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Wednesday, 15 August 2007 |
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Getting Schooled Lately I find myself putting forth an extra effort to learn Thai. It's a terribly difficult language to learn for a number of reasons. I think it's hard to memorize a new list of words that "replace" meanings already engrained in English. Most of the time, I can't even remember what I had for breakfast, let alone the new way to explain that to someone here. Moreover, even if I can remember the word, the pronunciation is so complicated, that I only get it right maybe 1/4 of the time. It's a terribly frustrating experience, and yet it feels good to learn something new. I'm sick of not being able to communicate effectively out in public, and the Thai people really do seem to appreciate even the most basic of efforts made to speak their language. Honey has been explaining the most, followed closely by Alex and his wife (the store owners across the street). I helped Honey produce a DVD for the English team that's been at the church the past month. It was a pretty long process and so I learned a bunch of Thai then, or rather, I heard a lot of Thai. Really though, pretty much all of my friends and acquaintances here are more than willing to help me out if I just ask. The transition from not understanding anything anyone says, to picking up on sentences here and there has been incredibly fascinating! Until now, I've only listened for the word "farang". "Farang" sets off an alarm in my head; and for good reason. It means foreigner, so whenever you hear it, you know someone's talking about you. Seriously though, its like a door is being unlocked; and in a metaphorical sense, I suppose one is. Yay for learning. While there's really no point in attempting to "teach" Thai to any of you reading this; there is a word that I found pretty interesting and culturally relevant. I don't know how to spell it, but it's pronunciation is a blend of "gick" and "geek". The word essentially describes a significant other in addition to the primary girlfriend/boyfriend a person already has. I heard this word a few times when I was here before, but over the course of maybe 24 hours, it was mentioned 5 or 6 times. I had pretty much come to the cold conclusion that such a thing was widely accepted (if not expected) here. That is, until I talked with Alex's wife late that night. We were all just sitting outside of their shop like normal and a group of people walked up to order omelets. Once they left, she told me that the tall girl in the group had stabbed someone two weeks ago. Obviously, this shocked me, since violent crimes here are very rare. However, upon further explanation, it was revealed that she had discovered her boyfriend had a "gick" and stabbed him in anger. And while I don't condone violence, It made me smile on the inside knowing relationships here aren't as meaningless as I first thought. And I'll leave it at that for now. I realized yesterday I hadn't posted pictures of my "apartment" yet.... They'll be in the next post along with pictures of Petey and the turtles. Thanks to everyone who's continued to keep in touch, I appreciate it. |
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 15 August 2007 )
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Saturday, 11 August 2007 |
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Housekeeping (part II) The feeling in my stomach has been downgraded from a "half-inch-drill-to-the-gut" to a "slight discomfort". The headache has gone from "vice-grip-on-the-brain" to "treatable-with-Tylenol". It's time for an update! -Thursday was quite possibly the most miserable day of my life thus far. I've had "worse" days, but it unquestionably deserves the title of being most miserable. To make a rather long story short. I get to stay, I don't have to go to jail, and I'm back in BKK safe and sound. However, in the process of preparing my case for the Thai government (and/or crazy/misguided immigration officer) I discovered I had missed my flight to China. How could I have been so stupid you ask? Well I hadn't been. I orginally called AirAsia to order my China tickets because I didn't feel comfortable typing my credit card # into a public computer. (This may be the Land of Smiles, but it's also the land of pirating, counterfeits, and computer witchery) The ticketing agent at AirAsia spoke decent English. Okay that's an overstatement, decent for 7-Eleven... not for an airline company. I already knew she had sent me to the wrong city in China, but what I hadn't realized was that instead of leaving on the 15th of Aug. and coming back on the 5th of Sep., she had kindly inverted these dates for me. So on top of being sick and stuck on the border, I also discovered a new problem; getting to China. Whatever, I just wanted to get home and go to bed. -I finally got to see The Simpsons Movie on Friday! I still wasn't feeling great, but I'm not going to just sit in bed and sulk until I feel better. Besides, laughter is the best medicine right? Right. So I liked the movie. Much more than expected in fact. That being said, I was pretty disappointed that Marge threw in "GD" -for a number of reasons. Also worth noting: there's a point in the movie where Springfield is on the verge of doomsday and one of Flander's children says, "Dad, will Buddha be in heaven?" To which Flanders nonchalantly responds, "Of course not, son, don't be silly." I think that's probably one of those jokes that goes over better in a crowd that isn't predominantly Buddhist. This wasn't the first time something like this has happened. There's a part in Rush Hour 687 where Jackie Chan is told, "you're Asian, don't humiliate yourself like that". I suppose it's only weird because I know if I'd seen these two movies in America, I wouldn't have given them a second thought. As a further side note, it's become an entertaining hobby of mine to watch oblivious foreigners when everyone stands for the King before the movie's beginning. There isn't anything that prompts people to stand, so they are caught completely of guard . . . I've been the witness of some pretty comical responses. -After the movie, I went out to Sanam Lueng and had dinner with P'Nai and his wife. Apparently I was in a very courageous mood, deciding to test out the new stomach medicine with numerous curries at an Indian restaurant. They were all delicious and, much to my delight, there were no gut bombs during the sleeping hours, or the waking ones for that matter. Speaking of food, I've been spending a lot of time at the bakery. Having a hangout of sorts is kinda nice. -China . . . after spending about an hour on the phone with my dad I've finally got a plan, along with a new ticket to China. You see, I still don't trust the public computers with my credit card number, and I'm doing everything in my power to make sure that agent for AirAsia gets her job at 7-eleven; therefore I had Dad buy the ticket online from Atlanta! problem solved. Actually, I lied. I'm flying into Macau, taking a speedboat to Hong Kong, and then crossing into China from there. If I'm going to be forced to buy a new ticket there, why not make an adventure out of it, right? -They finally updated the advertisements on some of the BTS trains. BTS/Skytrain is essentially an above-ground subway system that weaves its way in-between the city's buildings. I embraced these updates with very open arms. If I had to see the Jackie Chan, Issara, or talking shrimp commercial one more time I was going to go crazier. Of course the song paying tribute to the king's 60th anniversary on the throne still gets played every 5 minutes- not that there's anything wrong with that . Anyway, the fact that I was able to recognize and appreciate new commercials on the public transportation system was yet another subtle reminder that I've evolved into more than just a typical tourist in this city. -I'm pretty hesitant to type this next part out, only because my mind isn't set on anything at all right now. I really just want to enjoy my time here, get back home and go to Katy's wedding. That being said, I have graduated and I can't push away the real world forever; it's time to weigh the options. . . . or at least gather them up. I've had far too many people ask me about teaching English or mention specific positions for me to just ignore the prospect of working in Bangkok. The fact is, I like it here, could easily get a job here, and could make a very decent living here. There, I said it. Nothing is off the table, my mind isn't even close to being made up; but teaching here is certainly an option, and at the very least a plausible plan "c". -The poorer I get, the more I find myself taking pictures. Tonight I focused on night pictures at the weekend market. It's one of my favorite things here, and it was cool to hang around after the place cleansed itself of foreigners . . . or at least most of them. Being at the market and actually having room to breathe was an odd, but more than welcomed experience. 
A young girl prepares dinner for workers in the market.
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Trashed as night approaches. I've never actually seen the market's floor before.
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One last watch before shop closes up.
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A merchant rests her food baskets after a long day's work.
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And well, you remember the mannequins right?
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Last Updated ( Saturday, 11 August 2007 )
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Wednesday, 08 August 2007 |
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Life is Bad (at least for the moment). Things were going far too good . . . Just went on my visa run and the Thai immigration officer wouldn't let me leave until I change my flight back to America. They said I can only stay 30 days total, which is complete B.S. according to the first paragraph on their own website: http://www.mfa.go.th/web/2482.php?id=2649 . Anyway, I'm pretty sure I'm right, but I'm totally freaked out right now.... and... my stomach feels like it's about to explode-again. I haven't felt this sick in a while, but fortunately all this customs crap has pissed me off to the point of not caring that I feel like I'm about to die. On top of all that, this little $15 trip to the border is now costing at the very least $60, and thats if they even let me renew my visa. So here I sit; angry, tired, and sick at an internet place on the border of Cambodia and Thailand. I'm going to find a hotel. |
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 08 August 2007 )
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Monday, 06 August 2007 |
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Life is Good. It sounds far too cliche for my liking, but that's precisely how I feel now. The past few days have been wonderful and it's hard for me to pinpoint the exact reason why. Yes, the island was great, but it's far more than a single event or situation. I think my current mood is really a culmination of things far more relevant than blue water and palm trees . . . I've been reading a book my mom gave me just before I left. The title escapes me right now, but it's by the authors of Experiencing God and that's exactly what the book is about. I'm not really sure how to describe the way it's affecting my spiritual walk, other than to say that it simply is. And well, spiritual growth is always a good thing and a valid source for true happiness. Today, as I was going to pick up Petey at the church, I ran into P' Nai and we went to a nearby cafe for coffee and chocolate cake. (I actually had a double dose of chocolate seeing as I opted for a choc shake in lieu of coffee) For whatever reason, I woke up this afternoon feeling very ill, and this sporadic meeting really cheered me up. He was headed to English class at the church, so at 7:30 we made our way there. One of the British guys invited me to join their class and play mafia with them- it was a fantastic time! Afterwards, we headed down the street to the same bakery I had met J at the day before. Apparently, one of the new Christian church members owns it, and so we all had coffee and cake there. Ironically enough, J was there again, so we talked for a bit, during which time she introduced me to the owner, P'Piew. The team from England headed back to the church after 30 minutes or so, but I stayed at the bakery and talked with J, Honey, and P'Piew. I honestly can't describe how great it was to just chill out and talk with friends. It reminded me of countless late nights with the group back in the 'boro- and those are some great memories to have. Eventually, it was just Honey and I talking at a counter in the coffee area. We covered everything from relationships to spiritual stuff. I'm a HUGE fan of meaningful conversations, and it was nice to have yet another one here. Another reason my mood is on the upswing is because I had a great night yesterday as well. I mentioned the store owners across the street a few posts ago, and how friendly they are. Well, it's become a nightly routine to go over and at least exchange a few words about our respective days. I'd say they're in their early to mid thirties and couldn't be any friendlier or energetic. Because of this, there are usually other people stopping by to visit as well. Last night, I put my clothes in the washer outside the apartment and walked across the street to chat until they were clean. I ended up meeting about 7 or 8 people in front of the store who couldn't have been any nicer. They pretty much all offered me some of their food or drink. Even in the midst of a gigantic communication barrier, relational connections are being made. It's absolutely amazing how far a smile and a genuine, caring attitude can take you. And I find all of this to be so unlike myself. I'm not typically one who's comfortable meeting new people . . . especially in masses. That being said, I've found it to be both fascinating and enjoyable to experience the relationships currently being built. Perhaps the biggest reason I've been in such a candy-coated-life-is-bubbly-great-mood, is that I've made a conscious decision to enjoy things as they happen. Far too often I'm so busy looking forward to things in the future to really savor the present. In retrospect, I typically find myself thinking fondly of things I never truly appreciated as they occurred. Once again, I've come back to the realization that I'm extremely blessed to be where I'm at now, and that I need to enjoy each and every day as much as possible. I think that's probably an attitude we should all embrace. |
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Friday, 03 August 2007 |
Krabi. So I said I've been in paradise and now that I've had my rest I will discuss my time there and perhaps even provide a few pictures for proof. It all started with a train ride out of Bangkok. Now it should go without saying that leaving BKK is step one in getting anywhere remotely close to "paradise". The plan was actually to take the train to Trang, but seeing as I missed that departure by five minutes, I created plan B, which was to take the train (then a bus) to Krabi. Taking a bus the entire way really would have been the quickest, simplest, and most economical route, but one of my regrets from the last Thailand trip was that I failed to take the train anywhere. Aside from that, my dad LOVES trains, and I suppose that has, in some form or fashion, been instilled in me as the preferred way to travel whenever possible.The setup was pretty cool. I bought a 2nd class sleeper ticket which meant not only was I spared a 12 hour journey stuck in a wooden chair, but I had the option to sleep in a bed that folded out of the ceiling! Now, these trains were not special by any means... This isn't America, and this wasn't Amtrak, but it had the appeal of an authentic Thai experience from say the 60's era; and for that reason I loved it. Here's a picture of my lovely sleeping quarters.. 
After a terrible night's rest, we arrived in Krabi town, and a few taxi cab ride's later I found myself in Ao Nang (a beach in Krabi). I was rather unimpressed, but took the advice of a fellow traveler and hired a longtail boat to Railey. This place was absolutely the best beach I've ever been to. I put most of the pictures in my gallery (click "photo gallery" on the left). They are definitely worth checking out because I really can't describe this place in enough detail to do it any justice. The limestone cliffs, blue water, seclusion, and weather were all simply perfect. The food was equally amazing as it was mostly fresh seafood at an incredibly modest price. My favorite part was unquestionably the hidden lagoon I discovered with a little tip from the person who rented me the bungalow. Arriving at said lagoon was a tedious hour-long climbing/repelling extravaganza, but the end result was stunning. The clearest, bluest water I've ever seen formed a large pond completely surrounded by white limestone rock extending hundreds of feet into the sky. It was so amazing that I (yes Joey) decided to swim a bit. Unfortunately, my phone (actually Brad's phone) took a swim with me... 
Anyway, I've decided that these Rainbow flip-flops Katy gave me for graduation really are indestructible. They've been worn nearly 100 days straight and have made it through rain, sand, motorbike skids, rock climbing, and who knows what kind of polluted water on the streets here in BKK. At one point last week, I lost them under about 3 feet of VERY think mud . . . mud that didn't want to give them back. I pulled, ripped, and tugged at them just knowing they'd be broken upon retrieval, but after a nice little dip in the ocean, they look great. Thanks Katy! Coming back, I opted to take a bus for the entire duration. Knowing that I'd be hard pressed for quality sleep on a bus, I went to the pharmacy in Krabi and asked for a sleep aid; they gave me Valium. The Valium, however, is another story in and of itself. More interesting is that my phone (yes the broken one that had gone swimming) was stolen as us passengers were sitting on the side of the street. Why were we sitting on the streetside you ask? Well... our "V.I.P." bus broke down for an hour or so. Fortunately, I had my Valium and I didn't seem to mind either problem at the time. Besides, the irony of someone stealing a broken phone makes me smile. 
I ran into "J" at the bakery today before church. J is the girl I gave my art supplies to when I left Bangkok last time. It was such an unusual, but great, experience to run into someone I know here. It was yet another example of how this place really does feel like home at times.Wow, I know there's so much more to say, because so much excitement has been going on, but I think this is enough for now. I need my sleep, and you need to get back to (or start) doing something productive. China in less than two weeks! get ready for some updates! |
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Last Updated ( Monday, 06 August 2007 )
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