I have now been in Thailand for 7 weeks. It feels like 7 months. Sorry I have not been able to update my blog until now I have been crazy busy. PST (pre service training) is not a cake walk, I have been just a tad bit distracted. I don't really know where to begin telling what has happened so far. There really isn't a good place to start its all a blur. I think I will share some key points of service so far. :
- My host family is beyond a perfect match for me. My little sister Jaja gave herself some tattoos last week and told her mom "Look Im Kaya now!"….melted my heart. Since then she has drawn tattoos on her body each day.
- My fellow volunteers are a group of amazing people I am happy to be serving with, specifically my friend Matt….I do believe we have been together in a past life cause he is just my cup of tea
- I have eaten fried bugs, not sure if I loved them but it is defiantly a great story tell. I am also sure within the next two years I will eat them again.
-Thailand is quite talented with fiting 6 people on a moped. A whole family, a gang of school kids, a few babies….you name it, they all fit on a moped.
-I have found out I am allergic to Thai mosquitos. Call me the cream queen.
-I am also the cooling powder queen. That is my shit. The perfect combo is a bucket shower, cooling powder, then sitting in front of the fan. That is Thai heaven right there.
-Poop is a regular conversation. Having the squirts on a squat toilet is an art, takes a bit of skill sometimes. The mosquitos take advantage of that time and bite my ass.
-Sweat is constant. Morning till night. Always sweating. Cooling powder at least makes it a bit cooler.
-I have had my first "surprise" peace corps moment when I went to just meet and talk with the school officials and they decided it was a great time for me to lead a school assembly on english. 300 kids vs. myself and Matt and Carissa…..we won. We danced and sang the whole hour.
-Why did the giant 6 foot long lizard cross the road? Cause he is a giant 6 foot long lizard and he doesn't give a fuck.
-I love dogs. I feel sorry for the street dogs here. I do not love dogs when they chase me on my bike. Number one injury in Thailand for PC volunteers……dog bites.
-Speaking of biking, you should see my sexy legs. I might not be able to fix your carburetor baby but if you have a flat on your bike this hot thang can totally help you out.
-I live peacefully with many types of bugs. If they aren't mosquitos I am not worried. My favorite pets are the 5 geckos who live in my room and click around at night eating the mosquitos.
-Peace Corps is a bit like high school in the aspect that gossip spreads like you wouldn't believe. But what else are we going to talk about, we are only training all day every day.
-I can speak some Thai, I can order food. Communicate to my family where I am going and what I am doing (most of the time) however I still sound awful speaking it. Thai is a tonal language, one word said 4 different ways means 4 completely different things.
-Kaya means trash when you say it in one tone. Since finding that out I try and go my nick name as much as possible.
-All Thais have nicknames, rarely ever do you call someone by their real name. YOu can't pick your nickname your family has to give it to you. I lucked out with a great nickname…..YaYa….apparently that is a superstar in Thailand. I am so down with it.
In two weeks I will find out my permanent site placement. I am quite excited for that but not too excited as there is a lot to happen before then. Next week I have my language test, I need to test intermediate low for my job. At mid point I tested at novice mid, if I do say so myself that is not too shabby for only speaking Thai for 4 weeks. Now at week 7 I know I have improved, I defiantly am not the best in the group but I have no worries about being able to continue to pick it up!
The adventure continues. Until next time…..
