I have A TON to report! The 20+ hours on the plane weren't too terrible. I got to try Chinese beer (international waters don't call for being 21!) When we finally landed in Bangkok, we were greeted by whom we would be travelling with. They gave us Thai fruits, candies, and . . . a hot dog. Hot dogs are a big thing here (they call them sausages).
This is what we do every day: We are travelling throughout Thailand in a big van with 11 people. Six of us are LSU students, plus our professor, Dr. Motsenbocker. Anan is our awesome, hilarious driver, and (forgive my spelling) Sue, Ghang, and Ahn work with Kasetsart University's Agriculture Program. They are all the sweetest, most giving people I have ever met. They laugh all day, and they have made this trip so amazing thus far. Every Thai person is given a nickname, so they gave us all one. When they say Katie, it sounds like 'kitt-y'. The Thai word for kitty is 'Mao,' so my nickname is mao mao! I can't believe how much Thai I've learned!
What I've done in four days:
~ Had squid squash soup
~ Had a "mildly" spiced Thai dish that made tears roll down my face
~ Slept in Ajaan Yingyoong's orchard
~ Ate soooo many Thai fruits (rambutan, mangosteen, durian, salaat, and longkong)
~ Visited a salaat orchard and rode on the orchard owner's motorcycle
~ Visited a longkong orchard
~ Laid on the beach in Rayong with a view of the mountains
~ Had dinner on the beach while a Thai man sang English pop songs (not too badly either)
~ Took a boat through the mangrove forest and planted mangrove pods
~ Got a Thai massage for about $8 (equivalent to 300 baht)
Interesting things about Thailand so far:
~ People drive on the left side and make use of every space in the lanes (driving between lanes, on the shoulder, next to motorcycles, etc.)
~ Toilets are on the ground. This took a long time to get used to!
~ You eat with a fork and a spoon. Its incredibly efficient.
~ Thai people address their friends as 'older' and 'younger'. Everyone is so very polite.
~ Every house, restaurant, establishment, etc. has a spirit house. Every house has a ghost, and that is where the ghost lives. They place water and food around it twice a week.
~ The Thai King is the longest reigning monarch in the world - since 1948. There are pictures of him in every house and place of business.
~ They LOVE crocs. Strange.
I'll have internet more regularly the next few days, so I will post again much sooner. Thanks for reading!!!
