Phuket

Okay so re-reading this it's a bit disjunct and the grammar's wretched but this is what I'm posting. :-)

I left my hotel about 2:00 in the afternoon today... I spent much of the morning chatting with a great gal from Australia. Meeting other westerners is rather delightful and I very much enjoy speaking to someone I could speak to in the same language and have whole conversations with. And Christine had some lovely stories and ideas and advise!

Michael, thanks for the hugs and cheer - you made my day with your post! No worries on being a big brother! You are! And I really appreciate the hugs right now so thank you! It's funny, I'm more interested in having conversations with people than I am in actually seeing the sights! I'm more than willing to blow off a temple or a beach if there's someone interesting to chat with! Only speaking broken English makes regular conversing impossible. You only get to greet, make compliments, ask for things, get the logistics figured out, gesture... and I'm finding I crave more "intimate" conversations. Discussions on where and what and why and my country and someone elses and their travels and social issues or culture differences.

Anyways, one of the things Christine mentioned is that what Thais have is just another lifestyle. One is not better than the other perse. It's not that one is "richer" than the other it's that they are both rich in different ways. It depends on how you define richer. If you define it in terms of money, then yes, the US would lead. If you define it in terms of human contact and interaction though, the US is lagging. There is constant conversation and interaction during the work day, neighbors stop by, during or after work, doors are open, people are open.... In some ways. And admittedly the climate helps because the doors can be open due to the heat.

In some ways I envy the Thais. Yes they have less money but... I am still very much fond of my own culture though. I think like someone from the US. Thai thinking is very much different from mine. I'm enjoying learning a few things about another culture. Hmm... that would be a fun topic to study!

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I mostly walked Phuket today just looking at shops. I love bookstores and went to one last night that was strictly for the Thais and the one I found today had English books and books in other languages. Yay!!! I splurged and bought the beginner series of a Thai language CDs & book. I also finally found cards! I figure even if I don't send them I will frame them when I get home. They cost more than in the US though! But I enjoy art and cards so why not.

Phuket it very much a tourist place with more foreigners. The beaches are the primary draw but I didn't feel like sightseeing today. Instead I enjoyed some "western" things and went to a movie! The only one playing in English tonight was My Best Friend's Girlfriend which I really enjoyed. There were about 5 of us in the theater! The previews were all in English too. Fun little treat.

For dinner I had popcorn (it only comes in one size here... a small/childsize in the US but tastes like home)! I also had something that looked like a hotdog with cheese. It was nasty actually but worth a try! I prefer the Thai food. Speaking of food though, lunch was fried noodles and pork and was REALLY great, as was the coconut drink I had with it. (I think this is more of the Chinese Thai though as opposed to a Thai dish).

On the way out of the mall the song "Every little thing that you do...I'm so in love with you, it just keeps getting better..." was playing so I sang it all the way back on the half hour walk. I miss America. I miss English. I miss my life. It's challenging being someplace completely different for longer than a couple weeks! Part of me thinks... 11 more months ugh! But I know I will be sad when I'm heading home. I might come back a little early though just so I can enjoy a Seattle summer!

Crossing the street is still challenging for me. I still can't get the right/left drive thing right! Logically I get it but because it's so automatic with the way traffic goes in the US, I get confused every time I cross! This sounds easy but I have to literally think... okay, US I would drive on that side (but because I've been looking at the alternative all day) I think the US is the other way and then do the Thai direction backwards and get completely screwed up! So needless to say I have to stand there a minute.

I stopped at a cell phone store to buy another phone charger and ended up talking to another customer. She recently completed a Bachelor degree in Bangkok and is working at a nearby hotel. She seemed very kind and we exchanged e-mails. I don't know if she's looking for business for the hotel or really just wants to just chat but I enjoyed talking to her and her English was good!

Anyways, I hope to hit the beach tomorrow morning early before I go back to the school.