Loi Kartong Festival!!!

Loi Kratong festival was tonight! At the festival my friends all went to light the lantern that floats in the sky and the Kratong that floats in the water. It was so beautiful! I also saw the Princess! When we put the Kratong in the water you make wishes. I guess you could say that I made many wishes, like good health, good grades in college...and blah blah blah. Also the lantern in the sky is suppost to show that you will go to heaven... That is how my friends explained it to me. I saw a lot of my classmates at Nongpajak park (where the festival was held at.) It seemed like everyone from my school was there. I heard 7,000 people usually go to the festival but I think there was a lot more then that.

Nong Khai!

I went to Nong with our maid, my host mother, and Nina to get our visas extended. I have to go back in January to the immigration office to get another extension since I was missing one school form. It was so much fun, after we went to Tesco and there was a Starbucks! ^_^ I got a green tea latte, of course!

There was a Chinese festival going on in Nong Khai that day. It was pretty fun because they had dragons, and fireworks! And people got possessed!!!! it was awesome!

twilight is coming to Thailand! yay!

Big fan of Twilight so when I saw the movie poster I got really excited! I got Nina into the whole twilight series too. ^_^ We went to Chantaburi this past weekend with all the other exchange students. It was pretty fun but I really do not like all the bugs here. ugh. In Chantaburi there was a fire guy...um and I painted a fence...thats pretty much it.

Out with my Thai friends! ^_^

I went to dinner with my friends from school. It was most likely the best time I have had so far! We went to this place near my home where you cook your own food, like shabu shabu. They wanted to go out and celebrate my birthday! A lot of people came so I was happy. The people that cam were; Pei, Dui, An, Mini, Pang, Sumate, Dong, Tao, First, Nart, Gee, and Date.

It was funny the whole time because they would say random things and thought I didn't understand when I did. Gee did that a lot! I wish they weren't so busy all the time cause then we could all hang out more! ^_^

Karaoke night....

My mother had a surprise birthday party for me at this Karaoke bar outside the city. I thought we were going to her friends house but when we pulled up into the parking lot i knew she had lies. I was so happy because my friend P'Mob was able to come to my party, even though he had final exams the very next day! P'Ked gave me bananas...its sweet but a total guy thing to do! ^_^ Everyone loves to sing here and karaoke is perfect for them! P'Ked lost his voice after the night was over!

It was a fun night, something that I will never forget!

my birthday!!!!

My 17th birthday was spent in Thailand...I have had two celebrations, one at the Rotary meeting, and the other at school. At school my teachers bought two cakes, one that said happy birthday in Thai and the other said it in English. One was vanilla and the other was chocolate favored with jelly candy on top.I was so surprised when I saw the cake because I didnt think that anyone would remember my birthday! This ia birthday that I will never forget! At the rotary meeting they had a cake with mini animals around the edges and in a heart shape.

school = nothing but isala.....

I have had four hours of free periods today (isala). I have only been to lunch with my friends and 30 minutes of health class. I am kinda bored now and the wireless Internet here does not let me get on to facebook......so I am forced to write in this blog that no one reads....... How sad my life is...

Well the good thing is that it is my last day at school tomorrow and then, HOLIDAY!!!! ^_^

English Competition level 3

I was one of the judges for the English competition that was held at my school. There were three schools that participated, my school and two other schools in Udon Thani. There was a spelling bee, writing, crossword, and speech competition. I was the judge for the speech, writing, and spelling competitions. It was a pretty small competition, nothing really serious just for fun I think.It was fun to be able to help out and actually contribute to something. But they all thought that I pronounced the words funny, even though I'm the native speaker. I guess they say "lunch" differently here.....

Clean water????? YES PLEASE!

The Rotary club in Udon helped a school in the middle of nowhere set up a clean water system. Today we all went to the school for the thank you ceremony. we all got Isan cloth and took many pictures with the students and Rotarians. I loved the lunch though..... That was the best part for me. ^_^ It was actually really good! Trust me! Eggplant and lotus beans with pork! Oh So GOOD! I want to learn how to make this dish before I go home!

The Clean water system at the school.

Bangkok City!

Peace out B-Town....jk.jk.jk...

Went to Bangkok with Nina's family this past weekend. It was her grandfather's birthday so they drove out to Bangkok and asked if I would like to join them. Originally I wasn't because my Thai friends were going to go to the complex this weekend but they cancelled so I went to Bangkok instead. I saw P'Aek but not P' Jaao, she had to work so I didn't get to hang out with her on Sunday. It was a nice trip, on the way to Bangkok Nina's family stop at an outlet mall in some random town, I think maybe Saraburi....but I'm not sure. There was a Starbucks there! I was so happy and it was Nina's first Starbucks visit EVER! I feel for her, there are no Starbucks in her town back in Germany.

The drive didn't seem as long as usual, I think it is because Nina and I were talking and messing around the whole car ride there. I was so happy to get out of the car though when we got to Nina's Grandmother's house! Her Grandmother is this really nice Thai lady who speaks no English and always wants to feed everyone. I met Nina's brother there, he is a medical student at some university in Bangkok. The Thai school system here is weird, they don't have an undergraduate program so students just start medical training right out of high school.

Bangkok has these bright pink taxis, I love them! I was told that even though tuk tuks are fun taxis are better because they cost about the same and taxis have air conditioning. I think tuk tuks are a tourist thing, like pretty much everything here in Thailand. But I gotta say, I love Chatuchak (JJ) Market! I think it is my new favorite shopping destination in Bangkok. ^_^ When I went there I bought a pair of really pretty silver flower earrings and a matching necklace. I also bought some stuff for my flower making craft class at school. Right now I am working on making a orchid plant out of wire and fabric stuff.

The Market was crowded that day and the traffic in Bangkok is the worse I have ever seen... Even when it is not Rush hour it feels like it takes forever to get anywhere! That's the only bad thing about Bangkok I think....

busy busy busy

This past weekend I went with my Thai friends to a Mormon church near my house where they learned about college in America and how to get scholarships. It lasted the whole day and I was pretty bored but after three of my friends and one boy that was at the church left to go the the complex. We ate at Swensens and I bought Corrie a birthday present. I went on the bus for the first time here and I know how to get the the complex by my self. It was the first time I had seen my friends in normal clouthes, and I enjoyed shopping with them. On Sunday I went to Ban Chiang again for a festival. I also when to Udon Thani Sunrise orchid farm with my host mother and her friends. The flowers were so beautiful and they smelled so amazing! This weekend I will be going to the complex again to eat pizza with my friends and go shopping. Yesterday I went to fittness with Nina, it was my second time there. We go to the Ban Chiang hotel to work out and after we swim and go in the sauna! ^-^ It is so much fun! I bought a new bathingsuit because iIforgot to bring mine. I also bought two tops at Robinsons yesterday. The food here is so good! But I cant get carried away.

I am hoping that I will be able to go to Bangkok this weekend and go on a tour with P'Aek and P

Jaao. They are really fun. Nina asked me if I could go to Bangkok with her this weekend but I think I want to hang out with my Thai friends instead. They are so busy it is hard to organize a time to go out.

One month and counting....

This month of August has been busy for me, I arrived in Thailand on Saturday August second and right when I met my host family they put me in a van and began the eight hour drive to Udon Thani. It was eleven at night and we drove the whole way home. I couldn't really sleep much that night, while I was in the car I kept thinking about why I was in Thailand... Its hard to explain, Thailand was not one of my Top Three choices but everyone said that it is the best place for me. I still have to wonder about that even now sometimes but I want to treasure the short time that I am here. I never saw myself going to Thailand but now that I am here it has been starting to grow on me.

I started school on August fifth, and I was so surprised by everything! My homeroom class was so warm and welcoming to me. They helped me with everything that day; getting lunch, my schedule, everything. Let me just say that the lunch here is first class! :] I understand why an exchange student here would get fat. But anyway, my first day I had to leave school to help the Magkang Rotary club hand out eye glasses to students at another school. My counselor, Kun Pichit took me to the school and we gave out, about hundred and fifty glasses.

That night my host family and I went to the Rotary meeting where I introduced myself in Thai. My host brother, Toomtam, also talked about his anticipation to be an exchange student in Indiana.

On Friday I went to the Complex with my host brother to hang out with his friends. we ate at a place called MK which was very interesting because every hour the workers would come out and do a dance... After we ate, everyone took pictures together in a booth. There were six of us, three girls and three boys, I don't remember the girls names but the boys were, Max, Best, and Toomtam. The guys went to B2S a music, book, and stationary store. I bought a CD by an Artist named Oak Smith. I might meet him while I am here in Thailand.

We left Udon Thani that Saturday at about 5 a.m. to drive to Bangkok. We met his cousin Pe Egg and stayed with him at his apartment building. His mother came with us to Bangkok. I met his girlfriend, I can't remember her name but she is really pretty and very nice. They took Toomtam and I to eat then she and I ate dessert. Toomtam left for America on Sunday at 5 a.m. in the morning. While we were at the airport sending my host brother away, I met another rotary exchange student from America who is staying in the same district as me. She seemed excited to talk to me and we were talking about our time in Thailand so far. After my parents took my to the temple of the Emerald Buddha. I it was so amazing! That day it was very crowded though and it was so HOT! Everyone was pushing and they were all sweaty.

On August twelve I met the exchange student from Germany, Nina. She is very nice and we talked for a long time. I ended up sleeping over her house and spending time with here. At first she was having a very hard time because she missed her family and friends back home. But she has bee very happy now. She is so pretty and I enjoy being able to talk to someone like her.

I went to Ban Chiang on August sixteenth with my host mother and our maid plus her son.

On Monday August eighteenth my friends and I went to Khon Kaen University for science week. It was my first time in Khon Kaen and I was so excited to see a Thai university. The campus is very big and I was surprised to find an "American Corner"! :]

I went to Nakhon Ratchasima on the twenty third with my counselor because there was a meeting there that he had to go to. I went on a tour with other YEs and one was from America too but she is living far from Udon Thani.

The Magkang rotary club had gone to nine Wats on the twenty forth. Nina and I were so tired that day but we discovered a Thai snack that is really good! :] My favorite wat was the one up in the mountains. it was so beautiful and clean!

Yesterday the Robinson store had a fashion show and Nina, her mother and sister were in it! she got her hair done and danced with famous Thai actors! I took a picture with one but I don't know who he is... But it was still very exciting! I think he is very cute too. :] I yelled Nina's name when she was on the catwalk and everyone stared at my after but it was worth it. There was this transsexual who was the MC at the event, and that day I had saw him on the TV.

D3340

There has been some stress over my student visa this past month and I am just hoping that everything will work out in time. The travel agent had emailed that August 1st will still most likely be the day that I leave Kona but I will have to be traveling for about three days. On the bright side, I have a copy of my school guarantee form. The name of the school that I will be going to in Thailand is called, "Udonpichairakpittaya".... I am trying to figure out how to pronounce it.... Sad I know, I should know how by now but Thai is very difficult for me. The uniform is very interesting, with a pink button down top and navy spotted pants. I saw some pictures of the uniform and the school on the Internet the other day. I am very curious about the students and everyday life at school since...I will be there a majority of the time. I have also contacted my host family in Thailand. The problem is that they don't use their regular names!! In the emails that I have gotten they have been using their nick names or something cause the name Tooman doesn't ring a bell in my mind! I'm already confused and I'm not even in the country yet! Well anyway the district that I am going to is Rotary District 3340. They are so organized and seemingly really intense! But its good because my mother can be equally intense and I know that she loves how organized they are.

I had my Bon Voyage party this past weekend. I enjoyed being with my family the most. Its sad when I think that I won't be seeing them for ten months. But going to Thailand is something that I can't give up for anything. A lot of people came to the party, but that wasn't what I wanted at the beginning. I wanted just my family and maybe one or two friends and ended up with so many people..... But in the end it was okay. Most of my friends came and I stayed up really late with some of them just talking and having fun. I loved how Steph and Nana came all the way from Hilo for my party. I was so happy to see them both and it made my party that much more enjoyable.

Udon Thani, Thailand

I am going to be living in that red area seen on the map, Udon Thani. I have been told that the Thai culture is very conservative and very strict when it come to the Buddha or the royal family. One thing that I believe that I will have a hard time with is communication. I have been trying to learn Thai but it is a very difficult language. I want to get the basics down before I leave for Udon Thani so that I won't be totally lost when I get there. The weather will be really hot and humid, not like Hawaii where there is cooling trade winds. Many people take more than one bath a day there because it is important to be very clean. Also we aren't supposed to touch the head or point the bottom of our feet at anyone because it is a sign of great disrespect.

I cannot wait to leave! I want to learn how to cook Thai food! Thai food is very delicious but people have been telling me that I will get sick of eating Thai food though. I still have to talk to more Thai people about the culture and everyday life. I also have been thinking about getting a cellular phone and the option of bring my lab top or not.