SUGAR RUSH

Thai goodies from 7 eleven. And all of this only cost 47 baht! Or - $1.46.

SHALL WE BUILD OUR ARK?

As promised, here are some visuals from the flooding this past weekend. The first two photos were taken in the morning, in the neighborhood we pass every day on the way to school. The rest of the photos are from the local park - some show the flooded roads and some show how intensely the river was flowing.




And here's some video. This is the bridge we cross on the way to school every day.

River Flood from Nikki Elizabeth on Vimeo.

And this is the flooding at the park.

Flooding at the park from Nikki Elizabeth on Vimeo.

The best part is all the water has completely disappeared, so Thung Song is slowly getting back to "normal"

FLASH FLOOD FRIDAY: A TIMELINE

7:00 am: Wake up. It's still raining.
7:50 am: Depart for school.
8:00 am: Make a stop at 7 Eleven for yogurt and notice Alex's Assistant Teacher, who informs me that there's no school today due to flooding. I go to the school gates to wait for Alex to arrive behind me and watch all the guards turn away the parents who are dropping their kids off and don't know.
8:15 am: Wet and relieved, we make it back home.
8:30 am - 12:00pm: Movie day! Not too concerned, have only seen slight floods nearby, none near us.
2:00 pm: Rain stops. We get takeaway for lunch.
4:00 pm: We check out the local park, which we heard was flooded. Got some great video and photos of it, enjoy the novelty of it, even do some fun scooting through it before we head home.
6:00 pm: Rain is back on.
8:00 pm: Venture out in the rain for dinner.
9:00 pm: Boys take off (in the rain) to Tom's house for video games and I head to the girls' to watch a film.
11:00pm: Rain stops. I head home.
1:30 am: Text Alex to see if he's coming home soon.
1:35 am: response from Alex is as follows "The roads are flooded. We're trapped. We saw [our friends] on the side of the road so we're at their place until we can leave. It's bad baby, it's over waist high at the 711 near Jono's house".
1:38 am: Am informed by Alex that they saw some men pull a three foot long python from the flood.
1:45 am: Try to go to sleep.
2:00 am: No sleep. Can hear the river raging nearby and am concerned- so I go to the back of the building to check out the river from back there. Water is almost at the banks.
2:10 am: The shortcut street beside the river is beginning to get submerged…
2:12 am: As I watch I realize the water is only rising.
2:12 am: I start freaking out. Alex calms me by telling me (via text) that there's stars out and it's not raining for a little bit.
2:20 am: Road behind apartment complex is completely submerged.
2:30 am: Check out the front of the apartment complex. All good. Not sure if I'm land locked now or what because I don't dare to venture to the top of the road to check out that flood situation.
2:41 am: Water begins to creep into the apartment complex's parking lot.
2:43 am: Notice the next door neighbor's puppy / stray dog darting around the remaining dry portions of the parking lot, barking and trying to get over the fence to get home. Poor thing is yapping and not wanting to go into the water to go around. Debate helping it- but the lady notices it and laughs, wades through the water to retrieve it. Crisis averted.
2:45 am: Parking lot completely submerged.
2:50 am: Begin panic attack. Alex isn't here, the water level is rising, I don't know what to do about my scooter.
3:00 am: Manage to communicate enough with the security guard to inquire if I should move my scooter. He gestures to the left. I waddle it through the flood to the neighboring apartment and move it to higher ground. Except that the higher ground is also next to the river. Which hasn't reached its banks yet, but will be soon. Every one else has also moved their cars there, so I guess it's the best we can do. Notice that despite the flood and the fact that it's 3:00am, people remain in good spirits. Thailand.
3:05 am: Get in touch with Alex again, our friends have set up a mattress for him so he'll remain for the night. Says that the good news is that the water level doesn't seem to be rising there, but the bad news is that it's getting worse here.
3:06 am: A man who speaks decent English tells me I should move my scooter. I told him I already have, and thank him, and he informs me that never in Thung Song's history have floods been this bad.
3:20 am: Peer over my balcony and see that our neighbor's yards are now flooded. Some look to be knee deep. Check the back balcony and notice that the original river that started flooding now looks to be about waist deep in the flooded areas.
3:36 am: Realize there's nothing more I can do except pray and head to bed.

Update in the morning!

VEGETARIAN FESTIVAL

J-Festival in Thung Song from Nikki Elizabeth on Vimeo.

For weeks, these large yellow flags with Chinese and Thai writing on them in red have been popping up all over town. My friend Vicki, who has been in Thailand for a while, figured that they were for the vegetarian festival - which she saw last year in Phuket. When the phrase "Vegetarian festival" first entered into my schema, I figured- okay, there's going to be a lot of food venders with vegetarian stalls and I'll get to eat a lot. No. Not the case. As it turns out

Many Thai people observe this vegetarian festival, even if they do not eat Thai vegetarian food throughout the rest of the year. During this Thai festival, Thai people practice (เจ, pronounced jay). The word jay is taken from Chinese Mahayana Buddhism, and it means eight precepts observance. One of the eight precepts is the avoidance of eating any animal meat during the vegetarian festival. When a Thai person practices jay, they also keep up a high moral standard of good deeds in their action, words, and thoughts. During the festival, Thai people practicing jay must keep their body clean, keep their eating utensils clean, and make sure they do not share utensils with people not observing the Thai vegetarian festival. They must wear white clothing as often as possible, avoid killing or harming animals, and be mindful of their actions and thoughts. During the Thailand vegetarian festival, devotees abstain from sex and alcohol. In Phuket and in the south of Thailand, the festival is unique due to the actions of the mah song. A mah song is a man (or very rarely, a woman) possessed by a god during the vegetarian festival. Mah songs parade through the streets of Phuket, walking across hot coals or exploding fireworks and bathing in hot oil. They pierce their mouths, cheeks, ears, and arms with fish hooks, knives, razor blades and bamboo poles. The deity residing within the mah song protects their body from pain and injury

(Many thanks to Chaing Mai Best for the information.) My (gorgeous) Thai friend Vallappa is participating in a meditation cleanse for the 10 days by going to the temple every morning (and evening if she has time) and abstaining from eating meat, having sex, getting her period, and drinking alcohol.

Vicki said that last year in Phuket she happened to stumble upon the main event. Apparently, it's a huge deal in Phuket. Certain people go into a trance and then parade around with umbrellas through their cheeks, sticks shoved through their noses, lips, and chins, and blood running down their bodies. Some might walk on hot coals. She said it's awesome, and gruesome. Naturally, I need to see this. So Vicki and I asked Vallapa where we could find it, and she couldn't tell us a date or a time, but said that they'll start in the center of town and then walk around to all of the shops, stopping to bless restaurants and shop owners as they go.

Vicki's in Ao Nang right now, but she called me up to let me know that they're about to start the parade there, so maybe it's the same for Thung Song? So off I go on my scooter, though I was actually headed toward the bank because I had errands to run too. Sure enough, I see the tell-tale yellow flags and a police car leading the front of the parade. I quickly pull off on the side of the road and prepare to get my camera out. As I'm struggling to quickly put a sweater on over my tank top, (when in doubt, cover up to be respectful) a Thai man standing on the side of the street where I parked my bike beckons me over. Now, I'm wondering if he's going to tell me not to take photos or something that a foreigner wouldn't necessarily know, so I go to him. He starts rambling off in Thai and gesturing towards the parade. I nod, smile and say "parade, yes yes I know" I have NO idea what he's on about. In the mean time, I see a Thai woman taking photos so I reckon that's okay. Before I can get away and get back to the parade, he's telling me his name and asking me where I come from. I'm polite, answer his questions and tell him I'm a teacher, but by the time I manage to get away (not before receiving a very awkward kiss on the cheek???) the parade has gone past. No matter, I'm back on my bike and off again.

I saw the general direction it's heading so I start zigging and zagging through the towns center, trying to catch up and figure out where I can park. I have no idea where I am, but I'm keeping sight of the main strip every time I go up a side street. Finally, I manage to come out on the main street ahead of the parade so I park my bike and get in prime position for photos/video.

The parade didn't disappoint from what Vicki told me. Sure, it was most likely on a much smaller scale than other large places (Thung Song aint that big) but it delivered exactly what I hoped for. It starts off with a police car, then a truck that's playing traditional Thai (chinese?) music. Next come a group of girls in colorful, chinese looking shirts carrying a banner. There's people with offerings, and some with donation boxes. (i assume- could be wrong) And sure enough, there go people with all kinds of stick like objects through their mouths. At first I was like - wait, is that going through their cheeks? Yup. Okay then, skewers through their cheeks. Wait, wait what? Is that an umbrella?! Yes, yes it is. Is that a FLAG? Yup - how do they do that? They're just sauntering on like like there's NOT an extremely uncomfortable pole through their face.

A little boy goes by carrying a bucket of water bottles, and the parade stops with a man who has a double ended flag through his face right in front of me. How did they even get that in there? I see another man dressed in white squirt some water into the mouth of a guy with a large skewer through his cheeks, and the parade carries on. Rounding out the back are a few shirtless men carrying black flags, also with things through their face. They're dancing around, shaking their heads and bodies as if they're in a trance. I look closer - One of them in blindfolded with a red cloth. The other two have something smeared down their chests. Wait, is that blood? Indeed it looks like it. I don't know if it's their own - having run down their chest from their impaled cheeks, or if it's a ritualistic smearing of animal blood or even red paint. I'm willing to say it's their own blood, but then I wondered where everyone else's blood was. Maybe these guys were doing it for the first time where others already had the holes there? It will forever be a mystery to me.

The parade continues with pickup trucks, in the back are monks, shrines, and Chinese-Buddhist statues adorned with offerings. Women dressed all in white, adorned with veils and gold bangles are walking past, they're doing the blessings. One woman sees me taking photos and comes up to me. At first I thought I'd be chastised. But then she closes her eyes and starts chanting in Thai, touching my head, my shoulders. She sprinkles me with water, and offers me a flower. I thought I heard her say "kru" a few times, meaning she was blessing me for being a teacher, but like usual, I have no idea what's being said. I'm receiving a blessing in a festival in Thailand. It doesn't matter what was said, it doesn't matter that I don't understand. The experience itself is awesome, in the literal sense. I try my best to act appropriately, bowing my head and putting my hands in prayer position to my forehead, but in all honesty, I didn't know what to do. It was a very spiritual moment though, and an experience I will never forget.

SUN FLARES AND PALM TREES . . . THAILAND IS GORGEOUS

Morning Train Ride from Nikki Elizabeth on Vimeo.

Early morning on the train from Hua Hin to my new home, Thung Song. May 2013

DEAR THAILAND

Dear Thailand,

What have you done to me?

I’ve only been here for 10 days, and already so much has changed.

I eat seaweed chips and salmon chips and I ENJOY them
I call them crisps now (as a reflex from spending so much time with friends from the UK/SA)
I ate fresh (cooked) fish with its head still on it. (It was looking at me)
AND it was delicious
I learned what a beach braai is (barbeque; South African speak)
I prefer that word to barbeque; like crisps that terms also comes naturally now.
I stopped wearing makeup
I stopped caring about if I smell (we all do)
I don’t complain about the heat (THAT much)
My skin is 14 different shades of red, pale and tan and it doesn’t even matter
I stopped getting 25 mosquito bites a day
I now call mosquitos mozzies (its so much cuter)
I eat weird fruits (durian, jackfruit, rambutan, dragonfruit and papaya)
Food stalls on the side of the road are my favorite thing
I’ve stopped questioning sanitation
I’ve used a squat toilet
I talk openly about poop
I pick up a new weird snack at the 7-Eleven every time I go
I’ve been to the 7-Eleven more times in the last ten days than I have in my entire 23 years
I can’t live my life without a Tesco, when 10 days ago I didn’t even know what that was. (Far superior to Wal-Mart in every way)
I only drink whiskey or beer, as far as alcohol goes.
I’ve recovered from hangovers in only ONE HOUR in the sun
I’ve never sweat so much in my life (and been so comfortable with it)
90+ degrees and a sea breeze is now considered SO refreshing
88 degrees in the nighttime is now considered cool
I can sleep with sand in my bed
I can sleep without air conditioning (which I’ve also taken to calling aircon)
I’ve learned that getting caught in the rain isn’t always a bad thing

But most importantly:

I’ve learned to start thinking positively
I’ve learned to relax
I’ve learned to take it one day at a time
I’ve learned that stress need not exist
I believe that everything happens for a reason and it will all work out in the end
I’ve learned to embrace uncertainty, laugh instead of crying, and seize adventure
I’ve learned that you can have a DMC (deep meaningful conversation) with someone you just met
I’ve learned that everyone has their own baggage/demons/struggles/insecurities
I’ve learned that you can meet your soul mates and become a family within 5 days of being together
I’ve met some beautiful people inside and out and became best friends in a matter of days
I’ve talked to these people about things that I haven’t told my friends I’ve known for years. I’ve laughed, cried, reassurred them, shared my fears and insecurities AND told them I love them all within a week
My TEFL group is amazing.

I’m going to miss them. I hope I see you in another life, brother.

These bonds have changed my life. This group of people is amazing and wonderful as a whole and each person individually.

Life is terrible, sad, heart wrenching, unfair and hard.

But this life is beautiful.

HUA HIN TRAIN STATION

Hua Hin train station. Built in the 1920’s under the reign of King Rama VI, it’s one of Thailand’s oldest railway stations. Most of the photos are of the Royal Waiting Room, constructed in traditional Thai style architecture. 

ONLY IN THAILAND. . . [THOUGHTS ON THE SLEEPER TRAIN]

Only in Thailand. . . 

Does a 12 hr sleeper train south cost half as much as a bottle of vodka. 

($15)

 

Note to self: Thai Pringles taste the same as American Pringles. But only if you think Pringles taste about the same as a communion wafer #gross 

I’m almost done with Are You There Vodka it’s Me Chelsea, (who’s been my friend since this adventure started and I had no friends, now I had to leave said friends to move to my job), my train snacks taste like shit and I’m sweating my balls off if I had any. This must be what culture shock (or as I like to call it, PTSD) feels like. 

What if I fall out of my upper bunk? 

Okay, okay, happy thoughts. I spoke broken Thai/broken English with two Thai men while waiting for the train. There was the primary converser and his brother (I think?). The conversation went something like this: 

Thai man: where you going?

Me: Nakohn Si Thammarat 

Thai man: ohhhh Nakohn Si Thammarat 

. . . 

[long pause]

Me: same train?

Thai man: *smiles and nods* (this happens often here. It does NOT mean they agree, understand, or are saying yes.)

Me: you too? 

. . .

Me: you go to Nakohn also?

. . .

Thai man: No, No, Hat Yai 

Me: ohh, Hat Yai! *smiles and nods* 

. . .

[long pause] 

. . .

Thai man: you go alone? 

Me: no, no no, with a group (I am going on the train alone, but not about to tell anyone that) 

Thai man: ohhhh

. . .

[long pause] 

. . .

Thai man: what place(?) you going?

Me: Nakohn Si Thammarat. 

[Thai man looks confused]

Me: Toom song? (Not sure that’s even how you say it?)

Thai man tries again. Still sounds the same. I look confused. He gestures at his friend. They speak Thai 

Thai man 2: What (place) you go? 

… *still confused*

Thai man: Why you go?

Thai man 2: What you do ? 

Me: Oh! I’m teaching English 

[They exchange glances. I try again]

Me: Teach English. At school 

Them: ohhh! 

[big smiles]

Thai man: you English teacher!

Me: [nods and smiles] Yes! 

. . .

[long pause] 

. . .

Me: you go to Hat Yai too? (To the second man) 

Thai man 2: No no 

. . .

[long pause] 

. . .

Thai man 2: I here. Hua Hin. You here? 

Me: yes, I was in Hua Hin. 

Thai man: He … *gestures* my brother (?) 

[He says something in Thai. I repeat it.]

Thai man: yes yes good 

[I can only assume he said the Thai word for brother]

Thai man 2: you come back? 

Me: Maybe?  

. . .

[Thai people like to know you like their country and you’re enjoying yourself. I decide to lie]

. . .

Me: Yes! I visit Hua Hin 

Thai man: my brother, his number

[Thai man 2 takes out his phone]

The first guy’s train is called. We shake hands and smile and say goodbye. I wai at them as he wais back.  Lots of nodding and smiling and saying goodbye.

I turn away. 10 minutes later the second guy hands me his phone. It has his number in it. I write it in my phone.

Me: what is your name? 

Thai man 2: Bahpawn

Me: Bahpawn

Bapawn: [nods and smiles really big]

Me: [gestures at myself] Nikki

Bahpawn: Nikki! 

[We shake hands and wai]

Bahpawn: you . . . [gestures to phone]

Me: you want my number? 

[Bahpawn nods and smiles]

So I call him, because I can’t remember my Thai number.

Bahpawn then proceeds to tell me that when I come back he will show me around Hua Hin. 

At least I think that’s what he said? Idk I may have signed up to be this guys’ wife. 

But seriously, this was an old Asian man. He was harmless and smiled a lot. And very nice. Thais are extremely hospitable. They will take you in if you asked for it. I think he was being friendly.

In any case, I probably won’t ever return to Hua Hin as lovely (and simultaneously dirty, smelly, and hot as all Thai cities are) as it was. I’ve got bigger fish to fry.

HUA HIN: TESOL SCHOOL

ADVENTURES IN TRAVELING - BANGKOK EDITION

The last REAL blog post I wrote was all about the first leg of my journey to Thailand, in which things went wrong but not too severely. Well, it got worse. But I’m incredibly proud of the way I handled the whole mess.

So, my 13 hour plane ride was delightful, due to my mother’s sleeping mask I brought along at the last second. (That sleeping mask has since become one of my most valued possessions)
[Edit: I've since misplaced the sleeping mask. I left it on a train to Bangkok two weeks ago. *cries*]

I had a 45 minute layover in Taiwan at 11:00 pm, which was just enough time to get shuffled from one terminal to the next and appreciate how aesthetically pleasing the Taiwan airport was.

3.5 hours later, I arrived in Bangkok, at 1 in the morning. I had no idea what to do or where to go, but eventually made it to customs, (note to self, they call it immigration, hence my confusion) where they stamped my passport and let me in. Got my luggage, took out some money, made my way to “exit 3” where my driver should be waiting. He’s not. Never fear, I went through customs pretty quickly, maybe he’s just running late. Considering the fact that I’m now alone in a foreign country, I’m relatively calm, not even that worried about it. I took precautions to write down the address of my hotel, so I figured it would just work itself out. Mai pen rai and all of that Thai 'no worries' business.
[Edit: Mai pen rai means never mind, don't worry, etc. Can also be used as "you're welcome" and "forget about it"]

A blonde girl approaches me, concerned for my welfare. As a fellow white chick, she feels the need to make sure I’m okay. I explain my situation. She told me the taxis were trying to rip her off, and would we want to share a taxi if my driver doesn’t come? Sure, I agree. I suggest we wait a little longer. We walk back to where there’s other drivers, and a friendly woman who speaks SOME English asks me which company I’m looking for. I tell her, she says no they’re not on the list, and sees that I’m clutching a piece of paper with a Thai number on it. Before I even have a chance to protest, she’s gotten her phone out and is dialing Michael, the president of Xplore Asia AT 2:30 AM. Jesus. His wife answers, I apologize profusely, and she eventually calls us back and tells us that they’re so sorry, they don’t have anyone to pick me up.

At this point, I know exactly what’s happened. Of course. In the 72 hours leading up to me hopping on a plane for the other side of the world, I was the most stressed out I’ve ever been because I had trouble getting the proper visa at the DC embassy, and they had my passport until the last minute. To the point where I had emailed Michael and told him I might have to change my flight and be a day late. When I found out that I wouldn’t have to, he got another email that it would be fine, to which he responded to. But I guess that update did not get passed on to the employees that arrange hotels and transportation, because there was no one there for me.

Fine, whatever, I’ll take a taxi. Michael is kind enough to explain exactly where I should go and what I should say to ensure I don’t get ripped off (key phrase: meter, meter, meter. Yes, meter) so we set off. This is the only point in the whole journey that I’m terrified, as we get closer to Bangkok I realize I have no idea if the cab driver knows where he’s going, even though he says he does. It turns out, he doesn’t. We pull over, and between the three of us we gather that he wants to call the hotel. I have the number handy, because I came prepared. So we set off again. It’s nearly four am before we pull up at my hotel. It looks really nice! The bellhop takes my things, I pay the driver, and right before he’s about to leave the bellhop says no no, not the right hotel. I’m supposed to be at the H Residence Inn, and this is the Heritage (also called the H). Mai pen rai, the correct one is right down the street. Perfect. So I arrive, get my bags out, and check in.

There’s no room booked for me.

You no arrive until tomorrow night the man tells me.

Ah, travel plans that were cancelled and never corrected. Like the driver. I’m so exhausted at this point, and I think all my stress was used up on the visa debacle that I just smile and tell him it’s a mistake, and I’m here now, I’d like a room please.

THERE ARE NO ROOMS AVAILABLE.

Luckily, it’s only 4pm on my body clock with the time change, so while I’m exhausted I’m still thinking clearly and remember that with Thai people you can’t use confrontation or let them know you’re upset. You can only smile and be polite. I do just that, and explain that I’ve been traveling for 30 hours and I would just like a place to sleep please.

Luckily, he tells me there is an open room, but it is not clean. Fine, great, I’ll take it. Just give me a clean top sheet and I don’t care, I literally just want to lay down.

And that is how I kept my cool and made it to Bangkok after 30+ hours of traveling and a full day lost due to jet lag.

Surviving that was amazing, because I’m now confident I can handle anything Thailand throws at me. If I can keep it together and not have a melt down over all of that, then I can probably manage to make it through this whole adventure without having one at all.
(so far so good, 6 weeks in and I haven’t cried yet. Success!)

After that, I met people in my group and we became amazingly close after only a week and a half and I had the time of my life with them. I can’t wait to reunite with them in a few weeks!

EXPLORING BANGKOK

From the first 48 hours in Thailand, Bangkok in particular.

All photos from the Silom area of Bangkok.

ADVENTURES IN AIRLINE FOOD

Eva Air is the cutest. You should have seen the adorable little lime green trays they gave us our in flight meal in. Dang it, should have snapped a pic. I got the chicken, playing it safe. No plane fish for me, thanks. It was pretty decent! It came with a little side dish of tomatoes, cole slaw, and a mysterious pink slimy thing. I’m feeling adventurous (gotta start somewhere) so I tried it. To my delight, my suspicions were right and it’s smoked salmon! I ate most of it, before getting turned off by the look and texture of it, but go me! Now I like smoked salmon.

And this was just the airplane version. It’s probably even better in real life.

OH and wine was an option for dinner. FOR FREE. Success!

ADVENTURES IN FLYING

It wouldn’t be an intercontinental flight without a few bumps along the way. I decided that the cheapest (albeit not the easiest) way to fly to Thailand would be to fly with Southwest (bags checked free, yay!) from Tampa to San Francisco. Despite the 8 hour trip to get there, it wasn’t too bad, but most likely because its Southwest and they are undoubtedly the greatest. Free bags, pick your seats , check in online and boarding on a logical first come first served basis. And the crews are always hilarious! No, I’m not getting paid for this endorsement, I wish. *waves* hey Southwest, I’ll be your PR girl!

But I digress. I arrive in San Fran and have to pull off my bags to ten around and check them again in my international flight. Again, not the easiest way to do it, but whatever. My bags show up! Round one- success! But wait- I see a large stain on the front of my brand new luggage. It smells like coconut. AWESOME, my sunscreen, which of course happens to be an oil, why wouldn’t it be any less messy, has sprung a leak and is all over EVERYTHING. You’re probably thinking I’m a moron for not putting it in a plastic bag. Wrong. I thought of this scenario, it happened to leak through the bag as well. Shit happens, whatever. I locate and remove the offender and toss it - something else to buy later. I’m still in relatively good spirits, my bags both made it after all! I go to pull the handle to roll away in peace, and find that it’s stuck. No matter- ill just unjam that sucker. But to no avail.

Normally, this is would not be an issue, but I foresee me having to lug this fifty pound bag through god knows where Thailand. (Ah, in hindsight I now realized why they suggest packing light. In all fairness to myself I managed to only bring a giant camper backpack and the now broken luggage. Just two for ten months! I’m so proud)

The lady in baggage claim issues (worst job ever, am I right?) kindly informs me that she can’t help me. To give her credit though, she did attempt to yank it a few times. Thanks Southwest, I appreciate your elbow grease!

I set off, awkwardly lugging this thing by its short little handle. A miracle occurs in the form of a sweet old man, the custodian who sees me struggling and ties a plastic bag around the handle so I can pull it better. Bless his soul.

I managed to tote the two heavy bags all the way to the international terminal, realize I’m much more out of shape than I thought, and succeed in checking in. Mai pen rai, right?

To be continued, wherein I tell the elaborate and chaotic tale of what happened from Taiwan to my hotel in Bangkok.