Orchids, moleskin art, and the road home....帰り道

Since I have returned to Udon Thani the days are calm and quiet. I retreat to the small garden in front of the house and listen to my Thailand. The world becomes a more seldom place as I realize that I am only in Thailand for a short time more. Udon Thani has become my home this past year and I feel a piece of my heart is slowly being torn from me. It will be very hard to leave in May... I also know that it will be many years before I can return to Thailand. One exchange student said that, "When I returned to my home country it felt as if everything the year before had been a dream..."

When I am in the States again the summer will be full of activities; graduation, family get togethers, friend's grad party's, grad night at Disneyland, Kristy's wedding, and moving to California for college. While these things are all very fun, I am worried that I will be unprepared for this step in my life. It is also painful to think that I will only be home in Kona for a short time and then, once again I will have to pack up and go somewhere, its just that now I have no clue how long it will be before I return home.

The southern tour reminded me so much of Hawaii and when I would go to the beach with all my friends. I am amazed at myself for wanting to go home so badly but not wanting to leave either. Conflicting emotions are never easy to describe. Well, I thought I might put up pictures of some of my pages from my moleskin journal. When ever I was overly emotional, thought too much, or just wanted to pass the time I would either write or draw. So out of my head and on to paper, creativity and boredom reign! Just kidding.

There have been new orchids blooming recently. Small, fragrant yellow ones fall from the tree and hang lightly in the wind. Those are my favorite of all the orchids at my house. I really fancy trees and flowers that hang down, almost like they are trying to touch the ground instead of reaching for the sky.

I feel more at ease now, so I can get to work on finishing so very difficult essays and sort out all my scholarship "to do" list.

No voice, coughing, and heat

Recently in Udon Thani, there was the Rotary District Conference at the Charoen Hotel. I was the MC for the District Governor's Banquet, but it is my luck that I loose my voice that very day. I was, lets just say, very upset. I still don't have my voice back if your wondering, it has been about four days. Now I am beginning to wonder if I will have to live the rest of my life without my voice, very scary thought.

I am at home, bored, and wondering what I could do to pass the time. I would go for a walk but the heat outside makes it unbearable. My host mother and aunt are taking naps at the moment.

While I do love Thai music, I have become engrossed in Utada's upcoming English album, This is the One. FYI

Next week I will be leaving for the Southern Paradise tour to Phuket. I am excited be at the same time it will be a reminder of home.

Graduation

This morning the M6 and M3 classes graduated, there were also awards for the student representatives, and the students at the top of their class. All the students that were graduating gave out pins with contact information, candy, pictures, and messages. They also give out necklaces with hearts, candy, and photos as well. Mr. John's students all gave him pins and necklaces!
After the ceremony I met up with my friends Biak, Khom, and some other M5 students.

Ubolratana - Lake, Garden, and Dinosaurs

Ajarn Narin wanted to take myself and the foreign teachers to Ubolratana for the day. Ajarn Narin, Ajarn Jojo, Ajarn Jingwu and he girlfriend, Zixi, and I all went to Ubolratana. Zixi has been visiting Udon Thani from Beijing for about three weeks now.

We first stopped at a garden in the mountains of Song Nang where there were also dinosaurs! Now real ones of course but before many years ago there were.

When we got to the lake I was in a way disappointed that it was so muggy. I believe it was due to the fires up north. The day was not clear at all, but a haze...

วันมาฆบูชา....The First Instructions

Do good

Don't do bad

Purify yourself

The first instructions given by the lord Buddha to his followers on this day many years ago. The Thai people remember this day every year with prayer and celebration. My host family took me to a Wat outside of Udon Thani. Many people were there, some slept at the temple while others came just for the night. My host mother, father, and aunt all went this night to pray and later we lit a khom (floating lantern) into the sky.

The instructions given by the Buddha were, as best I can relate it to, similar to the Eightfold Path in Jodo Shinshu Buddhism. For those who do not know, I am a Jodo Shinshu Buddhist and the eightfold path, for the most part, is similar to the first two instructions given, Do good and Don't do bad.

Chinese New Year!!!!

Udon Thani has a fairly large Chinese population so there has been a lot of parties, fireworks, and community gatherings for the Chinese New Years. I went to one with my friends from school and another exchange student who was visiting me, Stephanie. A well know Thai singer, Waii, came to Udon Thani that night and preformed.

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.

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!

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.

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.