Hua Hin

So I totally forgot to write about my weekend in Hua Hin. Catie and I met up with Heather and Sara in Bangkok, the weekend of Nov 14th. We took a bus from Bangkok to Hua Hin, about a 2 and a half hour trip. We arrived Friday night around 12:30, found our hotel and passed out. We woke up Saturday morning and headed straight for the beach! We spent all day at the beach Saturday, and grabbed a bite to eat at a steakhouse! It was delicious, and tasted like home food. 

Sunday we wanted to grab another beach day but it rained all day so we got some breakfast and walked around town, went to some bookstores and caught a 4:00 bus back to Bangkok! All in all it was a great weekend! Very relaxing! 

Hua Hin beach

fresh pineapple brought to you on the beach. delicious!

yes, we found a McDonalds. Ronald wai's to you, so we had to wai back.

more beach. they serve you whatever you like, whenever you like

Matti's Birthday

Well this weekend Catie and I hung around Suphanburi. Friday, was Matti's birthday dinner. The whole village got together and made dinner. We ate outside, music was playing, Thai dancers came, and at last, Thai's favorite activity, karaoke.

 our homemade dinner

 me and UB, one of the many village dogs

our outdoor kitchen

Today is Thanksgiving here, and since my students know what Thanksgiving is, but don't really know the story about Thanksgiving, I'll probably use that as my lesson today. The US exchange students were supposed to leave tomorrow but with the situation in Bangkok I think they might be staying an extra day or two. 

We haven't heard much about the situation, other than don't go to Bangkok this weekend. Today another airport was closed by protesters. They have already seized and closed down Suvarnabhumi Airport.  Tuke, one of the translators and teachers in the office, was saying that apparently this protest is supposed to be the biggest because it is their last one so they want to have their point made. Something like 1600 protesters have turned out for this one. Our program has emailed us saying 

"There has been a lot of press coverage in local and international news sources. Of course, you should be aware of the situation as it is constantly changing. Nevertheless, the majority of people in Bangkok and Thailand are not enthusiastic about either group of protesters and have expressed apprehension with their tactics. Life in Bangkok, aside from the protest areas, goes on undisturbed with only minor annoyances."

That's all for now, I'm safe and all is well here in Suphanburi, possible trip to Kanchanaburi for the reinactment of the WWII bombing of the Bridge on the River Kwai, and Lopburi for a monkey festival.

loy krathong

Well November 12th was Loy Krathong. It's a festival of lights and everyone in thailand celebrates. You create these little rafts and there is a candle and incense on it. You light it and send it off in the river bring new wishes in and old out. 

At school, all the foreign teachers had to perform a dance in front of the whole school of about 3,000 students, teachers and parents. They told us the day before of course and we had one dance lesson to learn the loy krathong traditional thai dance in traditional thai dress. It was pretty embarrassing but the kids loved it. 

After school, Mr. Wat and his two kids, Boez and Bam, Kai, and her two kids, Nong and Song, Matti and Kati and Matti's parents who were visiting from Finland, all went to the town loy 

krathong festival. They have a big buddha statue, with a river where you can launch your float and dancing and music. Kai pulled us into one of the dances and we danced with a few of the 

older Thai women there. 

After the town festival we stopped at a carnival on the way home and went on some rollercoasters and rides with the kids. Boez and Bam are both in the english program and speak english really well. Boez is in 10th grade and Bam is in 7th, they're really great girls. Catie has Bam as a student also. Nong and Song (which means one and two in thai) are also at Sanguan Ying but not in the english program, they speak a bit of english but they're also really great.

 Mr. Wat and his daughters, Boez and Bam

Dancing at School

Teacher at the school, Kati, Kai, Me, another teacher, and Catie

video of my house

So here is video #1, I had to take it in 3 parts because the kept running out of memory and had to delete photos and go back and tape where I left so. And my house is not really decorated yet, so bare with us.

#1

#2

#3

Bangkok, Round 2

Well this weekend Catie and I went back to Bangkok for Halloween. We didn’t dress up at all but we had a great time. We met up with a few people from our program and all stayed in an awesome hostel together. 

Friday night we went to Khao San Road. The road is closed off from cars and taxis and the streets are littered with people. It’s mostly strips of bars down the road and known for its amount of backpackers and foreigners. You meet a handful of interesting people from all over the world.

Saturday we woke up, and headed to the weekend market. I have never seen so many clothes, accessories and just knickknacks in my life.  I bought a TON of stuff and all for pretty cheap! I’m pretty sure we stayed there for about 5-6 hours. We went out to dinner to Condoms & Cabbages. It’s a touristy restaurant but great Thai food. Everything in the restaurant is condom themed. They had statues of Santa Claus and superheroes made out of birth control pills and condoms. There were

condoms under the glass on the tables and even cut outs you could stick your head in and be a condom family!

Sunday we woke up, and headed back on a minivan/bus ride home to suphan buri. The ride is only about 1 hour and 15 minutes and anywhere from 50-100 ($1.42 - $2.84) baht. Not too bad. Next weekend is a possible trip to Koh Samet. It’s beach time!