I write this blog as I listen to Radiohead- not a typical band I listen to but due to my lack of options lately, it seems to be the only band that I have not over played. It's been a while since I have written on this blog, actually written. Feel free to skip this entry, I have a feeling it will be long and I'll probably write some things that might be better off not published on the Internet, but oh well, I'm going for it anyway. Ha, now I have you all hooked. Seriously, I am writing it more for myself because I find myself more inspired to write for others while typing, rather than writing to myself in a journal. So you can choose to read it; no judging allowed though. Here it goes: I am truly overall enjoying Thailand. I have all the free time in world. I get amazing massages a couple of times a week for dirt cheap. I read, play on my computer, bike around, go into town to wander, swim, get acupuncture, eat good cheap food. School is easy. Seems like the life. And it pretty much is except I wish I could share it with all of you from home. Wasting time the way I am is much more enjoyable and memorable when you have the opportunity to share it with people you love. Wow, now I am sounding corny. It's the truth though. Okay now I am going to break down the rest of the blog into categories, so you can easily pick and chose what you want to read.
School: Warning: this paragraph has a lot of complaining
My school, I will not mention the name because I don't want it to come up in google when it is typed in, sucks. There are a couple of my teachers who care a little. Two of them are so oblivious to teaching and knowledge I don't know how they got to the position they are in to begin with. One of those being the worst teacher I can ever imagine. They simply give us articles each class we read it, and write a response, hand it in and leave. No discussion, no feedback, nothing! I am more than half way through the semester and I have not received one grade, not one, from any of my classes. We had midterms two weeks ago, I still haven't heard about those either. I feel bad for the people getting an education here. Also, everyone plagiarizes. I have had a couple group projects and people copy and paste their papers! I've thrown a few fits because of it and still the teachers don't really seem to care. It's bizarre. On the other hand one of my teachers really tries to teach everyone, which is hard because there are varying levels of English in the classroom. Overall, it's nice it is an easy semester, but I never thought I'd be so frustrated with not learning, especially because the topics are interesting. I also came to Thailand more for the experience than the learning, but I would really like to learn an Asian perspective on some topics, like tourism. Another thing is one of my teachers blames everything that is wrong with our world on America. I know we contribute to a lot of materialistic values and such, but not everything is our fault. They also always mention how we influence Asia to be like us, but they put the full blame on us and doesn't think that it's Asias fault in anyway for conforming to our ways. Anyway, that teacher is my favorite though. My ranting about school is done.
Things I've been Doing:
I have actually been going to the gym regularly, which is nice. I have also began acupuncture. I did it initially for a sinus infection, that wouldn't leave. Now it is for allergies, immune system and stress. I like it. It was $100 for 10 sessions, I've always wanted to try it, it seemed like the perfect opportunity. The doctor is really interesting. her son used to live in Burlington Vermont- she visited him there last year. He teaches at Brown now and is a Cardiologist. Her daughter goes to Columbia. And her other daughter lives here. She is a spunky older woman who has been doing acupuncture for around 20 years. She used to be a anesthesiologist, but she told me she liked acupuncture more, obviously, so she decided to only do that. I found a massage place that is not even $3 for an hour long massage by a trained massage doctor. No complaints there. I have also been going to town and staying the night the past couple of weekends. It's more fun and just as cheap as getting a cab ride back to my dorm. Yesterday, I went to a pool and the Thai sun was out! :) It's is more intense than I have ever imagined sun can be. Luckily I swam in my sunscreen numerous times so I am not burned. I have been keeping my eyes open for a class, such as Thai Massage, or a Chakra healing class but they are all expensive and are 5 days a week, which I cant do. Hopefully, I'll find something by the end, if not, oh well.
Thai Culture:
I need to take photos, but here are some things that I find weird. Public places rarely have toilet paper, so you need to carry it around with you. They also have sprayers by every toilet to spray yourself when your done, I have yet to try it... The showers are often just a shower head in a bathroom so water gets all over the toilet, floor ect. When Thai's cook food with meat they use every part, the fat, bones, everything, so I need to watch out what I am biting into. MMMmmm one of my favorite things is green papaya salad. It is shaved green papaya, with peppers, tomatoes, sugar, fish sauce, peanuts carrots, tamarind juice, maybe some other things too- they usually add dried shrimp and crab- but I ask for the veggie version. It is oh so delicious! If any of you ever come to Thailand you must eat a roti, papaya salad, and their smoothies. Oh they also make waffles a lot, and I tried one with sliced banana cooked in, very good!
I have about six weekends left: This is what I am going to do...
Go to hot springs
Go to a cave
Go ziplining
Go to Laos
Go to the Golden Triangle/ Chiang Rai
Go on a jungle trek
Go to Pai
...and I want to do more photography
Ahh that is all for now...I hope it was semi interesting... Feel free to post questions and I'll answer them
2 comments:
Kali,
Interesting comments, but you have created some good solutions to your boredom and the school issues. Something I have been interested in lately include Chin Ning-Chu who is suppose to be the best selling American author in Asia and Autrailia. Her books, THE ART OF WAR FOR WOMEN and BLACK HEART, worked for me. I have another book - can't recall the title - in my geography series about American influence in the world. When I was growing up THE UGLY AMERICAN was requried high school reading, but thtat was before the Peace Corps and before this totally global economy. But the resentment is understandable when our carbon footprint and the resources we demand from the rest of the world are so excessive.
Dispite yourself and the school, clearly you are absorbing culture and having memoriable experiences. Maybe some future time will be more helpful in terms of acknowledging what you have learned and the perspective you gained.
Okay enough out of me on those subjects!
Phoenix is still hot 108 now, slated 110 for the weekend. We might just break down and do a movie in the middle of the day to get out of the heat and light. I know I should not overly complain as I hear VT continues in the never-ending deluge. But the pace of things will change there with schools mostly underway next week or the week after. Oh, perhaps the other big American thing these days is watching the Olympics. Any of that available to you?
That's all I have to offer, have a great weekend.
M
If I were you, since your "formal" school has failed you so terribly, I would ask questions of the professional people you clearly have made connections with, like your acupuncturist, to try and get some perspective on the things you came to Thailand to answer - like the tourism question, and cultural issues. Your acupuncturist may be able to point you toward people she knows, too, who speak enough English so you can communicate, who can shed some light on your queries. Maybe you could even cook up an independent study to augment the lackluster classroom work, something that you design yourself. Is there an advisor at UVM you can contact easily to ask about it? I know you're almost done, but getting credit for an exploration of Asian medicine, say, or for your weekend trips to various places, or something like that, might make it even more interesting to do the things you're doing anyway.
We're finally getting some Summer weather in Vermont! After about 6 weeks of rain, the past few days have been nice - 80s and sunny.
Kala is getting ready to go to live with Tracy for a bit to take some time off from school. Your brother gets back from his west coast jaunt tomorrow. Your Dad & I have pretty much been couch potatoes since the Olympics started - thank god they end tomorrow so we can get back to our athletic training routines!
Labor day weekend next weekend - the unofficial end of summer - it was too fast wrapped up with work and rain and a whole lot of nothing! BB & I will probably go to Maine for a long weekend, after we go to Boston to meet John & Betty to see Matt play in a hurling match with, I guess, a Boston team (since that's where it's being played!). Despite the fact it sounds like puking, it's a Gaelic game played with a stick with an enlargement at the end and a hard ball. For certain there will be EMTs on the sidelines for this one. Looks to me like an excuse to drink beer at the end! See www.seattlegaels.com for deatils of the fun!
Last weekend we went to two concerts on the waterfront in Burl - one Sat, one Sun - Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, and Derek Trucks Band. Very nice. I liked DTB better, but both were very good and the sunsets were beautiful.
That's all for now. Take some photos, pretend you're a food critic, a travel writer, be an eco-tourist -- squeeze the day! xxoo Kristen
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