City Happenings

This is a post I wrote a while ago but then never posted. Typical. But better late than never, right? Enjoy!


Lists are GREAT. I could never manage to go grocery shopping in any kind of productive way without them so here is a list of things that have happened during this first little bit of SUMMER 2KTHAILAND.

• After helping out at school on Friday, one of Mae Toi's 17 year old students asked for my number and email. His reasoning? "Thai girls are too short." I took this to mean that clocking in at a womping 5'5" (a full 3 inches taller than the average Thai woman, mind you) I have clearly missed my true calling and the only remedy is to immediately move here permanently and embrace my future as a Thai supermodel. I think I'll go by the name Waffle. (See this is funny because there's actually a real Thai supermodel who goes by Pancake. You can laugh now...)
• I got a haircut! It's a little too short and I feel like I look like a cross between a suburban mother and a 9 year old boy BUT that does mean I now have a PRIME excuse to go ridiculous Thai hair accessory shopping. I haven't really done very much traveling, but Thailand seems to have cornered the market in absolutely ludicrous trinkets with which one can adorn one's scalp. Seriously. Chances are, if you can dream it, they have already made it with more sparkles. I thinking something a la Carmen Miranda but am 100% open to suggestions.
• On Saturday, I spent most of my time in the city hanging out with my friends Katie and Ross, who recently got married and are on their honeymoon in Thailand. They're thuper cool and like practically real adults now which is neat. We spent the afternoon getting gloriously turned around in the Old City (sorry about that, y'all) and talking and eating. Katie is one of my bestest old(er) people friends and Ross is pretty cool too and I had a great time derping around with them. Mmmh. Friends.
• FRISBEE HAPPENED! And it was great. I hadn't played since the Chiang Mai Hat Tournament in February so I was definitely a little rusty and hella slow but it was oodles and oodles of fun. I went with Cassie (former ISDSI roomie), who is also back this summer doing research and despite the fact that everyone else was running circles around me and I was drenched in sweat it was a wonderful time.
• Speaking of Cassie, I got to see her for the first time in simply ages! Cassie, if you recall was my first roommate when we moved into the apartments. She's back this summer doing thesis research about the negative affects of dams on local river communities in Thailand. (Basically shit's fucked up with forced relocation, destruction of natural resources, flooding, ect. so there are a ton of cool things to research. Anywho...) Catching up with Cass has been really nice. She's done super well for herself alone in the city for the past few weeks despite various complications (such as a nasty bout of dengue) and it's just generally nice to have friends around who you know well enough to make fun of (and vice versa).
• I'd forgotten how exhausting this all is. Sometimes my brain just wants to shut off and most of the time that's not an option. Basic conversations require so much more energy when you're working in another language you only half remember and were never great at to begin with. Patience is key, and being semi-confused is constant. At the same time, I enjoy the challenge of it all and I'm sure the once jet-lag/initial adjustment has run it's course, things will get easier.
• Things I've Been Really Bad At: Taking pictures. I'll do better next time. Promise.

Should be another post coming up soon about things since moving to UHDP. Stay tuned!