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