Wan Saow

Things that happened Today:

• I went to Spelling Bee for Thai high school students. In the morning, this consisted of me spell checking lists of words for the Thai ajaans as they clustered around a tiny TV straining to hear what was being said in the examination room. This was not easy feat as my spelling is abysmal and I haven't done any serious writing in English in about a month.
• After the first round of the spelling bee, I went to Kad Suwan Keaw (a giant shopping center) with my Mae because the English department at her school was receiving an award. I meant to stay with here for the ceremony but Mae Noy (Clare's host mom) insisted I would be bored and sent me off to explore the mall. For 3 hours. For some background, Kad Suwan Keaw is potentially the most poorly/confusingly designed building I have ever had the (mis)fortune to enter. I also had almost no money on me and zero interest in shopping so essentially I spent 3 hours people watching and being accosted by shop owners because I am clearly a farang, while simultaneously getting ridiculously lost again and again. Good times. Jing jing.
• In the afternoon we went back to the spelling bee because one of Mae Toi's students had made it to the final round. This time, the students had 60 seconds to spell as many words from a fixed list as possible. I have never before in my life heard anyone spell anything so quickly and I am sure that the Thai students would have sent me packing in about 2 seconds. It was ridiculous. But what do I know? I'm just a silly farang eating humble pie morning, noon, and night.
• After the spelling bee was over we met up with Nong Im and went back to Kad Suwan Keaw for ice cream and eventually dinner. This was my first time eating ice cream in Thailand and it was just as a-roi as it is in the US I am happy to say. (Fun Fact: Thais don't sweeten their whipped cream which is odd because they add ridiculous amounts of sugar to nearly everything else.) I had a really great time joking with Nong Im and telling her about all the different fruits she has to try when she comes to visit me in the US and warning her not to come to Michigan in the winter.

Ice cream and dinner were both really fun and heart warming experiences. All ISDSI students move into apartment at the end of the week so my family does not have a lot of time left together and the past month has absolutely flown by. At the ice cream parlor, Mae Toi told me "You have to come visit us all the time!" and that she and Paw Jade wish I could stay with them longer.  This was really touching to me as I generally very concerned about being too much of a burden and I worry about giving back to this family what they have given me. It also made me realize that I wish I could stay with them longer too.

Pi Aim, Nong Im, Mae Toi, Paw Jade and I post enormous dinner.

But, alas it is not to be. I have really enjoyed getting to know the family in the past month. They are the most wonderful, generous, considerate, kind, and caring people, and a very fun and vibrant family to be a part of. It's strange to think that a month ago, these people where total strangers, when now they are my second family and I feel like I really belonged with them here in Chiang Mai. I am so sad that this is my last week with them but I am going to make the most of it and I know that we have a connection that will last a lifetime.

Cheesy endings aside, I love my Thai family maak luey.