Thailand: Overseas slumber party 2011!

Tonight I've been trying to dust off my old gopro/upload some of the movies but I couldn't figure out how.  So I searched my computer with "gopro" to see if I could find the manual or software I thought I saved on here, and found this old stream-of-consciousness word document gem that I forgot that I had kept from when I was in Thailand.

It's awkwardly written, but kind of fun.  I started writing this as though it were for my eyes only, but I've tried to go in and fill in the gaps so I can share bits and it'll all make sense.  I become less and less diligent about posting towards the end, but maybe I'll fill those gaps in later.

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Sunday night arrival in Phuket: August 28, 2011

Hello Sawatdee kha

How are you? kuhn sabai dee mai?

fine- sabai dee

My name is Mandy Rau Cheu Mandy

I am from Texas Rao maaa jahhk Texas

One of my favorite things about traveling is being able to immerse myself in a different language.  I am pleasantly surprised to find out how little English is spoken here in Thailand.  I've memorized these stock phrases, and every morning I want to write down 3-5 phrases or words that I think will be useful for that day-- and for anything else I need I can just act it out.  So far, it’s been a non-stop game of charades . 

5 star treatment!

Just checked in

1. rainy
2. cushy hotel
3. used a showertoilet

Phuket 8/29/11

thank you- korp kuhn khaaa

does this bus go to phang nga?- rot may kun nee bai Phang Nga mai?

1. breakfast buffet/Australian woman
2. tired… why am i at another beach! was going to phuket but ended up getting ticket to phang nga
3. just as i arrived saw students getting out… went to office and found teacher who contacted michelle
4. took me on motorbike to park/Monday Market/ night market- got pad thai and cha yuen
5. donuts from Market, pandan filling pancakes, shitty Chinese sweets, peanuts, etc

On my first morning, I caught the first bus I could to Phang Nga.  I learned that charades should not be relied on to cross language barriers.  On the bus ride to Phang Nga, I learned that no matter what, you must always know how to ask where the bathroom is in any given country's language.  

I also learned here that toilets outside of fancy hotels are all holes in the ground, and they don't have toilet paper, just basins filled with water and a cup.  You do the math.

I was going to visit my friend Michelle who had been teaching english there. She had sent me a facebook message saying there was a bus stop right in front of her school, and without a phone I figured those were good enough directions.  I got there just in time to see hundreds of Thai kids getting out of various schools.  Somehow I stumbled across the right one, and the “disciplinary chair” called Michelle to put us in contact.  Lucky!  (or maybe because I was the other token white girl)

Michelle at her school

Within a few hours of being with her, she took me to various markets, introduced me to pandan leaf custard, showed me monkeys and a beautiful park, taught me how to say Toilet… where!? and how to properly order “thai iced tea”.

Monday night market

We cruised around town on her motorbike, and the town cop tried several times to stop her and tease her flirtatiously about the time he gave her a ticket for not wearing her helmet.  And Michelle just laughs and goes along with it, even though I’m pretty sure neither of us could understand what he was trying to say, only that he wanted her attention that much longer.   And even with all that we did in the first night, we still had time to catch up on where we’re at in our lives. 

We talked about boys, and about music. Michelle showed me this Best Coast music video (that would later narrate many relationships to follow):


As I'm trying to piece these memories together, I just remember feeling like a teenager at a slumber party.  I had been so intensely trying to learn Thai/memorizing my guidebook, but being with her put me at ease.  With my head and shoulders on a Strawberry Shortcake blanket, and the other half of me feeling the coolness of the tile floor, I stared at the ceiling listening to Best Coast and dreamed about boys.