I miss Reffa SOOOO much. Man seriously, we went like 14 months of not being apart EVER hahahaha. Loving my holiday with Richard though, it's been a blast so far.
He arrived on November 4th, as expected and X, Ref and I were there to greet him at the airport. It was so exciting and so strange to see a best friend wander out after SO long of not seeing him! :) really great. Together the four of us had a nice time exploring bangkok a bit more, markets, food, cheap hostels, Koh Sanh rd. etc. Lots of great stuff.
Now it's me and Richard. We have spent MOST of our Thailand holiday trying to recover Richard's lost property... HAHAHAHA doohhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!! on our way to Patong we think his pouch was stolen from his bag. It had inside his: passport, credit cards, 500$ american... basically his identity. woops! So we had to go to all the embassies, get a new passport, order a card from canada to our hotel, get a new chinese visa, all in time for our flight this tuesday. YIKES it's been a bit stressful, but mostly we're trying to laugh it off and get it done so that we can get on with our trip.
We spent the past few days , very eventful days, in Chiang Mai, the north of Thailand. We've done some pretty amazing stuff so far! yesterday we went bareback elephant riding (woo!!), posing in pictures with tigers, a muay Thai boxing match, and a cabaret show. Today we went cable line zipping through the forest......... it was like flying!!! Amazing!! soon I will try to put pictures of these things on facebook. (and videos!)
Tonight we're taking a 10 hr bus back to Bangkok to pick up the Chinese Visa, and Tuesday morning we fly to Hong Kong.
That's where I'll touch base with you next I suspect! :)
xoxoxoxoxox
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Friday, November 13, 2009
Next Chapter
We've had a lot of different experiences over the past 14 months. It's been a really amazing year filled with rich cultural experiences, crazy evenings with random events, beautiful as well as insane scenery, unbelievable traditions, educational lessons, and an extended understanding of internationalism and language. We've met hundreds of people, from our co workers, to our neighbors, to our little students, to our employers, to prestegious leaders, to religious symbols, to fellow backpackers. We've seen lots of south east Asian countries including Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Laos, Indonesia and of course, Thailand. We grew closer, and we grew up. We got smarter and we got sillier. We managed to find "home" not only in NS with our families, but also within our hearts and each other in any location. We found comfort in strangeness. We smiled until our cheeks hurt. In a simple sentence, we fell in love with the world and the people in it, if we hadn't already been in love.
I will be going to China soon with my BFF Rishard, and Reffa will be making her way home here shortly. I will be there soon too. This chapter is coming to a close, as the two of us make our way home, the real Nova Scotian home, for a rest. To be with our families, to tell as many stories as the ears will listen to. To hug and kiss and give things that we've collected for you all. To meet the newest members of our family. To try on the perfect bridesmaid dress. To see the new homes of my best friends. To regenerate and decide what in the world will come next. To spend Christmas in the only place my heart wants to go for Christmas.
I'll let you know how China goes, and I'll see you soon.
xoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox
ps. My prayers are with you Killens and Tuppers, and she will be in our hearts forever. <3
I will be going to China soon with my BFF Rishard, and Reffa will be making her way home here shortly. I will be there soon too. This chapter is coming to a close, as the two of us make our way home, the real Nova Scotian home, for a rest. To be with our families, to tell as many stories as the ears will listen to. To hug and kiss and give things that we've collected for you all. To meet the newest members of our family. To try on the perfect bridesmaid dress. To see the new homes of my best friends. To regenerate and decide what in the world will come next. To spend Christmas in the only place my heart wants to go for Christmas.
I'll let you know how China goes, and I'll see you soon.
xoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox
ps. My prayers are with you Killens and Tuppers, and she will be in our hearts forever. <3
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Home again home again jiggity jig!
Me and Reffa just arrived safely (but tiredly) back into Surat thani. We had such a crazy wonderful trip together in Indonesia. I'm going to try to outline some of the things that happened while we were away, and if you would like to see the pictures (and some videos) which go along with the stories then please go check them out on facebook!!! =)
Bali
Kuta
So, as I had already posted, we started our trip off with a 10 hour bus to Bangkok and then a flight to Bali. We were expecting a crazy annoying touristy place jut like Patong, but we were pleasantly surprised to find that Bali is a very relaxed and fairly inexpensive place to stay. We easily found a hostel to stay in (called Rita's place) for only 10$ a night, so 5$ each and it was right on the beach! We just hung out there for a few nights just strolling around, laying on the beach, taking photographs and enjoying the sights (both the landscape as well as all the cute surfers!!!!). We also met a really cool group of friends who were travelling around Bali too and we joined forces and found Dreamland beach and had a photoshoot there as well. =)
Ubud
Only a 1.5 hour drive north of Kuta we came to an enchanting little place called Ubud. We had heard mixed reviews everywhere from it's a shithole, to it's a gorgeous garden, to it's rundown by tourists? As per usual, Reffa and I chose to make our own judgments and fell head over heels in love with the floral little place. It has just been touched by tourism enough to make it comfortable for the western traveler in Indonesia, but has still retained a significant amount of it's culture. We spent a full day walking with a lovely girl named Ruta (who we also shared our 5$ gorgeous cottage bungalo with) and found rice fields, locals, and a monkey forest where we actually got to feed and play with wild monkeys. It was really amazing. The scenery was amongst the best I've ever seen. Also, There was a huge festival going on while we were there so there were enormous celebrations around every corner! Because of this, there was a movie benig filmed - a new movie with Julia Roberts and Brad Pitt!! we were in the same town as them for a few days!!! We didn't see them though.
Lovina
It was just as we were leaving Ubud that Reffa realized she left her phone behind DOHHHH but luckily we were able to contact out Bali friends to bring it up north to us!!! Thank goodness for connections! :) Lovina is a great little place with hardly any tourists. It's famous for it's dolphin watching. We got up at 5:30 am one morning and went out on some guys boat for 5 dollars (split between 4 people) and managed to see hundreds and hundreds of jumping dolphins against the sunrise. amazing. The guide told us that it is believed to be a key honeymooning spot for the dolphins! how sweet. They don't do anything to draw them there, they come on their own and seem to be attracted to the sides of the boats where they jump and entertain! :):) so enjoyable.
Java
Probolingo
Probolingo is the place you go after you get off of the ferry from Lovina. It was the ugliest, scariest, sketchiest place I've ever been. Me and Reffa held hands and tightly onto our purses throughout our stay here. If I can avoid it, I will never go there again.
Mt. Bromo
the one good thing that came from Probolingo was Mt. Bromo, a famous Volcano located only 2 hours away. We paid about $30 each for a hotel, 2 day transportation, a jeep up a valcano at 5am and a lift to another volcano afterwards and free breakfast. Not a bad deal! We, yet again, had to get up around 2am to make it to the volcano on time for sunrise, but boy was it worth it. It was one of the most amazing sights I've ever seen! But it was zero degrees... Usually our Canadian bones would be okay with that, but not when we were still working out our sunburns from snorkeling less than 24 hours ago in 40 degree hot weather!!!!!
Jogja
Is the name that they call the smallest province in Indonesia, Yogyakarta. It's a sweet little touristy place renouned for its wax art produced in 6 stages. We took a few pictures of them, and in our curiosity asked "What is your inspiration for such abstract paintings?" to which the men relpied "I eat the magic mushroom" ......... we left the store after that. hahahahaha There happened to be the best celebration of the year going on while we were there also, a muslim celebration. Reffa and I always luck out on stuff like that every time we go away!! :) so we got to see a great parade and lots of traditional costumes and religious influences of Indonesia. A great opportunity for us! :):)
Borobudhur Temple
This temple is easiest to reach from Jogja. It is the largest Buddhist temple in the WORLD!!! Which is pretty awesome. It was gorgeous! This was like, the 5th time this vacation that Reffa and I got up earlier than the sun to catch it in it's glory above the temple. It was a lot of fun and the pictures came out great! I read somewhere that it is one of the seven wonders of the world, but I have a feeling that it's just one of the ones that was tacked on somewhere along the way? I'm a little confused as to what those actually are... if anyone knows let me know??? Anyways the temple was great.
That about sums up our time in Jogja! as long as I include lots of MARKET shopping!! it was cheap cheap cheap!!
Jakarta
is insane. we were too afraid to take pics most of the time because people were eying us and our camera and our wallets... etc.. so it was really dirty and sketchy. we treated ourselves to a nice hotel so that we'd feel safe in the huge city, and didn't do anything other than spending a delightful (but somwhat scary) day in the largest zoo in the world! (or something like that?)
It was cool, but we saw a guy get clawed by a tiger YIKES there's a pic on facebook of his bloody arm. it was really scary.
now we're home safe and sound! miss you!
am now planning a travel trip to Laos and China! :):)
Bali
Kuta
So, as I had already posted, we started our trip off with a 10 hour bus to Bangkok and then a flight to Bali. We were expecting a crazy annoying touristy place jut like Patong, but we were pleasantly surprised to find that Bali is a very relaxed and fairly inexpensive place to stay. We easily found a hostel to stay in (called Rita's place) for only 10$ a night, so 5$ each and it was right on the beach! We just hung out there for a few nights just strolling around, laying on the beach, taking photographs and enjoying the sights (both the landscape as well as all the cute surfers!!!!). We also met a really cool group of friends who were travelling around Bali too and we joined forces and found Dreamland beach and had a photoshoot there as well. =)
Ubud
Only a 1.5 hour drive north of Kuta we came to an enchanting little place called Ubud. We had heard mixed reviews everywhere from it's a shithole, to it's a gorgeous garden, to it's rundown by tourists? As per usual, Reffa and I chose to make our own judgments and fell head over heels in love with the floral little place. It has just been touched by tourism enough to make it comfortable for the western traveler in Indonesia, but has still retained a significant amount of it's culture. We spent a full day walking with a lovely girl named Ruta (who we also shared our 5$ gorgeous cottage bungalo with) and found rice fields, locals, and a monkey forest where we actually got to feed and play with wild monkeys. It was really amazing. The scenery was amongst the best I've ever seen. Also, There was a huge festival going on while we were there so there were enormous celebrations around every corner! Because of this, there was a movie benig filmed - a new movie with Julia Roberts and Brad Pitt!! we were in the same town as them for a few days!!! We didn't see them though.
Lovina
It was just as we were leaving Ubud that Reffa realized she left her phone behind DOHHHH but luckily we were able to contact out Bali friends to bring it up north to us!!! Thank goodness for connections! :) Lovina is a great little place with hardly any tourists. It's famous for it's dolphin watching. We got up at 5:30 am one morning and went out on some guys boat for 5 dollars (split between 4 people) and managed to see hundreds and hundreds of jumping dolphins against the sunrise. amazing. The guide told us that it is believed to be a key honeymooning spot for the dolphins! how sweet. They don't do anything to draw them there, they come on their own and seem to be attracted to the sides of the boats where they jump and entertain! :):) so enjoyable.
Java
Probolingo
Probolingo is the place you go after you get off of the ferry from Lovina. It was the ugliest, scariest, sketchiest place I've ever been. Me and Reffa held hands and tightly onto our purses throughout our stay here. If I can avoid it, I will never go there again.
Mt. Bromo
the one good thing that came from Probolingo was Mt. Bromo, a famous Volcano located only 2 hours away. We paid about $30 each for a hotel, 2 day transportation, a jeep up a valcano at 5am and a lift to another volcano afterwards and free breakfast. Not a bad deal! We, yet again, had to get up around 2am to make it to the volcano on time for sunrise, but boy was it worth it. It was one of the most amazing sights I've ever seen! But it was zero degrees... Usually our Canadian bones would be okay with that, but not when we were still working out our sunburns from snorkeling less than 24 hours ago in 40 degree hot weather!!!!!
Jogja
Is the name that they call the smallest province in Indonesia, Yogyakarta. It's a sweet little touristy place renouned for its wax art produced in 6 stages. We took a few pictures of them, and in our curiosity asked "What is your inspiration for such abstract paintings?" to which the men relpied "I eat the magic mushroom" ......... we left the store after that. hahahahaha There happened to be the best celebration of the year going on while we were there also, a muslim celebration. Reffa and I always luck out on stuff like that every time we go away!! :) so we got to see a great parade and lots of traditional costumes and religious influences of Indonesia. A great opportunity for us! :):)
Borobudhur Temple
This temple is easiest to reach from Jogja. It is the largest Buddhist temple in the WORLD!!! Which is pretty awesome. It was gorgeous! This was like, the 5th time this vacation that Reffa and I got up earlier than the sun to catch it in it's glory above the temple. It was a lot of fun and the pictures came out great! I read somewhere that it is one of the seven wonders of the world, but I have a feeling that it's just one of the ones that was tacked on somewhere along the way? I'm a little confused as to what those actually are... if anyone knows let me know??? Anyways the temple was great.
That about sums up our time in Jogja! as long as I include lots of MARKET shopping!! it was cheap cheap cheap!!
Jakarta
is insane. we were too afraid to take pics most of the time because people were eying us and our camera and our wallets... etc.. so it was really dirty and sketchy. we treated ourselves to a nice hotel so that we'd feel safe in the huge city, and didn't do anything other than spending a delightful (but somwhat scary) day in the largest zoo in the world! (or something like that?)
It was cool, but we saw a guy get clawed by a tiger YIKES there's a pic on facebook of his bloody arm. it was really scary.
now we're home safe and sound! miss you!
am now planning a travel trip to Laos and China! :):)
Friday, October 9, 2009
we <3 bali
we are now in Bali, Indonesia having the time of our lives.
We just spent a few days in Kuta, the craziest most touristy place in Bali, and it was wicked. great beaches, wicked shopping, amazing sunny weather every day so far! yay!
today we're moving on to a place called Ubud. I guess there's lots of traditional dancing, cool lakes, and maybe a volcano to climb.
then we're going to the gili islands- they are 3 cute islands with no power, no vehicles. people get around by horse there. they want to reserve it so they make a point of not bringing in any technology. we're going to spend anight there.
after that we'll travel our way over the north of bali to a place aclled lovina. it's known for DOLPHINS!!! yay!! we love dolphins. we might swim with them- depending on how much it costs.
after that we take a ferry across to yogyakarta- the smallest province in indo. I guess one of the seven wonders of the world is there? I still have to solidify my research on that. IT's a big beautiful temple of some sort anyways!
after that we go to jakarta, and then fly back home on the 21st.
contact reffa if you want our phone number for indonesia to call us.
xoxoxox!! all is well in Indonesia!!!!
We just spent a few days in Kuta, the craziest most touristy place in Bali, and it was wicked. great beaches, wicked shopping, amazing sunny weather every day so far! yay!
today we're moving on to a place called Ubud. I guess there's lots of traditional dancing, cool lakes, and maybe a volcano to climb.
then we're going to the gili islands- they are 3 cute islands with no power, no vehicles. people get around by horse there. they want to reserve it so they make a point of not bringing in any technology. we're going to spend anight there.
after that we'll travel our way over the north of bali to a place aclled lovina. it's known for DOLPHINS!!! yay!! we love dolphins. we might swim with them- depending on how much it costs.
after that we take a ferry across to yogyakarta- the smallest province in indo. I guess one of the seven wonders of the world is there? I still have to solidify my research on that. IT's a big beautiful temple of some sort anyways!
after that we go to jakarta, and then fly back home on the 21st.
contact reffa if you want our phone number for indonesia to call us.
xoxoxox!! all is well in Indonesia!!!!
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Gone goin gone
We're going on yet another spectacular vacation starting TOMORROW!!
Yikes, Ref and I aren't quite ready for it because it feels a bit rushed after just finishing the school semester, but luckily we don't have any serious plans to adhere to so we are free to just float in the waves of Bali and sun bathe on the gorgeous untouched (or tourist trampled) beaches. whichever we find first.
yes, that's right, we are giong to Bali, Indonesia. Tomorrow we go to Bangkok, because unfortunately no matter where in the world you want to go from Thailand you pretty much have to go to either Malaysia or Bangkok. We're taking the 10 hour bus (sounds long, but it's a piece of cake now !) up tomrorow. Then we're sleeping in thea irport a few hours and catching an early flight to Bali. We'll be there mid morning on October 8th. As I mentioned before, we don't have any real solid plans, we'er going to get there and see what presents itself. We know our initial destination and that's mainly what matters. The only other commitment we have over there, is somehow making our way to Jakarta (about 24 hr busride/ferry) because we booked a flight FROM Jakarta back to Bangkok on the 21st. We should be back in Surat arounddddd the 22nd?
thennnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn RICHARD IS COMING!!!!!! =) =) =)
yay
ps. OH MY GOD Maggie and Thomas had their baby. She's gorgeous. Most of you reading this already know that, but still , YAYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can't wait to meet litle Louise Allison Vaughn. My first Neice-Cousin. You can call me Aunt Jesse. =)
Congrats you two lovebirds. I'm so happy for you.
xoxoxoxoxox
Yikes, Ref and I aren't quite ready for it because it feels a bit rushed after just finishing the school semester, but luckily we don't have any serious plans to adhere to so we are free to just float in the waves of Bali and sun bathe on the gorgeous untouched (or tourist trampled) beaches. whichever we find first.
yes, that's right, we are giong to Bali, Indonesia. Tomorrow we go to Bangkok, because unfortunately no matter where in the world you want to go from Thailand you pretty much have to go to either Malaysia or Bangkok. We're taking the 10 hour bus (sounds long, but it's a piece of cake now !) up tomrorow. Then we're sleeping in thea irport a few hours and catching an early flight to Bali. We'll be there mid morning on October 8th. As I mentioned before, we don't have any real solid plans, we'er going to get there and see what presents itself. We know our initial destination and that's mainly what matters. The only other commitment we have over there, is somehow making our way to Jakarta (about 24 hr busride/ferry) because we booked a flight FROM Jakarta back to Bangkok on the 21st. We should be back in Surat arounddddd the 22nd?
thennnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn RICHARD IS COMING!!!!!! =) =) =)
yay
ps. OH MY GOD Maggie and Thomas had their baby. She's gorgeous. Most of you reading this already know that, but still , YAYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can't wait to meet litle Louise Allison Vaughn. My first Neice-Cousin. You can call me Aunt Jesse. =)
Congrats you two lovebirds. I'm so happy for you.
xoxoxoxoxox
Friday, October 2, 2009
Butterflies
There are butterflies in my tummy. The awesome tickley ones that are just letting you know that you're getting ready for something really amazing and really exciting. The ones that can predict an adventure. The ones who know you're following your heart. Those butterflies are the most beautiful and colourful, because they bring a hapiness and energy to your day-to-day life that is hard to acquire anywhere else.
When you are bored, they flutter around in sync with the dancing thoughts of possibility- just to remind you that you have something else to look forward to and have no need to feel bored. While your mind day dreams, your butterflies play and they lead you to the most desirable things!!
What do these next few months hold for me? Take me there, butterflies - I trust you!
When you are bored, they flutter around in sync with the dancing thoughts of possibility- just to remind you that you have something else to look forward to and have no need to feel bored. While your mind day dreams, your butterflies play and they lead you to the most desirable things!!
What do these next few months hold for me? Take me there, butterflies - I trust you!
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Phuket trip #4
We came back to visit our Phuket friends Lo, Greg and Daryl! It's Daryl's birthday on Monday so we were having a celebration! Last night we went to a really wicked crazy party on Karon beach called Roy Fest. There were thousands of people and a huge stage surrounded by the craziest most delicious street food you'll ever see. Loud DJ R&B English and Thai alike. It was phenomenal! Dancing and drinking cheap beers (draft beer $1). Here is the link for it's description and advertisement. Pictures of the crowd and a few videos (or poor quality) will be posted shortly.
http://www.ubradio.net/events/royfest-karon-beach-phuket-royfest-karon-beach-phuket-946
http://phuketnews.phuketindex.com/art-entertainment/roy-fest-phuket-music-festival-will-gatherartists-from-around-the-world-170221.html
We spent Saturday morning kayaking and snorkeling in terquoise water with coral reefs below us. It was really windy so it was actually kindof difficult to see but it was fun and beautiful nonetheless.
Now it's Sunday, so we're packing up our little matching bookbags to head home again for one last week of teaching for the semester. One week!! yay can't wait for vacation !! (as if every day isn't a bit of a vacation...)
We booked our tickets. October 8th is the day that we leave for Indonesia, and arrive in Bali. Our ticket back to Bangkok is on October 21st, but we're flying from Jakarta. We like to travel the hard cheap way, so we now have the obstacle of trying to get from one place to another. I guess it's a bit of a treacherous bus/ferry/bus trip. We'll see!!! We are getting very very excited for cheap shopping, swimming in the sea every day, and learning a bit about Indonesian culture.
School takes back in on November 2nd (or thereabouts?) so we'll have a bit more time to kill once we return and wind down. We're considering spending a bit of time on Koh Phangan, but that's just a big maybe. I am pretty sure that I won't be returning to teach at Tuongwit when the semester takes back in. I think I am going to go travelling again! But Reffa wishes to continue teaching. Depends on if Rishard gets his buns over here for some country hopping or not I guess !
I'll be home for Christmas.
http://www.ubradio.net/events/royfest-karon-beach-phuket-royfest-karon-beach-phuket-946
http://phuketnews.phuketindex.com/art-entertainment/roy-fest-phuket-music-festival-will-gatherartists-from-around-the-world-170221.html
We spent Saturday morning kayaking and snorkeling in terquoise water with coral reefs below us. It was really windy so it was actually kindof difficult to see but it was fun and beautiful nonetheless.
Now it's Sunday, so we're packing up our little matching bookbags to head home again for one last week of teaching for the semester. One week!! yay can't wait for vacation !! (as if every day isn't a bit of a vacation...)
We booked our tickets. October 8th is the day that we leave for Indonesia, and arrive in Bali. Our ticket back to Bangkok is on October 21st, but we're flying from Jakarta. We like to travel the hard cheap way, so we now have the obstacle of trying to get from one place to another. I guess it's a bit of a treacherous bus/ferry/bus trip. We'll see!!! We are getting very very excited for cheap shopping, swimming in the sea every day, and learning a bit about Indonesian culture.
School takes back in on November 2nd (or thereabouts?) so we'll have a bit more time to kill once we return and wind down. We're considering spending a bit of time on Koh Phangan, but that's just a big maybe. I am pretty sure that I won't be returning to teach at Tuongwit when the semester takes back in. I think I am going to go travelling again! But Reffa wishes to continue teaching. Depends on if Rishard gets his buns over here for some country hopping or not I guess !
I'll be home for Christmas.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Bai Glap
Bai-Glap = went and came back already. Laos was really cool, but we only went to Vientienne, the capital city which is the nearest city to Thailand. It was a 24 hour busride.... basically non-stop-- YIKes we were sooo tired. But we managed to see just about everything interesting in the city that was within walking distance (we walked a LOT). We would reallyl ike to explore more of Laos. Possibly in October at some point? Not sure yet, but it was great fun!
We met two guys as soon as we were in Laos who asked us if we'd join them for dinner and they helped us find the Thai embassy (to do our visa's) and they helped us talk to the driver and lower our price and stuff !! they were really sweet guys and helped us learn a bit about Laos and all they wanted from us was to practice their English a little bit.
We successfully got our woking visas- legal in Thailand as teachers for 3 more months now!!! Only one month left of school though. Wonder what October will hold?
love love love, Laos pictures to follow on facebook this week.
We met two guys as soon as we were in Laos who asked us if we'd join them for dinner and they helped us find the Thai embassy (to do our visa's) and they helped us talk to the driver and lower our price and stuff !! they were really sweet guys and helped us learn a bit about Laos and all they wanted from us was to practice their English a little bit.
We successfully got our woking visas- legal in Thailand as teachers for 3 more months now!!! Only one month left of school though. Wonder what October will hold?
love love love, Laos pictures to follow on facebook this week.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Laos!
September 4th Reffa and I are venturing into yet another South Eastern Country and we are uber excited about it! Laos is our destination for a total of 5 or 6 days. Reason: we have to do our visa again and we've already been to Malaysia 3 times! It's going to be a little more expensive, but with the help of the Thailand-wide free train promotion right now we might be able to get by alright! We hear the tubing's a blast and the beer's delicious.
Another exciting part of this country is that the language is similar to Thai, so we might even be able to communicate a bit! We heard from a few backpacking friends in passing that if you can speak thai they can fully understand you and love conversing. They think it's great when a white person starts sputtering out an Asian language!
We don't even have to miss any school, because the students will be going through a series of tests during those few days. lovely! =) Tuong Whit, our school, has been very busy lately. Lots of testing, lots of paperwork, lots of drama (as per usual!!) but so far so good! I'm very happy to be back teaching and not stuck at home with appendicitis or burns. !!!!!!! Yay for working! Anuban (ages 3-5, preschool basically) was hard for me for a little while because I wasn't sure how to go about teaching them and I had so many students that they were all a bunch of little aliens to me but now me and the students have a real connection- they love me, and I love them. And they love me for lovin them, and I love them for lovin me and we loooovvveeee each other- (anyone catch that?) No really. They are so adorable. One of these coming weeks I'm going to have a photo shoot with all my little Thai babies so you can see them all!!!! =) =) =)
Love life! =)
xoxoxox
Another exciting part of this country is that the language is similar to Thai, so we might even be able to communicate a bit! We heard from a few backpacking friends in passing that if you can speak thai they can fully understand you and love conversing. They think it's great when a white person starts sputtering out an Asian language!
We don't even have to miss any school, because the students will be going through a series of tests during those few days. lovely! =) Tuong Whit, our school, has been very busy lately. Lots of testing, lots of paperwork, lots of drama (as per usual!!) but so far so good! I'm very happy to be back teaching and not stuck at home with appendicitis or burns. !!!!!!! Yay for working! Anuban (ages 3-5, preschool basically) was hard for me for a little while because I wasn't sure how to go about teaching them and I had so many students that they were all a bunch of little aliens to me but now me and the students have a real connection- they love me, and I love them. And they love me for lovin them, and I love them for lovin me and we loooovvveeee each other- (anyone catch that?) No really. They are so adorable. One of these coming weeks I'm going to have a photo shoot with all my little Thai babies so you can see them all!!!! =) =) =)
Love life! =)
xoxoxox
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
The last of them
Jessica's phone
" I went to Bangkok. Yesterday evening at EAU. Last night and half day today morning time about 'student exchange program Japan and Thailand second year' with my older boss from Japan and owner EAU Thailand, this meaning i already called my friend to replace me for translate but he just call to cancel yesterday because his mama very sick and die now. I will reach surat today afternoon, pls call Richard to help you in governments office today. I feel very sorry to cancel our appointment, lucky for you today."
- Message Jessica got from our employer one hour before meeting. who Jessica had asked one month ago to come to her meeting with the clinic to help with translations.
"Tuong wit just called me will transfer all salary on next week"
-Received August 2nd, should have already been paid 3 days ago.
" I went to Bangkok. Yesterday evening at EAU. Last night and half day today morning time about 'student exchange program Japan and Thailand second year' with my older boss from Japan and owner EAU Thailand, this meaning i already called my friend to replace me for translate but he just call to cancel yesterday because his mama very sick and die now. I will reach surat today afternoon, pls call Richard to help you in governments office today. I feel very sorry to cancel our appointment, lucky for you today."
- Message Jessica got from our employer one hour before meeting. who Jessica had asked one month ago to come to her meeting with the clinic to help with translations.
"Tuong wit just called me will transfer all salary on next week"
-Received August 2nd, should have already been paid 3 days ago.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Getting to and from school.
Ever since the motorbike got stolen, poor X has been driving us back and fourth everyday. And its really funny because we can't sit side on with 3 people on his bike so X drives and i sit in front of him and Jessica behind, both of us wearing skirts and i'm crouched over in the front with my feet up on the neck of the bike holding my skirt from blowing around and X is trying to steady the bike, while looking past me and my blowing hair trying to avoid people cutting him off, and Jessica's in the back with her legs dangling off the edge holding both of our purses and a pile of books and telling X when theres vehicles coming cause i'm also blocking his mirror.
its really hard to explain but its just a funny scene. Expecially when we are dressed up nice.
its really hard to explain but its just a funny scene. Expecially when we are dressed up nice.
I'd just like to add....
I've met Dtoi's mom, and shes everything like Jessica explained. No exaggerations.....nope.
and Dtoi's stepfather (the police officer) who is really funny too.
and Dtoi's stepfather (the police officer) who is really funny too.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Happy Birthday to me!
Today was my first thai-style birthday. It was a lot of fun!
I had a great sleep in giant silky sheets from Italy... delish. followed by a great (slash so sad) movie at Tesco Lotus with Ex and Ref. Followed by an evening at a cute little riverside restaurant with live music. I wish Dtoy could've been there too- but me and Reffa had a fun night with Dtoy's family. They gave me a very expensive house for me and Dtoy to live in.
I think I have to re-give the whole "foreigners need time to settle in a relationship" speech. LOLOLOLOLOL
Don't panic people at home- this is normal for Thai. Just not normal for us?! hahahahaahahahaha
I had a great sleep in giant silky sheets from Italy... delish. followed by a great (slash so sad) movie at Tesco Lotus with Ex and Ref. Followed by an evening at a cute little riverside restaurant with live music. I wish Dtoy could've been there too- but me and Reffa had a fun night with Dtoy's family. They gave me a very expensive house for me and Dtoy to live in.
I think I have to re-give the whole "foreigners need time to settle in a relationship" speech. LOLOLOLOLOL
Don't panic people at home- this is normal for Thai. Just not normal for us?! hahahahaahahahaha
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
sawatdeewanmere
Happy mother's day in Thailand!!! I'm going to tell you about my hilarious Mother's Day with my boyfriend's mother. (His name is Toy, her name to me is Mother of Toy.) He wasn't there because he's currently fighting in the South with the army.
*The following has been translated from complete Thai to English, because she speaks NO english.
So on Monday we had talked on the phone about meeting up together on Wednesday (today of course) in the morning since school is closed and and I had the day off. So I set my alarm for 7:00am (even though we hadn't discussed a time) because I knew she was an early riser and I had to make sure I got to the flower store first thing in the morning. You have to buy things like that the day OF the holiday, and it's a particular flower called a "dogmalie" that you have to give your mother, or boyfriend's mother as it were.
So I was planning to get up at 7:00 and walk up the road, get a flower, cmoe home, get dressed up niec for my mystery day with the mystery mother. She calls at 6:45.
DOH! I clear my throat and say good morning in Thai and she says " good morning, soon will come pick up you" then I said, "can you wait until I shower? I didn't think we would go this early," and she said "you don't have to shower, we will shower together." so I hang up the phone, very very confused and send Reffa to the store (poor reffa) while I get ready crazy fast. I put make up and stuff on, trying to look as best I cuold without a shower at 6:45am. So she arrives at the house just before 7, and Reffa still isn't back with the flower DOH! So I stall a little bit trying to get ready, sweating, and unprepared for this "sacred" day in Thailand with mother.
Reffa comes walking slowly up the street, and they ask me, isn't that your sister? (*everyone thinks we're sisters becuase we didn't use to know the word for cousin in thai). I say, yes, it is. And I'm forced to admit that I sent Ref to buy my presents to give her DOH! So she smiles and says "Mai pen rai." Then she says "Good morning Jessica you look more fat now then you did last time, maybe you can wear one of my shirts today." and I say "Thank you Mother of Toy, you have a kind heart, Happy Mother's Day" and She says "Thank you daughter" and then my morning alarm goes off to wake me up at 7am. Off to a great start! hahaha!!!
So we go driving to a place called nam rohn, which translates to "Hot Water"- basicaly hot springs. Naturally steaming hot water in big nice pools. it's kinda awesome actually! So there were lots of people there and we went over and then I realized, shit, they want me to showr in that water, in my clothes (there's no such thing as wearing a bathing suit for thai people, they wear their clothes in the water, jeans, long sleeves, anything.) So I was like "Mother of Toy, I don't have a change of clothes what should I do?" and she was like "dont' worry daughter, I have many clothes with me, you can wear one of those" so I change in the parking lot and we go have an "ab nam" (shower) in the hot springs with a lot of other people fully clothed. It was actually really nice with the cool morning air and hot hot water. It was interesting. Here's how our conversation went while we were in the hot springs ... (J for me, M for her)
M- daughter, do you like the hot water?
J- yes it's nice
M- come before or not?
J- Yes come before
M- ow. do you like it?
J- Yes I like it again.
M- Do you miss my son?
J- Yes I miss Dtoy.
M- Did you gain weight?
J- No I didn't.
M- I think you'll be more beautiful if you lose 5 kilograms.
J- I will ty to lose 5 kilgrams.
M- Good idea. I will love you either way, but I will think you are more beautiful if you are thinner. I wish I was thinner. Am I beautiful daughter?
J- Yes Mother of Toy, you are beautiful.
M- Do you like my hair?
J- Yes I like your hair.
M- Are you hungry for rice or not yet?
J- Not yet, Thank you. Are you hungry for rice or not yet?
M- Not yet.
J- Your bracelettes are nice, who give you?
M- I bought them myself. Here I give one to daughter, because I love daughter.
J- Thank you very much.
M- Do you like it?
J-Yes I do.
M- Your wrists are fatter than mine.
J- Yes I know, but that's okay I am taller than you too.
M- Yes that's true. You are a nice height.
J- Thank you Mother of Toy.
M- Your welcome daughter. have you had enough hot water yet?
J- Yes I have, or I can stay. I am okay either way.
M- I have had enough already, let's go eat rice together.
J- Okay let's go.
M- Buty ou need to change, let's go home and I will give you another shirt.
J- You already gave me a shirt which is wet, so now I can put my own clothes back on.
M- I think you would look better in one of my shirts. I want to give you many things to take care of you.
J- Okay, thank you. (cannot refuse a gift from someone higher than you, cannot argue with someone higher than you)
M- Go?
J- Go.
So we get in the car and she calls Toy.
M- Hello Son!
T- Hello mother. happy day of mothers.
M- Thank you son. how are you?
T- good yes. how are you and jessica doing?
M-we are havnig a lot of fun. She is lovely so so lovely. I love her.
T- Good I love her too. But she is a foreigner so she's not allowed to love me yet.
M- Yes she told me already, you can wait for her to love you son.
T- Yes I can wait forever. (DOH.... TOO SERIOUS...!! but that's how all thai relationships go, as I'm finding out. they decide at first sighti f they love you or not.)
so then they chit chat a bit more about me, and how lovely I am and about our relationship together and what we've done already (before 9am...) and then we go to their house and I get peer pressured into having another shower for teh day. 2, before 10 am. So after I shower she gives me some of her tacki tacki clothes. She givesm e a brigth multi pink shaded long frilly skirt, with a silk giant baggy tshirt covered in shells, clicky things and beads. I tell her I think maybe this shirt will be too hot and maybe I could wear my own shirt and she says you can ify ou want but I think if you wear mine it will be nicer. daughter, if you don'tl iek that one, try this one! so I try another shirt on and it's a white plain tshirt, baggy, with a big HOT PINK bow accross the chest. I decide that it probably won't getm uch better than that and I smile and get in the car to go visit Grandmother of Toy. She says I look very very beautiful and she's proud that I'm her daughter (lol?)
So we drive mostly in silence for an hour and a half (her boyrfiend is there too- step father of Toy, I don't have to call him dad, I can call him "older person than me" = Pee) Occasionally she asks me how much something costs in Canada, or if I like smoething, or if I'm hungry for rice or not yet and says I'm a very lovely girl does my mother miss me, and why don't I want to go back to Canada yet. I tell her that actually I do want to go, but I love Thailand also. She asks me when I go if I will stay there or return, because my "darling" (one fo the only words she knows in Engilsh) is in Thailand. I tell her I'm not sure. (because I'm not. )
We arrive in her hometown and go to visit everyone, cousins, children, grandmothers, aunts, sisters etc etc friends. They basically just wanted to show off that their family has a foreigner who likes them. They spend all day talking about me, asking all the common questions ;
common questions include: what is she doing in Thailand? Why does she like Toy, he has dark skin? (they are sooo racist against dark skin) - how old is she? Where are her parents? What school does she teach at? When will they get married? Why is she fat and tall? Why does she have blonde hair? Why does she have blue eyes? Where did she buy her purse? What does she like to eat? Is she hungry for rice or not yet? Does she have any olders or youngers (*equivilent to our " brothers and sisters" but gender doesn't matter here, only age) ? Can she speak/understand Thai? Where does shel ive? Can she drive? ETC ETC ETC ETC they never stop. Very very curious.
Mother of Toy took a break from the stress of being with a foreigner who draws all people's attention, and her sister took me out for a while to meet her boyfriend at the police station. When we got there the policeman stared at me weird for 10 minutes and then talked to me and gave me delicious exotic fruit which I only know the Thai name for. We talked abouta ll of the common questions that I've mentioned, and after 10 more minutes I told him he had a nice face and he said I must have very good eyes. After that he stopped looking at me weird and started looking at me even weirder and when Mother of Toy's sister turned around he invited me to come back later. I declined politely and left with my exotic fruits and returned to Mother of Toy.
So after they show me off to everyone we went home to eat rice and fruit because it is rice eating time. after we eat rice, it's too hot to be awake so we take a nap on the floor together. When we wake up we take turns taking a shower and then go do more visits to everyone and get asked all the same questions again. Everyone gives me sniff kisses (a really gentle kiss that the Thai's do, but instead of using theirl ips to kiss they sniff you jut a little bit to make sure you are clean tidy and respectful. if you stink it shows you don't care about their presence or you are very comfortable in their presence so stinking could be a good or a bad thing) and they try to speak English to me, gives me bags of fruit and clothes to show that they want to take care of me, give me their phone numbers and then we leave. Then it is time to come home and I fall asleep in the car and get dropped off outside my home. Mother of Toy comments again that my house is nice but it's not as comfortable as hers because I don't have air conditioning and if I want I acn live with her anytime. I tell her my contracti s not up and that I must keep my own house. She says okay but when the contract is up please live with her. I smile and say happy mother's day, thank you for the lovely day.
And go meet Reffa, who may or may not also ahve appendicitis?!
What a day.
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Jone
Jone is the Thai word for "theif."
Yesterday when I left the restaurant to go home, I walked out and looked around and said "guyyysss, where's the bike!?" because it is common practice for us to hide it on each other to freak one another out. Everyone came running out of the restaurant, and that's the moment I realized that there actually was no motorbike in sight. Sometime within the hour that we were at the restaurant someone left with our motorbike, and no one saw. They didn't have the key (unneccessary- they use one bike to push the other..) . Everyone was already in bed. The bike was only about 30 feet from where we were but it was in a shadow. Our Black and blue Honda Click 2007 has been stolen, at 10:30pm last night.
For the first time ever we parked it across the road.. why? because we had a stalker today and didn't want them knowing we were at the restaurant. We are fairly sure that the stalker is unrelated to the theivery. having stalkers is normal now. We called the police, who came but said there was pretty much nothing we could do. They took our liscence plate (pretty much irrelevant because it takes 5 seconds to remove it) but when they asked for our green ownership book we had to say that we didn't have it, because we bought it from Scott who hadn't yet sorted it out.
He said 0% chance that we will find it so keep our hopes down but that they would keep an eye out for the bike regardless. the stickers are removable. every Road in Thailand has like 4 motorbike repair shops, where you can paint/change colours- you can alter a bike so much within 3 hours that it'll look like a different brand. Pretty much everyone has a key making machine. There goes our vehicle! Aparently it's common.
We were really upset and spent a little while grieving last night... and being just devastated in general, but then it occurred to both of us that everyone we love is okay right now in the whole world, Thailand and Canada alike. The missing bike is only an inconvenience financially and transportation wise, but otherwise we are actually really thankful that whoever this person was didn't ncome into the restaurant and threaten us, or anything like that. It could have been a lot worse I guess is the point, so today we are smiling, a sad sort of disappointed slash thankful smile. It's only $650.
Dad said I should add it on to my Rashedevee Clinic armpit bill. Maybe I can think of a creative way to blame it on them? hahaha
okay. Thailand's still on my good side, but I'm growing tired of being beat up by it. armpits.. appendix.. motorbike.. no salary... UGH!
Yesterday when I left the restaurant to go home, I walked out and looked around and said "guyyysss, where's the bike!?" because it is common practice for us to hide it on each other to freak one another out. Everyone came running out of the restaurant, and that's the moment I realized that there actually was no motorbike in sight. Sometime within the hour that we were at the restaurant someone left with our motorbike, and no one saw. They didn't have the key (unneccessary- they use one bike to push the other..) . Everyone was already in bed. The bike was only about 30 feet from where we were but it was in a shadow. Our Black and blue Honda Click 2007 has been stolen, at 10:30pm last night.
For the first time ever we parked it across the road.. why? because we had a stalker today and didn't want them knowing we were at the restaurant. We are fairly sure that the stalker is unrelated to the theivery. having stalkers is normal now. We called the police, who came but said there was pretty much nothing we could do. They took our liscence plate (pretty much irrelevant because it takes 5 seconds to remove it) but when they asked for our green ownership book we had to say that we didn't have it, because we bought it from Scott who hadn't yet sorted it out.
He said 0% chance that we will find it so keep our hopes down but that they would keep an eye out for the bike regardless. the stickers are removable. every Road in Thailand has like 4 motorbike repair shops, where you can paint/change colours- you can alter a bike so much within 3 hours that it'll look like a different brand. Pretty much everyone has a key making machine. There goes our vehicle! Aparently it's common.
We were really upset and spent a little while grieving last night... and being just devastated in general, but then it occurred to both of us that everyone we love is okay right now in the whole world, Thailand and Canada alike. The missing bike is only an inconvenience financially and transportation wise, but otherwise we are actually really thankful that whoever this person was didn't ncome into the restaurant and threaten us, or anything like that. It could have been a lot worse I guess is the point, so today we are smiling, a sad sort of disappointed slash thankful smile. It's only $650.
Dad said I should add it on to my Rashedevee Clinic armpit bill. Maybe I can think of a creative way to blame it on them? hahaha
okay. Thailand's still on my good side, but I'm growing tired of being beat up by it. armpits.. appendix.. motorbike.. no salary... UGH!
Saturday, August 1, 2009
52/53
52. Random high school girls being driven by their parents to your house looking to speak with you and having to spend the next hour offering water/fresh fruits to strangers who are asking if they can interview you because you are a foreigner. ahem. What is your name? where you come from? what school you go to? (meaning in the past...)
53. Going out to dinner with your boyfriend's mother and her telling the entire restaurant that you are her new daughter (even though it's the second time you met her, and you've only been dating her son for 2 weeks). Later on in the night she talks about how you and her son will manage the family business, and how beautiful our children's eyes will be.
Talk about moving too fast..
53. Going out to dinner with your boyfriend's mother and her telling the entire restaurant that you are her new daughter (even though it's the second time you met her, and you've only been dating her son for 2 weeks). Later on in the night she talks about how you and her son will manage the family business, and how beautiful our children's eyes will be.
Talk about moving too fast..
Friday, July 24, 2009
Funny Moments
These are some funny things that we've seen/experience that we've written down so we didn't forget: [Believe them or not]
1) It all started with the Bangkok airport, we weren't sure where customs was and when we found it we weren't sure which doorway to go through. We asked a man where we are supposed to go and he asked "do you have anything to declare?" and we were like "umm i don't think so?" and he waved us through the "nothing to declare" door with a big smile on his face.
2)Paying 20 Baht for a tuktuk to drive us all over Bangkok for an entire day, and all we had to do was walk into jewlery and tailor shops and act interested in their products every once in a while so he would get a gas voucher from the shops.
3) Going to see the food market, and seeing all different displays of meats covered in flies with a woman sitting behind it with a stick and a plastic bag tied to the end- shooing them away but actually only shooing away 1/20 of them.
4)Walking into a tailor shop, and having people running up to you with measuring tape, measuring you and holding up fabric colors against your skin, cutting the fabric already, and telling you what you want to buy.
5) Random guys in the street saying "I love you, do you love me?"
6) Walking on the beach and a woman coming up to you, brushing the sand off your feet and poking at your toenails trying to give you a pedicure.
7) Tuktuk from Patong to Puket Town (20 min drive).............400฿
Private Mini-Bus from Suratthani to Phuket Town (4.5 hr drive)...........150฿
Private Mini-Bus from Malaysia to SuratThani (over a day)..............400฿
8) Jessica crashing a motorbike within 5 minutes of having it in her posession [but she TRIED to ask for lessons and he told her its easy and she doesn't need to learn]
9)"Special Finish" Ladyboy Massages. [leave that one to the imagination]
10)Walking down the road and having monkeys, iguanas and hawks put on your shoulder/arm while youa re not paying attention and then trying to charge you money.
11) Buying amoxicillin over the counter, no prescription needed - 2$
12) Someone trying to sell their husband to you for 20,000฿ (about 800$ CAD)
13) Meeting a drunk Australian guy who got a tattoo that took up his entire chest, completely shaded and completed in one night (including the breaks he took to walk back and fourth to the bar to have drinks with the tattoo artist) [i thought you weren't allowed to have ANY alcohol in your system?]
14) A whole family on a motorbike (3 kids)
....new record....2 kids, 2 infants, mother and father.
15) Man with no shoes, shirt or helmet on a motorbike with 3 live chickens.
16) Man with basket of laundry and 2 bird cages (with birds inside) on a motorbike.
17) Coming home to our neighbour weeding our garden and a man cutting down our tree [because it's a bad luck tree?] Then being slapped by our neighbour and told to thank him.
18) Meeting random Thai people and them knowing your name, the street you live on, and the fact that you are a vegetarian.
19) Funny night noises: Geckos, Dogs, Cows, Autistic Boy howling, carpenter singing and working.
20) 9 Year old boy driving his motorbike to go get a slushie and driving back one handed with the slushie in hand, when the shop is houses away from where he is.
21) Random people 9that you've never given your phone number to) calling you to practise speaking English.
22) Offering your phone number to co-workers or new friends and them pointing to their phone and saying "Oh.... have already"
23) Getting a text at 12:30a.m. [see SMS blog] for instructions on your new job that you start at 9:00am the next morning and then showing up to the job and being stood up.
24) Tuktuk with 14 people in the back and 4 sharing the front seat.
25) walking in the park and having teenagers come up to you askin o have their picture taken with you.
26) A sweater that has Bob Marley/Rasta colors, a weed leaf, and the playboy bunny on it and kids wearing it overtop of their school uniform on rainy days to private school. [And every student has the sweater which lead Jessica to believe for the longest time that it was a school uniform sweater]
27) Being tricked into going or interviews.
28) Mail showing up on a motorbike and having him stick it in your fence (even if its raining)
29) A Thai guy saying "Take your hat off, because you will lose your hair and a ghost will stay with you"
30) Airplane stopping on runway because they forgot someone and 2 men wheeled a ladder up to the airplane and they climbed in and the plane kept going.
31) Being told the day before (and sometimes if you're unlucky...the day of) that you have the day off because its a national holiday.
32) Getting an SMS saying that you have people expecting you to be somewhere in 30 minutes.[see SMS blog]
33)Sun bathing in the corner of the driveway because its the only place you can find any sun out of view of staring neighbours.
34) Needing our official documents to go to Malaysia and spending 2 full days searching for the lady with them only to find out at 9:30p.m. the night before we leave that in fact "the paperwork is in the tree"
( she left them in the tree outside of her language school on a busy road for us just to miracuously KNOW they were there? )
35) Having to leave the house early because there is chinese swirling dragons blocking the roads downtown.
36) Having 18L bottles of water delivered to your house because your neighbour ordered it for you.
37) Not even needing to go to the store because if you wait long enough a dickie-dee like bike will drive by selling : ladders, brooms, ice cream, various salads, soft drinks, coffee/tea, blankets, mats, hats, vegetables, fried noodle dishes, a built on barbecue with variious assorments of BBQ'd meats and shishcabobs, clothes, lawn ornaments, fruit.....etc
38) Monks at a temple asking for your phone number while smoking cigarettes and joking around/horsing around and hitting each other with a broom stick.
[they are supposed to be sacred people that you show respect to and cannoct make eye contact wit, cannot smile at, cannot touch....etc...]
39) Coming hoem to a man fixing the ceiling light in our bedroom, standing on two of our chairs...STACKED....because we dont have a ladder. And then him charging 200฿
40) Being fed "vegetarian food" by the director of the school, served with cows milk. Take a bite of the "tofu" only to bite into tofu stuffed with pork, cooked in fish suace with pieces of shrimp throughout it.
41) Being asked to come to a parent teacher meeting but ONLY to show you face so the parents can see the foreigners. Then during the assembly where the director is giving a speech representin the school and its goals and morals....he calls us up to give a speech with NO warning or time for preparation.
42) Bus driver falling asleep at the wheel.
43) getting a 10% pay reduction with no warning, explination or reason and then being told that if we do a realy good job this semester, that we will get a 10% pay increase at the end of the semester.
44)NO CONFIDENTIALITY
a) sitting waiting in the waiting room to discuss getting cosmetic surgery with a doctor and a nurse comes out and puts a gel on my nose in front of everyone in the waiting room to freeze my nose so he can go ahead with the surgery a.s.a.p.
b) receptionists asking you whats the matter when they have their friends sitting with them, or when there are other people at the counter they ask over their shoulder so you have to say it through a crowd of people/
c) having a doctor tell us to sit down in the chair which was at his computer which had an x-ray of a mans chest and all his personal information beside it. Then he looks at it and hovers his pen over the affected area and diagnoses it in front of us to himself.
d)Pharmacy havign people walking around looking at things and the pharmacist askign you whats wrong and speaking loudly explaining what you have to do and saying it extra loud and slow because we don't speak Thai well so they say it over and over and EVERYONE hears.
45) Driving the motorbike home from a friends house witha flower pot full of soil, a fish tank, a dust pan and a garbage can.
46)Doctor not showing up for a hospital appointment with you.
47) Dentist overhearing through friends about Jessica's lawsuit with laser clinic and giving her the money back for ehr retainers that he made inocrrectly.
48) Employer telling our friend at 11 p.m. the night before that he has to do a 30 minute speech in Thai in front of an entire school of students and parents.
49) Given a french cirriculum to teach to high school students that says "des animaux et des hommes" (the animals and the men?) because it was written by a Thai person.
50) Your employer calling your friends telling them to drive you to work tomorrow an hour away and to wait for 2 hours while you teach and bring you back so she doesn't have to worry about arranging a drive for you.
51) Fake braces being in trend because it makes you look rich if you have money to buy braces. [Fake braces $30]
1) It all started with the Bangkok airport, we weren't sure where customs was and when we found it we weren't sure which doorway to go through. We asked a man where we are supposed to go and he asked "do you have anything to declare?" and we were like "umm i don't think so?" and he waved us through the "nothing to declare" door with a big smile on his face.
2)Paying 20 Baht for a tuktuk to drive us all over Bangkok for an entire day, and all we had to do was walk into jewlery and tailor shops and act interested in their products every once in a while so he would get a gas voucher from the shops.
3) Going to see the food market, and seeing all different displays of meats covered in flies with a woman sitting behind it with a stick and a plastic bag tied to the end- shooing them away but actually only shooing away 1/20 of them.
4)Walking into a tailor shop, and having people running up to you with measuring tape, measuring you and holding up fabric colors against your skin, cutting the fabric already, and telling you what you want to buy.
5) Random guys in the street saying "I love you, do you love me?"
6) Walking on the beach and a woman coming up to you, brushing the sand off your feet and poking at your toenails trying to give you a pedicure.
7) Tuktuk from Patong to Puket Town (20 min drive).............400฿
Private Mini-Bus from Suratthani to Phuket Town (4.5 hr drive)...........150฿
Private Mini-Bus from Malaysia to SuratThani (over a day)..............400฿
8) Jessica crashing a motorbike within 5 minutes of having it in her posession [but she TRIED to ask for lessons and he told her its easy and she doesn't need to learn]
9)"Special Finish" Ladyboy Massages. [leave that one to the imagination]
10)Walking down the road and having monkeys, iguanas and hawks put on your shoulder/arm while youa re not paying attention and then trying to charge you money.
11) Buying amoxicillin over the counter, no prescription needed - 2$
12) Someone trying to sell their husband to you for 20,000฿ (about 800$ CAD)
13) Meeting a drunk Australian guy who got a tattoo that took up his entire chest, completely shaded and completed in one night (including the breaks he took to walk back and fourth to the bar to have drinks with the tattoo artist) [i thought you weren't allowed to have ANY alcohol in your system?]
14) A whole family on a motorbike (3 kids)
....new record....2 kids, 2 infants, mother and father.
15) Man with no shoes, shirt or helmet on a motorbike with 3 live chickens.
16) Man with basket of laundry and 2 bird cages (with birds inside) on a motorbike.
17) Coming home to our neighbour weeding our garden and a man cutting down our tree [because it's a bad luck tree?] Then being slapped by our neighbour and told to thank him.
18) Meeting random Thai people and them knowing your name, the street you live on, and the fact that you are a vegetarian.
19) Funny night noises: Geckos, Dogs, Cows, Autistic Boy howling, carpenter singing and working.
20) 9 Year old boy driving his motorbike to go get a slushie and driving back one handed with the slushie in hand, when the shop is houses away from where he is.
21) Random people 9that you've never given your phone number to) calling you to practise speaking English.
22) Offering your phone number to co-workers or new friends and them pointing to their phone and saying "Oh.... have already"
23) Getting a text at 12:30a.m. [see SMS blog] for instructions on your new job that you start at 9:00am the next morning and then showing up to the job and being stood up.
24) Tuktuk with 14 people in the back and 4 sharing the front seat.
25) walking in the park and having teenagers come up to you askin o have their picture taken with you.
26) A sweater that has Bob Marley/Rasta colors, a weed leaf, and the playboy bunny on it and kids wearing it overtop of their school uniform on rainy days to private school. [And every student has the sweater which lead Jessica to believe for the longest time that it was a school uniform sweater]
27) Being tricked into going or interviews.
28) Mail showing up on a motorbike and having him stick it in your fence (even if its raining)
29) A Thai guy saying "Take your hat off, because you will lose your hair and a ghost will stay with you"
30) Airplane stopping on runway because they forgot someone and 2 men wheeled a ladder up to the airplane and they climbed in and the plane kept going.
31) Being told the day before (and sometimes if you're unlucky...the day of) that you have the day off because its a national holiday.
32) Getting an SMS saying that you have people expecting you to be somewhere in 30 minutes.[see SMS blog]
33)Sun bathing in the corner of the driveway because its the only place you can find any sun out of view of staring neighbours.
34) Needing our official documents to go to Malaysia and spending 2 full days searching for the lady with them only to find out at 9:30p.m. the night before we leave that in fact "the paperwork is in the tree"
( she left them in the tree outside of her language school on a busy road for us just to miracuously KNOW they were there? )
35) Having to leave the house early because there is chinese swirling dragons blocking the roads downtown.
36) Having 18L bottles of water delivered to your house because your neighbour ordered it for you.
37) Not even needing to go to the store because if you wait long enough a dickie-dee like bike will drive by selling : ladders, brooms, ice cream, various salads, soft drinks, coffee/tea, blankets, mats, hats, vegetables, fried noodle dishes, a built on barbecue with variious assorments of BBQ'd meats and shishcabobs, clothes, lawn ornaments, fruit.....etc
38) Monks at a temple asking for your phone number while smoking cigarettes and joking around/horsing around and hitting each other with a broom stick.
[they are supposed to be sacred people that you show respect to and cannoct make eye contact wit, cannot smile at, cannot touch....etc...]
39) Coming hoem to a man fixing the ceiling light in our bedroom, standing on two of our chairs...STACKED....because we dont have a ladder. And then him charging 200฿
40) Being fed "vegetarian food" by the director of the school, served with cows milk. Take a bite of the "tofu" only to bite into tofu stuffed with pork, cooked in fish suace with pieces of shrimp throughout it.
41) Being asked to come to a parent teacher meeting but ONLY to show you face so the parents can see the foreigners. Then during the assembly where the director is giving a speech representin the school and its goals and morals....he calls us up to give a speech with NO warning or time for preparation.
42) Bus driver falling asleep at the wheel.
43) getting a 10% pay reduction with no warning, explination or reason and then being told that if we do a realy good job this semester, that we will get a 10% pay increase at the end of the semester.
44)NO CONFIDENTIALITY
a) sitting waiting in the waiting room to discuss getting cosmetic surgery with a doctor and a nurse comes out and puts a gel on my nose in front of everyone in the waiting room to freeze my nose so he can go ahead with the surgery a.s.a.p.
b) receptionists asking you whats the matter when they have their friends sitting with them, or when there are other people at the counter they ask over their shoulder so you have to say it through a crowd of people/
c) having a doctor tell us to sit down in the chair which was at his computer which had an x-ray of a mans chest and all his personal information beside it. Then he looks at it and hovers his pen over the affected area and diagnoses it in front of us to himself.
d)Pharmacy havign people walking around looking at things and the pharmacist askign you whats wrong and speaking loudly explaining what you have to do and saying it extra loud and slow because we don't speak Thai well so they say it over and over and EVERYONE hears.
45) Driving the motorbike home from a friends house witha flower pot full of soil, a fish tank, a dust pan and a garbage can.
46)Doctor not showing up for a hospital appointment with you.
47) Dentist overhearing through friends about Jessica's lawsuit with laser clinic and giving her the money back for ehr retainers that he made inocrrectly.
48) Employer telling our friend at 11 p.m. the night before that he has to do a 30 minute speech in Thai in front of an entire school of students and parents.
49) Given a french cirriculum to teach to high school students that says "des animaux et des hommes" (the animals and the men?) because it was written by a Thai person.
50) Your employer calling your friends telling them to drive you to work tomorrow an hour away and to wait for 2 hours while you teach and bring you back so she doesn't have to worry about arranging a drive for you.
51) Fake braces being in trend because it makes you look rich if you have money to buy braces. [Fake braces $30]
TGIF?
It's Friday? God. What my Friday nights have become?
Anyways,
my appendix (or lack there of) is doing good! I can walk around a bit now! =)
Happy Bridal shower to Donica and Kev!!! LOVE YOU GUYS
I think I am going to quit from the school, because our employer never pays us. (did we mention she's a disorganized freaka zoid? see below text messages......)
My armpits are also coming along nicely. they don't hurt anymore, but still have scars-- had my second meeting already and nothing came of it yet. the next meeting is August 27th, and I am asking for 550,000 baht (about 15,000$) -- I doubt they will give it, but UGH i just want it to be over already.
okay gotta run- reffa will be posting a series of hilariuos stories that we've been keeping track of for your entertainment shortly.
xoxoxoxox!!!!!!!!!!!
Anyways,
my appendix (or lack there of) is doing good! I can walk around a bit now! =)
Happy Bridal shower to Donica and Kev!!! LOVE YOU GUYS
I think I am going to quit from the school, because our employer never pays us. (did we mention she's a disorganized freaka zoid? see below text messages......)
My armpits are also coming along nicely. they don't hurt anymore, but still have scars-- had my second meeting already and nothing came of it yet. the next meeting is August 27th, and I am asking for 550,000 baht (about 15,000$) -- I doubt they will give it, but UGH i just want it to be over already.
okay gotta run- reffa will be posting a series of hilariuos stories that we've been keeping track of for your entertainment shortly.
xoxoxoxox!!!!!!!!!!!
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
appendix A
had a SUUUPER bad belly ache all night Last Thursday night, and on Friday morning when I tried to eat I was unsucessfull... I just kept throwing up! I went to the hospital and got my blood taken, passed out a few times, got wheeled around on a bed and threw up some more and then a doctor said I had acute apendicitis! Mom called me back (like every 5 minutes) because everytime I talked to her I said I had to go or else I was gonig to get sick, and I asked her to look up all the symptoms (afterall I am still in thailand..... I wanted to make sure they didn't just want to steal my organ or something) and sure enough!
2 hours later I'm in the OR! My appendix was 10 cm, and it should've only been about 2-3 cm. YIKESM I spent Friday and Saturday very high in the clouds on morphine and am now on bedrest at home for the week recovering.
feeling much better now than friday!!!!!!!!!!!
2 hours later I'm in the OR! My appendix was 10 cm, and it should've only been about 2-3 cm. YIKESM I spent Friday and Saturday very high in the clouds on morphine and am now on bedrest at home for the week recovering.
feeling much better now than friday!!!!!!!!!!!
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Fumes
Today around 5pm they were fuming out the school, to kill bacteria because of the H1N1 2009 virus that has now reached our town.
I had to go and get Jessica's camera [for evidence]because she left it in her desk and we have a meeting at the court tomorrow regarding her lawsuit. We show up at the school and there are 3 kids waiting for their parents still. They are complaining about someting stinking and I said "yeah smells bad" and kept going. then I come across three teachers and tell them i forgot something and need to go get it. They ramble off in Thai to go quick..... And I go upstairs and it was like walking into a burning building. I actually thought there was a man putting out a fire, but he was just spraying this smoke stuff out of a machine that came out in a dark greyish blue cloud. The man with a gas mask turns and looks at me then looks back at the hall hes spraying. I hold my breath and run through it and grab the camera and run back out.
Nobody warned me, I just thought i had to go quick because they wanted to lock up and go home.
haha
I had to go and get Jessica's camera [for evidence]because she left it in her desk and we have a meeting at the court tomorrow regarding her lawsuit. We show up at the school and there are 3 kids waiting for their parents still. They are complaining about someting stinking and I said "yeah smells bad" and kept going. then I come across three teachers and tell them i forgot something and need to go get it. They ramble off in Thai to go quick..... And I go upstairs and it was like walking into a burning building. I actually thought there was a man putting out a fire, but he was just spraying this smoke stuff out of a machine that came out in a dark greyish blue cloud. The man with a gas mask turns and looks at me then looks back at the hall hes spraying. I hold my breath and run through it and grab the camera and run back out.
Nobody warned me, I just thought i had to go quick because they wanted to lock up and go home.
haha
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