After trying to post more, I finally figured out which button to push. Well that's good news.
Last Friday we went to a fish Hatchery NGO about an hour north of Chiang Mai. It was started by a Minnesotan named Randy 13 years ago and they raise millions of tilapia to sell to local farmers to raise. We hopped in the fish ponds- quite muddy and great, just like the mushy pancake. First, we emptied all the fish from one pond and carried them in small nets to another pond. Then it was lunch time. We had...TILAPIA! Who would've thought. But it was delicious and a very fun meal, followed by some entertainment on Thai instruments and a little dance lesson.
That afternoon, went through another pond to harvest the eggs. Tilapia are mouth-brooders so we looked in each one's mouth for the eggs and collected them to bring to the hatchery. After cleaning out a bunch of nets, we hit the road back to Chiang Mai, trying not to smell to fishy for our families (they are super into hygiene). Overall, a swell day in the mud.
The weekend was pretty low key- went to the biggest mall ever to buy a cell phone and took a nice ride to Wat Doi Saket on Sunday afternoon with Pi Ahm (who I may or may not be related to, but I like her a lot). For the b-day dinner we had Thai bbq- a very fun and interactive meal There's a little grill on the table with a soup trough on the outside and you just cook meat and eat soup all through dinner. Post dinner, the relatives came over to celebrate Pi I's birthday too- it was a lovely and fesitve evening.
Back to school now, nothing too new yet, but more to come.
Thai thai for now!
Monday, August 30, 2010
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Market Market Market!
Another few days = a little better at understanding Thai- wooo! But really, trying to read is quite the puzzle. It's pretty fun though, even if it takes me forever. Other exciting news: Mae Mame taught me to do my laundry, but I have to say, I am not sure that round one of handwashing really benefited my clothes... It's a work in progress.
Yesterday, we had language class in the morning and then went on a field trip in the afternoon! We ate lunch at a traditional Northern thai restaurant (sticky rice is essential), checked out the Chiang Mai art / history museum, and then hit up the market for a scavenger hunt. The items on our list were written in Thai, so we had to ask people to tell us what is was and tell us where to find it. Problem is trying to understand them. Sometimes, random old ladies took our papers and led us to the right place (often a strange food to try, i.e. fried bamboo worms). So many fun foods!
The other night, I brought out the banjolele and Paw Nong played his guitar and we had a little family band! I tried to play along with his thai songs, but I have some serious learning to do... It was some good family bonding time though (especially since it didn't require too much cross-language communication).
Well, I am off to class again before lunch. Thai thai for now!
Hannah
Yesterday, we had language class in the morning and then went on a field trip in the afternoon! We ate lunch at a traditional Northern thai restaurant (sticky rice is essential), checked out the Chiang Mai art / history museum, and then hit up the market for a scavenger hunt. The items on our list were written in Thai, so we had to ask people to tell us what is was and tell us where to find it. Problem is trying to understand them. Sometimes, random old ladies took our papers and led us to the right place (often a strange food to try, i.e. fried bamboo worms). So many fun foods!
The other night, I brought out the banjolele and Paw Nong played his guitar and we had a little family band! I tried to play along with his thai songs, but I have some serious learning to do... It was some good family bonding time though (especially since it didn't require too much cross-language communication).
Well, I am off to class again before lunch. Thai thai for now!
Hannah
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Life in the city
Sa wa di ka friends!
I am settling into life in Thailand bit by bit. Just finished day two at ISDSI where we did a crossfit workout as part of our classes (!) I think it is pretty funny, but a nice break to mind overload in language class. We started learning how to read and write Thai today and I just about exploded. But hopefully it will make more sense soon! There are 34 students with the program, about half of which are from Kalamazoo, 8 ish people from CC, and everyone else from various other schools.
My host family is going well- there's Mae Mame, Paw Nong, and Nong Weeoo, as well as some mysterious other family members that make guest appearances. I am a tad confused about who lives where, but I think their cousins live in the same housing area with Grandpa. And there's a little store under part of the house too. I am discovering more fun facts about the house/family each day. Nong Weeoo (nong means little sibling) is 16 and into "Punk Style" as she says. She loves Lincoln park and greenday which I find particularly amusing, and we listen to her fave American pop tunes during dinner. I love hearing her sing along to "Kiss me through the phone." She goes to a big school in the city with 7000 students- yikes! But I like her a lot, and she is the best English speaker in the family (which isn't really saying much, but has nonetheless mad us fast friends).
Paw Nong apparently makes prosthetics and plays a lot of instruments. They actually have a whole music room with guitars, a bass, drum set, and microphones/amps. Quite the setup, and I am curious how/why they have it all... but it's fun to combine banjolele with guitar.
Our house is a ways outside of the city, but there's about 5 or 6 other students that live near by, which is convenient for the ride to school. We're supposed to take the bus, but the past few days they've driven us or called a taxi. But the way home is great! We have to stop at a big market to catch a different bus, which is the greatest excuse to look around and buy fruit. It is just wonderful.
Tomorrow we are headed out on a City Orientation in the afternoon, and I'm really excited to not be sitting all day! We've been waking up at 6 and getting home around 6 with a full day of thai class/orientation, so I am looking forward to a day on the town. Woot! (and we get to go to the market again!)
We will be in Chiang Mai for about 5 weeks before our first field course which is Agroecology. We'll be in two different villages for 3 weeks with host families and experiencing their lifestyle/working with them. It will be a sweet change from the usual classroom.
Anyways, I am headed home now but I will try to update this guy more often... we'll see though.
Hey! if you want to sent mail to Thailand here is my address:
PO Box 222
Prasingh
Chiang Mai, 50205
THAILAND
Thai thai for now!
love, Hannah
I am settling into life in Thailand bit by bit. Just finished day two at ISDSI where we did a crossfit workout as part of our classes (!) I think it is pretty funny, but a nice break to mind overload in language class. We started learning how to read and write Thai today and I just about exploded. But hopefully it will make more sense soon! There are 34 students with the program, about half of which are from Kalamazoo, 8 ish people from CC, and everyone else from various other schools.
My host family is going well- there's Mae Mame, Paw Nong, and Nong Weeoo, as well as some mysterious other family members that make guest appearances. I am a tad confused about who lives where, but I think their cousins live in the same housing area with Grandpa. And there's a little store under part of the house too. I am discovering more fun facts about the house/family each day. Nong Weeoo (nong means little sibling) is 16 and into "Punk Style" as she says. She loves Lincoln park and greenday which I find particularly amusing, and we listen to her fave American pop tunes during dinner. I love hearing her sing along to "Kiss me through the phone." She goes to a big school in the city with 7000 students- yikes! But I like her a lot, and she is the best English speaker in the family (which isn't really saying much, but has nonetheless mad us fast friends).
Paw Nong apparently makes prosthetics and plays a lot of instruments. They actually have a whole music room with guitars, a bass, drum set, and microphones/amps. Quite the setup, and I am curious how/why they have it all... but it's fun to combine banjolele with guitar.
Our house is a ways outside of the city, but there's about 5 or 6 other students that live near by, which is convenient for the ride to school. We're supposed to take the bus, but the past few days they've driven us or called a taxi. But the way home is great! We have to stop at a big market to catch a different bus, which is the greatest excuse to look around and buy fruit. It is just wonderful.
Tomorrow we are headed out on a City Orientation in the afternoon, and I'm really excited to not be sitting all day! We've been waking up at 6 and getting home around 6 with a full day of thai class/orientation, so I am looking forward to a day on the town. Woot! (and we get to go to the market again!)
We will be in Chiang Mai for about 5 weeks before our first field course which is Agroecology. We'll be in two different villages for 3 weeks with host families and experiencing their lifestyle/working with them. It will be a sweet change from the usual classroom.
Anyways, I am headed home now but I will try to update this guy more often... we'll see though.
Hey! if you want to sent mail to Thailand here is my address:
PO Box 222
Prasingh
Chiang Mai, 50205
THAILAND
Thai thai for now!
love, Hannah
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
TTFN, America!
I'm almost off! I'm just printing out a few last minute tabs for my banjolele, then its off to the airport. Wahoo!
TTFN (thai thai for now), see you in Chaing Mai!
p.s. This post, and the title, were created by Jillian. Blame her for the bad pun.
TTFN (thai thai for now), see you in Chaing Mai!
p.s. This post, and the title, were created by Jillian. Blame her for the bad pun.
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