This last week has felt like an entire month but I’m here, I’ve made it! I finally have time to relax as I listen to my Les Miserables 10th Anniversary Concert album with the two fans we have on full and covered in mosquito spray. The day before leaving Essex, I found out that I’ll be spending this year with a girl called Cissy as well as Nicole as her project has fallen through - this can only mean more fun! All us 19 volunteers arrived in Bangkok at 7am on Friday 30th and were met by Lucie, the PT rep, and taken in mini buses to Hotel Malaysia where we enjoyed iced drinks and a quick chat with Lucie before we were left to sleep! Leaving home at 5am on Thursday morning and arriving at what would be 1am English time, we were exhausted and Nicole and I slept the whole afternoon. After that we enjoyed a massive spread of delicious (and some not so...) dishes at a restaurant near by and then were taken to a bar, Cloud 47, on the 47th floor which overlooked the sights of Bangkok - and what a sight it was!
The next day we were left to do as we please in Bangkok and Nicole, Cissy and I decided to brace the tube in Bangkok and attempt to make it to MBK shopping center - I think making it across Bangkok speaking no Thai was a definite achievement! We also managed to use the Sky Train to make it to the weekend market which was filled with so so many stalls selling everything from fruit to flip flops to pets even! That evening we then boarded our 10 hour night bus to Ubon Ratchathani. I was lucky and managed to sleep for over half of this, but others did not share my fortune and found the journey knackering especially as we arrived at 6.30am the next day and did not have a single rest!
On arriving at Ubon our Host, Adjarn Prayang, met us and took us to our first traditional Thai breakfast... MCDONALDS! (It’s not the same as in the UK though) I don’t think Prayang thinks we can handle ‘Isaan food, very spicy food’ so since we have lots of western food. Mother, you said I wouldn’t be getting good Italian food well we had Pizza’s at Spago in Ubon tonight!
Since arriving we have been shown around the Buddhist Temples - they are so so beautiful and were even taken to a food offering service with the other teachers at school once! We have been welcomed with such enthusiasm by the teachers at Amphawan Wittaya Secondary School, and have had so so so many photo’s taken of us! All the time someone new will just point us into a space and put their arms around us and there will be a photo taken - there is absolutely no time to adjust our hair!!! The students at the school are nicer than any students back in England without a doubt, two students even showed us the way into Ubon from Muang Samsip on the Song Thaew (the public ‘bus’) and have taken us on many tours of the school and to the market and showed us Isaan dancing as well - I think it’s safe to say we were awful!
As well as the upsides to my new life here in Thailand, there have been a few err... Mishaps. Our first night in our temporary room here in Ubon where innocent Nicole went to our beautiful squat toilet and was met by the unsightly view of a gecko lying in front of the hole (I mean toilet). Not only was poor Nicole met by a gecko, it was a DEAD GECKO lying on its back with its legs in the air! We are still not far into our investigation of the mysterious Gecko killer!
Our house we move into this weekend was also not a pleasant first visit... To be met with Ben and David’s (last years volunteers) socks and boxers was a shock to say the least! Thanks Ben and David for your kind gifts!
All in all it’s been a crazy busy week with lots of things to get used to! Even just the way if someone says they’ll meet us at 8 they always mean 9, but be ready for 8 just incase they decide to be on time. Time is not so much of an issue here so everything is done slowly which kind of makes me miss the London Underground at rush hour - kind of!
I can only imagine the next 3 weeks will bring even more adventures and surprises and then we’re headed off to Chiang Mai for our 3 week language course with all the other volunteers! Endless fun!
I’ll be in touch soon,
Lots of love,
Amy
Hi! Kewl you made it safe to what is almost the other side of this ball spinning alone in the cosmos with only a moon for company. Wow, you got taken out to restaurants, a bar on a 47th floor, and staying in "the" hotel of Thailand! It's a good way to be eased into the culture of the country I guess. A bit like when I did my year-out in the USA - I had some culture shock, the culture was shocking, lol! Hopefully, you didn't stock up on too many useful things at the market, like a pet. As for useless things to have taken with you, I guess you can't do better than 5-inch heel stilettos for the rainy season, and bubble bath but not for a Jacuzzi! Be grateful that the two guys who had the accommodation before you arrived did not leave any more nasty surprises, lol! I look forward to more tales of adventures and mishaps, and hey, they are all good!
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