fivemonthsinsiam

[fivemonthsinsiam]

Flight.

HND -> PEK ->SFO

24 hours total

Home again, home again, jiggity jig. 

[fivemonthsinsiam]

Japan.

Oh. My. God.

If I had a bucket list, coming to Japan would be somewhere at the tippy-top. I can’t believe I’m here...it’s like Thailand all over again but a little crazier because I didn’t spend two months preparing and wrapping my head around it. I just bought a ticket and came. 

It’s actually how I imagined it to be (yes I imagined how Japan would be as a youngster while watching my anime). It’s a balance of tranquil and bustling. It is so very different than Thailand...not to say better...just different, it a good way.   

Sensō-ji. 

Toshogu Shrine.

Ueno Park. 

Tokyo National Museum. 

Ameya-Yokochō Market.

[fivemonthsinsiam]

Flight.

DMK -> KUL -> HND

11 hours total. 

Onto the next adventure. 

[fivemonthsinsiam]

Hours.

Bags are packed. Room cleaned out. All the goodbyes or see you laters have been said. In a few hours I’ll be on an flight headed for Tokyo. 

As for Thailand, well...

There is a combination of feelings you get when you do something you never thought you would do or be somewhere you never thought you would be. It feels surreal, calming, satisfying and peaceful all at the same time.

That is what everyday in Thailand was, a jumble of surreal, calming, satisfying and peaceful feelings. 

[fivemonthsinsiam]

Days.

I’ve said my goodbyes to my job, my school, my students and my coworkers. It sucked. Mostly because I don't like goodbyes...its sounds so final. So, instead I said see you later to most of them. 

Now comes time for packing. I’m very paranoid about going over the weight allowance so the only thing that I’m ‘stressing’ about is that, well that and something going wrong with my passport/visa/work permit as I am trying to leave the country. Blah, blah, blah...I’m hoping sure everything will be a-ok.  

Anyway as I am packing up the past 5 months of my life into 2 oversized suitcases it hasn’t hit me that I am leaving. Am I going to burst in tears? Will I vow in a moment of depression to return to Thailand? Unlikely, as I have never burst into anything and ‘vowing’ to do something sounds a bit too dramatic. Honestly, right now my brain is just occupied with packing and getting to the airport without losing my mind ...perhaps it will hit me when I’m actually on the plane. Then again the whole being homesick thing never happened so who knows. 

As I’m sure I’ve said in one of my past posts, I will miss Thailand...there are so many little things that I know I will miss but its time to move on.

                                  Ugh. 

                 That sounds so depressing.

[fivemonthsinsiam]

Weeks.

It feels like everything I do or everywhere I go it’s for the last time. Suddenly I find myself saying goodbye to the most random of things. 

‘Goodbye train stop, I’ll miss you.’

‘Ekkachai Road, I know we had some tough times but I will always remember you.’

This whole taking it in one last time is beginning to get exhausting. I know I will miss Thailand but right now leaving feels like someone is pulling of a bandaid slowly...I just want it to be over. Sitting here and dwelling on it sucks. I don’t feel the need to ‘go out with a bang’ or anything. These past 5 months have been a series of bangs...if that makes any sense. Just get on with it..just pull off the mother effing bandaid! 

Wat Pho. Bangkok. 

[fivemonthsinsiam]

Rehearsals.

Performances are a big thing in Thai schools. Any celebration (national or otherwise) are usually marked by something choreographed. At my school we usually have a combinations of ballet, traditional Thai dance, poetry readings, modern dance (with English and Chinese music) and on the schools anniversary we even had a magic show. 

For about 3 months straight we were creating dance routines, finding songs and practicing scripts in English with different groups of students. After one celebration was over...we would quickly begin thinking about the next one. And of course, everyday, we would rehearse...

and rehearse...and rehearse...and rehearse... 

Most recently we had the Queen’s Birthday (Mothers Day) and the schools anniversary celebration. These were the last of the celebrations until the next semester, so for right now rehearsals have been paused. 

Queen Sirikit’s Birthday. Mother’s Day. 

Sunflower School’s Anniversary. 

During school hours we had religious ceremonies and student performances but at night, it was the faculty’s turn. 

[fivemonthsinsiam]

Island.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh yes the much awaited extended weekend.

After spending the school day at the temple celebrating Asarnha Bucha Day or Buddhist Lent, 5 of my fellow teachers and I made a beeline for the exits with our backpacks. We headed for Victory Monument (the place for people who want to leave Bangkok) and took a van to Rayong. 3 hours after being in an incredibly tight van we arrived to a pier in the middle of the night. This is the part were we take a speed boat across a dark and very bumpy ocean while the driver is blasting Pitbull’s Timber...how fun.

I’m not being sarcastic...it was indeed fun, painful as your butt reconnects with the hard seat after it goes flying up because of the waves, but fun nonetheless. 20 minutes later and we arrived to Koh Samet. From that point on it was nothing but soft sand, blue ocean, swimming, catching jellyfish, coconuts and mosquitos (in that order).

Koh Samet is beautiful. Even during the holiday it wasn’t as crowded as most of the other islands. You can actually enjoy the beauty of the island without people asking you to take their next Facebook profile picture. There is a small downtown area, restaurants and bungalows on the beach, motorbikes and kayaking (to explore the rest of the island) and fire jump rope...if you’re into that sort of thing. 3 days was the perfect amount of time to spend unwinding on this island. You can do just about everything the island has to offer in that time or just do nothing but sit on the beach drinking from a coconut.

Asarnha Bucha Day.

Students, teachers and staff went dancing and singing on the backs of pick-up trucks to the local temple. 

After getting there everyone continues the celebration while circling the temple for luck. 

Afterwards everyone heads to the temple to receive blessings from the monks and present them with offerings. Asarnha Bucha Day marks the first day that monks restrict themselves in the temple for the 3 months of the rainy season. They live these 3 months without electricity so gifts mostly include foods and snacks you don't have to cook and huge candles.  

Koh Samet. 

[fivemonthsinsiam]

Transportation.

I’ve officially checked off all the modes of public transportation in Thailand. Big accomplishment considering I love driving and would use any excuse to take my car out when I was in the U.S. Here’s a quick summary of each:

Taxi: The fastest and most expensive way to get around. If you need to get somewhere without the hassle of changing trains or songtaows and need some air-conditioning, take a taxi.    

Songtaow: These pickup trucks will take you up and down the street for a only 7 bhat (if you catch the smaller ones it’s 5 bhat). Only the locals use them so expect to get stares when you are sitting or hanging of the back of one. They are very convenient but be warned there are only two types of songtaow drivers. Those that go too slow and those that go toooooooooooo fast. 

Songtaow Taxi: These are basically songtaows but instead of a set route you can ask them to take you somewhere specific but local. From what I know they are available in Bangkok too but I mostly used them in Chiang Mai. Very cheap, they give you a fixed price and it usually doesn’t cost more than 10 baht to get across town. Perfect for people traveling in big groups. 

Tuk-Tuk: These meter-less rickshaws are fun but mostly for tourists. You gotta set a price with the driver before you get in or they will just throw out some magic number you have to agree to.  

Water Taxi: 150 bhat for an all day pass and 40 bhat for a single stop on the Chao Phraya River. The stops include most of the major temples, hotels and districts including Chinatown. It’s great for a day trip but when it’s about that time when everyone is trying to get home...it gets insanely crowded.  

Motorbike: No helmet? No problem! Motorbikes are part of my everyday life here. I have driven them but mostly I use the motorbike ‘taxi’ to get to my local market. They drive on the wrong side of the street, they weave in between cars, some drive like maniacs and if you’re a lady, both legs gotta be on one side. Despite it all I love motorbikes. They are one of my favorite ways to get around especially since I have mastered the art of having bags of groceries and still being able to balance myself on a moving motorcycle. *self-five* 

Train: Trains are awesome. Firstly because they remind my of Harry Potter secondly because they are always a great way to see the countryside. In Thailand trains are insanely cheap. Example: from Bangkok to the boarder of Cambodia (~6 hour trip) is 48 bhat...that’s a whopping $1.35. Note: These are 3rd class tickets meaning the only “A/C” are fans on the ceiling of the train car that may or may not be working. BUT there are air-conditioned trains available for a few more bhat, 

Airplane: Pretty much what you would expect. It saves time when you want to travel far North or South. Depending on when you leave, round-trip tickets are relatively cheap if you fly using domestic airlines.

Skytrain/Subway: The BTS and MRT are incredibly simple to navigate. They are close to most of the major spots and I use them all the time. If you take the skytrains a lot it can add up but you can’t beat the connivance it has to major spots throughout Bangkok. 

Bus: There are ones with AC and ones without…always go for the ones with. Always. Buses are good for when you’re low on funds and have plenty of time to get to where you’re going. If you are traveling during the day somewhere that might take 30 minutes by taxi can take almost 1 ½ by bus. So bring a book. 

[fivemonthsinsiam]

Guests.

2/3 of my sisters are here visiting me in the land of smiles and 7/11’s. I loved unloading all my Thailand knowledge on them, answering their questions and watching them be amused by my answers. But the best were their reactions to the transportation...

‘Is he driving on the sidewalk?’

‘Are there 4 people on that motorcycle?’

‘Why are the motorcycles going against traffic?’

‘This taxi driver is going to kill us.’

…good times, good times

They spent most of their first week locked up in my room because they weren’t comfortable navigating the world around them alone…so every day after work we would make our way to Bangkok’s sights. This past weekend we traveled a bit further to Ayutthaya and Lopburi which was welcomed because I needed to relax away from home for a while and my sisters needed to see that not all of Thailand was made of concrete. On our way back from the ancient capital and the monkey city they took advantage of the airport train stop and got off. They had an early morning flight to Chiang Mai that they didn’t want to travel the extra 2 hours it would take to get there from my place. So for the time being, I am, once again sister-less. 

Wat Mahathat. Ayutthaya. 

Wat Lokkayasutharam. Ayutthaya.

Around Ayutthaya.

Phra Prang Sam Yot. Lopburi. 

[fivemonthsinsiam]

Homesick.

Very soon I will be going on 2 months in Thailand and I’m still waiting to get homesick. When I got here I knew it was going to happen…so I just waited for it but it hasn’t come yet.

…did I miss something?

Before I left the U.S I was scared that traveling alone wouldn’t be what I expected it to be. With all my big talk of finally taking off and living abroad like I’d always wanted, I was a little worried that I might end up being miserable. Now I’m a little worried that I’m not miserable at all. I’ve caught myself already finding jobs in the next country I want to visit and had to stop. It was already tiring enough to stay in one place for too long, I wonder if now, after coming here, it will be really difficult to stay in one country for too long.

I do miss my friends and my family, there is no doubt about that but I’m not ‘homesick’. I wonder if after two months I’m still in the ‘honeymoon’ phase? Or perhaps I spoke too soon and that little monster is still waiting to sneak up on me.

[fivemonthsinsiam]

Update.

I’m still here. Still alive. Just being lazy with posts.

Geez I haven’t posted since Chiang Mai…which feels like a lifetime ago. Since then we had Wai Khru day at school. On Wai Khru or teachers day students honor the teachers by presenting them with flowers and bowing near their feet. I’d long heard of stories of how teachers were treated in other countries. Their status in society and respect they had but this was the first time I’d experienced it.

I’d grown up always being told that teachers were to be treated with as much courtesy as your parents. While that stuck with me I didn’t see much of that from my fellow students in school. Being on the receiving end of all this gives you an immense feeling of appreciation…it makes you want to work harder and make what you do worth that appreciation.

Also…

My classes got changed up on me, which sucked(s). After five weeks I was just getting comfortable with the flow of things and working with this particular group of students (and actually getting to know most of their names) when I was told another teacher was coming in so there would be a shift in class scheduling. Not a huge deal in the bigger scheme of things…just a minor annoyance. But that’s part of living and working in Thailand. There is never a lot of notification…you sort of go with the flow and that’s exactly what I’ll attempt, try, will do.

[fivemonthsinsiam]

The Road Up Doi Suthep Mountain. Chiang Mai. 

A 20 minute ride up a very winding road. 

[fivemonthsinsiam]

Vacay.

Last week we had a three day weekend so a few of my fellow teachers and I decided to go to Chiang Mai. I came back after our 3rd day and wished I could have stayed longer.

The city was beautiful, the weather was a few degrees cooler (which makes a huge difference) and it seemed like everything was just slower…more laid back. I spent those 3 days going to night markets, weekend markets, temples located at the top of mountains, Muay Thai matches and drinking about 4 fruit smoothes a day.

The trip was defiantly a welcomed one. I like my school but it was nice getting away from work and out of Bangkok for a few days. The change of scenery gave me the boost I needed for the coming weeks.

Wat Sri Suphan. Chiang Mai. 

Wat Phra That Doi Suthep. Doi Suthep Mountain. Chiang Mai. 

Local Wat. Old City. Chiang Mai. 

[fivemonthsinsiam]

Flight.

DMK -> CNX

1 hour 10 minutes. 

Time for a mini vacation. 

[fivemonthsinsiam]

Milk tea skillz. 

[fivemonthsinsiam]

Chatuchak.

Chatuchak weekend market is the monster of all markets. It is the biggest market in Thailand and has almost anything you can think of. You want a shirt of Captain Kirk holding a light saber. Done.

Rabbits, puppies, cats and hamsters? Check.

Faux Rolex and every other high priced watch/purse? It’s here.  

But the best thing about Chatuchak isn’t the variety of goods, the man who twirls as he makes tea (see video) or even the dude that walks around with a squirrel on his shoulder (see picture) but the food.

Oh. Em. Gee.

Fresh fruit, deserts galore, noodles, soups, different types of rice, curries, fresh made juices and other delectable edibles. Then of course there was the shawarma...SHAWARMA! It was glorious.