Random experiences and advice

Although one month late, I did in fact, introduce myself to the entire school this morning. I stood up at the front by the flag pole and told 1500 students my name, my nick name, where I'm from and what I'm doing here-- in Thai. I'm sure that all of the students were already aware of my name and where I was from and that I was an exchange student. Hey, I've already been here a month.

Yet, after being here a month, I still have new learning experiences. For instance, yesterday, I made it through an ENTIRE Aerobics class. That's one hour nonstop dancing outside in the humidity and heat. I even stayed through the cool down. I had promised my host father that I'd be home before dark. The class ended ten minutes after the sun had set, so I rushed home on my bicycle. I've never peddled so fast in my life.

In the last post, I mentioned my prized cheese. I paid 200฿ for that cheese and when I looked in the fridge last night, some one had tasted it (which I don't have a problem with) but they had forgotten to wrap it in cling wrap. So my cheese was molding and dry on all sides.
I rescued my cheese. I cut off all of the bad spots and placed the cheese in a plastic bag. I was not about to lose my precious cheese. I' m possessive about my farang food. I shouldn't be, I know. But here is is very expensive and it's not as versatile as sticky rice. My British English teacher bought sausage and bacon in Khon Kaen. He has no room in his freezer, so placed it in the freezer in the teacher's room. To save energy the school shut off the power to the freezer, leaving Martin's special sausage and bacon to defrost. He was not happy.

Emma and I have started making bubble tea at home. We are learning how to perfect the bubbles. Our first attempts were disastrous. Last time we made a big vat, but left it in the pot too long and now they all taste burnt. Blending ice is not a good thing for the blender, just like it's not a good for your teeth (I've stopped chewing ice, I promise). I asked my friends for the word for crushed ice so I could buy it at a seven eleven. Nam kang bhot. I could not say bhot the way they wanted me to. I said it over and over and over again while they laughed and laughed. Granted, I was laughing too. One has to, otherwise you end up embarrassed at your lack of language skills. But when I finally got it, I turned around and said, "well then, tell me the difference between chair and share."
They couldn't hear it. It's a slight change that most English speaking people don't even notice. But the Thai people can't hear the difference. I had to try and explain how the mouth makes the sound and where your tongue goes. In the end, I taught my friend Pooh some tongue twisters and got her just as frustrated as she had made me.
To Sara, Rob, Charlie, Craig and everyone else on the rotary circuit, this is my advice for the next year's exchange students.
"Unless you speak the language flawlessly (which you won't because we're all American), you will have an accent. You will have trouble with some sounds or pronunciations and your friends will laugh at you. You will repeat the same sound a million times while they try and correct you and you can't tell the difference between what you said and what they said. Laugh, enjoy the moment, think of it as free language tutoring, but when it's over turn it around on them. Find what sound they can't say in English. Use that weakness to your advantage, exploit it. Teach them tongue twisters in English and suddenly they are laughing at their own incompetence and you feel much better about your accent."

You can change it, but this tactic has helped me so much. I even told it to my friend in China. Yesterday my friends and I were rolling on the floor laughing because of our accents in thai and english.

I'm rather exotic here, as most of you predicted. I have had at least 3 perfect strangers ask for my phone number. I answer with a "Mai dai!" and a smile. It means can't. They are normally fairly young men, but much older than me, punks on their motorcycles. They're the ones that honk at me on their motorcycles, although older men honk too. The men seem so happy with themselves, it's as if they think they are the first people to EVER honk at me or Emma. Some days I laugh, other days I get really annoyed and wish it would all stop. But it won't so I'll learn to deal with it.

This is the Tally of free stuff I've been given because I am an exchange student.

Som tam (spicy papaya salad)-- from a friend of my host mother's who runs a shop in my neighborhood.

Green tea-- from the women who run the coffee shop that emma and I are very loyal to.

Fruit-- from the women who run the bubble tea shop right next to the coffee shop. We are also loyal to this shop as well. And even though we are making our own bubble tea, we bought the ingredients from these women.

Coffee-- from the english teacher who teaches the kids that are not in english immerision. Sometimes he give me cake too.

2 polo shirts-- from my rotary club.

2 T-shirts-- from the Rotary Youth Exchange program in District 3340.

1 Backpack with a Rotary 3340 thailand exchange patch (I rather like it) -- also from the Rotary Youth Exchange District 3340.

Ice Cream-- from my Rotary Exchange counselor. He also owns the nicest hotel in town, on the same level as the Salbasgeon in Corvallis. I have a feeling that he would give discounts to my family should anyone come visit (not probable, I know and not necessary either) but in case anyone would like to know, a room in the Riverview Hotel (named so because it is on the Mekhong River and has a stunning view of Laos) is about 1500฿. That's during the height of the season and is roughly $45 a night for a double bed room.

That's it, but I've only been here a 5 weeks.