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.