Back from Koh Mook

Sorry, I know I haven't posted in a while. There is an asswipe sitting to my left trying to intercept the computer.
I am currently planning a weekend on Koh Pha Ngan for the upcoming weekend... sweet.
I just spent a weekend in paradise. literally. no joke. i'm serious. weekend in paradise. it was unreal. and paradise on a budget. so it was just, as Max Sinsteden would say, "di-vine".

Before I talk about that- I need to backtrack:

I couldn't ask for a better work placement. On our very first day, Casey and I pulled up to our school in a private car to see 1500 kids lined up in rows for their morning prayer and announcments. The girls in light blue uniforms with blue bows and short hair (which we later learned was to avoid their consciousness of their beauty at their age) and boys in blue shirts and shorts. While I have always associated uniforms with conformity and close-mindedness, I found something attractive about the unifying element of their dress. Casey and I, with 1500 pairs of eyes on us, were ushered to the stage to greet the students. While Casey introduced herself, I waved and received the response of a queen, with waving hands and cheering. I have never felt so cool in my life. no lie.
the actual teaching part was a bit overwhelming at first because we, assuming that we were not going to do anything on our first day, had not prepared any lectures. the teacher ushered us into a classroom, left the room and there we stood, with forty smiling facing giggling at us Americans and nothing prepared. We talked about America but half of our words received blank stares. We did some songs, which Casey was MUCH more comfortable with than me, but I got over my stagefright quickly. We then played hangman and simon says which we called "teacher says". This worked well and as the day went on, we perfected the games. By the end of the day we were tired, overwhelmed, but very thrilled with our placement. Since Casey is an actress and used to a crowd in front of her, I think she found the experience much easier than me, but by the end of the day I felt much better about the situation.
Casey and I witnessed a very unique Thai tradition on that day. We had heard that schools and public buildings in Bangkok had three bathrooms, one for men, one for women, and one for transexuals but did not except to witness this tradtion in the town of Trang. After giving bad expositions of American dance, Casey and I asked the students to dance for us. Everyone turned to the dancer of the class and we were surprised to see that it was a boy. The boy, who dressed in girl colors, swaggered up to the front of the room and the class, embracing his flamoyancy, began clapping and singing as he performed a dance that, in any other school, would have provoked a severe beating from bullies.
We ate our lunch with Pat, Pet, Tip, and other English teachers whose names we don't really know but pretend to. Something interesting: when I say my name, every Thai person who hears it consistently distorts his or her face in confusion at such a strange name. I'm so glad,after having a freshman year where most of my friends' names were Rachel, to finally be somewhere where my name is rare.
I keep on writing in detail and am progressing at a snails pace with this account of my past week.
Everyday the English teachers bring us Thai fruit, dessert (cakes that were sooo good) and other delicacies (I wouldn't eat the fried whole fish they brought..).
On our second day, Casey and I were given our own classroom. It is airconditioned, has a brand new computer, and a nice divider so we can teach 2 classes at once. The room is so lovely and I think really shows the school's appreciation that we are there.
By the way, I haven't realled mentionated this yet but the teaching is challenging and rewarding. Every class we have to evaluate the students and adjust our lecture/game plans. I really feel like i am making a difference, even if I am just giving the student a greater impotus to learn English. It is SUCH a wonderful feeling.

I am wired right now from dealing with hotel reservations so I will skip to this past weekend but I will continue to describe the school in the next blog.

I left the planning and travel arrangements to the group"s "dad" Barry who found us the most beautiful resort I have ever been to and if you know anything about my family's vacations, you know that that says a LOT.
We arrrived at the dock and, having to wait for the boat to pick us up, sat in a cafe and ate ice cream ( i didn't have any, don't worry mom). We then boarded a very new and rather flashy motorboat and travelled at high speeds towards stunning islands with high limestone rocks covered in thick jungle like vegetation.
I almost cried when I saw our resort. SEriously. The resort was a series of beach bungalows located on a narrow peninsula with the restaurant at the end of the peninsula. It was called Sivali Resort if you want to check out the website. There is perfect blue water and serene bungalows lining the beach. AH it was so beautiful. There were also free kayak rentals, internet accesses and great sunrise and sunset views. In short, I felt I was in heaven.
Casey and I roomed together in a bungalow with floor to ceiling windows on three sides, flower petals on our beds and private beaches (all for around 40 bucks a night per person)- UNREAL, right?
Besides our motorboat, every boat that Isaw from that point onwards was a longtail boat with these crazy 1940s looking engines that I was shocked actuallly worked.
We went on a day trip to the famed Emerald Cave where we had to swim through a pitch black cave to emerge in a private cove. Pirates used to keep their booty there because it was so hidden (I thought tou'd like that Rana and by the way, got your email, I am never on the comp except to do this stuff but I love you and will write back soon). It was breathtaking.. also most ppl found the swim in the dark caves terrifying (of course I'm too badass to be phased by it) so arriving on this beach was especially wonderful for them. To give you a sense of what it looked like, it was kind of like being at the bottom of a volcano.. except with pretty sand.
I went on many kayak rides.. one with Casey riding on the back of it.. and all ending up in incredible drifting momemnts with great conversations.
I also went for a run through the fishing town.. very cool.. and tons of long walks with friends from the trip.
AT night we drank Singhas on the beach, listened to several of the girls sing. and o WAIT I almost forgot this part.. we went skinny dipping with an 84 year old man. IT was hilarious. Casey went up to him and asked "Phil, what's up?" and he said " Nothing's up yet, nothing's up yet". BEST quote of the trip so far haha.
O and also the water was phosphorescent so we had incredible views of what looked like stars in the water. it was startlingly beautiful.
I didn't read much because my book got wet but the last night I taught Spades to my British friend Barry, Jessica the Wellesley crazy girl who is amazing, and Sarah the singer.
OKAY I need to stop writing.. more stories to come
and I didn't spellcheck or proofread so bear with me.

Culture shock does not even begin to describe what I have experienced here. Trang is a large city but the 20 volunteers staying at CCS and I are the only foreigners in the whole city. It is quite an experience to be walking in such a metropolis and to be the object of everyone's eyes. From young children to old men and women, the Thai people will stop us on the street to see Sawatdee kah/krap (Hello) and wai (bow with hands pressed together as if in prayer). Thais are very eager for us to learn their language, a language whose tonality is complicated and difficult to reproduce. Yesterday we had a Thai language lesson which was VERY overwhelming. With practice I will hopefully be able to retain more.
The group of volunteers is very diverse. There is a family of 6 consisting of two parents (the mother is a Brown grad and now a college counselor), a grandfather (who lives in Boca West-- I am so exciting for him to meet you, Grandma Rose.. you both will get along wonderfully, I know it), a six year old boy and adorable nine year old girl and a 21 year old who volunteered in India before coming here. I really like the family- I feel comfortable with them and they have very similar travel styles to my family. There is also a (minor) celebrity volunteering here.. Kate you will be SO excited to hear this... her name is Emily VanCamp.. she starred in Everwood and is now in Brothers and Sisters. She also dated Ryan from the OC and they are good friends (!!). She is so nice and down to earth- her fame does not affect her at all. The other volunteers are great. We have a lot of college students as well as a singer from Brooklyn and a trainer from Stratton Mountian School (her name is Kate.. there always seems to be a Kate in my life..). Casey, the girl I am travelling around with after the 4 weeks is great. There is also a girl from Wellesley whose father runs the Pines Theater in Northampton (so cool) and who knows Laura Weyl and who says wicked every other word.
At first I was disappointed with the group because no one stuck out as a "rachel" person (as Dad would say) but now I am really appreciating our differences. We all have different backgrounds and bring a different element to the group dynamic but also have a common interest in non-Western perspectives, Eastern relgions, and Thai traditions. Instead of having one person whom I feel more comfortable with, I have a large group of people who fascinate and challenge me. This new friend dynamic is definately growing on me and I think is very good for my own development.

I could describe everything in detail, but I tend to obsess over one small event and ignore others (ie my entire comment about losing my camera haha).. I will just relate some basic things we have done:

- Orientation scavenger hunt in Trang. We took a tuk-tuk ( a three wheeled taxi/truck) to Lotus, a Thai version of Target that I was surprised to see in Southern Thailand. I bought more conditioner and some crazy Thai chocolate there. Everyone's reactions to us was nice but the children in particular looked thrilled to see us farangs (foreigners).
- trip with Duk-Tang, one of the Thai woman who work at the homebase into town to buy a digital camera.. a jetlagged conversation with the salesperson filled with language barriers but a common sense of humor about the whole transaction
- WONDERFUL Thai food served at all meals.. and really cool exotic fruit (I'll put up pictures soon of them).
- Great runs on backroads.. views of rubber trees (Trang's biggest industry), tons of wild but friendly dogs, cows, roosters and very friendly Thai people on motorbikes.
- I saw an elephant on the side of the road yesterday.. it was just chilling.
- Mackenzie, a surfer from SoCal and I went on a bikeride in the rain this morning.. it reminded me of bike rides in Nantucket.
- This morning we drove an hour into the mountains to visit a Buddhist monastary. Beautiful views, incredible gold statues (I took lots of pictures)
- We then had Pad Thai in Trang.. much egg-ier than in the US, but delicious.
- This afternoon during our Thai cooking lesson, I'm learning how to make Pad Thai- I know Julie and everyone at Brown will be excited about that.. delicious meals next year? I think so!

We made travel plans for our weekends off..
Ko Muk next weekend and Ko Pha Ngan and Ko Tao the weekend after next.. we're going to the Full Moon party I think.. WOW. those islands are where The Beach was filmed, to give you a mental picture.

Ok this post of HUGE. I love and miss you all and wish you were here experiencing this with me!

There is so much to say about my first few days here. The following is what I typed up from my journal/scrapbook:

6-15
Happy Birthday, Jay!
I know Mom and Dad will laugh when they hear about this. Before even arriving in Trang, I lost somthing valuable. No, it wasn't my passport, although judging by the number of photocopies Mom made of it I know they are expecting me to lose it eventully. I lost my digital camera, the very same camera that just two days earlier, Mom and I outfitted with accessories at Ciruit City. I am almost as sad to lose the last picture that I took with the camera as I am to lose the camera itself.
I had always assumed that my flight would cross the US and then the Pacific on its way to Bangkok. When I boarded the plane, however, I learned two interesting pieces of information 1) This 17 hour flight is the longest commercial flight offered in the world, and 2) We were flying over the top of the world, the North Pole, and then down the coast of Asia to reach our destination. I lost my camera sometime after taking a picure of the vast, white nothingness that streched endlessly below the plane. Leaning over the Lord of the Rings-obsessed MIT geology student who occupied the window seat, I saw terrain so foreign and strange to the eye that I felt that I was on a different planet. The white of the clouds covering the frozen rivers and fields blended so well with the ground that at times there seemed to be no separation between land and cloud. This final photograph was taken as a symbol of the beginning of a voyage filled with challenges to my perception of the world and the system of values with which I have been raised. Although its gone, I have since bought a new camera, and have taken new pictures. Some of these pictures I am going to try to upload, although this website is now in Thai so I'm not sure how that will turn out.

My very first post!

Leaving for Thailand in less than 48 hours.
More excited than nervous, but dreading the heat.
Can't wait to meet the group and explore Trang.

I've never been out of the West... I am expecting a complete culture shock. I've been reading a lot of Murakami to help me gain a perspective on life as an East Asian, but Murakami's writing style and frequent references to American culture is not shedding much light on what life is actually like over there.

So basically, I have no idea what I am about to encounter. I kind of like the mystery, but also feel guilty for not better preparing myself for the trip. I have a 17 hour plane ride to do some reading on the history and culture of Thailand, but right now, I couldn't write more than a page about the country and most of my understanding of it comes from "The King and I" and various movies. Pathetic, I know.

I will write something more valuable after I have left, this post was more of a practice writing a blog than anything else. Happy travelling and good summer to all! - Rachel