Satooning around

Ok so now that the obligatory christmas post is posted, here's a look into everything else December has been about!

So December was a big, eventful, tiring, and amazing month here in sunny Satun (if you want to see more photos, Facebook is the best place to find those...)

With the end of the rainy season, it was so freaking HOT! We still get rain here and there but it doesn't last long and I kinda miss it breaking the heat of the day. But whatever, I'm not Mother Nature and can't control that no matter how hard I might try. Kinda makes me miss the wind and chilly Wyoming air. But that's what they say right? You never appreciate something 'till it's gone.

Bike For Dad. All across the country, people mounted their bicycles and took off on 40 (+?) kilometer rides down highways, country lanes, and roads of all shapes and sizes in honor of the King. I had to work on this day so didn't actually get to participate in the bike ride, but I drove past it on my motorbike and saw everyone lined up ready to go! So many people came out and there where bikes and riders of all shapes and sizes! It was quite the sight, masses of yellow everywhere!

My visa expired. But don't worry, I got my official work permit! Hooray! I'm legally allowed to work in Thailand now and have my visa extended until October 2016. My amazing agent came and picked me up and we took a whole afternoon sitting in offices and making sure everything was all set. I shamelessly fell asleep in the Immigration Office in what turned out to be an hour long check that was only supposed to take 20 minutes. We were a little ircked about that, but hey! I got a nap in the middle of the day!

Satooning around! We have been exploring the farther reaches of Satun Province recently and I've seen some pretty neat things! My friend and I visited Cheibilang Pier and went to a mutual friend's shipyard to check it out. There are some beautiful boats there and we were able to watch them haul a sailboat in that needed some work. It was quite the endeavor and process but really cool to see! Oh also, there were puppies! We also went to Tamalang Pier and that was a great little adventure. There is a massive Nemo fish and Crab statue that were very photogenic. We also walked around a boardwalk (which I wasn't too sure would lead to anything because it just wound through the musky mangroves) but lo and behold it opened up into an open pavilion area right on the water. There were little pagodas to sit under, a lighthouse-esque structure that you could walk up in and it provided a pretty view of the southern waters and islands!

(Heaven is where there's water and boats)

The next weekend was monumental. Why?

STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS

Holy macaroni and cheese! What a good movie! I am a huge Star Wars nerd (Thanks to my dad for instilling that love at a young age) and really enjoyed spending a mini-break in Hat Yai to see the movie and hang with friends. We saw it in 4DX which was a little tooooo much sensory overload for me! Our chairs moved in time to the movie and when anything was flying, we were rocking and wind was blowing on our faces, really making it seem like we were RIGHT there! So it was a lot to take it, but it was worth it! While in Hat Yai, I met up with some friends and we set off for the big municipal park to visit the ice dome! I've heard great things about it and was so excited to see ice (weird I know) but sadly, we go there, and there was NO ice? What?! Apparently the boss-man didn't want to deal with ice this year so they just had flowers. Lame! so we hung around and shopped instead!

(Cool statue at the Park in Hat Yai)

Finally, now that we are all caught up to speed, I can tell you about this past weekend!

We got a group together and headed off to Namtok Wang Sai Thong. This is such a beautiful waterfall and it was super fun to hang out in the refreshing waters! It's so big and has tiers that form countless pools that you can swim in. And because the rock is so weathered, many people slide down the rocks from pool to pool, jumping and swinging in periodically. It was beautiful and well worth the long, winding road to get there!

(View from almost the top of the tiers)

Guys, I WENT TO THE THIRD LARGEST CAVE IN THE WORLD!!!

Phu Pha Pet Cave in the Northern part of Satun and is the largest cave in Thailand (but you won't find it in many tourist books!), and it was a new and thrilling experience! I am so thankful to have had such a good group of fellow adventurers to go with! After the waterfall we ventured off to find this cave and after a few hecklers and a hike up a mountain, we arrived at what seemed to be nothing. Oh yeah, then we noticed the itty bitty hole that served as the entrance into the cave. Shit. How am I supposed to fit my fat ass through that opening?! After toppling inside, we followed the stairs to the first of many massive caverns!

(Before entering the deep dark)

This was such a cool cave and it was such a neat experience to guide ourselves up and down the stairs and get lost off the beaten path. There was one cavern that had a skylight leading outside. To get there, you had to scale a sheer, slippery, muddy/rock mixture and then climb out over some more rocks using ropes. During the course of this, I slipped and fell, scraping up my arm pretty bad. But whatever, I knew I was going to fall at least once and was prepared for it. After backtracking towards the exit, we finally found the little opening once again and were getting ready to leave. Me being me, I stumbled backwards for no reason, caught a rock, lost my balance, and fell pretty roughly between some lights, rocks, and the ground. Literally three steps away from the exit. Bruised both hands, scraped up my OTHER arm and I'm pretty sure I dislocated my thumb.

Finally leaving the cave in a sweaty, muddy mass, we drove back to Satun with the fading sun, and all was well. Despite the fact that we are all pretty pooped and in various states of frazzle-ment. It was a superb weekend and I loved every minute of trying my hand at being Indiana Jones!

(Car selfies are the best selfies!)

It's the most wonderful time of year

HOLY COW! How is it already the end of December? I don't know where the time went, but I can tell you truthfully that I spent it struggling through lesson plans, having mini-adventures, singing carols over and over until I wanted to pull my hair out, and sweating out every ounce of water in my body!

The biggest thing to happen since I last blogged was CHRISTMAS! It is so different celebrating my favorite holiday without my family and friends and the sub-zero degree weather of wonderful Wyoming.

Christmas looked a littler different this year, but that really shows that it's not where you are, but the people that make your holiday great. At school and at home I experienced love and excitement for Christmas and it still felt pretty darn festive! (I love Christmas carols so I didn't actually want to pull my hair out, but we did sing them everyday for the entire month!)

(The foreign teachers in all our red glory)

The last half of December was spent decorating classrooms, learning to wrap a gift, making snowflakes, wreaths, and snowman, and learning Christmas carols in english. I wasn't sure how festive this holiday would be since it is not celebrated the same way in Buddhist and Muslim cultures. Despite this fact, Christmas is still widely "celebrated" mainly for the decorations and for schools to learn about Santa and stuff. So it was very festive and joyful and very fun to experience!

(Santa and his mini me)

The Christian meaning of Christmas is nonexistent here though, and that's what I missed most. One of my favorite holiday traditions is attending the late night worship service with my family, and then doing holiday shenanigans all night until we all drift to sleep one by one. Then waking up on Christmas day to someone inevitably singing some wake-up/good morning song and gathering to share the holiday together in our pajamas. That's what I missed most about not being able to be home.

Despite having to work on Christmas day, everyone wished me a Merry Christmas and then that night, there was a big party hosted by @On's.

(Disclaimer: On is so amazing and is so fantastic when it comes to helping out and supporting people who come through Satun!)

I started the night with my make-up on point and even took the time to straighten my hair! Of course neither of these things lasted more than 10 minutes, but hey! It looked good for a bit! The party had a live jazz duo who played songs all night, there was delicious food (and plenty of it for those of us who went back for seconds, thirds, and sixths), and hanging out with friends new and old was so fun! I drank, danced, and was merry, and experienced my first Thailand Christmas with my pseudo-family.

Go Speed Racer!

(That theme song went through my head multiple times this past weekend when driving through the curvy, hilly, and winding roads of Phuket!)

Phuket is the largest island in Thailand and one of the most popular tourist destinations! The streets are littered with hotels, restaurants, coffee huts, shops, bars, places to rent this or that, and tour operators. So there is no shortage of things to do! My long weekend in Phuket was a much needed get away from the ho hum Satun lifestyle I have come to know and love.

Thailand is a truly diverse and exciting place to live. There is something for everyone and being able to experience the many aspects of thai life and culture is truly a rewarding experience. Phuket is a metropolis of excitement and lounging on beaches, hitting the clubs, and visiting other attraction like waterfalls and hanging out with friends was how I spent my time. The only downside of the weekend was that I got so sunburned that my nose, forehead, and chin blistered and are healing very slowly!

Meeting up with some of the friends I made in Hua Hin was so great and hearing all about their stories and just knowing we are not alone in our endeavors is very comforting! It was great to catch up, and having some tour guides was also a nice perk! We visited a very secluded beach, Paradise Beach, that was stunning. We kayaked, snorkeled, sunbathed, and relaxing enjoying to simplicity of life! Patong on the other hand, was much faster paced, with huge multiple story clubs and music so loud it'll make you go deaf. We drank and danced our way into the wee morning hours!

(Paradise Beach after a storm rolled by)

I will be going back to Phuket to visit more of the surrounding area in the future! But getting back to Satun and my house was the real adventure! I took the 8 pm bus back to Satun, so I knew that it would be early morning before I got home. The bus rolled into the city around 3:30 in the morning and stopped about a quarter of the way into town. Close to the Big C supermarket that is a 45-60 minute walk to my house. They refused to take me to the bus station and speaking hardly any Thai and them not understanding my English, drove off abandoning me in the dark city. My motorbike was at the bus station. So I walked the 30-40 minute walk home and promptly collapsed into my bed to get 2 hours of sleep. I woke up early, thankfully caught a motorbike taxi to the bus station, got my motorbike, and headed off the school for a busy Tuesday! I don't know if I was just too tired, or my students were exceptionally ornery, but man! It was horrible! Everyone was wild and loud, and not wanting to do school. So we didn't learn anything this week haha

(Janie and I rocking that motorbike life!)

Overall, it was a great weekend and a short school week, so that's always nice! Thursday was Constitution Day and Friday was Bike For Dad, so lot's of things were happening in the city and not a lot of school was going on. Here's to an adventurous weekend and new experiences!

Mountains and Valleys

DISCLAIMER: I don't know why my font and the color are being weird, but I'm working on trying to remedy this inconvenience.

So the week before was a high, a rose, a mountain.

This week was a low, a thorn, a valley.

It’s not like everything was doom and gloom, but it was a hard week for me. Students were crazy, holidays came and gone, I questioned my decision to be here, my phone broke, I learned about the ridiculous Thailand transportation system and I saw a movie.

So lets start with those highs:

LOI KRATHONG (November 25)

This was such a fun holiday and I am so thrilled I was able to be a part of such a beautiful cultural tradition. The school had a whole afternoon of activities ranging from krathong making, a Miss Loi Krathong pageant (one that could rival any Miss America), dances and songs, and a mini release of the krathongs into a kiddie pool. “Loi” means to float and “krathong” means basket (loosely) and the krathongs are traditionally made of a slice from the banana tree and are decorated with banana leaves, flowers, incense, candles, food, ect. On the night of the full moon, you launch the krathongs into the river and this symbolizes letting go of your worries and fears. We were also lucky enough to launch some Khom Loi (floating lanterns) and make some wishes! These lanterns are usually made of a thin fabric like rice paper, held up by wire and attached to a fuel cell that can be lit with a lighter. These mini hot air balloons are actually quite large! My friends and I set off two lanterns and each were at least 2 feet tall!

(Each grade level made a class krathong and pushed them into the pool)

THANKSGIVING (November 26)

While the rest of you were enjoying your turkey and stuffing (and these new desert concoctions called Picakens or whatever you call the pies baked in cakes), I was enjoying some western food at a local hangout here in Satun! My two American friends and I celebrated with a few Leo’s (a kind of beer), darts, and even topped off the night with Apple Pie a la mode! I had a delicious rendition of Chicken Cordon Bleu with vegetables and mashed potatoes and was very content with my evening. To make it even better, I woke up at 5 am to chat with the Black’s over in Wyoming. I got to see my whole family and talk to them for a while over FaceTime was a godsend. I have missed a lot of events already and will miss so much more, and being able to see them is something I will never take for granted!

(Bry and I letting go of our khom loi and making a wish!)

Last high: I saw Mockingjay (Part 2) in a movie theater in Hat Yai this weekend. Wow.

Ok, I’ll keep the lows short.

My phone broke. I did drop it, but it was fine and worked for another two days before freaking out and just stopping. It literally won’t do anything and if I can get it to turn on, it changes colors, spazzes out for a few seconds, and turns right back off. I take the Life Proof case of and low and behold… There is not a single scratch, dent, chip, or blemish on this phone I have worked so hard to keep in great condition. So you can say I’m more than irritated. Thanks Life Proof- care to offer an explanation?

Also, It’s happened. I have begun to experience my first hints of culture shock. I thought I was immune but seeing as I made it over 2 months before it settled in, I think that’s a positive note to recognize. Yesterday, as I was struggling to find transportation back to Satun from Hat Yai, I realized that I am so out of my league here.

(Me and B-dubs have some nice rides!)

I cannot speak the language and I don’t understand what most people are saying to me, I have no real indications of where I am and where I’m going (not only in Thailand but in life), and I am in over my head. I am. Teaching English is by far the most difficult thing I have ever done for many reasons. It’s just so different here and there is a different pace at which life moves, and it’s all just so unfamiliar.

Don’t get me wrong- I love being here. I love this experience and I love the people I have connected with here is Satun. I am relishing this experience because it one that will be very beneficial to my future goals and endeavors. So I’m holding on tight to those facts.

Culture shocks a bitch and eventually I’ll suck it up and just get over myself. But I think a nice cry, Netflix Christmas movie binge, and ice cream are in my immediate future.

On an entirely separate note…

(I am going to utilize my freedom of speech as a right to discuss some things that have very little to do with my Thailand adventures and has everything to do with the state of our world today. So if you don’t want to read about my thoughts about the events of late, stop here. On the other hand, if you are genuinely curious about my feelings, please continue! BUT, these are MY thoughts and feelings and I am not trying to prove one group wrong or right. Frankly, if I piss you off, good. That means you’re thinking about these issues. And if you get that fire burning in your soul, do something about it! I’m merely sharing why I think our world is bleeding and cannot be cured with a Band-Aid.)

(by: Simon Kneebone- cartoonist and illustrator)

I am so tired of hearing all of the racist, ignorant, and down right rude discussions regarding Muslims as a whole, and the concept of  “Islamophobia” is baffling to me. I am appalled at what people, namely people in our government system, are doing and saying in regards to the Syrian refugees and Muslims across the world. I am in a unique situation, because I am living in a Buddhist country and am in a province with a Muslim dominated population. I live, work, eat, and play with Buddhists, Muslims, and Christians alike and I can tell you that I have never experienced such a feeling of solidarity and community as I have here.

I am the foreigner, the white person, in a strange land. I have had my fair share of struggles and issues here in Thailand and I know I will continue to wrestle with issues as my time here progresses. But. None of the people I have met have ever wished me ill will, hurt me, degraded me because I am a falang, or denied me services because I was not like them. This is community. No, this is what it means to be a human. Whether you worship and look to Buddha, God, or Allah, in the end, we all have the same core beliefs and a respect for human dignity.

In the article entitled, “Not Tourists: Refugees are Human Beings”, written by Global Ministries, a branch of the Disciples of Christ denomination, the authors state that “the answer is not to shut out whole populations collectively; we know that each and every one of us could be excluded based on some aspect of identity.” This could not be truer because America is a melting pot of identities. This rings very clear with me because I am the minority (literally, I am like 1 out of a handful of white foreigners here in Satun).

The article goes on to conclude saying, “We are called to be a merciful and caring community; to seek justice and to honor every person; and to stand up and shout out when such a vision is challenged or violated. We urge caution and caring in our discourse and in our actions, so that we all may hold ourselves to a higher standard and ideal.”

(I've conveniently added the link for you!)

Not Tourists: Refugees are Human Beings

If we cannot help our global neighbors, who’s to say they will ever do the same for us when we need it most? Syria is vulnerable, being pushed and pulled all different directions, and the majority of Syrians are being thrown around like basketballs, constantly changing hands without free will. Their lives are turbulent and ever changing, without security and safety, and how dare America think they hold power over these people’s lives! These refugees are fleeing terrorism, and even though they may be Muslims, this does not automatically mean they are terrorists themselves. Justice and peace are being challenged and we have the opportunity to do something about it, to extend a welcoming hand, and to help our brothers in need.

I applaud France. After the brutal attacks in Paris last week, France still says they will take in Syrian refugees. France is being the bigger person. Right now, France is leading by example while the US is turning its back on innocent people.

I also applaud people like Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) who can stand on the senate floor and discuss the need for humanitarian action. Much of what she says, and I encourage you to read the article and/or her senate address, hits a chord with me.

(I've conveniently added the link for you!)

Elizabeth Warren Delivers Stinging Critique of Efforts to Reject Syrian Refugees

Over half of the Syrian refugees are children. Fact. Many of whom no longer have a family. No home, belongings, country, no idea of where to go or what to do next. These are the people most vulnerable. Fact. Children, especially children alone are easy targets for human trafficking. Many of the refugee children will not make it. They will get taken to be sold as child prostitutes. Many of the young girls will die because their bodies are not physically able to sustain continual harm. Those that don’t die will get pregnant eventually. If they live through childbirth and if their child lives, they will be thrown out and now you have this 14 year old mother with no education or means of earning an income, stuck in some slum, trying to survive. Oh by the way, she will most likely have HIV/AIDS or other STD’s. What a wonderful life for a teenage. If the children are not taken for sexual or labor slavery, they could be trafficking into the organ trading business. Sadly, these operations are growing. It is exactly as it sounds. Boys and girls will be cut into and their healthy organs will be harvested to sell to 3^rd parties, namely in developed countries (guess what Uncle Sam? That kidney transplant you had, well it probably came from a terrorist!) Har har.

Not funny. How is any of this funny? How can we knowingly sign off on refugee’s lives saying “yes, we don’t want you and too bad so sad, but we know you wont survive without our help.” This is the kind of ethnocentric thinking that proves we are just as stuck up as the rest of the world believes us to be already. America is scared because ISIS is on the other side of the fence. The brown, crispy, dead side of the fence. Syria is scared because ISIS has already invaded the house and is searching room by room to take and oppress.

So America, let’s show the world the best version of ourselves. I don’t understand why we think we can play God and determine the fate of millions of people because we are scared of leaks in the gaps. Inevitably, a terrorist or two will get by the system, but so will hundreds of thousands of innocents. If we don’t help now, we will forever be jeopardizing our international standing, and what country would ever put their trust in us to do the right thing ever again?

I am proud to be an American. I am also proud to be a human. Instead of harming it, let’s work towards peace and bring those most responsible to justice. Let’s show some human dignity and help, because there is a need. The world is bleeding. A Band-Aid is not a permanent solution, but it is a means to an end. 


(Sorry if it comes up weird colored or something. I had some technical issues with this one!)

110%

This past week has bee pretty great! Probably one of the best I’ve had in Satun so far! I visited a few new food places and had some good dinners, my water got shut off so I had to go find a shower elsewhere, I met some new people, had a few beers, and just took things slow!

Most of my classes went swimmingly and even my really devilish P3’s were exceptional and very well behaved. I think their Thai teacher put the fear of god in them because they were so good it was eerie. Everyone participated, we got through the vocab, they all understood it, and then we played two games and it was great! It is amazing that when they listen and pay attention we get stuff done AND still have time for plenty of fun! (I made sure to say that too them, so we will see how this week goes!)

Besides school, I had a pretty eventful week! On Monday, 5 other teachers and myself went to a Teaching Seminar in Songkhla. It was so nice to get out of the city for a day! The seminar I attended was a glorified TESOL course. We went over lesson planning, warmers (activators) and how to do production activities. It was interesting to get another perspective on teaching and I got to hang out with some pretty cool people!

(My fellow teachers and I hanging out on the beach in Songkhla)

After the seminar, we all went to the Songkhla mermaid and posed with her. Then we went and found some cool street art and then got some delicious ice cream and sticky rice! We also had fried egg chip things and balls of fried fish (which I did not eat). Overall, It was a wonderful day and I had so much fun!

This weekend I went o the street market on Saturday night and had a delicious noodle chicken combo for dinner and then a fruit ice smoothie thing for desert. The market is always fun to walk around because it is so big and there are so many vendors selling some pretty cool things! I bought some cacti! Afterwards, I met up with some friends at a local hang out and showed everyone how poor my pool game is.

(Cool Teecha Brina taught the kids something funny!)

Sunday evening, I went and played badminton and once again showed everyone how terrible my hand-eye coordination is! Really, I suck at sports, but I’ll try and give 110%! But it was a ton of fun and I really enjoyed playing! So that was a great way to end the weekend and start my week off! And I learned today that two of my classes are cancelled, so more time to prepare and lesson plan! Whoo!