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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Healthcare is a seemingly constant policy issue coming up in the United States. Frequently, the healthcare systems in other countries are held up as either examples of improvements or as warnings. Healthcare in Thailand is an interesting topic, as the top reason for tourism to the country is actually medical tourism. In addition to the world class medical centers in Bangkok, people in the rural areas are covered by a universal healthcare scheme.
Recently, the upper classes went on a field trip to the zoo, aquarium and beach in Chonburi. It was a very Thai-style bpai tiao, with a karaoke bus, rushing through exhibits and swimming with clothes on. Here’s a video summary of the day.
Dear Future Peace Corps Thailand Volunteers,
You may have found the Facebook group* already and had some of your questions answered. You may not have found it, and are heading over there right now to get your questions answered. I’ll wait here for you to come back. You may have seen the common response from those who are currently where you will be of “Don’t worry; just relax; enjoy the States!”
more “Open Letter to Future Peace Corps Thailand Volunteers”
In Thailand, a bpai tiao is a trip of any length. I’ve written about some of my more significant bpai tiaos to tourist destinations here, to be used as travel ideas and tips.
On Tuesday in the wee hours of the morning, I made my way to school. The fourth, fifth and sixth graders were to go on their end of semester field trip and rather than spend the day sitting at school in an empty classroom len-ing Internet (playing on the Internet), I decided to go with them. This was the quintessential Thai trip.
Way back in February 2012, I had my initial interview for the Peace Corps. I remember being asked about a multitude of things, but one question I remember distinctly asked me what I thought I would struggle with the most if I were to go on to serve. My response was gender roles.