Thanksgiving in Thailand, Loi Krathong, and lots of updates

Hello everyone, sorry that it has taken sooo long to update, I got really sick up until about my birthday, and then was swamped with finishing up this semester. Thanksgiving in Thailand was pretty strange. It was the first Thanksgiving for any of us away from home, and away from the cooks in the family. We went shopping at Tops for our feast (for those of you from WNY, it is so strange having Tops, the same Tops, out here). We ended up making sweet potatos (which were nothinng like sweet potatos from America, they were light yellow and not very sweet), mashed potatos (which were very good) roasted chicken, bbq steak and pork, corn, garlic bread (home made by Brad), cranberry sause, and a fruit salad (the only dish that I was rightfully allowed near). The dinner was surprisingly good, and new cooking talents were found (although we did rely a bit on lots of butter, salt and garlic). We ate at Brad's host's house, which is this goregous house just outside the city. It was also my first Thanksgiving eaten at a table outside under the stars which was nice (espically since at home for Thanksgiving, it is usually snowing or hailing at that time). We had our secretary, two friends, and Brad's host at the dinnner, and the Thais seemed impressed with our efforts (even if our food is a little blander than tradititional Thai fare). Following Thanksgigving we all sat under the stars on the lawn, and then sent a floating latern into the sky (these are used in the Northen Thai celebration of Loi Krathong, which coincidently takes place Thanksgiving weeked) you write a wish onto the paper latern, and then light a fire under it, and send it into the sky.

That weekend, Loi Krathong was on. This holiday comes from India, were they float offerings into the river to thank the river goddess. In Thailand, all over the country, Krathongs are made out of bannana stumps and decorated with flowers, incense and candles, and then let into the water. We all made our own and went to the Ping River with our friends to float them. other than floating laterns, there was also all of the laterns going up into the sky, which can get crazy when thousands of people around the river are lighting fires under paper laterns (espically when the laterns don't take flight like they should, and there are always some house fires around the city during this holiday). THere are also tons of fireworks being set off at the same time (and of course none of them are legal) so all over the city people (many of whom have been drinking) are setting of illegal fireworks, many of them pointed right at you as you walk. There was also a giant parade with lots of big floats made. It was a very fun night, but one was enough, and I didn't go to the river for the Sunday celebrations. All in all, the celebrations remind me of the Fouth of July times twennty, with all the fireworks, drinking, and craziness.

I also got to go to the Sumo World Championships in Chiang Mai, the sport is very fast pased, and some of the guys are surpraisingly tiny.

My field work project is finally really getting started, and last week I interviewed a woman who works to improve the status of informal workers about women subcontract home workers who do piece work, and then yesterday went to a confrence about informal labor and listened to migrant workers talk and other representatives of the informal sector. After the New Year, I will begin oberservations with one NGO and travel to a near by city to go to their workshop with the women workers about developing their union and stratigies for mading demands from their employers. All of this is activity is being done solely in Thai, so my language skills are definatently getting tested and improved.

My Mom and Dad come tommorow, and I am super excited, then Philip and Carissa come, and then Holden. I can't wait to show everyone around and have my first visitors.

I also had my 21 bday recently. It was a little strange, because here the drinking age is 20, and bars never check ids of foreigners, so it wasn't really a big deal. I was also still sick, but I drink my champagne my friends got me (even though it was bad) and had a bite of my cake (even though that was REALLY bad), but it was just a nice, relaxed celebration filled with candles and bday hats. My real 21 will have to wait until my 22 back in the states. I am definatley going to follow my mom's suggestion and order my first legal drink of alcohol in the Kennedy airport bar on the way home in June, that will finally be the time when I really feel 21.

Thanks, sorry it has taken so long, and hopefully I won't take as long next time

Trip to Chiang Rai

My trip to Chiang Rai was so much fun, until about three steps out of the car when me finally reached our first stop chiang Khong after 8 hours driving...I fell down a mini hill right in front of our hotel and badly sprained my ankle, which promptly began to swell to the size of a softball. It looked pretty gross, but I was able to limp around ok after a few hours rest and some ice. Then our trip began, our first hotel overlooked the Mae Khong River, and across the river was Laos. We walked around the city, but our next day was even more fun. We got to go into Laos for an hour (there is a little island where you don't need a visa and are allowed to spend some time in) where I got some souvieners and took some pictures. We got to take a boat ride on the Mae Khong at the Golden Triangle area (where Laos, Thailand, and Burma meet). We then went to a small border town with Burma, Mae Saay where our Thai friends got to go across and buy lots of cheap clothes and dvds from the Chinese black market. That was the northern most area of Thailand, and I got to see the main border crossing between Thailand and Burma (we even saw a truck filled in the back with Burmise migrants carrying AK 47s which was alittle creppy). We got to go to the Opium Museum, go to a museum filled with ancient artifiacts, and see a very old temple from thousands of years ago when that part of the country was its own kingdom. We also got to see this new temple almost finished being built that is being built by this famous Northern Thai painter. The temple is completely white and sparkles in the sun...it is made to look like heaven. On the inside, the murals, which are still being completed, are painted by the famous painter, and in the demon part, it shows the world being overtaken by spaceships, and even includes a mini Keanu Reeves from the Matrix. On our last stop we stopped at this temple in the woods that was surrounded by a wooded mountain that caused the temple to be populated by not only monks, but also monkeys.

Pictures...follow the link...

http://wisc.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2299962&l=9e4f1&id=8633037

Apartment Shopping!

The time has finally come to move out of the homestay...I am very sad but happy to be getting my own space and to be able to stay out after 9pm. We all went apartment shopping, and I served as translator...it made me realize how far my language has come, and also that I NEVER want to be a simultaneous translator..much to confusing going back and forth between two languages. But, me and the other girl on the trip, Sasha, are staying in the same building, on this cute street that has lots of shops and restaurant (like a Thai Elmwood for those of you from NY, or a Thai State Street for those from Wisconsin). The apartment is a one bedroom, with a large balcony, and the best part, an amazing pool with views of the mountains!!!! (Don't worry mom, I won't go swimming alone and drown because of a cramp like Martha Jackson). And all of this in a newly built building with 24 hour security guard (I am safe too) all for like 150 a month, (I love Thailand prices). I move in this Saturday, but I can still visit my family since they live actually inside the university, and my mom said I was welcome back any time. Nothing else much going on besides the apartment hunting and LOTS and LOTS of reading and research. But in a few weeks we are all taking a field trip to Chiang Rai (by the Golden Triangle where Opium is produced next to the Laotian border), so I will have more fun adventures soon!

Trip to Waterfall...follow links for pictures

Yesterday I went to this beautiful waterfall with two Thai student friends and Sasha and Pat. The link for the pictures is:
http://wisc.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2282902&l=b25c5&id=8633037

What is crazy about this waterfall is that it is right next to the school, only about a ten-15 minute walk...great place for picnics

Hike up Doi Suthep

Today, me and two friends went hiking up this mountain next to the school...we had a hard time finding the place to start, but once we found the track (after almost entering private Thai government territory) it went well. It was me, Sasha and Brad (two of the other students studying abroad) and we were decked out with backpacks, and even walking sticks (curtosy of Brad). The hike was pretty up hill and tiring, but I only fell once! (quite an accomplshment for me, although my one fall almost took me down the waterfall). We passed two waterfalls, and a temple on the hill. It was beautiful, but I was sacred the whole time of seeing giant spiders. I didn't see any spiders, but I did have these branches hit my head that were covered in ants, and that was alittle freaky till I got the dozens of ants off my face! Last night I had some food that was blood stew...filled with pigs blood and some kind of organs...strange texture, and not that delicious, so I hope my family won't be bringing blood home for me to try again any time soon.

Teacher Breta (I'm not so good at it)

On Sunday, I went with my Dad to go teach english to some children of the Burmese labors that he works with. He teaches them Thai, and he wanted me to try to teach them english. There were about 15-20 kids, ranging in age from 4-12. They were all sooo cute and excited to be learning english. They already knew the abcs, and hello, and I was tranlating some things from Thai to English for them. It seems pretty impossible and I know that I am a horrible teacher, but they are so excited and really wanted me to come back, so next week I am! My family for my home stay this time is incredibly different than last time. They have two cars, two motorbikes, and about 5 tvs. Its pretty crazy, my mom works all the time, and I guess is in a pretty high up position in the teaching school, and my Dad seems to be some sort of contractor, cause he said he built buildings, but I'm not to sure...

There are three questions that everyne always get asked by thai people:
1. Do you have a boyfriend? (I have gotten plenty of set up offers from my mom's friends for their sons or friends)
2. How old are you?
3. Do you have diarreha yet? (This is espically asked when you say say that you like to eat spicy Thai food)

Having a great time, looking forward to class tommorow! (and looking forward to the cool season cause its like mid 90s and 70-80% humdity....damn global warming!)

Hello from Thailand

Hello everyone...I am witing a blog because it is just too crazy to send emails to everyone, espically since wiscmail doesn't like to work here! Well, Thailand is great so far...the area that I am in is right next to the university ( actually inside it) and all the resturants and little stores remind me of Madison acutally...just hotter and more crowded. There are also crazy dogs all over the place, and they would actually be cute is they weren't all strays and probably rabid...but they all look really funny because they are all mutts. The university is all surrounded by trees and beautiful landscapes. It is really too hot to walk around too much, but even when I do walk places instead of taking the red trucks, everyone looks at you like your crazy because Thais don't walk anywhere. I love singing kareoke...in both Thai and English, the Thai is good practice for reading fast. My family never speaks English which is good for me, and Thai tv is crazy and melodramtic soap operas. It is so good eating Thai food and Thai tea all the time! Update more later!