Dichotomy

Wow! I have been in Thailand for more than week and it feels like I have been here for a whole month!  I am speaking a little Thai, getting cold at night (only 75 degrees, which is cold in Thailand), and not getting ripped off like a farang. I bought a wallet for 25% of the listed price, of course, with the help with my Mae. It cost about a dollar.

Everything is much cheap in Thailand! A full meal to go costs about a dollar and a sit down restaurant meal costs about three dollars including wait service. Also, it is not customary to tip in Thailand. This past week, I went to the gas station bought a box of cookies and a Hershey’s bar for $1.25. But, buying things in Thailand has made me get really good at dividing everything by 30. All my math people out there (Mom, Jordan, Josh Green, Doeke, Alyssa, etc.) would be proud!

So, my food situation and general food life has been a strange dichotomy. I live on a farm and eat garden fresh food every night. I get to have garden strawberries, papaya, watermelons, coconuts, and bananas. I ate morning glory, which I know back in the states is a flower. I even eat garden lettuce, which the Thai simply refer to as salad. In the morning before school, I eat at 7-eleven- ham & cheese croissants, milk, and pastries. So, processed in the morning and farm fresh at night. I am really loving Thai food so I might come back the US fat but we will see what crossfit does to me. I enjoy it because it represents a larger theme in Thai culture where there is intense modernization and still strong ties to tradition. Thailand is considered a developing country but its development is fairly advanced. My family has two cars and two houses- farm truck, Toyota; country house, city house. I am in love with my host family! They are so kind, compassionate, and really a lot of sanuk- fun. Last night, I had a little bit of soy (typical me) and had a nasty allergic reaction. My mom and grandma were so concerned they were practically waiting outside my door the next day to see if I was ok.

So, Friday caps off my first week of classes. My day usually begins at 8 o’ clock with four hours of intensive Thai language. The classes are four people per instructor tailored to our learning styles, mine being visual. After lunch, there is three hours of Thai culture classes, thankfully taught in English. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, we have cross fit at four. That has been ripping me to shreds. On Friday they gave us a break and took us to Crazy Horse, which is apparently a big climbing spot for some R&R, which wasn’t really R&R for me because I apparently have a latent fear of heights. I am almost grease my pants when I had to rappel down a cavern that looked to me like it was almost 100 feet deep. Did I mention that we had to zipline across said cavern before changing ropes without any ledge to rappel mode? Exhilarating, yes. Again, never. Climbing was equally terrifying. It’s so much different than the wall at Wheaton College. It was the big leagues and my batting average was still minor league status. But, so cool to get to have my try Thailand caving, climbing, and rappelling. Not many people get to try that in their lifetime. I will post pictures on facebook! Here are some pictures that I have already taken http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2798363211293.130000.1624896654&type=1. Please enjoy!

I am having an indescribable time! This weekend I am visiting three night markets where I can continue testing my bartering skills in Thai, taking my American friends from ISDSI to the family farm, helping my dad sell produce at the market and going to an Elephant show & camp. I am pumped!