It's been a big weekend. Yesterday I moved into my new rental house, which involved hiring a truck to take me, Sadie, & our stuff from the hotel to the house, dropping off everything, then the truck dropping me off at a scooter rental place a few kilometers away. Then remembering how to ride a scooter, which I haven't done since February (the last time I was in Thailand), and going to Tesco Lotus to load up on a few necessary items.
I lucked out with my landlord, fortunately. He's a nice man who doesn't charge for internet and had the inside walls of the house painted before I moved in. Then again, his mother comes into my garden every morning to pray at the spirit house, so I guess it's all even. I also ended up renting my scooter from a really cool guy, an English bloke named Robin. In addition to renting scooters, he's also an EFL teacher, and lives nearby with his Thai wife and their child. When I had trouble starting the scooter after I brought it home, I called him and he came right over to my place and fixed it - turns out the fuse had blown. Yay for good people!
I lucked out with my landlord, fortunately. He's a nice man who doesn't charge for internet and had the inside walls of the house painted before I moved in. Then again, his mother comes into my garden every morning to pray at the spirit house, so I guess it's all even. I also ended up renting my scooter from a really cool guy, an English bloke named Robin. In addition to renting scooters, he's also an EFL teacher, and lives nearby with his Thai wife and their child. When I had trouble starting the scooter after I brought it home, I called him and he came right over to my place and fixed it - turns out the fuse had blown. Yay for good people!
Today I opened a bank account, then rode the scooter into town to the Talat Warorot, which is a massive day market in the Northeastern corner of the city that has everything you can imagine (and some things you can't). There I loaded up on kitchen and laundry items as well as a sweet pair of rubber slipon shoes ($3) and super comfortable Thai pants ($2.50). Pretty awesome.
All in all, it's been pretty exhausting. I'm not sure if you've ever been in a situation where almost nobody can understand you, or they understand very little, and therefore getting anything done is time-consuming and exhausting. It's been very humbling, that's for sure. And as soon as I'm done with my CELTA course, I'm definitely enrolling in Thai lessons!
Another thing I've noticed a lot, and that I find extremely frustrating, is how most of the Thais react to me. If I'm in the tourist sector it doesn't happen, but when I'm out & about grocery shopping, riding my scooter, and doing the things one does when they aren't just a tourist, I get stared at by people. All the time. OK, no big deal. But then lots of times I'm trying something for the first time, and naturally I do it wrong. And then people LAUGH at me!!! And it doesn't sound like nice laughter either, it seems rather mean-spirited. I think that's pretty fucked up, honestly. When I see a foreigner in the States, I don't stare and laugh at them! Seriously, What The Fuck. Maybe I eventually will get used to it, and will probably stop screwing up so much as I learn how to live here. I hope.
Tomorrow afternoon is orientation for my course, then we jump right into it on Monday morning at 9:00 a.m.! (I think that's Sunday night at 6:00 p.m. for you West coasters, since I hear you're changing your clocks). I'm nervous for the course to start, because I know it'll be tough, but also it will be nice to have something to do every day. I can't go shopping at the market all the time, after all!
More pictures here.
3 comments:
Wow hard to believe that you are actually there! The pictures help. You are on a REAL adventure. I am kind of jealous that I never did that when I was younger, and had no kids, etc. I really think your house is cute and clean. I love the yard. Is Sadie better now that she has her own space and yard? I'm keeping an eye on you! Ty says hi to sadie. Laurie
Love the pictures, it's a pretty big house! It's a shame you'll only be there for 6 months, I don't think I'll have the money saved up to come visit you by then...but at least I can live vicariously through your photos :) Have a great first day at school!
Need more info. More blog please!!
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