Christmas!

I definitely enjoyed a little heaven on earth this last week. Phuket, pronounced 'poo-khet' was PHENOMENAL.

Our entire day plan while we were there was pretty much survive for as cheaply as possible, relax to our maximum potential while still seeing everything on the island and getting to hang out with some friends. Our first day we just crashed on the beach until we decided we should find the bungalow we reserved to stay at for the week. The girls all got the bed and the guys camped it on the beach and just used the shower and porch...we had a fantastic view of the city!! 

Day 2 We got a Thai driver for the day for really cheap and had him take us to all the sites he thought were the best on the island, he showed us this great swimming spot, a giant buddha monument, a village of sea-gypsies and some temples before taking us home where we spent sunset swimming on the beach again.

Day 3 We scored another deal and got to go to Ko Pi Pi, a great island with some epic cliff views and really good snorkeling. I identified all the characters of finding nemo but couldn't tell you the real names of all the fish. I've never seen a coral reef in the wild before, it was sooo beautiful!!
Day 4 Spent the day on the beach

Christmas! Found another beach and bummed it there, later managing to score MEXICAN FOOD! Yay! Everyone devoured the food and we even got to spy on a live Christmas concert next door, jamaican singers? It was a definitely island-christmas. 

Fon To

For the King.

This picture didn't quite make the Klong look so trashy...

Did I go to Italy? Somehow this doesn't feel like it belongs in Bangkok.

{Some pictures from a boat ride I took on the river last week down near the kings palace.} 

I'm watching Avatar in Thai with Goi, it was on t.v. and we jumped in half-way. I'm having a hard time trying to describe why Jake Sulley is a blue creature in a loincloth but also doubles as a bearded human in a wheelchair...? haha. I'm having a hard time distinguishing between Avatar language and Thai sometimes in the dubbing...

I got a package today from a church youth group in Santa Rosa, WOW! They baked Christmas cookies and just sent a tin over. I've never devoured cookies faster. We shared some around the office, but after that I took the tin and set it between Andrew, Goi and me. Goi wasn't so sure they were 'wan' or 'sweet' enough, and usually prefers salty food. So basically that left the rest of the batch up to me and Andrew. I'd say we polished off a good seven cookies a piece...plus crumbs. I'm going to have to go on a diet cleanse.

We had our last Thai class for December, kind of nostalgic its fun being able to just try and chat in Thai for a couple hours a day. I'll have to harass some Thai's on the beach into talking with me. P. Ma'm (our teacher) did leave us with homework though of "Kien ha prayok tuk-wan, lago puak-rao ja an gap Phuket, choc dee!" translation:"Write five sentences every day, so later we can read about Phuket, Good luck!"

Athid Na

SO. I've basically been gearing up for vaycay next week, thats pretty much the story of my life. It seems like in ORDER to leave or go anywhere you have to kind of get your vacation desk in order and your fun-face on, haha. Being new to the 'real world' I think its probably something everyone feels like they go through, probably not unique to Thailand, just my life.
Today I got a fun chance to hang out with an SM from Bogota, Colombia named Brenda. I was so worried my Spanish would suffer when I came here and I looked at Spanish speaking options for countries to go to when I finally realized I would "go" somewhere. Amazingly I've made so many Spanish friends I haven't had the option to forget it yet!
We went to this Christmas program at the Ekamai International School Church and got to listen to a lot of the students and teachers sing carols, not helping the NOT-home-for-the-holidays-syndrome thats for sure, but it was cute. After we grabbed a bite to eat at this Thai restaurant Green House that Brenda hadn't been to yet and met up with Andrew to go to Lumpini Park in the center of the city. After looking at a map I kinda realize its a lot like Golden Gate Park, kind of a city community hub/activity park. As luck would have it we ended up going during an International Street Show! Basically there were about fifteen mini-stages set up all around the park and different street preformers from different countries at each one. We saw a CREEPY puppet show from Laos, a Thai clown, Aussie Kangaroo's on stilts and some Scandanavian acrobatics!!! The only downside to the day was the heat...so intense today. I think humidity had to be 90% it felt like breathing water...
Our park day ended with a Christmas bon-fire at the Venns and some amazing lentil stew and guava fruit. How is it that all I can talk about is food when I think of Thailand?