If nothing else, I'm trying to be totally honest with myself (and you) while keeping track of my time here. And with that comes this: Being here can be really tough sometimes. I wanted to go somewhere that was completely out of my element and Thailand is definitely that. I rarely know what signs mean and people speak in a language that I can only sometimes grasp. The first day of school (much like the beginning of a new semester at home) meant having to navigate to the school, find my classes, and figure out where to eat, wait for the bus, and use the restroom. At lunch, I had no idea what I was ordering, I just pointed and said khaap khoon khaa (thank you) and hoped it would be okay. Walking to classes was different because sometimes people would point and giggle and it only served to highlight the fact that I was a foreigner. It took an hour and forty minutes to get home from campus because we couldn't figure out the bus system. By the end of it, everyone was agitated and sweaty and tired from classes.
To rewind a bit, on my first night in Thailand our sung tao drove past a giant mural with a yin yang painting. One of the Thai buddies leaned over to me and said "You know what yin yang is?" At the time, I'd shaken my head no. He told me that the yin yang was supposed to represent the goodness in bad situations and the good within the bad. Yesterday was a tough day for me, but in retrospect, it wasn't bad- It was just the yin yang of the experience.
At lunch, I really did have no idea what I was ordering, but when we went to sit down, I got to meet two really enthusiastic students who actually started a conversation with us. They (very kindly) told me what I was eating (pork parts) and gave me a few suggestions on where to try eating next. When lunch was over, I had to wait for Jah Jaah so that I could assist with her class. I waited with a group of other USAC students, which elicited stares and giggles, but once I got into Jah Jaah's class, I was bowled over by how incredibly enthusiastic and kind everyone was. The kids in her English Oral Expression Class were very shy when I asked them questions as a class, but after the lesson, they swamped me, wanting to know everything about me, America, and what I thought about Thailand. Getting to opportunity to talk with Jah Jaah's class was so incredibly rewarding and I'm so excited for the next class on friday!
Choosing Thailand was a huge leap of faith, but I haven't been let down yet. I still have no idea what the street signs mean, but the bus ride home today only took 20 minutes and I'm meeting Thai friends later for coffee and that's good enough for me.
To rewind a bit, on my first night in Thailand our sung tao drove past a giant mural with a yin yang painting. One of the Thai buddies leaned over to me and said "You know what yin yang is?" At the time, I'd shaken my head no. He told me that the yin yang was supposed to represent the goodness in bad situations and the good within the bad. Yesterday was a tough day for me, but in retrospect, it wasn't bad- It was just the yin yang of the experience.
At lunch, I really did have no idea what I was ordering, but when we went to sit down, I got to meet two really enthusiastic students who actually started a conversation with us. They (very kindly) told me what I was eating (pork parts) and gave me a few suggestions on where to try eating next. When lunch was over, I had to wait for Jah Jaah so that I could assist with her class. I waited with a group of other USAC students, which elicited stares and giggles, but once I got into Jah Jaah's class, I was bowled over by how incredibly enthusiastic and kind everyone was. The kids in her English Oral Expression Class were very shy when I asked them questions as a class, but after the lesson, they swamped me, wanting to know everything about me, America, and what I thought about Thailand. Getting to opportunity to talk with Jah Jaah's class was so incredibly rewarding and I'm so excited for the next class on friday!
Choosing Thailand was a huge leap of faith, but I haven't been let down yet. I still have no idea what the street signs mean, but the bus ride home today only took 20 minutes and I'm meeting Thai friends later for coffee and that's good enough for me.
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