Ode to the 3 Rs: Rain, Razorbacks and Riskybussiness?

Here in amazing Thailand it rains nearly everyday.  In the states rainy days were great for sleeping, eating and watching a few movies.  Nothing is really accomplished and if something is accomplished, there is a high probability it is from a desk, possibly at the Tyson Discovery Center (Pat is always making discoveries I am sure of it).  In Thailand, there are no discoveries made on a rainy day, instead there are traditional practices. There are people hard at work, upwards of eight people riding in each vehicle (motorcycles included), all with something to do. Loud tractors filled with straw or logs to build structures conducted by tired farmers ride up and down the bumpy roads with purpose.  Every year in this beautiful country, rainy season means life and life in abundance.  Everything turns green as do the thumbs of Thai farmers.  Each meal consists of several dishes, organic vegetables, lizard, snake, fish, frogs and the list goes on.  Rainy season is not a dreary time in Thailand, instead it is the happiest time of the year.

 The change in seasons has brought me much happiness as well.  The rainy season in Thailand also accompanies my favorite season in Fayetteville; autumn.  As I type this blog entry I can almost feel the fall air enter my lungs, see the beautiful leaves in the Ozarks and hear the sound of the roaring Razorback crowd during a Saturday night football contest.  The red and white fills the stands like plump Petit Jean hot dogs fill their wrapper and victory tastes just as good as the crawfish boil that took place just hours before in the pit....ahh memories.

I have had the opportunity to do many things over the past few weeks and I feel very fortunate to have done so.  I went with the Ministry of Education in Yasothorn to "do ngaan" which translates to "watch work" in Pattaya, Thailand and Chonburi, Thailand.  We stayed a night in Pattaya and the second night stayed at a military base that was absolutely incredible.  Something about ocean water just seems to cleans the soul and the surrounding air provides a sense of wistfulness.  I was able to meet several principals from the surrounding schools in my communities, one of which happens to be a scratch golfer.  Many nights of talking, eating, singing karaoke and watching Issan traditional dance.  It was a healthy dose of Thai culture and man did I enjoy it.

On the way back on the bus from Chonburi, I took the liberty to get off the bus early and do some traveling on my own. Something about walking down the street in a place I am not familiar with and on the road to no where and with no plan in mind makes me feel free, a liberating and beautiful thing.  After about four hours of travel I landed in Khorat, Thailand.  I made a call and it came to be that a few Peace Corps friends were staying the night in Khorat as well. We met up and made the most of our time together.  Vacations are a great thing but sometimes they make me confused with where I am.  Just when I find a sense of comfortableness in where I live and what I am doing in the village the "big city" uproots me.  It is really inexplicable but  as one man from my village looked at me and said when walking down the street in Pattaya "wian hua" which means "spinning head".  Sometimes one just feels lost, overwhelmed with where they are because of cultural contrast or the seeing of new things, this is what the man was describing and I could not have agreed more.

Rode my bike back into the village as the sun was setting and my head was still somewhat "wian" from the week of travels and being outside "home".  A few days later I was beginning to find my niche again and just then I was invited to go to Mahasarakam with a fellow teacher from the school I work at who is currently studying a masters program for Education Administration.  So I was gone again and again "wian hua".  I had a lot of fun and it was neat to see how similar college courses are in Thailand to that of the United States and the University of Arkansas.  I would say the biggest difference is that all students must take off their shoes before entering the classroom and "wai" the professor to pay respect to their status.  Of course me being me, I forgot to take off my shoes and spent most of my time and brain power being REALLY self-conscious and trying to hide my feet from everyone, classic move.

Well, I suppose I should wrap things up.  Eight months in already and time has flown by.  I have learned a lot about myself throughout this journey so far, one of them being that I now know I can successfully use the squat toilet without completely disrobing (nice) and the other is that one CAN indeed "owl" a "plank".  I will get back to you next time but until then, special thanks to Papa Johns Pizza, Coca Cola, Petit Jean Meats and the Razorback Marching Band, I am Luke Fries, Go Hogs!

Rak Tuh,

Luke

Maybe A Mormon?

It is a typical day.  I am riding my bike through the bumpy, windy road on my way to work.  The road conditions are not optimal as it looks as though during the night someone decided to throw three hundred grenades on the road and then soak it with water in order to hinder my getting to work on time.  I spent some time last night preparing for my day, washed and ironed my clothes, even shined my shoes (what?).  Just as I am dodging the last pothole in a series of potholes an impatient driver splashes me and my laptop bag with water.  This isn't the kind of water that dries and is unnoticeable, this is the kind that stays there forever.  I laughed, and kept pedaling.  I then thought to myself as I looked down at my outfit which consisted of a button down shirt, tie, black dress pants (rolled up so the black bike chain grease couldn't stain them) , argyle socks (showing), with black dress shoes, I look like a Mormon missionary.  It wasn't a bad thought, just a thought, and I laughed.  Then a Thai lady yelled at me (it's just the way she talks).

I often find myself speaking a different kind of English these days, which could be a credit to my integration into culture, or it could just be me losing my mind.  For example, when someone asks me if I like living in Thailand it usually reads something like this "Uhh You-a like uh live in-a Thailand?"  and instead of answering in my usual voice with correct grammar my answer instinctively goes something like this "Yes I-uh like verry mush".  It honestly reminds me of an old children's story that my dad used to read me when I was a little kid about the boy would couldn't say please; the boy had lost his "please".  Well I have lost my English.  If I was at all socially awkward before, I have the full blown stuff now.

I don't really have a whole lot to write about today, I am averaging about a post a month on this thing which I believe is enough but here are some things that I am excited about/ are new with me (making lists is much easier).

1.  I now steam my own sticky rice at home (Thai people are impressed even if you're not!)
2.  My parent's are coming to visit in a couple months (maybe we can have a cooperative post as I know their experiences will be very interesting)
3.  It is my brother Joe's birthday in a few days (holla back)
4.  Hogs start football in a week or so (Can't wait to listen to Chuck Barrett and get his phenomenal description of those delicious Petit Jean meats)
5.  Last but not least, my niece Lynlee started Kindergarten and I heard she is a great student (Love you all)
6.  Next time I will be more awesome

Luke

Like Sand Through An Hour Glass......So Are The DAYS OF OUR LIVES...dun dun

It has been longer than I expected since I have been able to update Thailikeshirt copyright, stamp, double stamp, triple stamp no taksies-backsies.  Over the past month I have been a fairly busy man.  I mentioned some of the things I would be up to in my last blog post and of course I promised to give updates and pictures from all events.  The truth is the beach was too much fun and way too beautiful to have time to take pictures.  I always get frustrated with myself when I sit around taking pictures and I forget to actually take it all, so this time I neglected take photographs.  But, I did take a few pictures of our Peace Corps Reconnect Conference and the First Annual (lets hope there is a second, third and fourth annual) Ban Non Yang English/Life Skills Camp which you will be able to view at the bottom of this wonderfully put together blog page!

            So when I left you last I was headed to Ko Samet, Thailand which is a beach near the Province Rayong, Thailand which is approximately 200 km from Bangkok (side note, I always hated when people who wrote in these blogs in kilometers because I felt like they were trying to be cool and prove that they now thought in kilometers this, in fact, is not true it is just what people tell me and then I am too lazy to try to convert it to miles even though throughout this rant I probably would have had time to plug it into my cell phone and give you the conversion but that is besides the point) and head there I did.  I stopped off at the Peace Corps Headquarters in Bangkok and dropped off my bag for Reconnect and headed to the beach with some of my good Peace Corps buddies Tanner, Kelly and Bobby, good group of guys.  We had a blast with days filled with throwing the Frisbee around and eating delicious Thai food right on the beach, Thai style, and nights watching fire dancers and eating more food.  Needless to say for those three days we did not feel much like Peace Corps Volunteers but it was a much needed vacation for all of us. 

            After heading to Ko Samet, we all went to PST Reconnect in a city near Bangkok where we invited our Thai counterparts from our sites.  Some of them had never traveled alone or ever stayed in a hotel so it was a very interesting three days.  By the time the counterpart portion of the conference was over most of our counterparts, especially mine, missed cao neow (sticky rice, most people in Issan eat cao neow rather than jasmine rice) and were ready to go home to their families and their own beds. I must admit I was beginning to feel the same way.  I missed my host family, my house, the teachers and students at my schools, the food and the peacefulness of a long bike ride or run. Fortunately or unfortunately I was stuck at the hotel in Suppanburi for another five days.  The rest of the conference was beneficial for us all and we all gained some great perspective from the stories that everyone had.  We had fresh ideas and we were all very anxious to get back to our sites.  One volunteer said during the final session said that it had been great seeing everyone and speaking our native language and being able to hang out in the hotel but the fact was we were excited and anxious to get back to the place where most of us now call “home”; I believe he hit the nail right on the head. 

            Of course before I had the chance to get back “home” I had to take a detour to my other, “home”, as Suppanburi was only one and a half hours from Ayuthaya, the place I did all of my Pre-Service Training and of course the home of my first Thai family.  So they drove to pick me up and I stayed with them one night before getting on the bus to go back and start planning my English/Life Skills Camp that was quickly approaching.  So one night of laughter and great food and I was on the bus back to Yasothorn. 

I was kind of scared that I was going to run out of time to plan when four other volunteers showed up a day early in order to help finish up the planning and make materials to conquer the Camp the next day, and the day after that.  It was a great time and the volunteers that came and stayed at my “baan” for a few days were extremely awesome and dedicated to making the camp be a success.  Without their great teamwork and their talent I am sure it wouldn’t have been as great, but they made it happen.  Two days of wonderful games and activities and lessons on topics like Hygiene, Teamwork, Self-Esteem and Food and Exercise.  The students learned a ton and they had a great time doing it….VICTORY!

After English Camp we headed as a group to Khon Kaen which is about three hours from Yasothorn during the long holiday “Wan Cao Pansa” in order to celebrate the success of our Camp.  We met some other volunteers there and relaxed again for three more days.  By the time that trip was over I was ready to head back and get back to my routine.  I was missing my site dearly and I hadn’t seen my host mom or family in over a month. 

When I returned home I went to my smaller school on Tuesday and one of the teachers informed me that he had killed a snake called “ngoo sing” (snake sing) and that he wanted me to come over to help him and the principal of the school eat it.  This was not my first rodeo with snake sing and man was it a good way to get back in the groove of village life.  We ate and ate and ate.  Unfortunately I stayed too late at the teacher’s house and was not able to see my host family again which I was ready to do.  So the next day at dinnertime I rode my bike to see them.  Nothing had changed.  “Bai nai maaa?” (where have you been?) my host mom asked me and then the next question “gin cao duay gaan mai?” (will you eat with us?)…..Home sweet home…..

Here I am now in the village, I was able to teach the volunteer health workers in my community some English the other day and it is rice planting season so I helped plant some rice with the students on the school farm.  

So here are the pictures for a wrap up:  Beach, Reconnect, Ayuthaya, English Camp, Khon Kaen, Health Workers, Rice Planting!  Enjoy!

Much Love,

Luke

A Routinous Root

I wake up around 6:30 a.m. to the sound of chickens screeching, a lizard singing, some birds fighting and scratching their claws against my tin roof, some kids yelling, someone on a microphone talking about something (it is still a mystery to me why in the world the community “okayed” this at 6:30 a.m.) and the fan in my room spinning, spreading joy in the form of air to my burning body.  I still find it hard to get out of bed and I am almost a grown man (not sure if I will ever grow up).  My dad used to try to wake me up for school when I was little but the first time I yelled at him, in my sleep mind you, he decided enough was enough and proceeded to put a 1970s version of a house alarm right next to my bed and crank it as loud as it could go….lets just say that was the last time I decided to sleep in for a good 3 or 4 months, then sleep became too valuable again.

I found some flour, some baking powder and if I put that together with the Thai regulars; egg, salt, starch and sugar, I got myself some delicious pancakes.  To top it off, the other day I found some powered sugar, still no butter, but the taste of these pancakes is to die for.  Generally for breakfast, lunch and dinner, the menu would consist of rice with some kind of curry, maybe some crickets (if I am lucky…seriously those critters are the closest thing around to potato chips) and a fried egg.  After breakfast I brush my teeth with a bottle of water, that is if I remembered to boil some the night before, otherwise I go dry which is a real bummer because then I have to swallow toothpaste for the next 15 minutes until I can get to the convenient store on my bike. I ride my bike close to 3 miles to the school where the kids are all lined up, the teachers are telling them what I assume are some important announcements but instead of listening they take the time to warn each other that the “farang” is coming and then to say “hello”; of course the younger ones say it more like “HELLLL-LO”.  I am trying to find a way to let them know that hello is not something we generally use more than once in a day, most of the time when we first see someone.  Try telling that to 300 students that just love being able to use such a wonderful greeting word.

The morning is filled with trying to understand people talking to me and them trying to understand me talking to them.  After someone says a sentence the reaction on both parties is usually something like “uh-huh” or “ooohhh” or “uh” or “huh?” all of which are a version and most likely stem from the origin word: “I don’t know what the heck you are talking about but I will pretend so that I look like I do”, which is not a word but a phrase…phrases are sentences that are a little shorter….I like using phrases with things and stuff…”things and stuff” is a phrase I use often…..

After the morning has passed and lesson planning has been finished, and materials are created and ready to use, it is time for lunch.  I never know what to expect at lunch time, I say this not only because of the food but also because I never know what situations will arise and how I will respond.  I usually say something in Thai that is a bad word because my tones are bad and they start laughing hysterically.  The worst thing about this is they never tell me what the joke is so I am left totally in the dark wondering what on this green, blue, brown, light brown, light green, light blue, a kind of light shade of red, earth (this according to MOST printed world maps) they are talking about.  After lunch is finished and my belly is full with I don’t know what…really I never know what...I mean sometimes I do, so I cannot technically say “never” but this is another phrase I think we use often so it is kind of sarcastic and it over exaggerates the truth but generally people know that when I say never I mean sometimes which is a weird concept to teach in an English class filled with Thai students or just in an everyday situation with a Thai teacher wanting to know why I said “never” when I meant “sometimes”…this might be the same as when Thai people say “ow leei” which means “I want it now” but really they do not want it at all…cultural exchange…….beautifully frustrating.

…….back to after lunch and my belly is full….It is time to hit up the classroom for a little bit of English co-teaching magic.  The kids are great, they are fun if the teachers are fun.  It takes up a lot of energy and these first few classes are a big adjustment period for all parties involved.  I know the students are not used to me and they are definitely not used to someone acting inappropriate in class “mai riap roy”, but the fact of the matter is, if I want to make the classroom fun it has to be relaxed and enjoyable and I think that is coming along just fine.  I am beginning to finally think like an English teacher and many things pop up in my head on the fly.  I think it frustrates my Thai teachers because sometimes I deviate from the plan because I am so excited about the next activity.  I know, I know, it is a sad state of affairs when you start to get excited about learning activities but I suppose I am a teacher and I think like I teacher…but I refuse to wear cardigans…EVER…only soon to be doctors in med school can wear those…okay, okay just Belcher…and maybe a married Becton (inside jokes and things).

            After teaching is over it is time to go home but recently I discovered that one of my schools has the best sand volleyball duo in the nation.  I asked to play and play I did.  I played until the self-proclaimed “big coach” (who is in a wheelchair now but used to be on the national Thai volleyball team) asked me to be the assistant coach.  He handed me a Thai national team shirt, a whistle and told me that I would be attending all of the matches in order to help coach.  What a great gig!  I could not believe it but I struck gold.  I now lounge in a beautiful country teaching my native language to Thai people young and old, have great times learning about and trying to find things to improve in my community, go to the beach on occasion and coach sand volleyball (frat!).  Now if I could just get some cheese dip I would be golden.

            Now for the big wrap-up, I am doing great here in Yas-O…I am getting to know people in and outside the community as my language skills are picking up a little bit.  I never understood that someone could listen to a language for comprehension and still not be able to speak it fluently but after some time in Thailand I realize that this is actually possible.  I can understand more than I can speak which is, I hope, something that will help me eventually speak better.  I still get the opportunity to go fishing, I still hang out with the host family and feed the pigs sometimes and I hope to start planting my garden soon.  The rain is coming and this seems to be the perfect time to plant, I mean the Thai folks are doin’ it so it has to be good right? 

            Life is still good, I miss family and friends and most definitely some food but all in all life is good.  I will be headed to another province for Pre-Service Training Reconnect which will be a good break with time to speak with all of the other volunteers.  The three day weekend before Reconnect I will be getting in some beach time! After the beach and Reconnect I will be hosting a English/Life Skills camp for the kids ages 10-13 in my community about Drug Awareness, Nutrition, Self-Esteem, HIV Awareness and Environment.  I hope to update with some pictures of all events.  In the meantime, it is dinnertime and that means I will be eating rice.  While I do that, you can look at some of these randomly amusing (at least to me) pictures.

Much Love,

Luke