After almost four months here, it's easy to forget how different things are. Sure, I know that when I visit the US in August I'm going to have a huge culture shock. But I forget exactly why, until I get those great little reminders.
New expats are great reminders. I've met three in the last week, and my friend Erica and I have been showing them the ropes. For example, after yesterday's Hash (www.p2h3.com), I crossed the street. When I reached the curb, I realized that my new friend Claire was petrified on the opposite curb. I forget how terrifying it is to walk through six or eight lanes of motos. I don't know why, but it's made quite an impression on me.
I've also started trying to bargain in Khmer. It's easier than you'd expect. I'm getting pretty good at the numbers, and everything else can be done with sounds. A whistle at the starting price, then a counter offer, much lower. A groan, then a second counter offer. A long "hmmm," then shake your hands in the way the locals do, which means something like "I don't have," or "I cannot." Finally, start walking away to get their final bid. Number of Khmer words spoken: 7. But I'm getting good enough that it's finally cheaper to cook at home than eating out. And if you speak even a little Khmer, the price does drop a bit because you're not a tourist. Moral of the story: It's only a little about what you say. It's more how you sound and how you look. And if you sound like you understand the language, the price gets lower. Of course, if you look as white as I do, the price will still be high. But that's not changing.
Finally, I'm still a deputy director of something. It's clearly a bad idea, but they continue to mistake my English skills for intelligence. Unfortunately, they've expanded to facebook. It's only a matter of time before my boss finds the wrong photos. Nothing good can come of this.
Basically, nothing interesting has happened since I rode that elephant. I guess we can't have jungle adventures all the time. But when you get down to it, hopping on the back of a stranger's moto, when said stranger doesn't speak English, is always a kind of adventure, I guess. Tune in next week, because you'll never know when I'll eat balut- a duck egg with the fetus developing (it almost happened yesterday).
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Mondulkiri Mountain Madness
Yes, unfortunately it seems that I like alliteration in my titles. Sorry.
Last weekend was a holiday weekend (the king's birthday Friday, Buddha's Tuesday), so two of the roommates and I went to Mondulkiri, one of the mountain provinces. We took three other French people, and met half a dozen more, so my French is slowly getting better (whether I like it or not). We did trekking (the guide clearly thought we were more prepared than we were), rode elephants, and spent the night in a Pnong tribal village. I took a ton of pictures, until my camera died the last day. Have a look.
This is what it looks like to wash an elephant. We have Benji, Ranie, and one of the guides. Look at how much it's raining.
You could get under the small waterfall and hang out in the air pocket. It's a great alternative to a shower, and the water was warmer than the rain. These are two of the guides.
This scene is all too common in the area. The people think that the forest is more valuable as farm land, so they're cutting tracts like this one at an alarming rate. It's a shame to see it.
These were our elephants. Mine is the one with the guide on it. His name was Po, and he was 10 years old (and looked about six). But it's okay, his older brother was also guiding us. The brother was 15.
Piggies. Sleeping pile of cuteness.
This was where we stayed Saturday night. The child was adorable, as was the puppy (not pictured). The puppy cried all through dinner because no one was playing with him. Dinner was amazing, and I had 12 of the best hours of sleep ever.
Dinner. Also, our guide, Nat, in the pink shorts. No electricity here, and the water was from the well (or bottles, for drinking). They still had a TV, though, in case they ever fixed the generator.
Baby ducklings. Because this blog needs more cuteness.
When you jump off a waterfall wearing sunglasses, you have to hold your face when you land. When I swam up, one of the French girls was practicing her Khmer with her guide. I heard her say "He is from America," in Khmer. Was it the sunglasses or the camera that gave it away?
Finally, an update on the cooking situation. This was my first yogurt cake. The second was equally successful. The oatmeal cookies (or cookie, really, a big one in the bottom of the rice cooker), weren't as photogenic, but were quite delicious. I'm trying again tonight. I even bought cinnamon.
It was a great weekend. I'd forgotten how much I love just walking through the woods, looking at flowers and spiders, or throwing sticks in a river just to watch them float through the little waves. Also, it's nice not to worry about poison ivy. Ticks aren't a problem either, but leeches can be (even away from the river, they hold onto the grass). And in case you were wondering, Chaco flip-flops do great in the rain, but when it stops they collect mud and become difficult to walk in. I still defend my choice to take them on the trek.
Last weekend was a holiday weekend (the king's birthday Friday, Buddha's Tuesday), so two of the roommates and I went to Mondulkiri, one of the mountain provinces. We took three other French people, and met half a dozen more, so my French is slowly getting better (whether I like it or not). We did trekking (the guide clearly thought we were more prepared than we were), rode elephants, and spent the night in a Pnong tribal village. I took a ton of pictures, until my camera died the last day. Have a look.
This is what it looks like to wash an elephant. We have Benji, Ranie, and one of the guides. Look at how much it's raining.
You could get under the small waterfall and hang out in the air pocket. It's a great alternative to a shower, and the water was warmer than the rain. These are two of the guides.
This scene is all too common in the area. The people think that the forest is more valuable as farm land, so they're cutting tracts like this one at an alarming rate. It's a shame to see it.
These were our elephants. Mine is the one with the guide on it. His name was Po, and he was 10 years old (and looked about six). But it's okay, his older brother was also guiding us. The brother was 15.
Piggies. Sleeping pile of cuteness.
This was where we stayed Saturday night. The child was adorable, as was the puppy (not pictured). The puppy cried all through dinner because no one was playing with him. Dinner was amazing, and I had 12 of the best hours of sleep ever.
Dinner. Also, our guide, Nat, in the pink shorts. No electricity here, and the water was from the well (or bottles, for drinking). They still had a TV, though, in case they ever fixed the generator.
Baby ducklings. Because this blog needs more cuteness.
When you jump off a waterfall wearing sunglasses, you have to hold your face when you land. When I swam up, one of the French girls was practicing her Khmer with her guide. I heard her say "He is from America," in Khmer. Was it the sunglasses or the camera that gave it away?
Finally, an update on the cooking situation. This was my first yogurt cake. The second was equally successful. The oatmeal cookies (or cookie, really, a big one in the bottom of the rice cooker), weren't as photogenic, but were quite delicious. I'm trying again tonight. I even bought cinnamon.It was a great weekend. I'd forgotten how much I love just walking through the woods, looking at flowers and spiders, or throwing sticks in a river just to watch them float through the little waves. Also, it's nice not to worry about poison ivy. Ticks aren't a problem either, but leeches can be (even away from the river, they hold onto the grass). And in case you were wondering, Chaco flip-flops do great in the rain, but when it stops they collect mud and become difficult to walk in. I still defend my choice to take them on the trek.
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Standing out
Last Friday afternoon was amusing. On the way home, I bought some shelves. Three, to be exact. Attached is a kind of coat rack, which I'll use to hang shirts, my only necktie, and apparently a belt and a hammock. The whole apparatus is about six feet tall, but it's wicker, so it's super light. The moral of the story is this: if you want to stand out in SE Asia, it's not that hard. I start with being white. It comes fairly naturally, but that doesn't really help me stand out in some situations. So I grow a beard. I realize some of you won't be able to pull that off either, but I'll make it easier. Wearing long sleeves, dress pants, and a tie during the hottest month of the year, then riding your bicycle in the hottest part of the day will turn a head or two. Throw in some sunglasses for good measure. Finally, in case there was anyone in your line of sight not yet staring, tie a 6' tall wicker apparatus to the back of your bicycle and ride down one of the busier streets in Phnom Penh. Even your neighbors will stare.
Where was I coming home from, in such a state? I'm glad you asked. I found some poor company who thinks I have a clue what I'm talking about. I went in looking for some freelance work, and the director had some ideas. He's doing these workshops on Stephen Covey's "7 Habits" book, and I said I'd help out. I met him a second time last Friday. There was paperwork involved, and now I'm the deputy director of his company, Top Learning Center. What that does that entail? A speech at the beginning of the workshops, proofreading some emails and such, and "any other duties if needed." So I'm definitely the token white guy. It may be only that, a face for the web site, but it may turn into a monster. Either way, you're reading the blog of a deputy director, which is something I never thought I'd be able to say.
In other news, www.couchsurfing.org pretty much rocks. I just finished hosting for the second time, and it was a blast. You should try it. It leads to sitting at a bar with six other people, all from different countries. On a related note, it's kinda nice to be a native English speaker.
Finally, on the culinary front, the oatmeal cookie turned out great. Palm sugar is a little stronger in taste than brown sugar, but works for oatmeal cookies (or cookie, as it was all made in the bottom of a rice cooker). Also, only make half a batch (1.5 cups/350 ml of oatmeal). Also, apparently you can make a great cake using yogurt. It takes just over 2 hours to cook, but it's worth the wait. Of course, a proper oven might be better.
Where was I coming home from, in such a state? I'm glad you asked. I found some poor company who thinks I have a clue what I'm talking about. I went in looking for some freelance work, and the director had some ideas. He's doing these workshops on Stephen Covey's "7 Habits" book, and I said I'd help out. I met him a second time last Friday. There was paperwork involved, and now I'm the deputy director of his company, Top Learning Center. What that does that entail? A speech at the beginning of the workshops, proofreading some emails and such, and "any other duties if needed." So I'm definitely the token white guy. It may be only that, a face for the web site, but it may turn into a monster. Either way, you're reading the blog of a deputy director, which is something I never thought I'd be able to say.
In other news, www.couchsurfing.org pretty much rocks. I just finished hosting for the second time, and it was a blast. You should try it. It leads to sitting at a bar with six other people, all from different countries. On a related note, it's kinda nice to be a native English speaker.
Finally, on the culinary front, the oatmeal cookie turned out great. Palm sugar is a little stronger in taste than brown sugar, but works for oatmeal cookies (or cookie, as it was all made in the bottom of a rice cooker). Also, only make half a batch (1.5 cups/350 ml of oatmeal). Also, apparently you can make a great cake using yogurt. It takes just over 2 hours to cook, but it's worth the wait. Of course, a proper oven might be better.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Food is the mos t interesting thing I do anymore.
It's true. My life would be boring if I didn't eat.
I've been working on the concept of curry. I don't have it down, but I'm getting there. Here's what I've been using:
1. Start the rice in the rice cooker. (If you forget, it's a real pain. Trust me.)
2. In your trusty pestle, combine 4 or 5 red chilies, some peppercorn, one or two cloves of garlic, and maybe a shallot. Theoretically, some tumeric, coriander root, lemon grass, garlic chives, and Thai ginger should be added. But that's a lot of stuff I don't know how to say in Khmer. Also, I can point at garlic a lot more easily than coriander root, mostly because I know exactly what garlic looks like.
3. Pound everything in the pestle until you don't really recognize it. Or until your arm starts hurting. Use your other hand to keep little pieces of chili from splattering into your eye, because that hurts. Trust me.
4. Throw the paste onto a skillet with some coconut milk. Stir fry some veggies in it. Maybe some meat, if you have any. Eggs work too.
5. Serve over rice. If your roommates start eying it, tell them they're welcome to have some- you only used 4 chilies, so it's not that spicy. They should leave it alone.
I've had good success with eggplant, carrots, some lettucey thing I've been buying, bell peppers, and cauliflower. Not all at once.
Earlier tonight, some friends helped me to push the boundaries of fusion cuisine. We combined Japanese and Mexican styles, in what we called the "sushito"- a combination of sushi and burrito. It's a very American concept. The BLT sushito was a hit (that's bacon, lettuce, and tomato, for those who doubted). Next time we're going for the Philly roll: steak and cheese. It'll go downhill from there, I'm sure. These are the same people who cooked chocolate chip cookies (really more of a cookie cake I guess) over a BBQ grill last weekend. Just because it's not conventional doesn't mean it's not amazingly tasty.
Speaking of cookies, the rice cooker experimentations are going well. My roommate Mathilde and I made a wonderful chocolate cake, with good chocolate that she brought back from France. I wish I had pictures. And half an hour ago, I put in some oatmeal cookie dough. At the time of this writing, it needed about fifteen more minutes, maybe longer, but is looking promising. This is, of course, the problem with rice cooker baking: your maximum temperature is barely over 200 degrees Fahrenheit. This means a cake may take up to a week to bake fully. But, in the ovenless land of Asia, this is totally worth it. Also, isn't oatmeal cookie dough the best tasting uncooked thing ever?
In other news, the weather is starting to change. I'm told that April is the hottest month, and the rainy season may be starting. I asked my students, because we're studying weather terms this week. However, we've never studied climate, so getting a straight answer has been difficult. But it's rained 2 of the last 3 days, which hasn't happened since I've been here. I guess I'll know soon enough. In any event, I'm going to put a spare pair of socks in my backpack.
I just checked the cookies again. I think they need another six months.
I've been working on the concept of curry. I don't have it down, but I'm getting there. Here's what I've been using:
1. Start the rice in the rice cooker. (If you forget, it's a real pain. Trust me.)
2. In your trusty pestle, combine 4 or 5 red chilies, some peppercorn, one or two cloves of garlic, and maybe a shallot. Theoretically, some tumeric, coriander root, lemon grass, garlic chives, and Thai ginger should be added. But that's a lot of stuff I don't know how to say in Khmer. Also, I can point at garlic a lot more easily than coriander root, mostly because I know exactly what garlic looks like.
3. Pound everything in the pestle until you don't really recognize it. Or until your arm starts hurting. Use your other hand to keep little pieces of chili from splattering into your eye, because that hurts. Trust me.
4. Throw the paste onto a skillet with some coconut milk. Stir fry some veggies in it. Maybe some meat, if you have any. Eggs work too.
5. Serve over rice. If your roommates start eying it, tell them they're welcome to have some- you only used 4 chilies, so it's not that spicy. They should leave it alone.
I've had good success with eggplant, carrots, some lettucey thing I've been buying, bell peppers, and cauliflower. Not all at once.
Earlier tonight, some friends helped me to push the boundaries of fusion cuisine. We combined Japanese and Mexican styles, in what we called the "sushito"- a combination of sushi and burrito. It's a very American concept. The BLT sushito was a hit (that's bacon, lettuce, and tomato, for those who doubted). Next time we're going for the Philly roll: steak and cheese. It'll go downhill from there, I'm sure. These are the same people who cooked chocolate chip cookies (really more of a cookie cake I guess) over a BBQ grill last weekend. Just because it's not conventional doesn't mean it's not amazingly tasty.
Speaking of cookies, the rice cooker experimentations are going well. My roommate Mathilde and I made a wonderful chocolate cake, with good chocolate that she brought back from France. I wish I had pictures. And half an hour ago, I put in some oatmeal cookie dough. At the time of this writing, it needed about fifteen more minutes, maybe longer, but is looking promising. This is, of course, the problem with rice cooker baking: your maximum temperature is barely over 200 degrees Fahrenheit. This means a cake may take up to a week to bake fully. But, in the ovenless land of Asia, this is totally worth it. Also, isn't oatmeal cookie dough the best tasting uncooked thing ever?
In other news, the weather is starting to change. I'm told that April is the hottest month, and the rainy season may be starting. I asked my students, because we're studying weather terms this week. However, we've never studied climate, so getting a straight answer has been difficult. But it's rained 2 of the last 3 days, which hasn't happened since I've been here. I guess I'll know soon enough. In any event, I'm going to put a spare pair of socks in my backpack.
I just checked the cookies again. I think they need another six months.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Songkran in Bangkok
When we last talked, I was staying in Tailek's house, and mentioned something about a water fight. Now I have pictures to prove it.
This is Tailek (with Bee). He's not super happy about people rubbing clay on his face, but he's at that age where the horrible tribulations of daily life reduce you to tears for a minute, but then you find something new and wonderful to play with. Like a fork. (No one would let him play with those for long. He's got a rough life.) 
Tailek really liked that hose. This was a problem, because the water barrel kept running low, and we needed to throw water on people. But I'm getting ahead of myself.
For myself and many others, the festival began on Tuesday night on Khao San Road. Normally, this is a touristy street, full of bars, Western food, and backpackers. On this particular night, however, several anxious young Thais gathered to start Songkran. Most of the farangs (foreigners) joined in, although a few were only arriving, and (judging by their lack of waterproofing) hadn't gotten the memo that everything was subject to inundation. My fellow couchsurfers and I armed ourselves with water guns and entered the fray.
The cavalry.
Your typical Thai troop.
I love this guy.
Having a camera WILL NOT keep people from shooting you. A waterproof camera is necessary.
I don't know where this girl was getting her water, but she refilled roughly 80x faster than we did. As we were there, helplessly out of water, she demolished us.
For the next three days, I used a ziplock bag to hold my phone and money. We were staying in a Thai neighborhood, so the festivities were in full swing from the morning to dusk. Everyone got involved, from the youngest kids to the grandparents. We threw water, which symbolizes cleaning and renewal. Many also spread clay on people's faces, which I'm told wards off evil spirits. Some choose to take it up a level, adding ice to the water and tiger balm to the clay. The motos, tuk-tuks, and pickup trucks often circle the block. And even at 10 pm, when the streets are mostly quiet, someone may walk up behind you with a bowl of water to dump down your back.
We set up in front of Tailek's house with a barrel, a hose, buckets, and water guns. In fact, over half the houses on the street were set up with a barrel, a hose, buckets, and water guns. You couldn't make it to the corner dry. A few places set up snacks, beverages, and stereos. And it stayed like that for three days. And forget driving down Khao San Road. Even if it hadn't been closed to cars, there were so many people shooting (iced) water that driving would have been impossible.
For my money, a pickup's the best way to see Songkran.
Adorable. Don't you want to just sling a few liters at them?
This is why you couldn't pay me to ride a moto during Songkran.
Heavy battle.
Pulling out all the stops.
Water from multiple directions.
Matias, Céline, and Petr, with the older couple from across the street. They also danced together, and I later saw Céline teaching the woman how to use her water gun.
Tuk-tuk wheelie. Yeah, it's THAT kind of party.
Petr and his Thai friend, cutting a rug.
Bangkok's finest, hard at work near Khao San Road.
The nights were filled with amazing food. Bee is a great cook, and she's learning how to bake. Ovens aren't popular in most of Asia, so things like homemade banana bread and cookies are a new and wonderful challenge to Bee. Eating them is not too painful either. As seen above, she can cook almost anything. Our Turkish friend Meltem also cooked an amazing meal one night. My day there, Bee decided she wanted a massage. So she called up some friends, and a little after midnight, they turned the living room into a massage parlor. Two hours, 300 baht. That's ten US dollars. Go ahead. Be jealous.
Unfortunately, every New Year celebration must come to an end. I should know, I've seen three come and go already this year. On Saturday it became safe to walk outside with electronics, and on Sunday I caught the early train to the border. The train was less than two dollars, and the truck to the border crossing was less than a dollar. Then, to get from the border to Phnom Penh, I took my first shared taxi to Battambang. I shared the front seat with someone half the way, but still managed to sleep through most of it. The cost? $10 (300 baht). Then I caught the night bus to PP for $11. The moral of the story? It's easier to leave a country after a major festival than to enter one. Also, overland travel in southeast Asia is inherently challenging.
I'll leave you with a short video, to give you an idea about what it's like to take a moto or tuk-tuk during Songkran. Enjoy!
This is Tailek (with Bee). He's not super happy about people rubbing clay on his face, but he's at that age where the horrible tribulations of daily life reduce you to tears for a minute, but then you find something new and wonderful to play with. Like a fork. (No one would let him play with those for long. He's got a rough life.) 
Tailek really liked that hose. This was a problem, because the water barrel kept running low, and we needed to throw water on people. But I'm getting ahead of myself.For myself and many others, the festival began on Tuesday night on Khao San Road. Normally, this is a touristy street, full of bars, Western food, and backpackers. On this particular night, however, several anxious young Thais gathered to start Songkran. Most of the farangs (foreigners) joined in, although a few were only arriving, and (judging by their lack of waterproofing) hadn't gotten the memo that everything was subject to inundation. My fellow couchsurfers and I armed ourselves with water guns and entered the fray.
The cavalry.
Your typical Thai troop.
I love this guy.
Having a camera WILL NOT keep people from shooting you. A waterproof camera is necessary.
I don't know where this girl was getting her water, but she refilled roughly 80x faster than we did. As we were there, helplessly out of water, she demolished us.For the next three days, I used a ziplock bag to hold my phone and money. We were staying in a Thai neighborhood, so the festivities were in full swing from the morning to dusk. Everyone got involved, from the youngest kids to the grandparents. We threw water, which symbolizes cleaning and renewal. Many also spread clay on people's faces, which I'm told wards off evil spirits. Some choose to take it up a level, adding ice to the water and tiger balm to the clay. The motos, tuk-tuks, and pickup trucks often circle the block. And even at 10 pm, when the streets are mostly quiet, someone may walk up behind you with a bowl of water to dump down your back.
We set up in front of Tailek's house with a barrel, a hose, buckets, and water guns. In fact, over half the houses on the street were set up with a barrel, a hose, buckets, and water guns. You couldn't make it to the corner dry. A few places set up snacks, beverages, and stereos. And it stayed like that for three days. And forget driving down Khao San Road. Even if it hadn't been closed to cars, there were so many people shooting (iced) water that driving would have been impossible.
For my money, a pickup's the best way to see Songkran.
Adorable. Don't you want to just sling a few liters at them?
This is why you couldn't pay me to ride a moto during Songkran.
Heavy battle.
Pulling out all the stops.
Water from multiple directions.
Matias, Céline, and Petr, with the older couple from across the street. They also danced together, and I later saw Céline teaching the woman how to use her water gun.
Tuk-tuk wheelie. Yeah, it's THAT kind of party.
Petr and his Thai friend, cutting a rug.
Bangkok's finest, hard at work near Khao San Road.
The nights were filled with amazing food. Bee is a great cook, and she's learning how to bake. Ovens aren't popular in most of Asia, so things like homemade banana bread and cookies are a new and wonderful challenge to Bee. Eating them is not too painful either. As seen above, she can cook almost anything. Our Turkish friend Meltem also cooked an amazing meal one night. My day there, Bee decided she wanted a massage. So she called up some friends, and a little after midnight, they turned the living room into a massage parlor. Two hours, 300 baht. That's ten US dollars. Go ahead. Be jealous.Unfortunately, every New Year celebration must come to an end. I should know, I've seen three come and go already this year. On Saturday it became safe to walk outside with electronics, and on Sunday I caught the early train to the border. The train was less than two dollars, and the truck to the border crossing was less than a dollar. Then, to get from the border to Phnom Penh, I took my first shared taxi to Battambang. I shared the front seat with someone half the way, but still managed to sleep through most of it. The cost? $10 (300 baht). Then I caught the night bus to PP for $11. The moral of the story? It's easier to leave a country after a major festival than to enter one. Also, overland travel in southeast Asia is inherently challenging.
I'll leave you with a short video, to give you an idea about what it's like to take a moto or tuk-tuk during Songkran. Enjoy!
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
BKK 1
So I'm taking a break from Songkran to compare Bangkok and Phnom Penh. I can't tell you about Songkran because it's not over, but I'll have some photos and a video for sure. I'll just leave you to debate, which is better, Songkran or Halloween?
I spent the first night at a cheap hostel. Boring, but that's what a 15 hour bus ride will do to you. The next afternoon, I went to Tailek's house.
Tailek is about 15 months old. His mom is Bee, from Thailand, and his dad is Scott, from Utah. They have opened their house up to almost anyone. I think there are about ten couchsurfers here at the moment. I've been out with two lovely Swiss girls, an American working in Geneva, a slew of other Europeans (a Czech, a few Germans, a Brit, and maybe someone else?), and an Israeli girl living in Canada, just to shake things up. Tailek's interesting, and only cries sometimes when I play with him.
It's been a blast. We went out with Bee to explore some of the finer points of Bangkok nightlife (I've been missing that much neon since I left China), and the owner of the coffee shop and Halal restaurant remembers me, as I've been there three days in a row now. Also, his name is James too, and he's spent some time in Cambodia (I get to show off my three Khmer sentences!). We went to Chinatown last night, then to Khao San Road. Something about Sangkran... but that's a whole post unto itself.
I like the city. It's bigger than anywhere I could see myself settling in (six times the size of Phnom Penh), but it's a nice change of pace. It's also much greener. Some of that is the climate, but I'm sure they're also growing and watering more. I've missed Thai food and night markets too. Bee's going to teach me a little about cooking. The CSers are going out every night, and right now I'm going to try to take a nap (which will be hard with the festival raging outside). And there seems to be a water fight somewhere... I'll try to get some pictures.
Happy Buddhist New Year!!!! Don't leave house without a plastic bag!!!
I spent the first night at a cheap hostel. Boring, but that's what a 15 hour bus ride will do to you. The next afternoon, I went to Tailek's house.
Tailek is about 15 months old. His mom is Bee, from Thailand, and his dad is Scott, from Utah. They have opened their house up to almost anyone. I think there are about ten couchsurfers here at the moment. I've been out with two lovely Swiss girls, an American working in Geneva, a slew of other Europeans (a Czech, a few Germans, a Brit, and maybe someone else?), and an Israeli girl living in Canada, just to shake things up. Tailek's interesting, and only cries sometimes when I play with him.
It's been a blast. We went out with Bee to explore some of the finer points of Bangkok nightlife (I've been missing that much neon since I left China), and the owner of the coffee shop and Halal restaurant remembers me, as I've been there three days in a row now. Also, his name is James too, and he's spent some time in Cambodia (I get to show off my three Khmer sentences!). We went to Chinatown last night, then to Khao San Road. Something about Sangkran... but that's a whole post unto itself.
I like the city. It's bigger than anywhere I could see myself settling in (six times the size of Phnom Penh), but it's a nice change of pace. It's also much greener. Some of that is the climate, but I'm sure they're also growing and watering more. I've missed Thai food and night markets too. Bee's going to teach me a little about cooking. The CSers are going out every night, and right now I'm going to try to take a nap (which will be hard with the festival raging outside). And there seems to be a water fight somewhere... I'll try to get some pictures.
Happy Buddhist New Year!!!! Don't leave house without a plastic bag!!!
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Happy birthday!
Last Thursday, I stumbled across a birthday party, quite by mistake. I went out to eat with some friends, and we realized the restaurant was quite crowded. After some time, they asked us to come inside to sing "Happy Birthday" with them. What do you do when asked such a thing? If your answer was anything less than enthusiastic, we need to talk about your sense of adventure.
So in we went. There were about forty of us, and almost everyone had sparklers. I never figured out whose birthday it was, mostly because at the end of the song the Khmer enjoy silly string. A lot. Sometimes in your face. Fun fact: you know when a can of silly string is almost dead and is half liquid, half sputtering bits? If that hits you square in the eye, it doesn't really hurt. Also, if you go to the store after, the security guard will remind you of the silly string you've left in your hair.
If I'd had my camera, I'd post pictures. These things never happen when you bring your camera. Or maybe they would, if I ever brought mine out. If I had, I'd also have bat picture. There were dozens in the intersection in front of that store. I'll go back this week and snap a few.
Aside from that, I'm just getting ready for the Buddhist New Year. Payday is tomorrow, and then I'll decide where I'll be running off to. Thailand for the water festival? Could be a plan. I'll keep you posted!
So in we went. There were about forty of us, and almost everyone had sparklers. I never figured out whose birthday it was, mostly because at the end of the song the Khmer enjoy silly string. A lot. Sometimes in your face. Fun fact: you know when a can of silly string is almost dead and is half liquid, half sputtering bits? If that hits you square in the eye, it doesn't really hurt. Also, if you go to the store after, the security guard will remind you of the silly string you've left in your hair.
If I'd had my camera, I'd post pictures. These things never happen when you bring your camera. Or maybe they would, if I ever brought mine out. If I had, I'd also have bat picture. There were dozens in the intersection in front of that store. I'll go back this week and snap a few.
Aside from that, I'm just getting ready for the Buddhist New Year. Payday is tomorrow, and then I'll decide where I'll be running off to. Thailand for the water festival? Could be a plan. I'll keep you posted!
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