On September 30th, I hastily moved out of Boonmee Mansion and into P'Nuan's home. At this point, I didn't feel "at home" anymore. Upon my last request, P'Nuan cooked sukhi for dinner, and invited over Paw Arnold, Mahh Sarah, and Mahh Rose. Mahh Rose gave me a beautiful scarf and beaded pearl necklace. Then Mr. Ken stopped by with a silk scarf, and more boxed gifts from Mahh Vanessa and Mahh Sandra...There were so many gifts!!! (This being on TOP of P'Nuan and P'Windy taking me shopping and then buying evertything I liked as the school gift from all of the teachers- hearing them haggle was amazing). Then Mahh Lahng picked me up for a few minutes, and we rode on her motorbike to her house so that I could drop off some magazines for P'Lew. THEN Yee stopped by P'Nuan's house with her father on their motorbike...her, ToTo, Kaew, and Bow had each written me postcards saying "goodbye my best friend...see you in Chicago!" and they gave me a silly knit doll :) She was crying, which made me sad, but I really do love Yee and will miss her very much. After Yee left, two of the college student-teacher trainees stopped by with a framed photo of me from the ceremony...it was so thoughtful! Finally, Benz from the Soft Cake Bakeshop stopped by with a dessert cookbook (very thoughtful), and my last ever desserts from him. The previous night, my street vendor friends had thrown me a goodbye party. My last few nights were the most hectic, amazing send-off(s) that I could have asked for from my different "groups" in Ubon. I will miss my life, and the PEOPLE I have been so lucky to meet, more than I can articulate. I really consider Ubon Ratchathani a home now, and I feel that I have a family here too :)
I can't wait to start sharing stories about my travels in Hanoi, Vietnam. (I am here now!) I have only been here for two days but I already have SO much that I want to share. It is a beautiful, fascinating city with a very dark history. I just ran into a group of Thais walking down the street and it was incredibly refreshing...hearing their Thai in a sea of Vietnamese was so sweet to my ears :)
Earlier this month, Mahh Lahng took me to the "Makro"
super store. Here was a shelf of straws. The Thai obsession
with straws, and my war against straws, continues!
Raw slabs of squid...just out in the open
Mystery meat!
Would never pass food safety regulations in the US...
You literally grab that spoon and serve
yourself from a big, dirty container!
So many eggs! I thought that this poster advertising eggs
was hilariou because of the nest in the middle of the poster.
Since when have chickens or ducks laid their eggs in nests?!
The last time I went to a chicken coup they were all caged
and the eggs would drop into netting, and then someone
would collect them. False advertising!!!
I love Mahh Lahng, but she is the WORST parker.
She doesn't even think it's rude! (Or maybe she doesn't
realize how awful she consistently parks her car haha)
The raisin bread that she always buys specially for me :)
During my last real Monday class with students, I used
"Dominick's" grocery store ads that my Mom brought for
me from home to play a game with food vocabulary, prices
in dollars, and units in pounds. The team that won would get
extra stamps. One of my most successful lessons all year!
Thanks to my Mom, I had enough advertisements for
every student to have their own when we played the game.
Students playing hard!
My board for our "Food Race!!!" day
Food vocabulary in English written, as well as lb. units, and $
P.3/1
Ughh his smile melts me.
Pee! (Left )and buddies!
These boys loved taking pictures so much. Working on
our ASEAN worksheets, I caught Pee copying some finished
display worksheets that I'd taped on the door. Smart kid!
This class has so much joy and "snazz!" for life :)
All 4 of these students wanted their picture taken so badly
Two of my BRIGHTEST! They always quietly finish
their worksheets 15 minutes before everyone else.
Also, look at the neat colored pencils!
Gra-Ding being coy
Love her. She, along with SO many other students,
absolutely loved my new cherry earrings (which you can
barely see, but I bought them just to amuse my students :))
Last time eating frogs for lunch!
My teacher lunch group
Mahh Lahng and Hong Yok, as well as the Pad See Ewe
restaurant owners next door to Boonmee Manion!
Well that's a funny fruit: Sugar Apples!
Pictures from Eugene's English Camp in Uttaradit the
first weekend in September. I am holding a card with
the verb "to go"...what an important verb!
Durian!
Durian pictures! James is on his Durian phone
giving me the "I'm on the phone" hand!
Behold the King of Fruit: Long live the Durian!
At a new Coffeehouse/ bar in Ubon with Brendan, Andy, & Lalita.
This awesome wall was too cool not to take pictures with.
Lalita and I: My last Saturday night in Ubon.
She loves him, hates me haha!
Trying to be artsy
Taking fire shots!
(I almost burnt my throat off)
Lalita and her Lady in Pink drink
Taking the fire shot!
Brendan and I taking a few pics together
Attitude!
Lalita named me Cleopatra. I don't oppose!
I like the juxtaposition here
Brendan was so scared to do his first fire shot haha
Cool blue guitar
Love that guitar!
This couch is awesome, too!
Lalita, me, and Brendan
Andy, me, and Brendan
Chris kissing a poster of a famous Thai superstar.
I love the framed cameras in the background.
At Swing Club.
At Dawang Taeng? Club. It was HUGE and had a
rock band on stage. Hilariously, playing under a very large
Buddha-type figure decoration.
Andy, Brendan, Me, and Chris lurking in the background
Money shot!
(My old farang neighbors...Too bad they turned out
to be HUGE CREEPS EVEN TO ME!!!)
The two hilariously awesome gay men that we met
at the end of the night. They wanted to practice their
English and were very good :)
Thank goodness Brendan and Andy were there to save me.
Brendan, Andy and I went out for breakfast around 5am.
It was so late that monks were already up for the day...
walking around for their breakfast handouts!
Mahh Naow hosted me a goodbye dinner with my local
street vendor neighbors and community. Everyone came :)
From left: Mahh Lahng, Me, Yee's grandmother, P'Kate,
Mahh Naow, Mahh Mee, Woman who I've never met, Ying
My thai family :)
P'Jang and her baby Ahpoe (left) and Nong Green
sitting in her lap in the yellow!
My community...the whole night it was so hard to not cry.
Mahh Lahng, Ahpoe, and me. I am wearing a white dress
that was a gift from all of the teachers at school :)
Eating Korean BBQ (which all Thais love too :))
Ying and her little sister Hong Yok (meaning "swan")
Ying with Green and Hong Yok!
Last LAST day of school :(
So many goodbye pictures
For my last night, and last meal in Ubon (I was sleeping at P'Nuan's
house already), she invited Mahh Sarah, Paw Arnold, and Mahh Rose
over for her famous, delicious Sukhi dinner :)
P'Nuan covered her stomach because she felt fat hahaha
She is so funny.
At the Ubon airport for the last time for a long time...
P'Noon's children Jigsaw (left) and Baw came to say goodbye.
Paw Arnold and Mahh Sarah
P'Nuan, P'Oui, and P'Noon
The three other Thai English teachers at school :)
Mahh Lahng- looking GORGEOUS, Foot, and Nomurri
Nomurri and Foot!
I will miss them SO much. I already do.
Ugly picture of me teary-eyed with P'Kate haha
Crying...
Everyone who came to say goodbye and wish me good luck :)
Now with Paw Arnold :)
One last picture with Nomurri and Foot
One last picture with Paw Owt and Mahh Lahng
Heading to the gate...this image made me really ball haha
Security felt so bad for me, I think!
And then I went to Bangkok for a final week of Fulbright meetings.
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