The lulls of home have emerged; I suppose this indicates having fully adapted to life in Thailand – paying rent, doing homework, cleaning house, and writing myself little lists of to-do’s, most guaranteed to be lost and forgotten. I am well, and I am happy but thoughts of obligations have set in. My calendar has been decorated with due dates, and with visitors coming and a Visa set to expire (Which means I need to schedule a trip out of Thailand in the next 3.5 weeks.) I’m feeling rather uncommitted. Two goals for the day: better plan the next month and make time for blogging. I’ve written three sentences now, and am already working on the fourth, about 1% progress.
It has been exactly two weeks since we have spoken, and why, I don’t even miss the feeling of pouring thoughts and memories onto a Word document in hopes of not forgetting the intricacies, not boring my readers, not foregoing moments of laughter and first times and more generally, not announcing to the world I’m still learning my native tongue. Writing without addressing a particular person or subject, as one might do for academia, poses interesting insights into one’s own limitations. I am voluntarily keeping a blog, but perhaps because this is the first time I’ve done such a thing, I feel rather exposed by it. I think I’d like it better if someone else did the documenting…but then again, I wouldn’t want to read someone else’s perception of my life unless I of course paid them off or they were stunning wordsmiths. Note to readers: if this blog suddenly becomes prodigious, don’t ask questions.
As for the update, assuming that’s what this blog is about, I have much to divulge: an emergency room, culinary transcendence (a revealing testament of self-indulgence), more temple time (called Wats (sounds like Wot) and fun to say “What Wat”), taxi tales (perhaps a publishable “Short and Simple Annals of Carriage in Bangkok” – certainly it would be amusing), a not quite quixotic island adventure, however fun, and random other accounts of eating, learning, and traveling in Bangkok.
I’m mighty convinced that upon reading “emergency room” in my last paragraph many of you struggled to completely read even such a short passage. An age of drama infused lives – blood and glory, we cry. I shall answer your calls for excitement with a disappointing level of ruckus. Sometime soon after my last entry a few of the gals and I ventured out to the Silom District in Bangkok. Silom Soi (street) 2 & 4 serve as the hub of gay nightlife in Bangkok and an evening full of dancing and a short (and impressive) lady-boy show painted smiles on everyone’s face. Until…suspense builder…the sound of breaking glass. A new friend of ours, met just two night prior, was having perhaps too much fun? He fell through a sheet of glass and after about twenty minutes of technical investigation, we discovered it was in fact our friend that had caused a piece of wood to replace what was once a piece of glass -- and was now in the emergency room. Lightly injured, a few stitches, and nearly two hours later we all laughed in exhaustion and caught a taxi home. Luckily we had about five hours before have to land our butts in lecture.Having jumped right to the emergency room, I failed to mention the night prior: Margit and mine’s first real success eating vegetarian food in Bangkok. Traveling by foot, we planned to dine at a vegetarian restaurant in a familiar neighborhood about 25 minutes away. While strolling over to our intended destination we were lured by an owner of a guesthouse, dubbed JENNY’S (not terribly authentic sounding) and nearly scoffed at his attempt to draw Western diners to his eatery with a name like Jenny’s. We continued onward only to discover that our dining plan required some revisions – the vendor was closing shop and Jenny’s was just around the corner. We turned back towards Jenny’s, and expecting little, pulled out the chairs at a small outside table. Within seconds Jenny (the chosen name of this Thai man) served us a bowl of local fruits and a friendly smile. Wearing a t-shirt that read “if you make peaceful protest impossible, you make violent revolution inevitable” I began to warm up to the idea of dinner at Jenny’s. Unfounded judgments can be prudently humbling. The meal was delicious, the price commendable, the spice nearly enough, and the generosity, unmatched. Jenny purchased us a small dessert from a street vendor and poured a stout gin and tonic J
The rest of the week included a visit to Wat Pho, the largest and oldest temple in Bangkok and home to the well-known Reclining Buddha statue, another unnerving afternoon in a taxi to the wrong destination (losing just 3 hours and 400 baht), an incredible street vendor (more to come on this) and planning a trip down to nearby Koh Samet.
As previously mentioned, although not quite a quixotic island adventure, Koh Samet offered a nearby escape from urban life. A popular destination among Thais, and just a 3-4 hour bus ride, Samet is an easy escape. And the bus ride – let me just say it was no 3rd class train ride! We went in one of those awful tourist buses that one hates to see in their own town, but boy are they cushy: curtains on the windows, reclining chairs, free water, an icy A/C – one couldn’t help but sing The Jefferson’s Moving On Up. The island, adored for being one of the driest archipelagos in Thailand rained nearly the Whole time. Of course the rain is warm and the alcohol warming, so we managed with ease, but indulged in a trip a bit different than the one we had envisioned. Rather than drinking in sunlight, we drank in copious amounts of booze; rather than reading, we found ourselves escaping to the ocean waters for a swim; rather than hiking the island, we found ourselves frequently dining. Trip highlights: fire jump roping and fire limbo, dancing late into the night while the skies poured rain onto our happy souls, and no bed bugs in this guesthouse – trip detraction: the mosquitoes were implacable.We returned from the island late Monday night and after grabbing a quick bowl of soup from a street vendor across the street, we set our minds on sleep. Having to act out carrots, cabbages and all things green is getting to be quite the show. Lots of pointing, laughing, and optimism are required for these feats. I’m glad I’ve met other vegetarians and I’m glad a Thai vendor has yet to throw something at me. Luckily, because of a scheduled class field trip this weekend, my Tuesday morning class was canceled. Sleeping in after the island was much needed.
A few more confessions to go and then dinner time and a trip to a folk music pub, apparently popular among the politically active Thai.
On Thursday, before heading off to my Ethnic Studies class, Margit and I met for lunch at a street vendors stand a 15-minute stroll from our apartments. Having just been introduced to Pok (the woman who runs the stand) a week prior we marveled at her technique and sniffled as we scooped Tom Yum with noodles into our greed filled mouths. And because I was impressed by Margit’s own blog about our lunch, I chose to thieve rather than be creative myself. As a wise woman once described: “Pok makes a mean tôm yam, and she’s not shy to make it phèt (spicy) when she’s asked. This has been a constant problem in Thailand — farang girl asks for phèt, yes, chây-ka, and you’re served up a big bowl of some plain-ass watery noodles by your Thai server, who’s all excited, certain: “Yes yes you say no spicy good yes okay?” When this happened last week, we emptied the entire bowl of chili flakes into our flavorless soup bowls, eliciting gasps and pointing fingers and “phèt farang”– priceless. As Margit said, getting spicy with this shade of skin, this particular shape of eyes, and this color of hair is almost impossible. Not only does Pok earn kudos for the tears in our eyes, but also for the free tastes of Thailand she’s provided both visits: the first time, an incredible Thai omelet and the second time, a fresh baby coconut and a Thai pomegranate. Her English is better than most, and she’s quick to ask the name of a new guest: Chan Chuu Jessieeee (My name is Jessie, with a long draw on the E sound).
On Thursday night a group of SIXTEEN of us – not sure how this always seems to happen in Bangkok, jumped into four taxis to visit a restaurant dubbed Cabbages and Condoms. The website explains how “… [the] restaurant was conceptualized in part to promote better understanding and acceptance of family planning and to generate income to support various development activities of the Population and Community Development Association (PDA).” The entire place is decked out in condoms, from the centerpieces in the tables, to the art on the walls, family planning and greater acceptance of contraceptives is the statement. A neat place to eat and support.August second was our One Month Anniversary with Bangkok and although I don’t generally celebrate One Months, this one called for fine dining, a hot date, a big bill, and some cute attire. Although initially planned to involve more people, everyone seemed to find better things to do so Margit and I headed on over to Little India in a true romantics kind of way. Dressed in a blue Thammasat t-shirt, horts and hiking sandals, she knew we were getting serious. In a deep alleyway, in an unmarked restaurant, we found a little “hole in the wall” that featured about 6 premade Indian dishes, a huge bowl of rice, and some roti. We ordered enough food to feed four and a Lassi for under $6 U.S. Were getting pretty serious.
The night capped off with a little dessert I picked up off Kao San road – a leaf full of mixed fried insects and a bag of small crickets. Vegetarian failure? I just had to do it.
Finally, yesterday was Saturday and for one of my classes we visited a convention on Thai Traditional Medicine. Although I mostly ate at this event (not surprising, I know) seeing almost everything written in Thai, a large display of medicinal plants, and traditional massages was nothing short of interesting. One of the assignments for the field trip was to receive a massage? Tough work. UC professors should keep these things in mind when dulling out the workload.I hope everyone at home is filled with love and happiness. To those of you in Fresno, don’t let the heat sour your souls and remind yourselves of the humidity in other parts of the world *cough *cough. I’ve been thinking a lot about Santa Cruz and the abundance of local organic foods and vegetarian fare – spending time away from those luxuries surely helps you realize just how much of a luxury they are. Access is word of critical significance: access to health, education, sustainable food, agency and autonomy and political transparency. For all that I intend to change and the activism that fuels my heart, I am grateful to be born an American citizen where although inclusion and access are lacking, I have the ability and the knowledge to recognize these deficiencies and the power to feel as though I am able to make a difference.
On Thursday I have an interview to start teaching English at an exclusive all girls campus in Bangkok that is funded by the royal family and has a mission statement of cultural exchange and increased awareness in the global community. I am also thinking a lot about volunteer options in Thailand and the surrounding areas -- once my program in Bangkok wraps up, I will spend sometime traveling without time restraint and then hopefully settling down in some random South East Asian city where food and accommodations are traded for one’s services in English, on farm assistance and other clinics designed to help orphans, HIV patients, animals, and women. There are many opportunities to volunteer in Asia and I can’t wait to see this region from that perspective.
To all those without Facebook accounts:
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.279324685414547.86006.100000110547271&l=526fc40b21&type=1
For the rest of random up to date Bangkok see:
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?
set=a.281840785162937.86393.100000110547271&l=13b4855afa&type=1
With Gratitude,
Jessie Rae
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