. On New Years day, I packed my things and headed back to Bangkok. I was sad to say goodbye to my Thai side of my family, but I looked forward to spending more time with my mom and sister in Bangkok. My mother and sister later joined me in Bangkok for the weekend before they returned to the states, which was nice to be able to show them

my place and have them meet a few of the people that I spend a lot of time with. . I got the chance to take my sister to check out the beach of Pattaya – it is the closest beach to Bangkok, so it was a nice day trip. Looking back on my Christmas Holiday, I felt very thankful to be able to spend it with my family and great company. Like everything enjoyable, it went by so quick!

Ko Samet Part II

On the weekend of the 7th and 8th – I went back to Ko Samet to meet up with some of my fellow teacher trainees. It was Ashley's birthday weekend and we definitly celebrated – with these really cruel concoctions of Thai Whiskey and Coke- but they put it in a bucket so you can share with friends. It was a lovely weekend but there a few things that made it drastically different from the first I had gone there. One being that it's peak tourist season in Thailand now, so all the beautiful bungalows that I stayed in previously were booked up and as much as double the price – now, this is still better than most island get-aways,( something that wouldn't phase me with my U.S. Salary) but on my humble Thai salary, it wasn't easy to take, seeing how I'd like to travel as much as possible yet still be able to afford it!
So, not only were the rooms double the price – a lot of the perferred places to stay were booked up! Not unless I wanted to pay more than what I budgeted for! There was a private house on the southern tip of Ko Samet that was available that came with it's own private swimming pool, full bar, private beach, any amenity you want - including a butler for only 5,000 Baht ( low season ) – which is the equivalent to a little less than $200 U.S. Not bad, but not affordable with my Thai salary. So those of you who want to experience the good life with your western salary, I can give you the name of the rental :)
So you're wondering what I went with? I ended up sharing a bungalow with my friend Tammy – who too was trying to be budget conscious and got a bungalow for 1,500 Baht – which was about double what I paid for my bungalow last time I was there – and for a sub par room in comparison to the beautiful room I had last time...But, when I speaking to my other teacher trainees, who are professional backpackers – our accomadations were plush in comparison. Somehow they managed to squeeze 7 people in a teeny, tiny bamboo bungalow – that was a 3rd of the size that Tammy and I had..So, I shouldn't complain too much. This is an experience! Saturday night was good, we had dinner with our huge group and ended up dancing at the club that had a wonderful cover band – they sung all the hit songs so perfectly.
The next day, our group spent eating breakfast and basking in the sun. We all went swimming in the ocean and enjoyed the fact that we were on the more secluded part of Koh Samet – so we were away from the high energy of other vacationers which was nice, considering we wanted to take it easy. Tammy and I indulged and got massages for 350 Baht which is about $11-13 U.S. Our group split up and Tammy and I were about to leave to head back to Bangkok – we were actually on the back of a taxi truck that was headed toward the ferry when we bumped into our friends, Simon and Ashley, the birthday boy. They then talked us into staying and within 15 seconds Tammy and I hopped off the truck and stayed another night with no place to stay – we then became nomads with our backpacks....you'll never guess it, but Ashley invited us to stay with our group that had the 7 people in a teeny tiny hut...I knew that wasn't gonna fly completely with me – but I figured, something will work out...and it did, Tammy and I ended up staying in less crowded quarters with other friends, but the only thing was I didnt get a good nights rest. Why you ask? First, I was about to use the restroom to wash up and such, but there was this HUGE spider – the legs were about 5 Inches and the body was decent size. I just couldn't bring myself to enter the restroom – so I took care of things outside as if I were camping. And Well, before Tammy and I were about to go to bed, our friends conveniently decided to say, “Hey, you see all these red bites ( which they showed us their arms and there was at least 100, I am not even exagerateing!) this is what happens to you when you sleep in these beds.” So with that warning, I began to DEET myself like crazy – and covered myself as much as possible with the little beach clothing I had, since I didnt have my backpack with me. Needless to say I didn't have sweetdreams – only nightmares which included bed bugs or bugs of any sort attacking me. I already had my fair share of bug bites, and again anyone who knows me well, knows that mosquitos and bugs love me. I kept waking up every hour or so. But hey, it was better than sleeping on the beach! All in all, I am glad I went, it was an experience I wont seek out in the future, but I am glad that I was a true nomadic backpacker for a few days :) It's a beautiful Island and it's only a 4 hour journey from Bangkok – you just can't beat that.

1 Month Bangkok Update

So its been about a month since I began teaching. It has been a positive yet exhausting month! I am proud to report that I learned all of the students names by the 2nd week and that some of the shyer students have finally opened up to me. I teach my student a variety of subjects in English. I teach them Reading and Comprehension, Spelling and Phonics, Grammar and Writing, Health and Art. I also have to prepare my students for the many events the schools participates in.
November 5th was my birthday and I had a mellow celebration. On my birthday weekend I went to a few Thai clubs with friends and listened to Thai rock bands – I didn't understand the lyrics, but it was a lot of fun. Then we went to lounge where they play western music so that was enjoyable. On Monday, my actual birthday, the students gave my flowers and told me 3 nice things. It was really cute – so in English they said “1. We're glad you're teaching us English 2. You're nice 3. We love you.” It was hilariously adorable. Then my fellow teachers got me a decadent chocolate birthday cake and a lovely card in which Rachel, an awesome artist and former art teacher in the U.S. Made me. It was a surprise and very much appreciated. All in all my birthday in Thailand was a lovely one :) Wish you all could have been here! ....On the following Sunday I met up with a few teacher trainees from my program and went to the Linkin Park concert. I was surprised to see how many Thai's are really into the band. It was good time to meet up with the other trainees (one of them being Taryn with whom I roomed with in Ko Samet) who aren't in Bangkok and swap teaching stories!Oh and somehow I ended up crowd surfing for 5 seconds, a rocking time indeed :)
This previous week, on the 21st, the students had U.N. Day – in which the various classes in our department (ELPC – English Learning Program Center) grades 1-6 focuses on 2 countries and do reports, songs, dances, decorate their classes accordingly, etc. The whole school outside of ELPC ( My school is huge and has children from Pre school to High School in one campus but different buildings) visited ELPC to check it all out so the kids were excited to show their stuff. Unfortunately I missed the actual event, I was traveled down to southern Thailand where I went to Phuket and Ko Phi Phi. It was soooo nice to get out of Bangkok and be on the beach...Funny thing is I actually went to where they filmed “The Beach” featuring Leonardo Di Caprio (Pictured on the left) – of course it was crawling with many other tourist who were also hoping to capture that never-never land of escape, but ended up meeting with hundreds of other tourist who had the same idea - alas, it was beautiful all the same. On Thanksgiving, friends and I tried our very best to have a traditional Thanksgiving feast – so we went to a restaurant in an expatriate part of Bangkok and had TURKEY in Thailand – with all of the fixings. It didnt beat my mom's Turkey and stuffing but I was so thankful to be able to have something resembling Thanksgiving food so I can't complain. To make the meal uniquely in Asia – I decided to grab a few sushi rolls, why not!? I had such a wonderful week, one that I'll never forget!!!
Also, on Friday the 23rd the school celebrated Loy Krathom – which was on the 24th. Loy Krathom is one of Thailand's most aesthetically pleasing holidays. Thai's make Krathoms – which are little boats that are made of banana leaves. They decorate them beautifully with flowers, candles, and place coin on the little Krathoms. Thai's light the candles on the krathoms and float them down the many waterways of Thailand at night which is absolutely a sight to see. They pray to the water goddess and float away their regrets and anger in the krathoms and whole process symbolizes a fresh start. Pictured my friend and fellow teacher at my school, Jessica, with our Krathoms. A young boy ( of many young boys) actually did the dirty work of setting our Krathoms afloat for us in the river, the boys do this so people dont fall in the slippery sides along the Chao Praya river! I watched a few people take a fall, so Jessica and I opted to utlize the boys' services - as we didnt want to risk getting wet. The boys actually get in the river- they have boogie boards and all. Its funny, because I think they also make money from taking the coins off the Krathoms ...even though those coins and krathoms are suppose to stay in the water. I saw a few boys retrieving the Kathoms from the river and putting them all in a huge basket - so they dont go too far. Perhaps this is for environmental reasons?? Anyways, After we set our Krathoms free, there was fireworks AND an awesome boat parade on the river. It was like Disney's Main Street Electrical Parade! All the boats had these elaborate light decorations in honor of the king and Loy Krathom. It was such a visual Feast! For another event and school event for that matter( Father's Day) I worked with some students with reciting a poem for father's day and had them make gifts for their dads. On the father's day event, the children sang songs and it was special day for the children to talk about how much they love and respect their fathers through songs and poems. After the performances, all the parents from each grade were called to sit on stage. The students then got on their knees ( diffrent from the U.S. but to be lower than an elder is a show of respect - even when students walk by us, they're suppose to lower their heads as a show of respect.) and told their parents how much they loved them. It was really cute to watch! All the parents were really please with the performance and the activities.Father's day in Thailand is also the King's Birthday – since Thai's consider him to be the father of their country, so it isn't in June like it is in the states. So there is no school ( Yippee!) on December 5th . There's festivities going on all around the country celebrating his majesties 80th birthday. On every Monday, most Thai's wear King Shirts. At my school, we are required to but the students do not. They are yellow, which is the color for Monday. So on Father's day we'll also wear king shirts - as well as the students to honor king.

Alive and Teaching in Bangkok

It's been about a week and half since I've arrived at Bangkok. I am living in the greater Bangkok area, which is good for me so that I am away from the hustle and bustle ( and crazy traffic - L.A. and S.F. pale in comparison) of central Bangkok. But when I do want to check out central Bangkok - it could be a bit of a production. It can take as much as 2 hours during peak traffic times to get into central Bangkok, but I've been told that at 2 am ( and other traffic free times - it can be as quick as 15 minutes if you have a heavy footed taxi driver! There are a few modes of transportation in Bangkok. There's the motorcycle taxi, a tuk tuk ( a carriage carried by a motorcycle - My friend & fellow teacher, Jessica are pictured in one to the left), a regular car taxi, buses, song taws (trucks with 2 long benches in the truck bed), the subway, the skytrain, water taxis, and the old trusty foot. I am sure there are a few that I've missed, but you get the point :)

I am teaching at a Catholic school - in the English learning program, where the students have half of their classes taught in English.It's a bit different teaching at a catholic school - because there are MANY religious references, but as Thailand is a predominately Buddhist country, they are open to different beliefs at the school. We have to have wear HIDEOUS uniforms. They are polyester and not flattering in the least bit. The material isn't the best for the climate - but luckily we have Air Con in the classrooms (which is nonexistent for my other fellow teacher trainees in their teaching placement schools). The bright side, is that I don't have to worry about what to wear everyday! At the school, we have to address every teacher as "Miss so-and-so or Mr. Blah-Blah." It takes some adjusting to, when I call my friends Ms. Rachel or Ms. Jessica - but I've gotten the hang of it.

I am teaching 2nd graders, so it has been an adjustment as I was trained to focus more so on Middle and High school level students. Everyday before class starts, we have to attend the flag ceremony - which is ALL in Thai. We have to stand with our students for 30 minutes outside in the sun ( luckily its the cooler season now but its still hot and humid) and we have to"WI" (which is a respectful greeting in Thai culture. You put your hands together as if you are praying) ( Ronald Mc Donald to the left - doing his "WI") during the allegiance to the country and stand perfectly still during the duration of the ceremony. I think I'm having a more difficult time to stand still than some of my students! lol. On the first day of school, Rachel, Jessica and I were given a welcome ceremony.It was really heart warming that all students in the program sang a song " Welcome to the Family" and gave us each a jasmine flower bracelet. Every morning the students in my class greet me with a 'WI" and after each class, the students all say, "Thank you Miss Monica" all together. It was uncomfortable at first, but very cute.

I have taught 2 days now and I am still getting to know the students. They are all adorable and enjoy learning English. They are also VERY energetic. I need to learn some classroom management skills! Its hard for me to remember each student's name. They all have REALLY LONG Thai names - and then they have nicknames. All Thai's have nicknames that are short and fun. The nicknames are a bit cheeky and some are just downright hilarious. Some examples of my student's nicknames are: Ploy, Poom, France, Mochew, Namo - the more unique ones are Balloon, Web, etc . So it's been quite the task of getting the names, nicknames, and the faces of the students. Hopefully I learn in the next week or so!