why I love Nongkhai

Well, before I discuss why I love Nongkhai and Thailand, I want to tell you that not everything is perfect, obviously. However, my biggest frustrations I have found are internal, except communication. If I could change the fact that I don't speak Thai and the townspeople don't speak English, I would move here, I think. But when getting mail from the post office, requires a lot of pantimiming, lots of tears, two phone calls to the office, and a sweedish woman living in Thailand for 5 years to come rescue me, you know everything is not honky dory.

Ok, but now on to the good stuff.

I think my favorite part of Thailand, and specifically Travel-to-teach in Nongkhai, is the family that is created. The first few days I didn't really know anyone, because I was soo busy getting acclimated, when all the new people had been there for a few days already. Pretty soon though, I was already accepted into this little family. It's great, because people come and go, and yet the family still exists. For example, we were Thai dancing one night after the camp and we had all gotten some ice cream. I had gotten the chocolate chip one, and my friend Eddie had gotten this rum Rasin one. I asked him how it was, and without batting an eye, he put some icecream on the spoon and put it right into my mouth. I know that sounds funny to write it out in a blog, but its just a testament of how close we all are. If there is a water bottle around, you just drink it, because you know everyone would allow you to anyways. When you are in a hammock, someone is above you to push you. People share cigarettes, food, clothes etc. Everyone just takes care of everyone else. It's amazing.

Another example occured last night. Although in telling you the story I am going to basically explain the whole night. It's not necessary, but I just want to.

It was Bass's last night. We all wanted to go out and celebrate, so we decided to go to Karaoke. You might think that Karaoke would be at a bar, with lots of people around. Yeah, not so. First of all its at a hotel. You tell the people at the hotel, that you'd like to "rent a Karaoke room", and then you wait in this air conditioned lobby for a while, with other groups waiting for a room. Finally, you are allowed into the room. It is a lot smaller then the lobby and literally has a few couches on one side and the karaoke equipment on the other. So we sat around and sang our hearts out to classic 80s songs, some pop music and we even tried a Thai song. It's rather entertaining though, because the lyrics are not exactly correct. They just kinda make up whatever they think the lyrics are. For example in the Spice girls song 2 become 1, "you can achieve it", became "you can A chive it", with A and chive being two separate words. Either way, it was great fun. I wound up with the microphone most of the time, which was pleasant for all I'm sure, since my throat has been sore for over a week. It was just another one of those amazing evenings.

Then we went to Barnana. Barnana, is one of the Thai disco's. They have a live band until 1am ish and then just a DJ until they close, which is whenever they feel like it. It's very dark and loud. You aren't really allowed to dance with each other, you instead stand around tables and everyone dances separately. It's a little weird. Especially because most people don't really dance well on their own and use dancing as an excuse to rub up on someone else. You also bring your own alcohol to Barnana. You buy soft drinks from the club, but you bring your own alcohol, so Sam and I split some Sam Song Whisky for 110Baht. It's traditional crappy Thai Whisky. With some coke though, you hardly taste it and it did the trick. So basically you stay there, dance around and dance some more. The music is too loud to have any meaningful conversations, so I have to say that I get pretty bored after a while. Either way, its great fun when we all go and enjoy ourselves and let loose. We go there, because my roommate Yvette is dating the lead singer of the band.

Ok, so now that the scene is set, I will bring you back to the premise of my blog. So a Thai guy that we would call a "lady-boy"( a transvestite, or someone who is extremely feminine) came over and started dancing with us, see picture to left. While this isn't completely out of the ordinary, as Thai people are very interested in our culture, it surprisingly does not happen as often as I would have expected. So he starts dancing with all of us, but then starts to put the moves on Sam a little, and of course the typical male freaks out a little. Well, a few minutes later he comes over to me and starts asking me questions. This was troublesome for many reasons that I have already explained; loud music, dark(so I can't even read lips) and he spoke pidgeon English. I have enough trouble understanding the English people speaking British English when I'm sober, so this was just impossible. Yet he would not give up. So he brings me over to the side. I still cannot hear him at all. Then he grabs my arm and takes me up to the stairs outside(which is also where the bathrooms are). My friends all look at me quizically and I knod that it is ok. Finally, we get to the bathrooms, and I can hear what he is saying, although I still can't understand. I see my friend Eddie and he comes right over to where we are talking and pretends not to know me, but is kinda making sure everything is ok. THe Thai boy asks me something about "what is important to me as a foriegner?" I didn't know what he meant really, or know how to answer so I called Eddie over, who knows a fair amount of Thai and had him interpret. Finally, we piece together, that he's telling us that we shouldn't leave our bags anywhere, because Thai people will take them. Oh, and he also tell's Eddie he is a homosexual. Phew, what an experience. So when I went back down to the club, everyone was so worried about me, and wondering what happened and making sure I was ok. It was so nice to know that they were all there for me.

I feel really included and loved here. When we left, a bunch of people went back to the other dorm, but since I had stayed there the previous night, and then been at the camp the week before, and spent most of the previous weekend at the other dorm, I felt that tonight I wanted to sleep in my own bed. Many of my friends were upset that I wasn't going to stay up and party on. I've never been known as the party girl, and not that i really am here, but people want me to be there, and people count on me as part of the group. It's a great feeling.

So tomorrow to Laos, so I will be incommunicato for a while. I also have to decide about Oakland by next week. I'm pretty sure I am accepting. Thoughts and comments appreciated!!