Appearance is everything in Thailand. There is a special emphasis on how you look and what you wear. Thai people have no problem with pointing out to you if you are looking fat lately or if there is a pimple on your face. Comments letting you know they don’t really like your curly, wavy hair and that they think you should wear it up more often are normal. Perhaps this is the reason why Thai people take so many pictures of themselves. Even beyond that, how you dress is also particularly important.
School Semester Starts, but Teaching Does Not
Yesterday, school “started.”
I put “started” in quotation marks because, while all of the key players were at school, nothing of consequence actually happened. The teachers were there. The students were there. Even the principal, who is rarely at school, was there.
But I did not teach.
Peace Corps Video Blog: Mistaken for a Ghost
Most of the time, my experiences with Thai superstitions are watching my friends and community members practice them. However, recently, I was directly involved with one. I tell the story in the video.
Small Successes of Community Integration
One of the most important things that contributes to the success of a Peace Corps volunteer is community integration. It’s actually enshrined in the 10 Core Expectations of being a volunteer.
This is something that I feel like I have kind of struggled with. I hit a wall with language learning because the people in my village speak a different dialect. The area that my house is in isn’t really in the village, it’s just kind of on the road. Also, because I’m a vegetarian, I often end up turning down a number of meal offers.
Laotian Dancing in Luang Prabang
While I was in Luang Prabang, Laos, there was a handicraft festival going on. There were dozens of booths of handicrafts from all over. However, in addition to the handicrafts, there was also a stage showcasing cultural performances. The evening I was there, I got to see a variety of dance performances. Some of them are quite similar to the traditional dances I’ve seen in Thailand. But, there were also some b-boys that were pretty good.
5 Essential Items for a Thai Kitchen
When I found out I was coming to Thailand, most people I told were excited for me to learn how to cook real authentic Thai food. I don’t feel like I have learned that much, but I think that is because the host family that I spent time with when my language was at the level of rudimentary communication wasn’t very good in the kitchen. My first host family was awesome and I plan to visit with them and spend all of my time with them in the kitchen. But one thing I have picked up on are the things that are in Thai kitchens. Here are five things you need in your kitchen if you want to cook like the Thais do.
Time Lapse: Houay Xai to Luang Prabang
Since it’s bpit term, it’s the best time to take an extended vacation. I decided to take a two week trip into Thailand’s ASEAN neighbor, Laos. I read about being able to take a boat ride down the Mekong River from Chiang Rai to the UNESCO Heritage City, Luang Prabang. The trip takes two days, and has beautiful views along the river. Check it out!
Why Asian Cat Tails are Crooked
Last month, I was given a kitten. I had mentioned how I missed my cat in the States and that maybe I would want a cat here. Lo and behold, one of the teachers shows up at my house with a tiny orange kitten. I’m glad that I have her; she entertains me in a way that only kittens can entertain. Her name is Julius. One thing about Julius is that, like most cats in Thailand, she has a kinked tail.
Bpai Tiao: School Field Trip to Korat
I’ve posted about the field trip that I went on to Chonburi with the 4-6th graders, and last week Wednesday was the 1st-3rd graders turn for some end of the semester fun.
I got a message from my co-teacher the day before telling me about it, since school has been out and I wouldn’t have known about it. She told me that they were going to go to the museum and the Korat Zoo. I figured, I haven’t been to the Korat Zoo before and it would be a good opportunity for me to spend some time with some of the other teachers at the school, so I went along.
Bpai Tiao Video: Korat Field Trip
It’s the end of the first semester, and so the students are going on field trips as a bit of a celebration. Recently, the upper grades went to Chonburi for the day. However, the lower grades were not to be left out. The younger kiddos went to the Korat Fossil Museum and the Korat Zoo.