Amphawa Floating Market

New teacher orientation finished yesterday with a field trip to Amphawa Floating Market, about an hour and a half drive SW of the school.  After five days of culture, etiquette, and language training it was a great opportunity to put our new skills to practice.  A few general comments before I get to Amphawa:

• I think I am finally over jet lag- YEAH!! 
• My body is beginning to adjust to the climate as well.  I don't notice the heat or humidity as much as I did the first few days. I still have a nice "glow" all the time though!  
• Yesterday after the market I walked around my neighborhood for a bit with a friend and was pleasantly surprised at the number of little places within easy walking distance.  I love having places I can walk to.  
• I continue to be blown away by just how much the mission and philosophy of the school matches my own heart (more on this another day, as it deserves its own full length post) as well as their incredible organization.  One day this week they had representatives from the bank come to school so we could open accounts and everywhere we go for stuff like that the school has all the paperwork prepared (for all 22 of us!) in advance. 

So, on our way to the market we stopped at a small shop where they make and paint pottery.  It was INCREDIBLE.  They paint in such amazing detail, and on many pieces, using real gold.  I didn't end up buying anything there because the pieces I really wanted were expensive.  Several other people were in the same position, so we decided to save up and come back later to get the things we really liked instead of picking up smaller things that were nice, but not quite what we were looking for.

One thing I wanted was the blue set in the lower left.  Or a similarly colored big vase.  Or a light green tea set.

One thing I really liked about getting outside of Bangkok (besides all the green) was the absence of English on the signs.  Of course I couldn't really read much of it, but it felt more like Thailand and I liked that.  The first thing we did at Amphawa was go to a Thai Dessert Museum.  Yes, it is a museum of Thai desserts.  They had displays set up of the food but also of the ways they would sell it- in a stall, from a boat, in a cart, or on the back of a bike. 

 The actual floating market itself is located on a canal, and while there are some boats out selling things, there are also lots of shops and stalls along the side and on nearby streets.  It was quite a mixture of sights and smells and sounds.

Insect anyone?

A spirit house.  These are everywhere, in lots of yards.

Now we come to the fun part of the story: the shopping bit and events that unfolded after I made my purchase.  I have never attracted so much attention from strangers before!  I was shopping along with my friends Mara and Aimee when I made a lovely find: a woven coconut palm/branch.  It was handmade, a bit big, and beautiful. I thought it would give some nice texture to my big empty cement walls.  It started at 100baht ($3.33), but I bargained it down to 60baht ($2).  The only issue was then that I had to carry this thing through the crowded market, to dinner, and back to the bus.  And thus the stares, comments, questions, and photos commenced.  Mostly people just commented with "wow" or "beautiful" as we walked by (Mara graciously offered to carry it for me and Aimee helped with crowd control) but some also asked me how much I paid for it (they were impressed with my price) or took pictures of it.  One European woman asked how I planned to get it on an airplane.  We were quite the commotion.  Even the Thai teachers from ICS were taking pictures of it.  I had planned to hang it on my wall, but am thinking I will let it dry out first because it will be a lot lighter.  For now it has found a great resting spot above my entertainment center. 

Mara and I carry my coconut palm.  You can click on the picture to enlarge it to see the piece better.

On our way back to the bus after dinner I also bought some Thai capri pants ($6) and a little hanging flower in a coconut shell ($1).  Pretty awesome. 

New teacher orientation

We started new staff orientation on Monday and it's been a busy three days.  Today we went to the brand new Rattakosin Exhibition center that basically gives the history of Bangkok.  The "field trip" went along with the cultural things we have been learning the past few days.  The Thai government has required seminars about various aspects of Thai history, language, and culture for all international teachers.  After the museum we drove through the Old Town and right past many of the sights I am looking forward to visiting. I was having a hard time picturing them in this modern city, so it was great to at least see the outside. 

After we got back today a couple of the guys came over and helped me rearrange the apartment.  We literally moved every piece of furniture!  I love the new space and think that it will work really well for me.  (Thanks, Bob, for the design!). I also had spent some time hanging out with my nine year old neighbor so that she didn't have to go to the dentist with her parents and sister (who had chipped a tooth) and that was a lot of fun. 

One of the best things about today, however, was the opportunities I had to have conversations with people that went beyond the basic get to know you stuff.  As I spend more time with people that is slowly evolving and I am so glad.  I'm ready for it, and God has been so faithful in providing that time.  We have more orientation stuff the rest of this week, including another field trip on Friday to a floating market outside the city and I can't wait!  I promise to take lots of pictures.  There weren't a lot of great pictures today since we were in a museum, but I did take a few and will attach them to the bottom here. 

A demon mask used for theatrical dance of traditional Thai literature

It gets so hot in the afternoon that the workers stop and take a nap- even the contractors working on projects at the school will do so. 

The red, white, and blue flag is the flag of Thailand.  The yellow one is the King's flag, and is almost always flown alongside the Thai flag.  Both flags are everywhere, as are pictures of the King and Queen.

And as much as I love being here and am starting to feel more and more at home in my apartment, at the school, and in the neighborhood, I also wish that I could be with my family in this time.  As we grieve the loss of my Uncle Mark Radeke, I want to be there to comfort and to mourn with them.  But to that we proclaim, "Where, O death, is your victory?  Where, O death, is your sting?" 1 Corinthians 15:55 and "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of  God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23

Mary DeYoung

I'd like to take a brief time-out from Thailand to share with you about one of my favorite college professors.  Mary DeYoung passed away yesterday after battling cancer.  She taught Math for Elementary Teachers at Hope College, and is a large part of the reason that I decided to minor in math (it wasn't offered as a major at that time) and am a math teacher today.  I distinctly remember our first assignment for her class: write your  math history.  After reading mine, Mary spent time with me after class mapping out why I should minor in math, how easy it would be to do so, and how much it would benefit my career.  She convinced me that day, and was right about all those things.  I went on to take two more courses from her and learned so much about mathematical thinking through her teaching.  At the end of one of those courses she invited our entire class over to her home for dinner and kareoke.  When I graduated from Hope, Mary wrote a reference for me.  Later, when I applied for a scholarship at WSU to study librarianship (I never did get around to actually studying it) she wrote another reference for me.  And I was not alone in this.  It would not surprise me if she wrote more references than any other Hope professor.  She will be missed.

Not ALL fun and games

Lest you think that this week has been 100% picnic:

• I still can't sleep through the night. I know this is normal, but it still annoys me and makes me a little more tired than usual. 
• I am having technical difficulties.  We can't get the phone in my apartment to work.  I have internet, but I have to drag my laptop around connected to a ridiculously long cord because my router is having issues.  First, it would broadcast, but wouldn't stream the internet, so the broadcast did no good.  I fixed the internet connection issue, and now it won't broadcast anything.  And I have no idea what to do about it except turn it on and off, which does not help.  Believe me, I've tried.  A few dozen times.  
• I also can't seem to set the clock I bought.  It's a little digital one for next to my bed so I can see the time in the middle of the night.  I have pressed every combinations of buttons to no avail (and they are labeled in English).  I am thinking I will resort to being here exactly at noon one day and taking the batteries out and putting them back in.  
• My face has a lovely sweaty glow at all times.  I don't even put lotion on it.
• I hate meeting large groups of new people all at once.  For me, introducing myself to new people is like introducing a baby to solid food: it's best done just one at a time.  
• Because everyone is new, there is lots of group hanging out, and thus group think.  I avoid most big group activities, so I usually only socialize when I can split off into a smaller group.  Those times are lovely though. 

But do not fear, I am still doing well.  The 60min massage last night for a mere $6.75 was quite helpful in that regard!   And, I really enjoyed going to church this morning.  Due to the craziness of my last few weeks in the States I hadn't been to church in awhile, so it was great to be there.  I have 3 more churches to visit before I start narrowing down the list and settling on a place to get involved. 

This Little Piggy Went to Market

Firsts today:

• Chatuchak Weekend Market, amongst the largest in the world.  We barely scratched the surface.  Hot. Crowded. More stuff than you can imagine. Some great deals.
• Thai conversation.  Talked to a vendor, who was quite impressed I'd only been here a week (well, I told her a week, it's easier to say than 4 days). 
• Bargaining.  Never done it before in my life.  Some places really wouldn't bargain with you, but most would.  We had some success
• Squatty-potty with a bucket of water and a scooper to flush with.  At least the seat doesn't have to be clean! 
• House plant purchased for myself.  Will update you later on it's status.  I've had it for a few hours and so far it is still alive. 
• Bus ride in Thailand.  We took an open-air (read: no AC, just windows, and cheaper) from the school to the skytrain station.  On August 12th the skytrain expansion should open, which is a lot closer to us.  
• Skytrain ride.  I loved it.  It's elevated (hence the name) like the People Mover or the L.  VERY well air conditioned.  This was the best part.  
• Taxi ride in Thailand.  On the way back, with our stuff, we took a taxi instead of the bus after we got off the skytrain.  The driver was literally pulling away while the last 2 of us got in.  Guess it's the first time I've jumped into a moving vehicle as well!
• Milk tea.  Had Chai Yen the other day, which is a cold tea, but this was my first milk tea, and I liked it!  

Where we stopped for lunch. An area with tables and chairs surrounded by food stalls. How those people stand over their woks all day is beyond me.

Trying to get a shot down one of the aisles.  Didn't come out great- doesn't really capture the variety or chaos.

Skytrain platform, waiting for the train to take us home.

In addition to my plant I got throw pillow covers, house shoes, a picture frame, and something to send to my mom. It was pretty hot today, so I had the pleasure of literally dripping with sweat a good part of the time.  I'm going to be doing a lot of laundry here- you can't really wear anything more than once.

Apartment Tour

Here's a little video tour of the apartment so far.  I am still working on moving furniture around and trying different arrangements, but this give you an idea.  Everything except the furniture was either brought with me or purchased this week.  That would be why my suitcases were so heavy...

The end of the shopping is in sight!

I promise that the daily updates will end soon- otherwise I am going to lose my entire overwhelmed audience!

Today was another shopping day, first at the Walmart-like store and then back to my favorite IKEA-like place.  Yesterday when I went we had these big shopping carts full of stuff and we live basically across the street from the back of the building, so they let us walk them home and one of their employees walked with us and took the carts back.  Today I was leaving alone with another cart full so I asked if I could take it and bring it back (or something like that, it was more gestures than actual words).  Instead the guy from the day before came over and pushed the cart back for me.  This time they got smart and took me out the back where the unload the trucks so we didn't have to walk around the building. 

A few funny things about living here:

• Sinks and taps don't have hot and cold water- there's just on and off.  The water is maybe a few degrees below room temp.  I suppose if you want cold water you put it in the fridge.  If you want hot you have to heat it up somehow.  My shower has a hot water heater between the tap and the spout that has been added, so I do have a hot shower option.  I don't always use it.  
• Parking at the mall is insane, so they have a special parking level, floor 2 1/2 that is only for women (and the woman must be driving, not in the passenger seat).  Floor 2.5 has a large pink "Lady Parking" sign.  There is even an attendant at the entrance to make sure you're a lady.  There's ample parking available on 2.5, which makes me wonder, who are all these men parking at the mall?  
• Buying a cell phone in the States is obnoxious and takes way longer than it should.  Buying a cell phone in Argentina is obnoxious and takes way longer than it should.  Buying a cell phone in Thailand is obnoxious and takes way longer than it should. 
• I continue to find more and more Spanish speakers on staff- people who have studied more Spanish than me and lived in Spanish speaking countries longer than me, so it's a bit intimidating to be teaching it.  I keep thinking there must be someone more qualified than me!  Don't get me wrong, I want to teach Spanish and am glad they asked me, but I do feel like a bit of a fraud with it.  

My apartment is mostly set up now. There is nothing on the walls yet and I have a big TV sized hole to fill in my entertainment center, but otherwise I feel good.  I talked to someone today about a plant nursery nearby so at some point I can get some plants- the living room needs them.  

Hot water system in the shower. 

Day two, día dos, wan song

The title of this email gives you a little glimpse into what happens in my mind now.  As I suspected, lots of random Spanish phrases are spewing from my mouth. There are actually quite a few Spanish speakers on staff at school, but it's still not going to get me anywhere here! 

A few observations:

• There are tons of Western brands here- McD's, KFC, 7-eleven, Boots, McCormick, Betty Crocker, Kraft, and on and on.  A good deal of imported food, though it's expensive.  
• There is also quite a bit of English.  Most signs are in Thai and English, and lots of packaging is labeled in both. 
• Freebies are very popular here.  Yesterday when I bought my shower curtain, I got a free pair of scissors with it (child size).  Today I got two free pillows with all my bedding.  

Today, I shopped.  I went, I spent.  I took care of bath and bedding mostly.  I also bought a really nifty oscillating fan.  I probably spent more money on my bed than anyone else on staff will, but it's worth it.  It was one of my "quality" items. I shall sleep like a queen.  Buying all this awesome bedding, however, was quite amusing...

In Thailand the stores have lots of workers.  Like Argentina, I think they make systems that specifically need to employ more people.  These people follow you around the store constantly, not because they think you are stealing, but to help you with whatever you need.  The store was pretty empty today (it's like the Thai IKEA) so there was a whole pack of women following me around the bedding section trying to help me.  Problem was, I have a queen bed, which apparently is rare, so I have this entourage trying to convince me, in Thai, that I wanted one of the queen designs, which I did not.  I did find a design I liked, but it was only in twin.  Eventually the pack whittled down to one girl who spoke some English and I decided to just get a king set.  In our rather humorous attempts to communicate I was able to use some of my Thai (very exciting) which of course just made her switch to Thai and prattle on about some very complicated discount thing.  After maybe 10 years of debate and discussion I settled on a set that I liked in a quality I liked at a price I could shut my eyes and live with.  At least I got 2 free pillows thrown in. Too bad I already had pillows from the school and didn't need them, but I do like them better than the school ones and now I have plenty for all my future guests:) 

 
 

Day 1

Seeing as I am not working yet, and am trying to take things slow and not exerting myself too much, you'll probably hear from me a lot in the next few days.  Plus, since EVERYTHING is new, I have lots to say:) 

• Last night I saw a 2-3" something scurry across the wall outside my apartment.  Got a closer look this morning- only a gecko, not a cockroach:)  
• I live on the 4th floor, in the end unit, both of which I love.  Top floor means the best views (and great quads, eventually) and the end unit means an extra window.  
• Had lunch at the mall food court with two other 'newbies', a social studies teacher and his wife (you think my life is crazy, in the past 9 months they have started dating, gotten engaged, got married, and moved to Thailand), and the Thai wife of another teacher.  She drove us over and helped translate/navigate for us. 
• I ate kao pad gai a fried rice type dish with chicken.  Basic and safe, but yummy.  $1.50
• Afterwards we went to the department store.  Zach and Kelly got a few things (they've been here a week or so, so they had a list) and I got a shower curtain.  Mostly I just looked around a lot to see what there was (everything) and how much it cost.  
• The grocery store is at the mall (this could be dangerous) so we went there after.  The mall itself is very new and modern, a lot like Twelve Oaks really.  There are malls everywhere here.  Not the little neighborhood shops I liked so much in San Isidro, but conveniently air conditioned. 
• It's humid.  Really humid.  I think I have two hair choices: chop it off or put it in a pony tail.  I sweat stepping out my front door.
• The rain came around 6:00, just as it was getting dark.  The dark clouds came long before the rain, so I knew it was coming, but it hit like a ton of bricks- hard and loud.  
• The apartment opens up to a wide covered hallway, which was awesome during the rain.  Today's rain was cool and refreshing so it was nice to be outside during part of it.  I am thinking a patio chair would be great for enjoying the rain.  It stormed and poured for a bit and has been sprinkling ever since (a few hours).  
• My apartment is nice, but bare, and I am glad for every bit of decor I brought with me. It will take awhile to put together, but I think it will be nice and homey soon. 
• For dinner I walked to a nearby food stall with Zach and Kelly.  There is a cluster of them just around the corner.  This time I got pad thai gai chicken pad thai, and a cold Thai tea.  Total cost $2.50.  Now, the tea did have ice in it, so we'll see how I feel about that choice in 24 hours.  I only drink bottled water, but it's going to be pretty tough to avoid ice in this heat.  
• I haven't really felt any jet lag all day, which is pretty amazing, I think.  My feet, hips, neck, and shoulders are a tad sore from the traveling and if I really think about it I am a tiny bit tired, but that's it.  
• I had a great first day and really enjoyed getting to know Zach and Kelly a bit.  Two other teachers arrived this afternoon and there are several more coming in tonight.  Lots of 'getting to know you' activities and conversations coming up, I'm sure.  It was enjoyable today, but I am sure that very soon I'll be tired of having the same conversations over and over and over (there are 22 new teachers).  

Tomorrow's agenda is pretty much the same- shopping.  My list is pretty long, so I want to prioritize it a bit. I also need to consider which items I want to pay a little more for better quality and which ones I want to conserve money on.   I am sure there are more observations from today, but those are the ones that come to mind right now.  No pictures yet, but I promise I'll take some tomorrow. 

PS- the only Thai I used today was thank you and hello.  But I am enjoying recognizing some words and seeing people's reactions to this foreigner saying something in Thai. 

Blessings

Praise God for:

• Four smooth on time flights
• All luggage arriving, and it even appears there was no breakage!
• No one taking away my carry-on bag (more on this later)
• Sleep when I wanted to on the journey and (mostly) staying awake when I wanted
• No trouble finding the Elementary and Middle School principals who came to pick me up (not hard to find the white people with a sign in a sea of Asians!)
• Almost 7 hours of sleep in my new apartment last night!  
• A hot cup of tea this morning
• A hot shower

There were really only 2 moments in the whole trip where there were issues of any kind, and they both had to do with the fact that I packed so much (too much) stuff.  The checked bag weight limit is 50lbs, and I knew 2 of my bags were right around 52, which has never been an issue in the past.  But things are getting stricter, so each of those had to shed a few pounds at the check-in in Detroit.  I had not been able to get a good weight on the third bag, which came in at 58lbs, so that one lost some serious book weight.  Mostly I left behind some "would be nice to have" books (in Spanish and for the classroom) and about 3 months of hair product. I stuff a few extra items into my carry-on.  So after spreading my belongs all over to sort through that I got my bags checked and was on my way.  Now, I was carrying on two items- a wheeled suitcase full of valuables, breakables, paperwork, and emergency supplies, and a laptop bag with my in flight items.  In LA I had to recheck-in with the new airline (Asiana Airlines, which was wonderful, by the way) and they actually weighed my carry-on bag. Their carry-on limit is 22lbs and mine came in around 35lbs.  I asked the girl what my options were, and basically I would need to check it (for $55) to Bangkok.  Seeing no other choice we started taking out the "must haves" like original documents, prescriptions, etc.  "Oh, but all these things will break!" the Asiana girl noted.  "I know, that's why they are in my carry-on!".  She began to see just how much stuff I would need to take out and came up with the most brilliant plan.  I swapped out the heavy stuff for things like my neck pillow and novel so that the wheeled bag got down to it's proper limit.  She gave my a plastic bag for the items that didn't fit in my laptop bag, tagged the big bag as "approved" and told me to make sure that the items from the plastic bag somehow fit into the laptop bag before boarding, as I was only allowed two items.  "Will they weigh my bag again anywhere?" I asked her.  "No".  I smiled, thanked her profusely and was on my way.  Of course, upon arrival at my gate I went to a corner, put everything back where it had been, and happily boarded the plane:) 

She was actually the second airline employee to have pity on me and help me keep that carry-on bag with me.  The plane for my Detroit to Chicago flight was tiny, so they were making announcements about limited overhead space and encouraging people to check their wheeled bags at no cost.  They advised people in seating area 4 that the space would be full by the time they got on.  I, of course, was in seating area 4 (the load from the outside in, and I always sit on the aisle) and had no intentions of checking my bag.  I went up to the counter and explained my situation to the woman, who kindly reseated me in area 2 so I could get on the plane earlier.  I told her I didn't care where I sat, as long as that bag got on the plane with me (for 45 minutes I could sit on the floor).  She moved me to an open window seat- in Economy Plus- that also happened to be an exit row.  Double bonus. 

Okay, enough luggage stories.  I have had some cereal and want to get moving on some basic unpacking and seeing the school.  I'll try to take some pics for the next post. 

And, we're off!

This will be my final post from these United States- by this time tomorrow I will be boarding my second flight, from Chicago to LA.  My bags are (almost) packed, with a total luggage weight of nearly 200lbs.  Happily, very few items from the 'wish list' didn't make it in the final cut and I am going to have more than enough "stuff" with me. 

My itinerary will take me from Detroit to Chicago to LA to Seoul and then finally, to Bangkok.  I should arrive there around 1pm Eastern time on Tuesday (around midnight Tuesday night in Bangkok).  They are currently 11 hours ahead of Detroit; after the time change here it will be an easy-breezy 12hours. 

I am so excited to see what God has in store for the days, weeks, and months ahead in Thailand.  His grace never ceases to amaze or surprise me, and as I step out into this new adventure and calling, I am certainly glad to know that He is in control. 

Next time from Thailand,
Love,
Clare

Good-bye Week

Logic may say that good-byes should get easier; they don't.  If anything, they get harder.  And this week is a week of packing, last minute shopping, and saying good-bye.  Today was one of the hardest ones.  It reminds me of one of my favorite poems, a short little one I've memorized just by reading it. 

For me who go,
for you who stay-
two autumns. 
- Taniguchi Buson

But I am reminded, even in the midst of the sadness and pain, that I go for a reason, a mission, a purpose.  The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.

New Adventures

Everything you want in life has a price connected to it. There's a price to pay if you want to make things better, a price to pay just for leaving things as they are, a price for everything.

Harry Browne

All changes are more or less tinged with melancholy, for what we are leaving behind is part of ourselves.

Amelia Barr

A man practices the art of adventure when he breaks the chain of routine and renews his life through reading new books, traveling to new places, making new friends, taking up new hobbies and adopting new viewpoints

Wilfred Peterson

A simple errand...

Today I had to buy a pillow.  A simple task, but only because I knew where to go and how to get one.  I knew, for example, what type(s) of store(s) would have pillows, and what the general price range would be at each store.  I am familiar with the brand names and know their general cost and quality.  So all I had to do today was go out and get it- I knew which exact store would have the best pillow at the best price.  I knew where the store was and the best route to get there.  In a foreign country, buying a pillow could take all afternoon, or multiple attempts on several days.  For starters, you have to figure out what kind of store is going to carry pillows (or whatever the item is) and then find out where one of those stores are and how to get there.  Once you get there, that store may or may not actually have what you're looking for, or it may have it at too high a price or too low a quality.  This scenario played out many times in Argentina, where "an afternoon's worth" of errands could take a week, or two.  I once spent over 4 hours going out to get a wedding gift for a friend only to end up getting something other than what I wanted to because it was the only thing I could find, and later finding out I'd gone about the process entirely incorrectly for Argentina.  I'd tried to use a gift registry in the same way I'd used one my whole life.  Advent candles were another item I remember scouring the city for and paying too much because I was so relieved just to find something that would work. 

Looking forward to how all this plays out when trying to stock my apartment in Bangkok, in two short weeks! 

Mushrooms

I have decided that it is time that I start learning to eat mushrooms.  I don't expect that I'm going to necessarily like them much, but as part of my preparation for Thailand I figure it's good to be able to eat them.  My thinking is that lots of Thai and Asian dishes have mushrooms in them, and they're usually small, which should make them easier to eat (and harder to eat around).  Plus, I'm going to be avoiding so many other foods there- strange creatures and bugs and things, at least for awhile, that it would be helpful to not have to eat around mushrooms.  So this evening, when ordering pizza with friends, we got Supreme.  I like everything on it except the mushrooms and in that big mound of flavorful toppings, I didn't notice them anyhow.  So far, the mushroom experiment is a success.  Just don't expect any such attempts with mayo or ranch...