Bangkok and little tidbits for travelers:

So this is in no way a professional 'Rick Steves' post about traveling through Bangkok, just things I discovered on my trip that I found interesting.

• Maybe its appropriate that people bond over the sharing of food, because there is food EVERYWHERE in the city, perhaps the country.  As long as you have a few baht, you will never go hungry, and the interactions with the locals is something to be remembered.  There is a stall every few feet, either selling fruit, vegetables, ice cream, Thai style crepes, noodles, or meats that were generally chicken or some sort of sea food. Lots of hot dogs around Thailand as well.
• If you're unsure what meat and want chicken, flapping your arms is the universal sign for chicken and most people will laugh, but also understand you.
• Get the pineapple.  Ask for "Sab-bpa-rote."  You can thank me later.
• For probably the first two weeks of being in Asia, every single dish I had was noodle based in some way, and yet every single one of them tasted different and amazing.
• They will ice everything, so learning "no ice" in Thai might be useful if that bothers you.
• Black Canyon Coffee is incredible.  Go here, order everything on the menu as far as the drinks go, and let the fun ensue.  I became especially fond of the Red Bean Cha Thai 'frapp' that they have.  It was glorious, and my soul is going to mourn its loss for a long time until I find that chain again.
• At movie theaters, you pick out your own seats while purchasing your tickets, which was a new experience for me, however a great one.  It means you don't have to show up 30 minutes early just to get a seat.
• Use ATMs that have credit card logos on them.  I used the ones in the mall (theres an international fee of a $5 charge for me at every ATM I went to, which i'm not sure if that is just my bank [Regions] or all around, but thats the fee for me.)  Also the purple ones are from the First Bank of Siam or something to that effect, and legit.
• Carry nose tissue wipes with you, as most places if you're out and about don't provide toilet paper, or will charge you.  Some locations will charge you for use of the toilet anyway, as I saw at Wat Mahathat that there was a 5 baht charge for the toilet, but it also looked like they provided TP as you went through.  I also thought that's got to be one of the weirder jobs ever.
• Depending where you're at, you won't have a western style toilet.  You may be reintroduced to the lovely squatter, or perhaps this is your first meeting, in which case I will explain.  Sometimes its a hole in the ground, sometimes it has a basin, whatever the case, most places are not going to give you hand rails so if your balance is bad, best work on that.  There is generally a large tub of water in the stall with a bucket or ladle provided; after you go, scoop up water and use that to 'flush.' 
• They're also really big on the 'bidet' system there.
• I don't think they believe in paper towels either, because I never once saw one, and several bathrooms, if providing anything at all, would just have a roll of toilet paper on the wall for you to dry your hands with.  I ended up using my pants or shirt for the entire trip.
• Don't be as paranoid of back alleys as you might think.  Some of the most amazing memories I have from Bangkok were down streets that I would never have gone down back home.  That being said, don't be a fool either, and trust your instincts.  If something feels wrong, avoid it, and until you know the area, I don't recommend walking alone, just as a 'common sense' point.
• The markets are INCREDIBLE.  Go, get lost, buy things that you have no clue what they are and enjoy the experience.  Haggle, bargain, don't show open disdain otherwise people will shut you off immediately.
• The concept of smiling and trying really does ring true in Thailand.  Most people will appreciate your attempts at the Thai language, even if they're just laughing at how bad you pronounce it.  Keep an open mind and open heart, and I think you'll be surprised at how friendly and helpful people are.  For our first few trips to the market, we would have complete strangers help us out with purchasing things.
• There is a 7/11 on every corner, and I can bet you its got better items than the one you go to at home.  Visit it, love it, regale in it and all its glory.
• Also buy the Birdy "smooth and creamy" coffee from there if you're an iced coffee fan.  
• Even if the customs don't make sense to you, don't use your 'foreigner so I don't have to' card and actually give the customs a try.  Say "Sawat dee Kah/krap" with your palms pressed and head bow when first seeing people that day/moment instead of your form of 'hello' or 'good morning.'  The people will appreciate it, as it is both an attempt at the language, customs, and a sign of respect.  Take your shoes off before entering houses, or private buildings, or wats, or anywhere that has a no shoes sign.  Don't be obscene in front of images of the Buddha.  Don't show open anger and expect to get anywhere with bullying someone (this should be a life rule for some of you people, but its easy to get frustrated in another country, understandably.  Just accept that you ARE in another country, so yelling and shouting will not help.)
• When saying I don't know, or "mai kao jai-ka", don't shrug, as it gives the impression that not only do you not know but you also don't care.  Smiling and saying you don't know is better, as it keeps it open  to the idea that you're trying to understand/learn.
• Taxis are awesome in the sense that they're always metered, are BRIGHT pink or green/yellow, and more or less everywhere in the city.  If the red light in the front is not on, that means that they're not working, so don't bother waving your little hand about at them.  Also, as a foreigner  don't be discouraged if some turn you down.  Either they didn't understand you, or the distance is too far, etc etc.  Just step back and try again.  Someone will eventually take you.  If you have a Thai friend, it helps to have them write the home address out in Thai for you, because sometimes you can just hand that to a person instead of trying to get it across.  Its still useful to learn how to pronounce your home location though.
• Water taxis don't play around.  Get your ticket and be prepared to board.
• Back seats on buses, etc are reserved for monks.  If they're full and a monk boards, a spot is always cleared for them.  Also, if you are a female, do not touch them.
• Unless you got a camera with a lens that allows you to shoot from a distance, don't just walk up to a monk and snap a photo.  You should ask for permission first.  Think about it.  These people, while perhaps new and exciting to you, are still PEOPLE, and should not be treated like zoo exhibits. Most will agree, and even if they don't, I promise you that you will encounter more monks before you leave.
• Motorcycles/scooters can and will use the sidewalk.  Heads up!
• Also, the sidewalks are not necessarily flat and even either.  Out in the district I was in, it was a bit like walking through one of the fallen temples in Cambodia, with stones up ended, broken, and the footing incredibly uneven.  Watch for that, dog poo, and motorcycles.  If nothing else, it makes it an adventure every time you go out.

So, that is in no means all inclusive, but those are the things that I discovered for myself while in Thailand.  Lots of stuff you'll read in your guide books/pre-trip readings, but these were things that I didn't find covered so I thought i'd share.  

3 am and i'm awake

Lets blame it on Christmas excitement and not the time change.

I have a few things i'd like to talk about, one of which being things of note I discovered in Bangkok, the other just rambling...I think i'll actually give the one for Bangkok its own post, which means that i'm also going to dedicate a post to my rambles.  Mwhahahaha.

Do you ever look back at moments in your life and just think "wow, I did that."  It can almost feel like watching a movie of someone else, and sometimes that's horrible, depending on your actions and the circumstances, but sometimes its also incredible, to think that that was you, in that moment, in that time, doing those things.  In this case, for me, its incredible.

I had several moments while in Asia where i'd experience one of those 'out of body' moments, and just kind of see myself and where I was and what I was doing, and just start smiling.  I'm sure I freaked a good number of people out, but aside from that, (or maybe because of that), those were always good moments.

It could be something simple, like just walking down a soi checking out food carts. Or perhaps it'd be something different, like me dangling from a gigantic tree root in Cambodia.  I don't want to say that I've never imagined myself doing these things, because I've always had goals and the intention to end up in those two countries, but to finally be that person wandering through markets, surrounded by people who don't speak the same language, shopping for food and Christmas presents...It felt reaffirming.

Doing this, this traveling, this volunteering, is what I was meant to do.  The idea that I can add joy to someones life by doing something I love as well is completely amazing to me, and I can certainly say that volunteering my time and money has made me all the richer.

I hope to take these experiences and create some great art out of them as well, something that will help fund future trips for me.  No matter the travel I do, I hope to always interlace it with volunteering in the local communities and getting to meet these people.  I can't even tell you how many times I've thought that doing this program was easily one of the better choices I've ever made in my life.  If not for this, I never would have met any of the amazing people I have.

The volunteer group, Sue, and some of the staff.

Poi, Lom, Mama Poi and all the other women at the day care who guided me through 40 plus energetic children who were all sweet little snot monsters (and I mean that in the most endearing way) and accepted me as part of the team despite our language barrier.   Pimsuda, Benz, Jack, Joo, Jiew, Noo, and Sue, from the CCS Bangkok staff, who all contributed to my understanding of the Thai people, culture, and life style in one form or another, and who would go above and beyond to assist in any way they could.  Sothik from Cambodia, who helped me not to just experience the total 'tourist blow through' but who showed me a side to the people and gave me memories that I never even hoped for.  Sara, Victoria, Jill and Alli, the four volunteers that I spent the most time with there at the home base, who experienced a lot of 'firsts' with me, and helped make this experience such a positive one.  But mostly the children.

The children that I never ever, in all my life, expected to honestly LIKE the way I do.  I know that sounds harsh, but you have to understand that I have never once been a kid person in my entire life.  Children are sweet, I don't detest them, but I never understood when people would ooooh and ahhhh and sigh heavily while stating, often with some far off look in their eyes, that they just couldn't wait to have children. I would always be in the background looking at them with one eyebrow raised thinking that anyone who said that should be moved to the front of the line for an immediate CAT scan and mental health evaluation. Now, however, while not wanting a child for myself any time in the near future, I can finally understand the mentality, even if 'just a little.'

These kids were incredible.  I loved every moment I was there, even if I didn't necessarily 'understand' every moment.  One thing you will discover while traveling is that you don't have to speak the same language, make the same sounds, to communicate with another person.  Especially in the case of children.  Never once did the fact that my Thai was crippled and jolted, with odd tones and funny sentence structure deter these children from having full blown conversations with me.

Me with Om.  

My lack of vocabulary did nothing to block the bonds that were formed with Om, who would run up, hug me tightly around the legs and then sit in my lap, grabbing my arm and pulling it around him so that I was holding him tightly across the tummy.  Or Luke-Gait, who just decided one day that this new person belonged to her and would claim a spot on my lap, despite if I was sitting or not.  Or Namn Neuh, who was unsure how to play with me at first but opened up as the days went, and was eventually following me around making noises, and then squealing in surprise and glee when I'd turn and chase after him.  Fot, who was never not bringing me something new and wonderful to impress me with, be it a green bucket or his ability to fill an empty bag with sand.  Focat, the kid who kept a wide clearance of me at first, who ended up swinging with me, smiling the most adorable smiles, and easily becoming a 'favorite.'


(horrible photo of me but its hard to look good when you're having your face smushed.  I don't care though.  It was endearing.)

Focat.

Yes, I admit it.  Despite the fact that you're not supposed to have favorites, they totally formed and there was just no stopping it.  Om and Focat were my top two, Namn Neuh and Fot following closely with Potey and Doam.  There were a few children whose name I never caught ( learning 40 plus names was NOT easy, especially when someone of them just sounded like 'sounds' to me when I first heard them) but they were on the top of my list as well.

To say I formed a better bond with the boys than the girls would not be incorrect, but the girls were adorable as well.  There was one girl in particular, always running around in a Disney nightgown, who was especially good with her English and would enjoy playing games with me on the play ground.  I'd draw a letter in the dirt, and she'd shout it out in English, then stomp it out by hopping like a bunny before scooting back to wait for the next one.  I ended up switching and i'd call out a letter, and she'd draw it out for me.  This actually drew several kids over, who enjoyed the competition, as well as those who just enjoyed stomping out drawings in the dirt. This was actually the opener for Namn Neuh, who had joined in the game, and started drawing out some of the Thai alphabet and then telling me the names for the letters.

I miss them.  I missed them before I even left.  I keep thinking that it'd be so great to go back, see how the kids have grown and changed, to see what type of person they're turning into as they get older.  It'd be funny to go, " Hey hey hey, I remember you when your entire face was covered in snot and you were out in the back eating dirt--"

I don't know.  As you can see, this trip has changed me.  The bonds I've formed with people that I never imagined meeting have shaped my life and molded me like clay, and theres no way I can simply go back to the person I was before, whoever she might have been.

Isn't that exciting?

Some of my favorite photos from my last day at Chumchon Suan Ruen Daycare

We say goodbye like a Princess

Today was a special day.  Not only was it the last day for me at placement (tear) but it was also the last day for the volunteer group and CCS Staff to be together, and on top of that, it was extra special because CCSBangkok is actually closing for four months for the first time ever after this group leaves.  So tonight, after our cultural activity of a walking tour of specific areas in Bangkok, we all had an amazing dinner at a restaurant on the river with the staff, plus Sue, our wonderful land lady.  Heres a photo of all of the final volunteers, Sue, and two of the lovely staff.

Going around to the Wats and various locations for our C.A. was super cute because the staff was going around snapping photos, and it went from "oh my god, cool background! Photo photo!" to absolutely ridiculous "Omg, theres a tree! Photo photo!" and eventually it even turned into " omg, theres a Honda--"   And if you think i'm joking, i'm not.

So the restaurant was The Princess Terrace Pub and Restaurant, and we had this big table laid out for us right by the river. 


We got there and were seated just prior to the sun setting, so we got to watch the night light up around us, with various Christmas decorations on our side, and the city night life on the other.

We were celebrating a few things that night.  Not just the last night for us as volunteers, but it was actually the first time CCSBangkok will be closing for a period of time in 10 years of being active.  They'll only be closed for four months, so its not a total shut down, but it will be their first time going dormant as well so.


 The food was, again, incredible, and I got to see a more casual side of the staff that I was super happy to see.

 I gave them the drawing from me and the other volunteers.  Jack especially liked how his hair was drawn in the image, lol. It's a bit hard as an artist to leave them with such a rough image, but there was literally nothing I could do given the materials at hand.  At least they liked it.

 For my first time volunteering abroad, this experience has been more than I could ever have hoped for and I can't possibly say thank you to them enough.  Nothing I could say would convey it enough.  From Jack, who was the first person I met in Thailand, to Pimsuda, who runs everything here for the groups, to Benz, who is mad chill and has amazing driving skills, to Sue, who is the sweetest lady ever, to Jiew, Jume, and Noo who all are so sweet and sassy at the same time, providing both food and clean housing, and finally Sopat, who guards us and keeps us safe at night.  This experience would not have been even close to the same without this staff, and I hope they know how awesome they all are.

I got some sweet photos with Jack and Benzy, as well as a nice one with Sue.  I also got a fun one with Pimsuda and Benz, which I posted up there earlier.

I didn't get a chance to talk to the women in the staff too much (the cooks and women who kept the place tidy) because i'd always see them in the morning or late at night, when my croaky voice was at the worst, but they were really cute to watch running around snapping photos.

 Ahh, such a great staff.  I don't want to leave.

Can't I just stay here with my new friends? and have my friends and family from home magically transport to Thailand as well? Is that really too much to ask?


The bus ride home was fun as well.  It totally turned into a party van, with Benz flashing the lights in the back and the music cranked up.

 Noo, Jack, Me, Sara, Victoria, Alli, and Benz by way of lights were all partying it up.  It was so much fun, and was just a great way to connect with the staff in a manner that we hadn't been able to yet.  Alas, it was also like the last thirty minutes I got to spend with them, lol.

Even after the van was parked, Noo was in the back clapping and it was just like, " The party don't stop!" lol.  I loved it.  Here's a shot of Jack showing off some dance moves.

Man...got to come back.  Next time though, for MUCH longer than two weeks.  I'm seriously not trying to think about it yet, because if I do, I know i'm going to start crying.  Once i'm home, I'll do a proper post on the staff, this program, and my time here in Bangkok, but for the time being, that is what I got.

The monks

So I got up this morning super early, coughing and still half asleep by the time I left to go see the monks collecting food at the local market.  It was a short walk down the soi, then a short distance more down the street until we came upon the market.  The morning felt cool, with the sun just rising as we set off, so it was a nice little walk (at least for me.  I think the others were already over it before we even left.)

We came upon the market and turned down it for a short distance.  I was really interested in looking at the stalls and what the vendors had up for sale, as it was the classic early morning market filled to the top with fresh fruit, fish still wiggling about, meat sizzling on one side and vegetables on the other.  I was super interested, but when I turned to look at my companions I thought that they looked like they felt a little out of place.  We hadn't passed a monk as of yet, which was why we were there, so we turned back around and headed into the middle of the street connecting the markets, where we then stopped and watched a few monks cross the street or collect food, whatever the case may be.

To say that there were significantly fewer monks than we had expected would be an understatement, but it was still neat to see the process with them setting the bowl down, the people bowling and him blessing them.  For those who don't know, monks go around every morning with a giant bowl, in which people donate food to them. They then bless them, I believe, as the people believe they gain merit (karma points, more or less) for assistance to monks.  If it is a woman, the monks are not allowed to directly accept food from her, and they lay the bowl down on the ground, which the woman will then put the food in and such 'the package has been delivered.'  Its really an interesting process for those who have never seen it before.

I also can't get over seeing the monks, who I have always associated with mountain temples or hanging out around waterfalls, in the city, navigating traffic and hailing taxis.  I wonder if they pay for the taxi or not...?

Anyway.  I was down to stay for a while, as I had gotten up for this, but after about five minutes it was super apparent that Victoria and Sara were both over it and ready to go.  Not to say that they didn't enjoy themselves, but I was at least thinking of staying thirty minutes at the minimum.  C'est la vie however.  I'm thankful for the little I did get to see.

Monk crossing the street outside of the market.

Now to go to placement!

The Grand Palace with a Tic Tac

So the Grand Palace is most certainly grand. In fact, it was frickin amazing. They should rename it The Frickin Amazing Palace.

We had a dress code to adhere to for this cultural activity, so I wore a nicer shirt and dress slacks, all of which were really complimented by my busted looking tennis shoes, but whatever.(also, FYI, all of these images shall be extra large, to give you as close of a sensation to actually being there as possible.)

Benzy-Benz dropped us off in front of the palace where our guide Tic Tac met us. Tic Tac is just the sweetest man, and truly fit into the Thai concept of making everyone feel like family. I only got one photo of him on my phone but I think it may end up being a favorite. It just seems to capture him to me.


So, from the moment we got out of the car to the moment we got back in, we were surrounded by people. The palace was packed with visiting Chinese tour groups, and while I wouldn't say they contributed to the trip, I wouldn't necessarily say they ruined it either.

From the minute you enter the gates, you're greeted by these three amazing buildings. They're just gigantic, and the sheer detail of the place basically stimulated all the senses.


The far left one, the golden bell, still houses a relic of the Buddha I believe, and mmm... Either the far one or the middle houses the Emerald Buddha, I can't remember off the bat. Ill have to look it up.


The palace has areas still used for ceremony events by the king and or his family, so it was neat to see where these events would take place.

Everything was sparkling, either with gold leaf or mosaic inlaid glass.

Once again I was wondering about the extent of Hindu gods in Buddhist temples.


Tic Tac also took us through the museum prior to entry, which was interesting because the knowledge from there helped to make the palace and temple more interesting.

One thing I did not know was that the Emerald Buddha actually has three different outfits. One for dry season, one for cool, and one for the rainy season. Apparently the king himself usually climbs the stairs and changes the outfit on the Buddha, however last year I believe it was his brother. I didn't get any photos from this area as you're not allowed to take photos in the temple, and my phone doesn't zoom well.

A few more photos from the Palace:

This building was interesting. Due to his time spent in Europe, King Rama the ...4th? 5th? (Will check later) was really into European architecture and wanted to bring it back to Thailand to build in their palace. It was a family member who suggested keeping the roof Thai, and the result is this beautiful building within the Palace complex.


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Wat Arun and Asia's obsession with stairways of death

So we went to Wat Arun the other day.
The Wat itself is amazing; its incredibly detailed, extremely ornate, and just astonishing up close.
From afar, you can't really appreciate the detailing and amount of work that went into the complex, but up close you really just have to love it.
Wat Arun is a Buddhist temple, situated on the river, with the name translating to " Temple of the Dawn." It is one of Thailand's best known landmarks, with the light reflecting off the detailing of the temple as the sun rises and sets, making for a spectaluar visual effect.

The Wat is surrounded by a monastary, full of both ordained and practicing monks, with a market and river along the far side. 

The group there was me, Sarah, Victoria, Jill and our lovely CCS staff member, Jack.
Jack told us a bit about the history, the reasoning for the location, as well answering some questions about buddhism in general.

After walking the exterior of the complex, I simply had to ask: Can we climb this thing? He said if we would like to, certainly! Which basically meant that I was going to the top. (Below is a photo of me in my balloon pants. They're HUGE which of course means they're the most comfortable things ever.)

Jill and Sarah both opted out of the hike up, as the stairs were insanely steep, so it was just the three of us climbing to the upper most region to take a look around.
I was surprised to see that the exterior of the temple was decorated with pieces of glass and pottery.

  I can only imagine the upkeep on a building like that.
 I was also surprised to find that I think these stairs were actually steeper than any I encountered in Cambodia, and I can't help but wonder what Asia's obsession with stairways of Death is all about.  Is it like a rite of passage?  Only the worthy, those possesing full balance and of steel hearts, may reach the top?  I don't know.  I still don't understand, but I climbed that thing and walked the exterior up there snapping photos and listening to the history as well. 

I know Thailand has an insane amount of Wats, but its truly worth a visit if you have the time. 

 

Horrible photo of myself (that's what I get for movinggggg) but whatever! Wat Arun mountain crew, whut whut.

In which we destroy the Thai Language: It was a group effort

So today was our last language lesson, and our teacher, Pun (Apple) was back to attempt to walk us through.  Even though we did better than last time, I wouldn't go so far as to say we did well.  We were not looking good, as a unit, lol.  But we tried! 

Pun had some really fun ways of going through the words, and taught us a funny dance for basic words used in shopping.  We also covered numbers and I can say that it went as well as it did in English...and Spanish...and Japanese...  Numbers; the bane of my existence.  In some small part I feel like they should stick in SOME language.  The process for their counting makes sense, its not really complicated, but the numbers are still numbers are still numbers are still numbers.  Makes sense? No?

Here, I will translate:  it's never going to work.

After language lessons, we had dinner, then me, Sarah, and Victoria headed to the Big C to do some shopping/exploring while Jill stayed here at the home base.  We wandered back to the cute donut shop, and actually made a couple of return visits, but none of us bought anything.  I think we just have a thing for staring at food?  I don't know, but the women behind the counter seemed anxious for us to make a decision or go.  They were probably just as stressed about having to deal with us ordering as we were about having to make the attempt to order.  Nevertheless, we did end up ordering at a coffee shop a few shops down.  They both got something that was basically ice cream in a cup, and I got a Red Bean Cha Thai Yen.  It was from Black Canyon Coffee and was the closest to heaven i've ever been due to a source of food.

Mmm..What else.  We bought some basic groceries, and I actually bought something there as a present for someone.  It will seem odd when I mail it but I'm hoping they like it, as it's pretty frickin' delicious.  I also bought shampoo, conditioner (both LOREAL), face wash (Nutregina), deoderant (DOVE), and the big ole thing of food to mail off for all under $10.  Yessir. 

Also, it was really funny to me to see all these kpop stars on various things like body spray or chapstick.  Leetuek and Donghae both were calling out to me man.  I almost bought it up.

Tomorrow's plans:  Grand Palace in the morning, then Wat Pho, with lunch out with the staff/volunteers, then taking a van to Kanchanaburi for our weekend trip.

In which I learn how to navigate children, and Thailand

So today was my first day at placement here in Thailand. We got a late start due to some special circumstances involving some volunteers who were having their final day, so class had already started by the time I got there.

They introduced me and all the kids introduced themselves as well, at once, naturally.

Then they played some games, which I think were actually stretches in disguise, before Poi, the head teacher, had them do the Thai alphabet. I was sitting on the floor doing it as well (or trying.) then they had me do the ABCs, before moving on through things like colors, days of the week, etc.

It was funny because when I first arrived, the kids were sweet but distant. It was like when a shark swims through a cluster of fish and they all leave this huge circle around it; I was essentially the Great White Shark, and they sure weren't coming close. In like five seconds however, one by one a child would brave coming close enough to touch me, and eventually they decided I was safe enough and soon I had various kids competing for attention.

There's one kid, Daum, (pronounced Dom) who was a sweetie. He would run up to me smiling and waving, and point to kids and just repeat their names. During the alphabet, he saw me laughing at this one kid who had zero volume control and who would go from a whisper to a shout in the same letter, so he got this really desperate look on his face and just started shouting. Not even the alphabet, he was just making his voice louder with his tiny little eyes darting from me to the letter all "does she see? Is she catching this? This is talent lady!" It was cute lol.

Today was mostly me figuring out what was going on and keeping the kids from punching each other. While Muay Thai is a beloved sport here in Thailand, it is apparently frowned upon in the classroom. No Muay Thai in pre-K, you save that for 1st grade.

After that, shower and nap. Some of the kids slept under a mosquito net outside, but most stayed in the one room that serves as the school.

I met back up with Jack and Benz around 1:20, and we headed off to pick up the other volunteers.
We began our trip through the mass transport system with a faulty boat ride. The first pier we stopped at was out of order, so basically we chilled with the local homeless for a while before scooting on down to next pier.

Then, this part was great, well...I thought it was great. The water taxi rolls up, but Jack accidentally went down the exit ramp instead of the boarding ramp, so we turned around to go down right ramp and the water taxi was just like "na,son" and promptly pulled off.

It's like when a person just taps the breaks at a stop sign; it wasn't a real stop at all.

I personally thought it was hilarious, but I don't know how amused everyone else was. Jack just laughed, and a few of us made jokes, but then we all had to chill for about 10 minutes before the next one rolled up. That one we were the first ones on.

All in all, Jack escorted us through the water taxis, the sky train, the subway, and then what was to be a taxi and turned into a Tuk Tuk.

We split up in the Tuk Tuks: Jill and Sarah in one, me, Jack and Victoria in the other.

It was vaguely amusing that public transport is considered a cultural activity but the experience was honestly invaluable, especially for volunteers who would be staying long term. Even if I come back in between my return to Cambodia, I know I will be grateful to have this knowledge.

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Location:กรุงเทพ-นนทบุรี 46,Bang Sue,Thailand

Five am and I'm awake

This is becoming a bit of a curse, really. Rolled around for twenty minutes before finally grabbing my phone to see that, sure enough, five am on the dot. Boooooo, hisssss.

Yesterday was odd for me. I was honestly emotional about leaving Cambodia, and maybe it's because I have no clear idea on when I'm coming back, but I was seriously on the verge of tears for a moment there.

The flight to Thailand was short though, and I sat beside two funny American fellows. One was older, maybe between his 40s and 50s, and the other seemingly closer to my age. At the end of the trip the younger lad looked to the older and just goes, completely straight face, " so tell me, if you could swim in any type of food, what would it be?"

Man 2,"what? Why would I want to swim in f-"
Man 1," pudding, isn't it? You look like a pudding sort of guy."
" no, not pudding, not anything -"
"Spaghetti then? Kinda weird but I guess if that's your thing--"
"That'd be gross, no. I don't know, I wouldn't want to swim in any kind of food."

"You had zero imagination as a kid didn't you?" He asked dryly.

Man number 1 tried to be as reasonable about this conversation as possible.

" But you'd have to consider carefully," he prompted," because them you'd get a stomach ache-"

"Stomach ache?" Interrupted the younger man," Why would you get a stomach ache?"

"Because you'd probably eat some-"

"What? Ew, no, you don't eat it. Gross, you're gross. See, this is why I can't have conversations with you--."


My first impression of Bangkok was that I couldn't tell if what I was seeing was smog or low lying clouds... I'm thinking smog. I could barely see the city as we landed, though I'm told we were right in it.

Going through customs was effortless, collecting my baggage was a test of patience. I didn't reallllly need all my belongings, did I? I also ended up exchanging a wad of cash for Thai baht, something I would save for figuring out later, if at all.

After a few confusing moments, met CCS staff Jack outside gate 3, as arranged. Jack is a friendly and extremely helpful guy, and we started the process of creating small talk again. His English is very good, a lot better than my Thai, and after having spent the last few days exploring outside my comfort zone with conversing with people, I think it went a little better than to be expected.  As the trip progressed, I'd learn that Jack was a man of many colors, with all sorts of new and interesting sides to him that i'd never have expected, and yet a joy to discover.

We still had at least an hour to wait at the airport before we could leave, as another volunteer would be arriving on a later flight. We talked about different things, what there is to do in Bangkok, places we would like to go, what I was doing in Siem Reap. We covered a wide range.

After a while he got up to go wait for Sara, our next volunteer. She arrived a little while later, and was a lot more energetic than I had been after the initial long flight. Sarah is actually a staff member for the CCS office in New York, so she knows a lot about each program. This is her first time in Thailand however and she seems excited. She is really easy to talk to and we chat off and on in the taxi ride to the home base.

Once here, we meet with Pimsuda, the head staff member for the Bangkok branch. She's sweet and welcomes us all, telling us to get settled in and that lunch would be waiting for us. I was happy to hear this, as up to this point, the last thing I'd eaten had been the noodle bowl with Sothik and Mr. Driver the morning before. ( I have a habit of getting busy with something and actually forgetting to eat. It's not healthy but it's also not on purpose. I love me some good food.)

Sara and I are in different rooms, though both upstairs. I'm in what's called "the big room", and my bed has a cute little welcome packet set up for me when I arrive, along with two water bottles.


We have a bathroom and shower in our room, as well as a sizeable walk in closet with plenty of room for storage.


Lunch was a noodle bowl dish, and thanks to Sothik, I knew what I was doing. At least...more so than I had before. Jack ate with us briefly, before having to head back to the airport to wait on the next arrival.

The home base is in the Bangsue district of Bangkok, about a 40-45 minute drive from the down town. It hasn't felt that far to me, but maybe 23 hours on planes and travel by Tuk Tuk has altered my perception of what would be considered a lengthy trip.

Sara and I chatted some as we ate, then she left to take a shower and I went to my room to unpack. For the first time since any trip ever, I actually pulled my clothes out of the suitcase and hung them up. I could just see the shining tears of joy mom would have at such a moment. Then I promptly realized I could only find one sock of a certain pair and could promptly hear her cackling as well. Oh well.

Jack showed up later with another volunteer named Jill, and it took everything in me to not ask after the pail of water. I'm still working on those first impressions.

Jill is 60, and just coming in from, surprise, Siem Reap, where she just spent the last several days doing a bike tour of the temples. We laughed about all that and commented on how we're probably photo bombing each others pictures somewhere, or how I probably blew past her in my Tuk Tuk on the way to one of the temples. Small world!

They served dinner shortly after her arrival, and then the three of us (me, Sara and Jill) sat around talking. It was still early and we had no obligations, so we decided to head to the mall to see a movie since the weekend market was already closed. Jack helped us to get a taxi and give them directions, and soon we were off. We ended up seeing Rise of the Guardians in 3D for like $7. I was once again in shock. I was also really happy they enjoyed it cause I recommended it hard core, and didn't want them to hate it xD

Getting a taxi home was fun. Jack wrote us a little note to hand to the drivers, and it reminded me of the kind of thing you pin to small children or lost articles. "If found, please return to..."

He warned us some people would turn us down, either from not wanting to deal with foreigners or not wanting to drive out here, and sure enough it took us five taxis before someone agreed to take us.

Over all though, tonight was a good first night.

Me, Sara, and Jill.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:กรุงเทพ-นนทบุรี 46,Bang Sue,Thailand