Aerobics in Benjasiri Park

Aerobics in Benjasiri Park, originally uploaded by AnnaRae.

This only shows about half the women that showed up--flash mob style-- for free aerobics in Benjasiri Park this past Wednesday. Yes, I participated. And I intend to return!

Bubble Tea!

Bubble Tea!, originally uploaded by AnnaRae.

Look, US. This is how bubble tea should be-- exciting colors and shapes of tapioca. And only 30 cents. Get with the program.

Wats and Old White Men

On Saturday morning I woke up bright and early and headed to Ayutthaya with two coworkers. Ayutthaya became the capital of the Ayutthaya Kingdom, also known as Siam, in 1350. In 1767 the Burmese destroyed the city-- which at that point had around a million residents-- and ended the kingdom. Now, although Ayutthaya has been built into a small city, there are still many gorgeous ruins of the various wats that dotted the city in it's prime.


Ayutthaya was only a 1.5 hour minibus ride away from Bangkok (60 baht, less than $2). Once we arrived, we avoided the hoards of people offering guided tours and rented bikes for the day (30 baht, just less than $1). Armed with maps, we rode from wat to wat, taking many, many pictures. By the time we had seen the main sights in the city it was only 2pm. With many hours of daylight left, we decided to cross the main river and venture out a little further. We may have been a little adventurous, as we ended up biking over thirty minutes to a wat, just to find out that there was no way to cross the river that separated us from it. An hour and a half later, after several wrong turns most likely caused by dehydration, we ended up back at the bike rental place where we chugged enormous bottles of water. When/if people come visit me, I will certainly recommend Ayutthaya as a day trip-- the ruins were remarkable and there are so many of them that by the end of the day you will probably never want to see one again.


The next morning, one of my roommates and I decided to head for the beach for the remainder of our three day weekend. After assessing our options, we got on a bus for Pattaya (113 baht= $3.50). In our guidebooks, Pattaya was listed as a city with vibrant nightlife. While known for it's population of sex workers, it was said to be working hard to reform its image to become more family friendly. When we told a coworker we were going to Pattaya he wrinkled his nose and recommended that we stay in Jomtien, the town immediately south. We arrived in Pattaya and hopped on a songtheaw (a truck with seats for passengers in the back) to take us south. Our mouths dropped open as we drove through the town. EVERYWHERE we turned were older white men (and some Indian men). Most of these men had their arm around tiny Thai women in ridiculously short skirts. At first, this was all very amusing for us. We took pictures of signs that offered speedy marriages or help with visas to get Thai wives/girlfriends home.


We spent that first day lying on the beach in Jomtien. We rented an umbrella, got out our books, and settled in. The beach in Jomtien was mostly filled with families and groups of young Thais enjoying the day with their friends. One thing that struck me is that none of them wore swimsuits. A couple next to us had a romantic dinner and then promptly jumped in the ocean-- even though the woman was wearing a pretty, frilly shirt. Also, I saw no towels. How do they get dry? The two of us did spend a lot of time in the warm water, albeit in bathing suits. As we sat there, the two of us pondered our situation. What was there for us in this town other than the beach? As Thailand is really close to the equator, darkness falls early and quickly. After 6pm, we really couldn't linger on the beach. We had gotten a room (280 baht= $8.70 a piece) in a hostel owned by an Australian man and his Thai wife (go figure). After we showered and used the internet, he helped us devise a plan of action. We were to eat in Jomtien at an outdoor restaurant and then take a Sonthaew into Pattaya to check out the scene. We would find a movie to go to, so we actually had something to do.



Our dinner was frustrating-- we chose the busiest place possible, hoping for a good experience. It started off with the waitress telling us to sit at a table with three white men and their Thai girlfriends. We reseated ourselves. Next, even though she had confirmed our move, it took about ten minutes to get a menu and another ten to order. Then they brought me the wrong food twice and gave my vegetarian friend a dish with shrimp in it.


After dinner, we made our way to the movie theater to buy tickets. The movie-going experience in Thailand is a bit different from in the US. First, you chose your seats at the counter, looking at a screen to verify where you will sit. You can pay extra to sit in a "VIP" section with enormous armchairs if you so choose. Sometimes, at the ticket counter they give you free things... like samples of shampoo and conditioner. Since everyone has pre-selected their seats, there is no need to rush into the theater. Rather, it is better that you wait and show up late. There are at least 20 minutes of previews, if not 30. These previews are followed by the King's anthem, where everyone stands and watches pictures of the King and his family as music plays. Finally, the movie begins. We had an hour to kill before even the previews started, so we wandered around the town. It was here where our initial amusement with the Pattaya crowd began to wane. The women's skirts had gotten even shorter and the men more numerous and boorish. Everywhere we looked was a bar or massage parlor or sleazy hotel teaming with people. We ended up back in the movie early. Unfortunately, the earliest movie playing was "The Sorcerer's Apprentice." I do not recommend that you see this movie. The night did end on a high note though-- freshly made banana pancakes outside our hotel.


In the morning we took a dip in the sea, checked out of our hostel (where we had slept in a steamy room with one tiny fan oscillating between us), and decided to leave and never look back. Although the beach was pleasant, there are many pleasant beaches in Thailand. Next time, I'll look for something either more secluded or with a much younger and less sleezy atmosphere.

Ayutthaya

IMG_3686, originally uploaded by AnnaRae.

More pictures posted on my flickr!

Chinatown

IMG_3641, originally uploaded by AnnaRae.

More on my flickr!

Weekend Trips

My apartment has been having serious internet problems so I haven't gotten the chance to blog about my work week. I'm crossing my fingers that I'll have a more reliable connection in the weeks to come. After a short work week, it's the weekend-- also, a surprise three-day weekend to celebrate asarna bucha, the beginning of "Buddhist Lent." Taking advantage of my time, I'll be going along with some coworkers to the ruins of Ayutthaya on Saturday and then for a short overnight trip to the beach near Pattaya for Sunday and Monday. I'm eager to get out of Bangkok and will take plenty of pictures.

Settling In

This past weekend was devoted to getting my bearings in this crazy city. At first, the chaotic nature of Bangkok had me a little bit overwhelmed. When I was given directions to the grocery store I was amazed that someone would trust me to walk outside by myself. After a three days here, I've gotten a little better sense of the city and am beginning to feel more adventurous.

On Saturday, I headed to a nearby mall with my roommate and a friend of hers in order to run errands. I got myself a phone and a few random groceries-- I'll have to go back later this week, now that I have a better idea of what food is available. The day after a trans-Pacific flight was also the perfect time for me to get my first traditional Thai massage. My roommate recommended a tiny massage parlor in the same mall as the grocery store. Thai massages are quite different from the massages I've gotten in the past in the US. My roommate described them as "sort of like dancing" which made no sense at the time, but is actually a fairly accurate way of describing them. Once you have changed into large cotton pajamas, your feet are washed and you are told to lie on your back on a mat on the floor. My eyes were covered by a little scented pillow, so I couldn't exactly see the techniques that were used, but it was still very clear that my masseuse used her entire body in my massage. Though much of the massage was with her hands, she also used her legs as resistance when stretching my legs, knelt/crawled on my back, and put her entire body weight on me in order to push stretches deeper. It was sort of like a partner's yoga where she was doing all of the work. In the end, I was very relaxed and more loose that I've been in a while. All of this for 330 baht (I paid 400 to tip her a bit= $12.50 total). Next time I'll probably try a two hour massage.



On Sunday morning, I walked to the nearby outdoor market with my roommate and one of her friends. Much like in Tunis, Thai buy a lot of their foods from open air markets scattered throughout the neighborhoods. I sampled some mangosteen and rambutan. I'm going to push myself to integrate local produce into my diet... it's time to branch out from the nectarines and grapes I bought myself at the grocery store.



In the afternoon I was picked up by my friend, Eve. Eve and I met my senior year of high school when she came to the US as an exchange student. We didn't know each other well at school, but I fully intend on getting to know her better and spending time with her while I'm here! Eve swung by my condo and drove me down Sukhumvit (the traffic-jammed mall-laden main street that my street connects to). After getting stopped in traffic by some random Hindu parade, we toured Wat Suthat. While there, Eve taught me how to pray to the enormous buddha in the center. After donating some money, you grab a small candle, a large lily, and three sticks of incense. You place the candle on a candelabra and then walk up onto a raised platform where you kneel and pray while holding the flower in one hand and the incense in the other. After praying, you place the flower in the base and stick the incense in some sand. Then you pray on the platform again. Following that, you grab a cylinder filled with things that I can only describe as wooden letter openers with numbers on them. You shake the cylinder until a stick falls out. Finally, you match the number on the stick to a numbered cubby where you take a paper with a fortune. Mine was "mostly good."



Following our Wat trip, we wandered down Khao San Road. Khao San Road was exactly what I expected. Lots of bright lights, bars facing the street, shops with cheap clothes, and tons of foreigners. Most are wearing backpacks and have dreadlocks. Although the place wasn't quite my scene, I can see how it would be a logical stop for a backpacker. There are many cheap travel agents and hotels and I believe some bus trips leave from the area as well. It would be a good place to connect with travelers from all over the world if you were looking for a travel buddy.


I'm just starting to get my bearings in this city. Next step will be to venture out on my own! From what I've been told, Thailand is a very safe country to travel alone in-- pretty exciting as that opens up many possibilities for weekends away from the city.

I believe I have fixed the comments section such that anyone can make a comment. Also, you can find more pictures from this weekend on my flickr.

I'm Here!

View from Bedroom, originally uploaded by AnnaRae.

I took this picture from my bedroom window this morning.

After about 18 hours of traveling, I arrived in Bangkok late last night. My flights (Seattle-Seoul-Bangkok) went really smoothly. The first thing that hits you when you exit Suvarnabhumi Airport is the humidity. Last night it was raining, thundering, and very muggy- the weather reminded me of a stormy night in Hawaii.

One of the drivers from my school met me at the airport and drove me and my belongings to the condo building that I'll be living in. I completely forgot that they drive on the left side of the road here and tried to open the driver's seat door to sit down in the van. Oops. My condo is a big high rise (I think over 20 stories?) located only a half an hour (in smooth traffic) from the airport. It seems to have one huge main room- a kitchen/dining/living room combo- with four bedrooms set off of it. My room is enormous compared to what I'm used to and has it's own bathroom. I'd say that it is nearly three times as large as my last bedroom in Chicago. I have no idea what to do with this space!

My plan for this weekend is to try and settle in a bit. My boss called me this morning to welcome me and gave me directions to the nearest grocery store and a 7-11 where I can buy a SIM card for my phone. Right now I'm thinking that I'll wait until my roommate wakes up before I venture out into the great unknown. My boss, J, also recommended that I schedule a guided tour of Bangkok for tomorrow, just to get my bearings and get used to the city. I'm pretty tired at this point yet really excited to explore!

Another Beginning

In several days I'll be leaving cloudy Seattle to spend a year living and teaching in Bangkok, Thailand. After four grueling years at the University of Chicago I am in serious need of a nice, long break. I love working with children and I also love traveling and living abroad, so I decided to search for opportunities to teach outside the US. After a bit of a hunt, I found myself a position at a private preschool in Bangkok from July 2010 to August 2011.

Having lived abroad before (a year in Annecy, France and another three months in Tunis, Tunisia) I feel fairly well equipped to face the challenges of culture shock. That said, I've never been to Asia before, know little about Thai culture, and don't speak a word of Thai. Also, there is really no comparing my past experiences as a student with a strong support system living with host families to working and living independently. I know that there will be many ups and downs this year, but despite that, I'm really excited to start this new adventure.

When I first started travel blogging I was 16 and an exchange student living in beautiful Annecy, France. At this point, blogging was relatively new and I had no issues writing about anything and everything that happened to me. In 2008, while living in Tunis, I realized that a lot had changed in the blogging world. Suddenly, I had friends of my host family calling them, telling them that their pictures were on the internet. Additionally, I had people telling me that they weren't comfortable with me mentioning them in my blog. While in Thailand, I'm going to be a more cautious blogger than I was in Annecy. I will use abbreviations for the names of the people I meet and, at least to begin with, I won't be speaking in great detail about my school. If you happen to be reading this blog and find that I have mentioned you, please let me know if it makes you feel at all uncomfortable.