avocado: the happenings.

Happy Monday my friends!

Last week was a very busy week—I moved into my new place (hurray!), started daily Thai lessons, went shopping for some things to make the place feel homey, worked with Janine during the afternoons, had a few church activities in the evenings and saw my first movie in the theater. Now that you know the summary, it shouldn’t surprise you that on Saturday I was so exhausted that I went to teach a class in the morning and then slept for almost 4 hours in the afternoon. It was almost like a belated jet lag.

Swadiika Mr. Ronald

There are so many details of things to share there is no way I can possibly say them all. A couple weeks ago, I promised a report about our Chinese experience. One of the clubs is at a university that has a large population of Chinese students. The club functioned as normal, but then we had to wait most of the day for an evening party welcoming the new students. We planned to work on some of our goals and such in the interim between events, but ended up spending a large portion of the day with some of the club students. In the evening there was a group of about 20 students and pretty much I had no idea what was going on for 3+ hours. I mean, I knew the basic idea of what was going on, but had limited participation since my Chinese is non-existent. They fed us authentic Chinese (delicious) and then it seemed to turn into a Christian event since we sang songs and someone gave her testimony. One of the more comical parts of this event was that one of my English club students functioned as my translator, but because of his accent, I can’t understand his English, so it was pretty much hours of someone whispering sweet nothings with bad breath. I was so happy when it was over.

Fast forward to two weekends ago, I was able to go to a birthday party with some new girlfriends I’ve met through my host Allison. They are very fun and hilarious ladies and I would never have guessed I was in Asia as we enjoyed a beautiful home with caprese bruschetta and chocolate chip cookies. It was so fun to be with young women about my age who have a passion to do something in the world. A few of the girls work with people who have been sex-trafficked, some work with the lady-boys, and some work in the slums (for an amazing read on the slum ministry and one of the girls from the birthday party, check out http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2013/september/chaos-and-grace-in-slums-of-earth.html?paging=off)).

On Sunday a couple of my other friends helped me move my bags into my new place, set up my iphone and settle in. I have to admit, the first night it was very sad and lonely feeling—probably because I hadn’t unpacked things and there was nothing more than bare furniture in the place. Monday afternoon I was able to meet up with Angela (a missionary from Elmbrook who works in Pattaya) at IKEA. To get to Ikea, you take the rail and then just wait for a shuttle. There was no sign marking where the shuttle would stop, so I just waited and got on the bus the other white person got on. Worked like a charm. After hanging out with Angela, I spent some sweet time browsing the halls of Ikea and getting some basics to make it feel like a home—bedsheets, dishes, hand towels etc.

Times Square of Bangkok--And they are off! I'm always surprised how large this intersection is.

Last week was also the first week that truly felt like a routine was forming. I got on the rail during rush hour in the morning and was crowded in with everyone else on the way to work or school. Thankfully, my school is right off the stop, so I just hop off and there is the building. Unfortunately, the elevators can take FOR-EV-ER and by the time it comes you don’t care that you are rubbing shoulders (literally) with a stranger, you just want to make it on. Sometimes it will beep because we’ve exceeded the weight limit. It’s my first time experiencing the elevator beep with regularity.

Oh boy--Thai time.

Thai lessons are three hours a day of intense teaching and I do not feel like I am picking it up fast at all. However, it is a small class of 7 people (4 Koreans and 3 Americans) and that is making me try harder because I get called on every 30 minutes. The Korean women and I have become immediate friends. We went to lunch three times last week and I went over to their apartment this weekend to study. They took me to a Korean restaurant one day where I had authentic Korean food. They are too kind to me, giving me gifts and buying me food and even picking me up so I could go to their home. I explained what I am doing here and found out they are Christians too and they think it is amazing that Spotlight is a free resource. They will listen to Spotlight to improve their English. (But I don’t know if they really will….Thai is enough to learn right now.) The first time we went out to lunch they told me, “We like you JoAnn because you talk to us. Most Americans don’t talk to anybody except Americans.” It was food for thought (and I suppose food for the belly since they keep feeding me!).

Authentic Korean in Thailand

As far as things with Spotlight are concerned, I am finding some immediate fulfillment in some of the projects. I mentioned last post about my “Banana Monday” and this past Saturday the group leader chose the banana program for our club. It is rewarding to have such an immediate influence and connection with the group activities. Two weeks ago that program didn’t have a group resource and two days ago we used the one I created. (It was a great lesson on Saturday, in case you are wondering…the students loved talking about bananas and other staple foods. They couldn’t believe how infrequently I ate rice before Asian living.—they seriously stared at me mouths agape, “What did you eat then?!”)

We had foot massages and then invited these women to the neighborhood English club

This girl loved me and gave me her umbrella because it was pouring. It was great because it gave me an excuse to go back to return it--typically people here won't do something if they are only invited one time, so forming relationships is critical.

Spotlight is also gearing up to launch a new round of SKYPE clubs—stay tuned for that. Yours truly is helping create the marketing for recruitments.

bananas

The last thing for today’s post that I want to mention is my time at the movies. I went with a Thai friend to see The Bling Ring (interesting to watch with a foreigner because of the wealth component) and there are some slight variances to movie going. Like a few other countries, you actually choose your seats prior to going into the show. It is more affordable, but still not cheap. They had four different flavors of popcorn and I have to say that the sample of cheese popcorn was by no means Wisconsin cheese popcorn. I passed and went with the plain option. Then the previews started and some I couldn’t understand because they were Thai movies. There were tons of commercials too. However, what took me most by surprise was the National Anthem! We all had to rise and stand while they played the anthem and pictures of the benevolent king flashed on screen. I was trying to imagine playing the National Anthem before movies in the States with patriotic flair on screen and it just gave me giggles. (Interesting note… the anthem is played every day at 8.00 and 18.00, and by law everyone stops and pays respect for the nation. I was at the rail station and it was like a strange movie where everyone stopped in place for a minute and then resumed.) Thankfully, movies that are in English stay in English with Thai subtitles, so I was on board the whole time.

And that concludes this round of Bangkok Happenings.

Sometimes I get stuck behind one of these on my sidewalk strolls

Elephant idol

My 7-11 reward points--still waiting to cash in! I go to 7-11 about four times a week--there is one practically every block. They do have Slurpees and I will have one soon.

There is a common theme to the money here


Buddhist Monk. There is a sign that says, "Please give up your seat for monks." They have a strong respect for monks here.

No balloons or stinky fruit allowed on the rail.

PER SPECIAL REQUEST!
A little tour of my place with some stuff in it. Nothing is on the walls yet and I am hoping to buy a toaster oven soon so things will be rearranged over the next month, but for now.....