Living in Limbo

I saw some pictures of the school where I work and I could not believe the extent of the damage. (The pics below are before and after) I can’t even contemplate how long it will take to fix it and be ready for reopening. After seeing those pictures I can imagine the homes of some of my students and wonder what the long term effects of this natural disaster will be.

After 3 delays, the official start back date for Bangkok schools is December 6^th but there is no start back date for Saipanya Rangsit; it’s currently unknown. All the teachers have a meeting at BFITS on Monday the 28^th to discuss how each school will make up for time lost. The word is that some schools will extend hours and have classes on Saturdays, while some schools will extend the end of term date. I have heard that many schools are not paying their teachers while they are out. I am lucky in that BFITS has paid us all of October and we will receive our full November salaries as well. I cannot speak to December though, particularly for those of us that teach at Saipanya Rangsit. To me, it seems like the extent of the damage will take at least 6 months, if not longer, to clean up, but what do I know.

These are my predictions. They could close the school and send the students to neighboring schools in the area. They could cut out any elective type classes—meaning mine— so that the students could concentrate on the science and math that is required of the term. They could set up the school at an alternate location, although if they do that it would take a lot of time. My fear that I mentioned in my last blog seems like a real possibility. No matter how you look at it, my school is out of commission for quite some time so my common sense tells me that they will not want to continue paying teachers such as myself, that are recent hires, and only here for the 1 term. I suppose a transfer could be possible, but it seems unlikely because those spots would go to the teachers from SPR who have seniority, and I don’t think there are many openings currently anyway.

So I am in a state of limbo because I just do not know the fate that awaits me. If BFITS can’t afford to keep me I will bust my ass to find another job here, but I think it will be tough because I am only staying until the end of the upcoming term. I have to be home by May so I can take my math test for certification. As much as I miss my husband and family, the thought of having to come home early is awful for me. I'm just not ready yet. As I sit here complaining though, my heart goes out to the students at SPR whose homes have been ruined. It certainly makes my troubles petty in comparison.

Flood Blues

It’s all about the flood here in big bad Bangkok. This flood is on everyone’s mind. You can’t get away from it. I walk down the street and its piles of sandbags & quickly built low concrete walls in front of all the stores. My hospital here even bricked up their lower level parking lot. The grocery store shelves & 7-11 shelves everywhere are still empty. I haven’t been able to find the big size of water since I got back from Vietnam 2 weeks ago. It’s near impossible to find the small bottled water so when I find it, I stock up. The weekend market—a huge tourist attraction, and major money maker—actually closed its door for the entire weekend (a major let down on my part because I was going to get gifts there, ugghh). The government issued an emergency 5 day holiday this past Thursday. Even MBK, the big tourist mall had a quarter of its stores closed. Every time I talk to a local they inform me that the flood is coming, yes, any day now it is coming. Actually today I was in a cab on my way home from my friend Lex’s place and the cabbie starts telling me out of the blue, in broken English, that the water is moving slowly but it’s on its way. All you have to do is walk outside to see that this flood business has the community visibly shaken. The city waits with baited breath, day after day, expecting to wake up to a pool of waste water seeping into their homes and businesses.  The first thing I do when I wake up is look out my sliding glass door to see if there is any water.

In the midst of all this I keep thinking of how much I love it here. I think of this because I have fears that the school where I teach will not re-open any time soon and it makes me worry about my job security. I teach in an area that was hit hard by flooding and I don’t know how long it will take to actually clean up the flood damage to Saipanyarangsit. The schools in Bangkok will not re-open now until November 7^th, and mine is supposed to start again Nov. 15^th. I have my doubts considering the panic that is not letting up, and the talk of imminent flooding to the city.  I feel stuck in limbo with no idea when I will go back to work or how long they will extend the semester when we do. A 3 week break has turned into 2 months off.

I guess I just needed to vent these things on paper. My biggest fear is that this crappy flood business will get in the way of finishing my full contract here which would break my heart. I’m not even close to being ready to go home for good yet.

Andi's Adventures in Vietnam: Day 12 - Overview

It’s a stormy, rainy day here in Hoi An so I’m enjoying some down time in my hotel room. I got my Vietnam movies to watch—Good Morning Vietnam, Apocalypse Now--, my computer to upload pics & write a blog, and a nice big hotel room with HBO & a soaker tub so I’m good for a day. Now all I need is a pint of Ben & Jerry’s and I’m set. J 

Vietnam has its ups and downs as far as I can tell from the short time I’ve been here, which I realize I know close to nothing about the country’s real people and their way of life. I’ve only hit the well worn tourist trail, so my observations are only based on that. I’ve learned from living in Thailand that the locals are very different from the portrayal they get as pushy, scam artists in the tourist areas. That being said, the Vietnamese in the touristy areas are beyond pushy. They’ve taken high pressure sales to a whole new level, to the point of real harassment. I am not exaggerating when I say that some will actually start pleading with you to buy something. I’ve had motorcycles drivers ride along beside me on the sidewalk trying to negotiate a ride. Even if I have no intention of riding and say so, they believe if they keep bringing the price down I will change my mind. In Thailand they will bug you, but it’s not nearly to the extent of here. I find it ironic that under the pseudo “communist” system, so many Vietnamese have a killer entrepreneurial spirit.  I can sympathize with the need to make money, but try being harassed practically every 5 minutes while you’re just trying to take a walk or eat your dinner, and trust me, you’ll feel like complaining too.

Other than that, I’ve had a great time in Vietnam, and have seen some amazing things. Highlights include the Easy Rider Motorbike tour of the Central Highlands (an absolute MUST and a wonderful experience), learning the ins and outs of a Vietnamese market, The War Remnants Museum in HCMC, Cu Chi Tunnels Propaganda film (straight from the 70’s and very anti-American), seeing the sun rise from a beautiful balcony with a great view of the beach (without knowing about the pollution yet), Mud bath resort day in Nha Trang (my skin felt so soft after all the mud and mineral water), Pink Villa hotel room in Dalat with the gorgeous mountain view, slowing down for walks around the chilly mountain town of Dalat and smelling pine trees instead of exhaust fumes, the 4 hour mini bus ride through gorgeous scenery of the highlands to Nha Trang, meeting many people from around the globe and learning about travel as a way of life, walking around Hoi An at night amongst the lanterns, and feeling wealthy while being measured for a custom Chinese silk dress made just for me for $20 bucks, experiencing Vietnamese coffee and trying some of the local dishes (I like Vietnamese food better than Thai food), and staying in really nice boutique hotels with all the amenities for $20 bucks a night, which is considered mid-range price here, imagine that! Some accommodations go for $4 to $6 bucks!

I still have 4 more days, 3 of which are here in Hoi An. I will still see the ruins at My Son and will motorbike over to Cai Dau beach close to here. I will also see a bit of Danang for a few hours since I’m flying back to HCMC from there. When I get back to HCMC I will still have about 5 hours to kills so there are a few more sights I can see there.

I have traveled quite far since I’ve been here. If you look at Vietnam on a map, I started in the South in HCMC. Below is still the Mekong Delta, so it’s not the farthest south, but still way at the bottom. I then journeyed 7 hours north by overnight bus to the South Central Highlands to the mountain town of Dalat, which is still pretty far south if you look at the map. Then I went 5 hours North East to the Coast of Nha Trang, still part of South Central Vietnam. Next I took a night bus for 13 hours heading North to the coastal town of Hoi An, which is Central Vietnam, and right about the middle point of the country from North to South. Last I will take a 1 hour bus ride North to the 3^rd biggest city, Danang before flying all the way back South again for my flight home. I think I covered a decent bit of ground in 2 weeks. I would love to come back and see the North-Sapa region and maybe cross the border into Laos. I’ve got mixed feeling about Halong Bay since I will see similar sights in Southern Thailand with Ismail. I will probably never do it though, and that’s ok. I’m just glad I can say I did this. I came to Vietnam, just like I said I would. It feels good to really want something and then actually make it happen. I don’t know that I’ll be able to make it to any other SE Asian countries while I’m here bc I’m limited on vacation time now and need to save money for my honeymoon. But I spent 2 weeks in Vietnam and it will always be a highlight of my life.

Andi's Adventures in Vietnam: What I've picked up along the way

Yesterday, October 12^th marked my 3^rd month of being over here. It’s gone by so fast, I can hardly believe it, and yet being in Vietnam shows me how used to Thailand and its people I’ve gotten. Today also marks the half way point of my big vacation. It’s strange to be away for what seems like so long. Normally my vacations are weekends or extended weekend trips, which are a couple of jam packed days and then back to reality. This is a new experience for me, not only because it’s a long solo vacation, but also because it’s my first time as truly a “backpacker,” moving—on a budget—from place to place. The best is all the new things you learn from people and places along the way. I’ve met some very interesting travelers so far (always a perk when you’re on your own). Israeli’s, Singapore, German & Finish so far. The German and the Finish really gave me a lesson on true backpacker culture. They schooled me on everything from where to book your hostels to “backpacker jobs,” which is an actual term. People truly make a life of traveling nonstop for months on end or years even. They pick up odd jobs along the way, live super cheap, and then move on to the next destination. The Finish guy is on a 9 month trip! From my weekend getaways in Thailand and then here, I’m also learning the ins and outs of backpacker culture. I know all about the different (and most economical) modes of transportation (and trust me, there are many). I’m getting used to staying in hostel type hotels that are a long way from the Motel 6 even. I know to always keep toilet paper, liquid soap, & a towel with me (towel for the hotels that only give you a thin blanket, and for those grungy buses where the pillows & seat haven’t ever been cleaned. Toilet paper bc very few bathrooms over here have it). After talking to the Europeans that I met on the bus, I realize that I have barely scratched the surface of backpacker life. Anyway, I find it fascinating, and something I truly wish I would have done years ago. The German girl said traveling is like a virus and she is certainly right—it takes over and you can’t get rid of the hunger for more! 

Andi's Adventures in Vietnam: Day 1: Ho Chi Minh

I arrived safely at the Saigon airport after a really short trip. I’m now typing as I’m lying on my bed at Miss Loi’s Guest House. I’m on the 12^th floor, with 2 windows, both with surprisingly nice views. You can see that this place is outdated, and the narrow spiral staircase up 12 flights will certainly burn some calories, but it’s actually pretty good for what I’m paying--$14.00 a night. It has tv, air conditioning, a nice big bed with a comfy mattress and a decent bathroom. It’s not the Jungle Club, but when you’re on a tight budget, this is pretty good. I haven’t seen anything really yet, just a drive from the airport through massive gridlock, all of which were motorbikes. I’ve never see so many motorbikes on the road like that before.  At first I thought it was a motorbike parade, but no, it’s actually just the traffic. People weave in and out of traffic and barely miss hitting the next person, and bikes going the wrong way through high speeding oncoming traffic. It’s insane. And I thought there were a lot of motorbikes in Thailand.

 My cabbie told me only in Vietnam will you see this, which means I’ve already had my first real Vietnamese cultural experience of sorts. It’s funny to be in a new country again and stick out as an obvious tourist, knowing absolutely nothing about anything. A few times already I’ve had to catch myself from saying, “sawadee Kah,” or “Tao Rai Kah?” It’s like a bizarre reality when I am resorting to my “Thai” for communication! I guess it just shows that I am fairly comfortable in Thailand now.

I suppose that part of the excitement about visiting a culture so different is all the unknowns. At first it’s overwhelming and a bit scary and then you begin to ease into it. But along the journey you see all this cool stuff that goes deeper than just tourist attractions and beautiful scenery. You get to experience all the little intricacies that make a place its own, like the insane motorbike traffic here. And you start to slightly understand the vast cultural differences between yourself and the people you are surrounded by. Traveling gets into the soul like nothing else. Can’t wait to update you on my adventures here in Vietnam. J  Enjoy reading; I know I enjoy writing.

Pic 1: Back to the self pics again, Pic 2, 3, 4: View from Above, Pic: 5: Welcome to Ho Chi Minh, Pic 6, 7, 8: Some motorbike traffic, Pic 9: The thumbs up is my new motto for traveling alone. :)

My Personal Journey

Before coming to Thailand I had so many fears—What if I’m too overwhelmed to handle it? What if I miss Ismail too much? What if I can’t teach English as a foreign language? What if I just feel lost and alone? But I also had the strong feeling that it was the right thing for me at this time in my life for many important reasons. It was more than just the desire to see a part of the world I had always dreamed about. Above all else this is a journey towards self growth. It’s about losing old crutches that I no longer need so I can become the best possible me. I have kept that at the forefront of my mind since I’ve been here because I did not want this trip to turn into just an extended vacation for me to have fun, but then just return with the same old baggage I came with. I know that God has laid this path in front of me for this purpose— so that I can return home ready for the next phase of my life.

As I reflect on my first 2 ½ months I am so proud of my progress. I see myself now versus when I first got here and I notice the difference. I have made concrete changes physically towards self growth that have already created a more positive self outlook. I am enjoying things again that I hadn’t done for a long time like writing and scrapbooking. I have things to do now that don’t involve simply watching tv and waiting for Ismail. I’m making friends here, and enjoying their company. I have done things I thought I’d never do like driving a motorbike, attending a Buddhist service, and taking trips on my own. I know how to navigate my way around the bus terminals, the airport, the ferry, and the minivan stations, and I look less like a tourist and more like a “farang” that lives here. People notice me on the bus and say hello. I’ve even been stopped by directions by lost Westerners and been able to point them in the right direction. I’m learning my numbers and am able to bargain shop in Thai now and understand the price of street food when I ask “tao rye kah?” (how much?).  What is most important about all these experiences are that they’re creating a more independent, confident me.

I promised myself that I would make the most out of this experience in every way;  that it would be so much more than just a fun trip I had, which I had to borrow money from Ismail to take. I am making good on that promise so far.  I still have some major goals to accomplish, but each time I accomplish 1 goal, it give me more confidence that I can accomplish the more difficult ones. I look forward to the woman I will become at the end of this beautiful path. 

Pic. 1 - July - Commute

Pic. 2 - Aug. - National Museum

Pic. 3 - Sept. - Commute

Pic. 4 - Sept. - Koh Samui

Pic. 5 - Sept. - Phetchaburi

Phetchaburi - Discovering the "real" Thailand

There were 3 main reasons I wanted to visit Phetchaburi. First, and most important, I read about the huge monkey population, which I was dying to see. Second, I wanted to learn to ride a motorbike in a relatively traffic-free area, and third, it’s close to Bangkok and doesn’t involve more than 2 modes of transportation to get there. After my painful travel to Koh Samui, I needed something easy for my next weekend getaway. In addition, it’s close to 2 fairly well known beaches – Cha-Am and Hua Hin, and it’s very much off the tourist map so I knew I wouldn’t be immersed in the Disney version of Thailand. I definitely received all of these perks and more.

So first I have to mention that in all my travel guides it talks about how friendly and inviting the Thai’s are. I finally got a chance to experience the kindness of strangers here in Thailand. I had a man and his wife drive me to my guesthouse when I got off the minivan, purely out of the kindness of their hearts; then the next day a woman came out of a beauty salon in curlers to assist me with directions.

I was truly touched though when I joined in a morning Buddhist service. I felt uncomfortable, naturally, being the only Westerner and obviously not understanding the language or the customs. I sat down quietly in the back and put my camera away and just tried to do what they were doing. Within the first 5 minutes I had members bringing me water and a juice box. People were turning to smile warmly at me, and some old ladies came up to greet me. I was feeling a little uneasy with all the attention. The service consisted of the monks sitting on the stage eating the breakfast alms they had collected in the morning, while another monk sat in front reading something. There was periodic bowing, and I just followed along. It was funny because one lady came up to tell me that it was ok to take pictures, but I still felt uncomfortable about doing so, which is why there’s only 1.  One of the monks on stage even jabbed the monk next to him to point me out – recognized by a Monk—cool. J  After the service, several ladies insisted I join them all for breakfast, which is part of the service. I sat at a long table eating corn muffins with coconut, while fielding the many questions from around the table, which consisted of, “where you from?” and “what your name?” Overall it was a wonderful experience and something I’ve wanted to do since I got here.

I feel like Phetchaburi was the perfect place to experience real Thai life. It’s a small town surrounded with scenic views of the palace ruins, and a quaintly charming vibe. There is one main street, with little lanes branching off it, some not even paved. The pretty little town has more old teak houses than I’ve seen in one area before, which really add to the towns appeal. There’s just something about those old wooden buildings that I love. Plus, in the center of downtown is this beautiful park with little bridges over Koi ponds, and huge trees with monkey’s swinging from the tops. 

 There’s not all that much to do in Phetchaburi, aside from the palace ruins and the beautiful Khao Luang Cave. But that’s part of its appeal. I thoroughly enjoyed cruising slowly around on my rented motorbike, riding into the various working Wat’s (temples), and speaking to friendly Thai’s who didn’t want anything from me except to make me feel welcome. It was the true small town feel, Thai style. 

So, saving the best for last is my experience with the monkeys! Wow. When I first got close to the bottom of the mountain of which lies the palace at the top, I saw animals in the distance all over the streets. At first I thought they were stray cats but when I got closer I got my first taste of a town overrun with monkeys. The kind of thing you see on tv, but don’t ever think you’ll see in real life. I drove to the top of the hill and had this courtyard on temple grounds all to myself. It was just me, the stray dogs, and the monkeys. It is good that I took this trip by myself because I’m not sure anyone else would have wanted to spend the kind of time I did just watching those monkeys (aside from Sue Angelini who is a huge animal lover – Sue, if you’re reading you should come visit me; plenty of cats & monkeys ;) . So I hung out in that courtyard for 3 hours solid and loved every minute of it. Watching monkeys is fascinating because they seem so intelligent and their actions and movements are so similar to people. That video I posted for example is so amazing because you can see this mother’s worry over her baby. She pulls him out of the water and carries him off because I was too close. I just loved being able to witness their world.

The longer I’m in Thailand, the more deeply I fall in love with it, and desire experiences such as these – places with such a genuine feel. I love seeing the tourist areas as well – they are beautiful and warrant the crowds—but there’s something so special about just being somewhere amongst people who are culturally different, and being able to experience life as they live it, without all the glitz set up for the tourists.  This was the reason I came to Thailand and I’m hungry for more!

Koh Samui: My First Solo Vacation

Koh Samui – My first solo vacation

I should have written about my trip to Koh Samui a couple weeks ago, but works been busy so now it’s been 2 vaca’s ago, but no matter. I had a Friday off and decided to fly down to Southern Thailand on the Gulf side and visit the popular island of Koh Samui. 

The flight from Bangkok to Surat Thani was uneventful and fast. But then the fun began.  I was thinking it would be just a quick hop, skip and a jump to get off the mainland and to the Island. I was sorely mistaken. From the airport the trip consists of another 9 hours to actually get to Koh Samui. Yes, I typed that correct – 9 hours! 2 hour minivan ride from airport to Pier. Overnight ferry leaves mainland at 11pm, arrives at 5am, taxi from pier to resort - 1 hour, four wheel drive in jeep to top of mountain resort - 10 min. J No sweat. 

So I arrive early Friday morning to the top of this mountain resort overlooking the beach. The view took my breath away. The place was spectacular – far surpassing my expectations. I took a million pictures and posted them to facebook so I will skip the description. Suffice it to say, I was truly in paradise. I spent my morning in my own private gazebo overlooking the beach, having breakfast, sipping my coffee and taking everything in. It was so peaceful and I thought, “being on my own has its benefits.” Of course I had to share it with Ismail so I skyped him and showed him around the resort. J 

Chaweng beach was of course beautiful; white sand, aqua clear warm water. I swam for hours, walked the length of the beach, and started a new book (The Beach in honor of Koh Samui, where the novel takes place). Chaweng beach is overrun by tourists, which takes something away from its charm, yet it is still an amazingly beautiful beach. So after my relaxing beach day I headed back to my resort in paradise and just enjoyed the beauty. 

The next day I took one of the many day long tours to Ang Thong Marine Park, which is a series of islands that have national park status and are therefore off limits to developers. I did the kayaking trip, which was too short, but when you’re with a tour guide everything is rushed. I much prefer exploring things on my own, but doing so at Ang Thong is not possible unless you want to spend a fortune and charter a private longtail boat. The day was beautiful, and I enjoyed swimming in the ocean off the main beach, and climbing the steep stairs to the aqua lagoon in the jungle.

Overall my solo trip to Koh Samui – especially the time spent at the Jungle Club Resort—was something I will always hold dear in my heart. When I call it back to memory, it’s made up of breathtaking images, and the feeling of true peace of mind. Taking a vacation alone gave me the chance to enjoy my own company and it was a growing experience. I will go back to the Jungle Club before I leave, but next time it will be as a married woman with Ismail at my side.

The Jewels of Bangkok

Several of my Thailand guide books explain Bangkok as a place where two extremes collide. My Nat. Geo traveler book says, “Here, the truly shocking, horrendous, and horrible exist alongside moments of pure beauty…walk slowly and you will see the magnificence of carved fruit among vendors selling copy watches, the girl smiling selling exquisite floral baskets next to an open sewer, a Buddhist shrine at a busy intersection, and perhaps an old Hindu astrologer predicting people’s fortunes in the middle of all this madness.”

I love this Nat. Geo description of my adopted city because it so eloquently describes my experience here. My neighborhood is a great example. It is mostly a working class area with a lot of rundown buildings, massive pollution, overcrowding, and streets with sleazy strip joints. Yet, if you peel back the layers of these streets, you see beauty. I see beauty everywhere when I look for it.

The other morning I walked behind a man with 2 heaping baskets of these deliciously fragrant flowers. Their perfume was able to mask the smell of exhaust fumes from passing tuk-tuks. On my bus ride home every day, I pass this old wooden house next to the Bang Sue Canal. It stands out in such a beautifully unique way amongst its surroundings of concrete. It seems like something taken right out of Bangkok’s rural past. Or the bats that swoop down from the huge trees that shadow my lane at night, and the banana trees hanging over the walls of homes, which gives new meaning to the term “urban jungle.”

My own metaphor for Bangkok is that it’s a treasure map where you have to follow the clues to seek out and find the jewels that are hidden beneath the surface. I’ve got 7 more months to find the riches that Bangkok has to offer.

Pic. 1 - tree on my street where bats live

Pic. 2 - wooden house on Bang Sue canal

Pic. 3 - Inside the store of the wooden house - old man works/lives there and he takes care of the stray dogs; another example of beauty

Pic. 4 - Bang Sue Canal

Pic. 5 - Banana tree in Bangkok

Pic. 6 - Frangipane tree in Bangkok