This is Thailand

In Argentina, when stuff happened that was crazy or frustrating or "just how things are" in Argentina, we always just said well, "Bienvenidos a Argentina", which means welcome to Argentina.  Here, when that stuff happens we say well, "This is Thailand".  And yes, there have been several moments like that lately. But there have also been moments that are just as much Thailand to me, and way more positive.

• It takes 8 days and bazillions of phone calls to get the internet working in the apartment. This is Thailand. 
• When you call the internet company call center instead of getting an operator on the operator line you get a chance to leave your name and number for them to call you back. Maybe. This is Thailand. 
• You come down with nasty food poisoning and you're not sure what it was that you ate that caused it- there are several good candidates.  This is Thailand. 
• Your apartment doesn't have a stove, so you get a counter-top hot plate.  After a week of using it only for the tea kettle, you go to heat up some leftover rice soup and it doesn't work.  Try the tea kettle. Works. Put the saucepan back on. Turns itself off.  Kettle. Heats up. Saucepan. Turns off.  Over and over and over.  Turns out that the saucepan doesn't have a stainless bottom, so it won't work on the hot plate. Have to replace one or the other (going to replace the hotplate I think, since someone just gave it to me and I specially chose this nice saucepan). This is Thailand. 
• Laying at home on the couch recovering from said food poisoning without any internet so your only communication with the outside world is the cell phone. Which promptly runs out of minutes due to use and your friend has to buy and deliver phone cards for you. This is Thailand.  
• Your friends spend their time and energy battling the internet problem with you, translating for the service technician, sitting on hold with the Thai call center line, giving them their number to call back, and fiddling with the modem for you.  This is my Thailand. 
• Friends who deliver Gatorade, carbon tablets, rice soup, phone cards, and later bread and bananas to your home on the couch when you are sick.  This is my Thailand.
• Colleagues who cover for your classes and follow the sketched out plans you wrote for yourself when you couldn't send in sub plans.  This is my Thailand.
• A friend who lets you use their US phone card since you can't skype your mother to tell her you're sick, not that she can do anything but simply because when one is sick you must tell mom.  This is my Thailand. 

Yes, this is Thailand, and I'm quite happy to be here and to be feeling much better and be back online at home.