Last Friday night, one of my best Fulbright friends, Gracie, and her friend visiting from home, Val, stayed with me on Friday night because they had a flight from the Ubon airport on Saturday. As used to I've gotten living "kon diow" (alone), it was so great to see Gracie, and I loved Val. After meeting their tuk tuk on my street outside of my favorite som tam restaurant, we headed up to my room to put their bags down, before heading to Mahh Lahng and P'Lew's new restaurant for a late dinner. (In preparation for their arrival, a few hour earier I'd gone to the new Tesco Lotus Express next door and purchased a large Singha beer and a canister of Pringles. The cashiers and I laughed together- I must have looked pretty desperate!) After dinner, we headed to my favorite little bar on the corner of my street, where I drank beer for the first time in weeks and we chatted for hours. I loved hearing from Val because she had the perspective of an American coming to Thailand for the first time with a fresh pair of eyes- commenting on how shocked she was that people comment on appearance all of the time, being addressed as "farang," etc. She also repeatedly told Gracie and I that we had gone "crazy." (I don't think I'm crazy...not that crazy ;)) For example, she thought that my blue ali-baba-harem elephant pants were an objective indication that I'd gone "kon bababobo" (crazy)! I like my alibaba harem pants! We headed home from the bar when the Thai men next to us wouldn't stop asking us questions- in Thai of course. The next morning, we met up with my friend Andrea, and my Thai friend Yee, at the brunch restaurant "Peppers" for breakfast. Peppers is owned by an Australian expat, and the Western food there is legit :) Interestingly enough, Yee did not like her pancakes! (You like fish sauce on everything but you don't like blueberry pancakes, Yee?!)
After brunch, my new Thai friend Jirawan picked me up to go out to lunch. Yee joined as well. We had an amazing lunch on Ubon's reservoir- it was a day of eating! After driving us back to Ubon, Yee and I were waiting for a songtaew when we spotted one of Ubon's famed tricycles! (called "sam lor" or (three wheels) in Thai). Yee persuaded the man to take us home in his tricycle for 100 baht (about $3 for a 20 minute ride!) Don't worry- we tipped him really well. Our tricycle driver(?) got such a kick out of driving a farang. Yee and I giggled at every bump in the road :) The tricycle itself was really fascinating in that it looked, and felt, about 50 years old. There were no breaks, and the driver had to have a running start in order to get it moving. Interestingly, on the inside "roof" of the tricycle, there were a few photos and a pamphlet tucked into the panels. I enjoyed seeing that this man had made his tricycle homey, like an office, almost!
At night I went over to Mahh Lahng and P'Lew's restaurant and they taught me how to cook Tom Yam Goong and Sweet & Sour Vegetables (over rice). It was so much fun, and one of my goals before returning to America is to learn how to cook Thai food!!!
This past Wednesday at school was one of the funniest, BEST days of school ever. After my first period students didn't show up, I went to find them. The whole school had been called to a mini assembly, and there was a village man holding up 3 of his model airplanes to the students. Mr. Ken, our school director, was helping the man explain different parts of the airplanes. (Missing class for model airplanes? Really?!) Before I knew it, the whole school was leaving the school grounds and walking to the village pond. Here the village man launched some of his airplanes, and students watched with fascination. It was absolutely hilarious. The man tried to show off some fancy control moves so he had his planes fly low near the students or do fancy dips and dives. All I kept thinking is: This is so dangerous. Someone is going to get hurt. The water buffalo next to us chewed their grass and looked into the sky at the planes as well. So funny. Would never happen in America. However, I appreciate that about Thailand. People have more fun here. They are more laid back and relaxed. Life is lived "slower." It was an awesome morning. And of course, when landing his plane in the water, the wind blew it upside down and the whole crowd gasped. At least it didn't hit someone though! (And the man got his model airplane back just fine :))
In the afternoon, I got off my songtaew at Ubon's central park, called Trung Sri Muang. Here, Mahh Lahng picked me up to "guest teach" her 4th grade class. It was so interesting to be in Mahh Lahng's school, and her students were so sweet and great at English. She teaches with no desks or chairs! (So alternative). Mahh Lahng is a great teacher- her mannerisms, the way she acts with students- it was really need for me to see her in action!
My favorite ex-pat breakfast haunt: Peppers!
From left clockwise: Yee, Gracie, Me, Val
The best blueberry pancakes I've ever had (and that's saying
a lot!) I need to learn how to deep fry bananas like this!
Restaurant number 2 for lunch (It was a day of eating)
You mix these pretty delicate foods in a lettuce/ leaf wrap.
From the bottom clockwise: Peanuts, chilis, lime, onion,
garlic, palm?, onion crisps, dried shrimp)
See the basket of greens you can choose from?!
Yee using her persuasion skillz
My first time riding a tricycle!
Tricycle driver hops on our bike via running start :)
Not your everyday view!
I especially like the tuk tuks to the left and the Thai
green sign above. This picture is so Thailand!
Yee and I outside of my apartment.
Me with our tricycle driver!
Nomurri working in P'Lew and Mahh Lahng's new restaurant!
P'Lew at her computer, and Mahh Lahng preparing food-
all is right in the world. This is one of those "ordinary"
pictures that I think I'll look back on and especially
cherish because this is my everyday life here :)
Som Tam!
(Isaan style- fish sauce and crab!)
Nomurri is so cute! Also, how HUGE is that box of sticky rice?!
The fruit stand on the drive to school every morning.
I especially love the small hanging bananas :)
The reason why none of my students showed up to class...
Time to learn about model airplanes!
Is this picture as funny to you as it is to me?
Mr. Ken, our school director, was in on this!
P, our school's president, helps carry some model airplanes.
Students leave school, filing down to the village pond.
Green rice, red dirt road and a DOUBLE BICYCLE!
All double bicycles seem to have two seats: I love this!
Water buffalo...so annoyed by all of the people
encroaching on their territory.
Students and water buffalo chill out.
Mr. Sam joins the fun, fried bananas in hand!
The village model airplane expert prepares one of his planes.
The planes launch from the water.
Water buffalo and students alike watch as an airplane flies above!
There's the airplane!
The whole school...
Students run to get a better view :)
I love this picture. This was one of those moments
where I looked around and thought, I can't believe
where I am right now, and there's nowhere I'd rather be.
Proof that I was here!
Some of my 2nd graders. I adore these girls.
Alright, fun's over, time to head back to school.
Great shot of boys checking out the model airplane.
And of course, it flips over in the water hahaha
Rambunctious boys gather to see if they can get it
from the water. I will always remember some of these
sprinting down that hill, HUGE grins on their faces :)
P, the boy marching at left, is one of my naughtiest 2nd graders!
Students walk back to their school in a rice paddy.
Walking back to school...check out the huddle of boys at right!
This is one of my favorite photographs I've ever taken.
I posted it on facebook and I had an overwhelmingly
positive response (79 likes or something crazy).
This was the caption:
"It's moments like this that foster my faith in humanity.
Walking behind these boys earlier today is an image, and a
feeling, I will remember for a long long time, and these boys
will never even know it. Children really are the best part of
this planet. How many times a week, a day, an hour, do we
touch other people's lives and never even know it?"
Everyone crowds around the fried banana stand!
A farmer's home, with his two dogs :)
A Thai school bus!
(A little different than the school buses we have in America, no?!)
It looks like a giant songtaew! There even are tarps
at the windows for when it rains. What luxury!
Students reenter school :)
The two girls pictured at front are two of my faves :)
Mahh Lahng takes me to her favorite Thai bakery: S&P House
This is what a Thai bakery looks like!
Kruu Emily guest lectures Mahh Lahng's 4th grade class :)!
An amazing, well behaved, sweet natured group that
participated so much, and was fascinated when I surprised
them half way into the lesson by speaking Thai
(Mahh Lahng's idea- she is such a jokester!)
Mahh Lahng doesn't teach with desks in her classroom.
(Here we are playing a game where I describe an animal
in English, and students must guess the animal!)
Great group. It really was a pleasure teaching them :)
When I was finished, one girl came up to the
microphone and said, "Teacher very beautiful!" Aw!
The fruit stand outside of my apartment.
Check out the yellow watermelon!
Papaya or guava is my favorite afternoon snack :)
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